Role-playing games have always been about character progression and deep immersion in the worlds carefully crafted by the developers. In some of the older RPGs, going down a certain path with a character carried much more weight than it does nowadays, with respeccing and easily-created jack-of-all-trades builds allowing gamers to be much more careless with their choices.
Related: PC RPGs With The Best Main Stories
Classes and guild allegiances in RPGs used to matter a lot more in older games than they do now, but that doesn't mean that all modern titles discard their importance. Whether it's a 20-year-old cult classic or a modern AAA blockbuster, video games where class systems are fleshed out and have more impact on storylines and gameplay usually have a higher replay value than their more straightforward counterparts.
Updated on June 11, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra: With RPGs becoming more and more common across most games, many fans of the hardcore nature of these titles are pretty displeased that the rigid class systems that really forced players to think about their build are not present in titles that are meant to appeal to a broader audience. It's easy to see why so many people are fans of more rigorous and tough RPGs that utilize class systems to great effect, allowing players to customize and form a build that suits their playstyle.
Thankfully, there are more than enough titles where making a class is extremely important, with games making it a point to ensure that players can only pursue a particular build instead of becoming a master of all trades in record time. Combat is not the only thing that is affected by a different build, since many events and interactions can also change in certain games based on the skill set of the player!
It's a shame that Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines was released on the same day as Half-Life 2, pretty much dooming the game's sales for good. The fact that the game was pretty broken on launch didn't help things either, with a slew of bugs and glitches bogging down the entire experience.
However, over time, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines has accrued a reputation in the industry as one of the best-written RPGs in the genre. There are different kinds of vampires to choose from, with each class being wildly different in its own way. The Malkavian and Nosferatu vampire classes serve as great examples of just how brilliant this game really is, with the entire playthrough changing wildly based on the restrictions and unique eccentricities these classes possess.
Nintendo has several great franchises that have unfortunately been lost to the sands of time, and Golden Sun is no different. This unique JRPG series allowed players to mix and match Djinns to form different classes that sported unique powers of their own. Not only did this help out in combat, but players could interact with the overworld in new and meaningful ways as well!
The magic of Golden Sun was accumulating numerous Djinns and figuring out the best possible permutations and combinations that could benefit the player both in and out of combat. It was a unique spin on the class system and made for a great and unique way to play through a JRPG that combined the age-old job systems of the series along with a unique mix-and-match system that made players feel quite smart when they finally figured out some innovative Djinn combinations.
Final Fantasy 5 is one of the most underrated games in the series, with many players lamenting the lack of a serious story that the previous title in the series employed to great effect. However, while this criticism may be valid in certain instances, most people who go all-in on the negative points of this title fail to appreciate just how amazing the gameplay of this title really is.
Related: The Greatest Sci-Fi RPGs
The fact that many Final Fantasy veterans feel like this title has the best implementation of the Job System in the series is hefty praise that goes to show just how fun the moment-to-moment gameplay in this game really is. Mastering jobs and acquiring new ones before using the Freelancer job to utilize every skill the player has learned makes for an amazing time indeed.
Grim Dawn is a fantastic ARPG that did not get enough hype back when it was released in 2016. With smooth combat and a unique, interesting world, no role-playing enthusiast should sleep on this game. One of the better aspects of Grim Dawn is its class system.
Straight-forward and easily understandable even at first glance, the class mechanics allow for some surprisingly in-depth character customization, significantly altering the experience every time an upgrade is made. With six base classes to choose from (players can attach their characters to a second class later on in the game) and complex yet concise skill trees, the class system in Grim Dawn is truly something players can sink their teeth into.
Developed by People Can Fly, the same studio that created Bulletstorm, and laid down the foundations for Fortnite during their brief stint as part of Epic Games, Outriders is a class-based looter-shooter that players have been yearning for ever since many have grown tired of the Destiny formula.
With four playable classes to choose from, each one of them comes with its own benefits and drawbacks. Every class drastically alters the gameplay, forcing the players to re-learn the combat mechanics every time they create a new character. Combining each class's power in co-op multiplayer is incredibly satisfying and truly brings the brilliance of this class-based game.
It won't be an exaggeration to say that Path of Exile has the most complex class and leveling system found in ARPGs to this date, which is all the more impressive considering that it's a free-to-play title! With seven primary classes to choose from and 19 more "ascendancy" classes that players can reach once they progress far enough into the game, it is clear that classes in Path of Exile are a core element of the title's gameplay loop.
A character's class also determines which skills they can use from the game's whopping 454 abilities, 276 of which are active skills, with the remaining 178 being support skills. As opposed to other RPGs, where skills are obtained via leveling up, in Path of Exile, players obtain skill gems they can receive as rewards for completing quests, purchasing from merchants, or looting enemies and chests scattered across the world.
The elemental powers of Genshin Impact characters may not fit the traditional definition of a class, but they sure do matter in terms of gameplay and combat effectiveness. With a total of seven possible elements, players have a lot of agency when it comes to finding their own unique playstyle.
Related: Genshin Impact: Which Element Are You Based On Your MBTI?
Switching between characters and combining the right elemental powers to unleash the most destructive combos takes a lot of strategizing and knowledge of the game's systems to get right, but it's more than worth it!
To many gamers, Titan Quest is nothing more than a Diablo clone. While there is some truth to that statement, the game itself is so much more than what it initially looks like. One of the areas it truly shines in is the leveling mechanics and class system.
Titan Quest does not pigeonhole players into specific class categories but rather allows them to mold their own destinies by implementing a complex system of skill trees that can be modified to one's heart's content. It may get confusing at times, but action role-playing games that put this much effort into leveling up and skill customization are hard to find nowadays!
Released in the heyday of RPGs set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur's Gate and its sequel are two of the best games of their kind. So, it's only a given that expectations are through the roof when it comes to the third game in the studios, and many fans are happy to see that Larian Studios is the studio at the helm of this sequel's development.
The developer has proven their mettle with the Divinity: Original Sin duology, and the glimpses of Baldur's Gate 3 have been quite promising as well. With a number of classes that all prioritize different and unique approaches to both combat and other pillars of gameplay, this long-awaited sequel is bound to keep players occupied for hours on end when they boot up this title.
Many games on this list entail having to go through an opening sequence in order to fit into one of the classes. Diablo does away with all that. Players get to pick a character class before starting the first act.
In Diablo games, class matters because it determines the entire playthrough, from the upgradeable skills to the items players can use. Once the choice is made, there is no going back!
Picking a character class and pledging allegiance to one of the many groups found in the game world is a characteristic present in all of the Fallout games, but New Vegas is one where the class and guild choices have the most influence on each playthrough.
Related: Fallout New Vegas: The Perfect Build To Conquer Hardcore Mode
Charisma builds may unlock many dialogue options that would not be possible otherwise, whereas damage-based ones will allow fans to plow through hordes of enemies without having to worry too much about NPC allegiances. There are many options in-between, of course, and the ability to alter the gameplay and plot outcomes accordingly to the player's liking is what makes New Vegas one of the strongest entries in the Fallout series.
Role-playing games set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe are known for their complexity when it comes to world-building and storylines but also the character progression mechanics. There are three primary classes to choose from in Planescape Torment: Fighter, Mage, and Thief. Each one comes with a different set of starting attributes, and they're all suited for a variety of different playstyles.
Players don't necessarily have to lock themselves into the class chosen at the start of the game. One can switch classes later in the game upon using the services of various practitioners and trainers found in the city of Sigil. Choosing a class in Planescape Torment is an impactful decision, as each class comes with restrictions regarding the types of equipment they can use and how they interact with the world. For example, only Thieves can pick locks and disarm traps, whereas Mages don't stand a chance against most enemies in close-quarters combat.
The Divinity: Original Sin series scratches the classic RPG itch that many seasoned veterans of gaming have. Coated in modern graphics, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the perfect example of how the seemingly dated mechanics still have a place in modern games, but only if they're implemented in the right way.
With a whopping 14 classes to choose from and countless ways to customize them to one's heart's content, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the best games with classes that came out in the PS4/XB1 era. It may not have introduced any revolutionary mechanics, but it executed the class system to perfection and brought back classic tropes from some of the best class-based games released in the heyday of isometric RPGs, and it deserves all the credit for doing so.
The original Deus Ex took the gaming community by storm. It was one of the first games giving players the freedom to go about any level exactly as they wanted to. There was no single best course of action -- as long as they achieved the objective, gamers were free to go about it as they pleased, and the range of possibilities was very wide, to say the least.
From a sneaky hacker type to a gun-slinging cyborg, JC Denton's character build didn't only affect the gameplay but also the players' ability to reach secret areas and uncover plenty of other hidden details within the game.
Deus Ex may have been the game that popularized the cyberpunk genre in gaming, but it's Cyberpunk 2077 that was supposed to elevate it to a whole new level. Whether it actually managed to do so or not is a matter of opinion, but there is no denying that class choices have an actual impact on its gameplay in this game. While there aren't rigid classes per se, players won't be able to unlock all gameplay options in the game in a single playthrough, making the investment of Attribute Points all the more important as players have to carefully choose which playstyle they wish to pursue in the game.
Related: Cyberpunk 2077: Essential Perks Every Build Needs
While they may not radically change the way certain NPCs react with V based on his build, each build flips the playstyle on its head. Comparing a Body+Reflexes build hacking and slashing away at enemies with the Mantis Blades to a slow-paced, Intelligence-focused netrunner feels like comparing two completely different games!
The majority of gamers may not be familiar with the Gothic series. After all, the first entry was released over 20 years ago, and they did not really generate the hype they deserved in North America. They do, however, hold a cult classic status in Germany and parts of Eastern Europe for a good reason.
Classes in Gothic (especially 1 and 2) didn't just tremendously affect the gameplay -- they were a reflection of the character's place in the game's world and had a profound impact on his relationships with NPCs. Even the ability to associate oneself with a certain class/guild has to be backed up by hours of playtime, and following a certain path may lock players out of entire questlines until the next playthrough!
As opposed to many of the other games on this list, the class players choose in Elden Ring doesn't necessarily affect the game's storyline or choices, but FromSoftware's magnum opus definitely exceeds at making each playthrough feel like a radically different game depending on which path one chooses to pursue at the start of their adventure. Elden Ring also doesn't lock gamers into a specific class, instead allowing them to mold their own unique adventurer by carefully distributing the limited skill points to the main eight stats.
For instance, a strong focus on magic can result in some very overpowered builds, granting players access to some incredibly powerful spells that make the entire experience feel like they're playing in easy mode. On the other hand, a character built solely around Dexterity and Strength will demand a lot more manual skills from gamers, which is a class that is particularly well-suited towards those wanting a maximum challenge. Furthermore, careless distribution of skill points can quickly result in a "broken" build that makes some of the mid-to-late stages of the game nearly impossible to get through, which encourages players to pay particular attention to their leveling decisions.
Morrowind might not have the fancy voice acting and NPC routines of the newer Elder Scrolls games, but that doesn't stop it from being the best entry in the entire franchise, according to many fans. This is partially due to the excellent writing but also because of the incredibly complex, open-ended class system it offered.
Much like in Gothic, the player's class choice and guild allegiance can lock them out of certain quests and plotlines. It also enables fans to mold the gameplay in any way they want. Be it a flying Khajit mage-thief or a speedy, fist-fighting Nord, Morrowind is one of the rare games where the possibilities are truly endless.
More: RPGs With The Best Side Quests