Best Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 classes, ranked

What class should you play in Space Marine 2?

A character in Space Marine 2 wielding a Chainsword.
Image via Saber Interactive

When you jump into the online cooperative operations in Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2, there are several classes you can select to play alongside your teammates. These classes are widely different from each other, with distinct abilities and weapons at their disposal.

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These classes are all good choices, but some are better than others. After trying them out, we believe some are stronger choices than others you’ll always want at your back when fighting against a horde of foes. You’ll want to choose based on your play style and keep your squad in mind before jumping into an operation. Here are our rankings for the best Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 classes.

The best Space Marine 2 classes

All Weapons in Space Marine 2
The classes all serve a unique purpose. Image via Saber Interactive

There are six classes for you to pick when you begin an operation in Space Marine 2: Assault, Bulwark, Heavy, Sniper, Tactical, and Vanguard. You do not need to unlock any of these classes, as they are all available, but they have distinct weapons and abilities.

1) Tactical

Tactical in Space Marines 2
Lead your team as the Tactical class. Screenshot by Dot Esports

What makes Tactical the best class in Space Marine 2 is its versatility and strength in aiding their allies. The Tactical class has access to the most primary weapons, and can still use a secondary and a melee weapon. Granted, they only have a single option for secondary and melee, but they’re both excellent choices: the Bolt Pistol and Chainsword.

The Tactical’s class ability is Auspex Scan, which reveals enemies and makes them more vulnerable. Every teammate can benefit from this ability during any encounter, making the Tactical the go-to option on any team.

2) Bulwark

Bulwark in Space Marines 2
Defend your allies as the Bulwark. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Bulwark is my favorite class in Space Marine 2. What earns it the number two spot is how sturdy it is on the battlefield and how it cuts through enemies with its incredibly strong Power Sword. Its class ability is called Chapter Banner, where it restores Armor to all squadmates near them, making them even tougher to defeat. However, it lacks a primary weapon, as it always carries a large shield in its left hand, preventing it from taking the top spot.

Still, the Bulwark is an exceptional class for those who enjoy the frontline fights in Space Marine 2. You do need to rely on your allies to make up your large, persistent, long-range attacks, though.

3) Sniper

Sniper in Space Marines 2
Hide from your foes and reappear as the Sniper. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Sniper is exactly what you’d expect from a long-range class in Space Marine 2. It’s the only class that can wield the two sniper rifles in the game, but you’re not restricted to them, thankfully. You still have access to the carbines. Still, you’d probably want to stick with these heavy-duty rifles as you can pick off enemies from afar with little effort. If you get into trouble, you’ll have the Camo Cloak ability where you can conceal yourself for a short period and regroup.

Although the Sniper has some of the weakest armor of the classes, the getaway with the Camo Cloak and powerful sniper rifles make it a tremendous combatant. You do need teammates to pick up your lack of hefty melee weapon, though, as you can only use the Combat Knife.

4) Vanguard

Vanguard in Space Marines 2
Dive at foes as the Vanguard. Screenshot by Dot Esports

We have the Vanguard next on the list, and it’s suitable for any player who still wants access to their primary weapon but sticks to close-range combat. Although the Vanguard uses a primary weapon, these choices only include the carbines and the Melta Rifle, both close to medium-range choices. You’re not going to win any long-range fights, but the Vanguard in Space Marine 2 can close the distance using its ability, the Grapnel Launcher, which propels them to an enemy with a Diving Kick.

The Vanguard is a solid choice. However, it does lack heavy armor, which can make it considerably squishy, despite wanting to always be on the frontlines of any fight.

5) Assault

Assault in Space Marines 2
Rain your hammer down from above as the Assault class. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Assault is a tricky class in Space Marines 2. It can use one of the most powerful melee weapons in the game, the Thunder Hammer, and has access to the Jump Pack, lifting you into the air to slam down on your foes, carving through hordes of enemies. The focus on a full melee build aligns it with the Bulwark, but because it doesn’t have a straightforward way to regain armor or health in a pinch outside of fighting a horde, you might find yourself tripping up when you stray too far away from your allies.

You’ll want to play as the Assault class after you have several operations under your belt and after you’ve played with your friends who find classes that fit their playstyle. It takes time to master the Assault class and its Jump Pack.

6) Heavy

Heavy in Space Marines 2
Defend allies from all ranged attacks as the Heavy. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Heavy is at the bottom of our list because of its complicated relationship with ammunition. It’s a class that demands a lot of ammunition packs, and if you’re not careful, it’s easy to find yourself without anything available when a large horde rolls up on your team in Space Marine 2. It’s also the only class that does not have a melee weapon, and getting yourself out of melee combat can become extremely difficult. This class does have an ability called Iron Halo that protects against all Ranged Damage, but physical and melee attacks can still break through.

You don’t want to play as the Heavy unless you have a squad that understands they’ll need to focus more on melee encounters, letting you carve through the enemies from a range.

Author
Image of Zack Palm
Zack Palm
Zack Palm has been writing about video games for the past five years. He spends his free time trying to learn about a new board, reading high-fantasy series, or working on his latest DnD character.