With all the FPS games being added to the genre, it has become pretty hard for developers to come up with new and innovative ideas. Deep Rock Galactic brings a fresh taste to the FPS genre. It’s a cooperative first-person shooting where each character comes from a unique class with its own unique abilities, weapons, and playstyles. The game was developed by the Danish studio Ghost Ship Games and published by Coffee Stain Publishing.
Deep Rock Galactic has four playable classes to choose from, and many players might feel underwhelmed with only four classes to choose from. Yet, let us assure you that each of these classes is powerful at their respective roles, and you can learn to play Deep Rock Galactic solo with each of these classes.
With that being said, new players might ask themselves, what is Deep Rock Galactic’s best class for solo and co-op gameplay? In this article, we will break down what each of these classes specializes in with their pros and cons to help you choose which class works for you best.
1. The Tanky Deep Rock Galactic Class (Driller)
To start us off, we have The Driller class. It is one of the most underrated Deep Rock Galactic classes, and it’s probably because of its tanky features. Most players don’t want to pick the tank and play for the team. Yet, that does not mean this is a bad class.
The Driller actually has some pretty unique weapons in its arsenal, which makes it an amazing tank that also deals loads of damage. He also has some great abilities that provide useful crowd control to his team. That’s why a good Deep Rock Galactic driller build is essential for some of the game’s most challenging levels.
Weapons
CRSPR Flamethrower: The CRSPR Flamethrower is a flamethrower that shoots highly flammable white flames that stick to the enemy. If players shoot at the ground, the flames leave behind a trail of fire that can keep on damaging enemies that walk on it. The gun is very efficient for a tank class like The Driller and can be combined with abilities for an even bigger damage burst.
Cryo Cannon: The Cryo Cannon is the exact opposite of the Flamethrower. Enemies shot with this cannon get frozen on the spot for other teammates to get a quick takedown. It provides a lot of very powerful crowd control. Moreover, the gun is very good when it comes to cave exploring with teammates.
Corrosive Sludge Pump: The Corrosive Sludge Pump is a rather newly added weapon, compared to the other weapons. The weapon shoots acid blobs of goo toward the enemies that when hit, slows them as well as chips on them with the acid damage. Acid also sticks to the ground, damaging enemies that walk over it. The perfect weapon when playing solo, in my opinion.
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Abilities
Drills: The Drill ability is the signature ability of The Driller class in Deep Rock Galactic. It is basically a dual-reinforced power drill that is used to tunnel through any material. Perfect for collecting heavy items.
Satchel Charges: A throwable satchel that, when exploded, creates a massive explosion and is perfect for clearing swarms of enemies.
High Explosive Grenade: As the name suggests, it is like the traditional grenade that explodes and does damage. Very basic but very effective at the same time.
Neurotoxin Grenade: The Neurotoxin Grenade, when thrown, fills an area with flammable gas that slows down enemies and can be combined with a Flamethrower for a big area damage explosion.
Impact Axe: The Impact Axe is a throwable axe that stuns enemies and deals decent damage. It can be combined with vampire perk to get life steal from enemies.
2. The Support-Focused Deep Rock Galactic Class (Gunner)
Next up is The Gunner class, which is considered the best support class among all the Deep Rock Galactic Classes. Gunner builds in Deep Rock Galactic are often considered the best for support because of the equipment that can be used by his teammates. The Gunner can provide sustained damage against bosses and reinforce his teammates to the point that they become unkillable.
Weapons
“Lead Storm” Powered Minigun: Here is the big gun that everyone loves to fire. The Lead Storm is a Powered Minigun that has a very high fire rate and does not need to be reloaded. It works amazing when facing bosses but it does need a few seconds to go into max fire rate. The gun also has some recoil, so players need to adjust to that.
“Thunderhead” Heavy Autocannon: The Thunderhead is the Deep Rock Galactic’s version of .50 cal LMG that can obliterate anything in its path. The gum has a slow startup but it has explosive rounds that make each hit more worth it. Overall, an amazing gun that makes The Gunner class even better.
“Hurricane” Guided Rocket System: The Hurricane is a slow-firing, guided rocket that allows players to target enemies from behind a cover. The gun is a special fan favorite for players with bad aim, and it does decent damage considering the player is safe behind a cover.
For more discussion of Gunner’s weapons in Deep Rock Galactic, feel free to check out our companion guide.
Abilities
Shield Generator: The Shield Generator is a throwable bubble shield that repels enemies and protects your teammates. It protects from ranged attacks and also has the added bonus of recharging other shields. Amazing supportability for survivability, if I say so myself.
Zipline Launcher: The Zipline Launcher is an amazing ability that you can get by playing the gunner class in Deep Rock Galactic. It lets the player and other players use it to cross from one spot to another. It is a permanent line that can be used at any moment to escape from a harsh situation. It is best used for running away from swarms of enemies.
Sticky Grenade: The Sticky Grenade is a throwable grenade that attaches itself to the surface or to the enemy and detonates after a short period of time. The grenade works best for stunning enemies for a second with a big blast to their faces.
Incendiary Grenade: The Incendiary grenade is an ability that, when thrown at swarms of enemies, will detonate and burn all the enemies with fire. It coats the surroundings with a huge wall of flames, making a makeshift oven that burns everything inside.
Cluster Grenade: The Cluster Grenade is a unique take on the traditional grenade. It splits off when thrown and separates into smaller pieces after the initial detonation, and those split parts explode again, making a huge explosion that destroys enemies in great numbers.
3. The Best Solo Running Deep Rock Galactic Class (Engineer)
Here is a one-man army. The Engineer class is considered the best solo class among all the Deep Rock Galactic Classes. It is because of The Engineer’s turret ability that lets the player control multiple angles of a spot. The class excels in defending and salvaging operations.
Weapons
“Warthog” Auto 210: The Warthog is a semi-automatic shotgun that does what shotguns do in close range. It does big damage that obliterates any enemy in front of it. It is considered one of the weaker weapons because of its low range, but it can become a decent weapon if you mod it correctly.
“Stubby” Voltaic SMG: The Stubby is one of the best guns for any Engineer class build within Deep Rock Galactic because of its electric rounds that stun any type of enemy. It is a submachine gun that can be upgraded to arc electricity between bugs that allow players to damage multiple targets at the same time.
LOK-1 Smart Rifle: The LOK-1 is the perfect gun, in my opinion, for people with bad aim. It is an AI-controlled SMG that locks onto targets, and you just have to shoot. It is not the most powerful weapon, but once you get the hang of it, you can chip away at enemies slowly.
Deepcore 40 MM PGL: The engineer’s secondary weapon is an awesome grenade launcher that deals lots of AoE damage to help provide some squishy bug control.
Abilities
Turrets: The Turrets are a unique ability in the Engineer’s build within DRG that lets him place two types of turrets. Players can either choose to place a turret that can fire in all directions or go for two turrets that fire in a single direction. Both options are situational, but the ability comes in very handy when going solo.
Platform Gun: The Platform Gun ability creates a platform for you and your teammates to walk on. It is a great ability that comes in handy when players are not able to reach places normally.
Proximity Mine: The Proximity Mine is a deadly throwable trap that activates after a few seconds and can detonate multiple times. It’s like a better version of a grenade that can cover chokepoints.
Plasma Burster: The Plasma Burster is a throwable shockwave that players can use to do huge damage against enemies. The Engineer can hold up to six Plasma Burster.
L.U.R.E: The L.U.R.E is a throwable ability that creates a hologram of The Engineer and lures in enemies then damages all the creatures that were foolish enough to fall into the trap.
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4. The Most Mobile Deep Rock Galactic Class (Scout)
The Scout is considered to many as one of the best mobility classes among Deep Rock Galactic Classes. It is clearly the most popular class because of its high mobility and big damage. The class is very versatile, with a variety of weapons that players can play on long-range or short-range. The best Scout build in Deep Rock Galactic works best by helping teammates from afar.
Weapons
Deepcore GK2: The DeepcoreGK2 is our traditional assault rifle that is fully automated and is very efficient for dealing high damage to any enemy type. It can be made even better by using mods and overclocking for more fire rate. The gun is good for players who have good aim and can track enemies.
M1000 Classic: The M1000 Classic is the Deep Rock Galactic’s version of the sniper rifle. The gun can be charged up each shot for more accuracy and higher damage. This makes the gun one of the most valuable weapons that can change the game.
DRAK-25 Plasma Carbine: The DRAK-25 is a very high-damage plasma rifle that does not need to be reloaded. It is energy-based and can easily destroy enemies in front of you.
Abilities
Grappling Hook: The Grappling Hook is a pretty self-explanatory ability, as the name suggests. Players can use this ability to reach places that are difficult to reach and can also use it to get out of danger when surrounded by enemies. The Grappling Hook comes especially handy when a teammate is down, and you need to revive them.
Flare Gun: A unique ability that The Scout has is his Flare Gun. The Flare Gun ability is a long-lasting flare that can attach itself to cave walls, lighting up the entire area. It is great for seeing hidden minerals and if there are any dangerous enemies around you.
Cryo Grenade: The Cryo Grenade is a grenade that can freeze enemies on the spot when detonated. This is especially useful for flying enemies that are very tricky to shoot and can get destroyed by the Cryo Grenade.
Pheromone Canister: What if you could make enemies attack each other? The Pheromone Canister is a throwable ability that, when detonated, releases a mist that, when enemies pick up the scent, starts attacking each other instead of attacking the player. This one is a personal favorite for any scout.
Inhibitor-Field Generator: The Inhibitor-Field Generator is a throwable ability that, when detonated, adds a debuff to the enemies that make them slow and weak to all kinds of damage. Works very well on bosses or any enemy in general.
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How to Best Mix and Merge the Four Deep Rock Galactic Classes
A good, safe bet is to mix each of the four classes together on the same team. This provides your team comp with a lot of versatility. You also have the opportunity to have either the Engineer or the Scout go it alone for a bit due to their unique skillsets, if the mission requires it.
Regardless of your team setup, you usually want at least one Gunner or one Driller on your team. Their primary weapon and secondary weapon setups are meant to help them take out crowds of enemies. You don’t want to be on a team too focused on high-level monsters that doesn’t have the ability to take on swarms of small beats. While they aren’t the best class overall, they are often essential to quick, effective runs.
One of the most challenging class mixes to run is the same class team comp. This is because you don’t have any other classes to complement your unique skills. If you want to try this out, the Engineer would likely be one of the best classes to try, as it is a very versatile class. However, its reliance on its LMG gun platform makes it a bit too slow for speed runs.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, all of the Deep Rock Galactic classes represent a different playstyle, and there is no actual best class. Find the class that suits your playstyle best and see how it goes. The important thing is, is Deep Rock Galactic enjoyable? The answer to that is YES, and that should be enough.
The game is very visually pleasing, and we definitely recommend it for new players to try out. For veterans who love it but are looking for a change of pace, we have also assembled a list of the best games like Deep Rock Galactic, for you to check out.
We hope to see you drilling down beside us in your drop pod soon!
