With 36 possible class combinations in Grim Dawn, knowing which ones excel and which ones struggle saves you hundreds of hours. This tier list ranks every dual-mastery combination based on end-game viability (Shattered Realm 75-76 farming), build diversity (how many different builds work), and gear accessibility (how easy it is to gear up). We've played 20+ of these combinations to Ultimate completion.
Our tier ratings assume you're building optimally. A D-tier class played well still clears Ultimate Campaign; it just takes longer and requires more specific gear. For specific build guides, see our Best Grim Dawn Builds page.
S-Tier: The Best Class Combinations
| Class | Masteries | Top Damage Types | Why S-Tier | |-------|-----------|-----------------|-----------| | Warlord | Soldier + Oathkeeper | Physical, Retaliation | Tankiest class, retaliation melts content | | Conjurer | Shaman + Occultist | Pet, Vitality, Lightning | Best pet class, multiple viable builds | | Purifier | Demolitionist + Inquisitor | Fire, Lightning | Fastest clear speed, strong ranged | | Cabalist | Necromancer + Occultist | Vitality, Pet | Absurd lifesteal, easy to gear |
Warlord dominates because Soldier and Oathkeeper overlap perfectly. Both provide Physical damage bonuses, both have defensive passives, and the Retaliation synergy between Counter Strike and Presence of Virtue creates a build archetype that literally plays itself.
Conjurer earns S-tier by having the most viable build diversity. Pet Conjurer, Vitality Conjurer, Lightning Conjurer, and Bleeding Conjurer all function at end-game. No other class combination supports four distinct build archetypes this effectively.
A-Tier: Excellent Performers
| Class | Masteries | Top Damage Types | Strengths | |-------|-----------|-----------------|-----------| | Death Knight | Soldier + Necromancer | Aether, Vitality | Extremely tanky caster/melee hybrid | | Infiltrator | Nightblade + Inquisitor | Cold, Pierce | Fast-paced melee, high burst | | Warder | Soldier + Shaman | Physical, Bleeding, Lightning | Versatile, tanky, multiple builds | | Ritualist | Shaman + Necromancer | Vitality, Pet | Second-best pet class | | Archon | Shaman + Oathkeeper | Lightning, Fire, Physical | Strong two-handed melee | | Sentinel | Oathkeeper + Occultist | Chaos, Acid, Retaliation | Eye of Reckoning spin build | | Vindicator | Shaman + Inquisitor | Lightning | Best Lightning caster | | Oppressor | Soldier + Necromancer | Vitality, Physical | Flexible dark melee |
Death Knight is the "safe" choice for new players who want to play melee. Soldier handles all defensive needs while Necromancer adds Aether damage and the powerful Mark of Torment skill (70% damage absorption for 4 seconds). The Krieg set build is a rite of passage for Grim Dawn players.
Infiltrator plays like a burst assassin. Shadow Strike teleports you into enemies, Night's Chill + Censure strips resistances, and Lethal Assault provides a timed damage buff. The Cold Infiltrator with Nightblade's WPS skills (Belgothian's Shears, Amarasta's Quick Cut) attacks 5-6 times per second with dual-wield.
B-Tier: Good With Proper Builds
| Class | Masteries | Top Damage Types | Notes | |-------|-----------|-----------------|-------| | Witchblade | Soldier + Occultist | Physical, Acid | Classic combo, strong Acid builds | | Dervish | Nightblade + Oathkeeper | Acid, Cold, Physical | Dual-wield melee, needs gear | | Commando | Soldier + Demolitionist | Fire, Physical | Tanky Fire melee | | Druid | Shaman + Arcanist | Lightning, Cold | Solid caster, some build diversity | | Deceiver | Occultist + Inquisitor | Chaos, Vitality | Strong Chaos caster | | Tactician | Soldier + Inquisitor | Physical, Pierce | Ranged Cadence, very consistent | | Paladin | Oathkeeper + Inquisitor | Fire, Physical | Spin to win, great survivability | | Pyromancer | Demolitionist + Occultist | Fire, Chaos | Glass cannon, satisfying gameplay |
Witchblade was S-tier for years before expansions shifted the meta. It's still strong with an Acid build (Dreeg's Evil Eye spam) but lost ground to Warlord for Physical builds. Curse of Frailty from Occultist provides excellent resistance reduction, and Soldier's defensive toolkit remains the best in the game.
Commando pairs Soldier's tankiness with Demolitionist's Fire damage. The Shieldbreaker (Demolitionist + Oathkeeper) largely replaced it for Fire builds, but Commando's Soldier defensive skills make it more forgiving for new players.
C-Tier: Functional But Limited
| Class | Masteries | Issues | |-------|-----------|--------| | Battlemage | Soldier + Arcanist | Arcanist's offensive skills don't synergize well with Soldier's melee | | Elementalist | Shaman + Demolitionist | Split between too many elements, hard to focus | | Saboteur | Nightblade + Demolitionist | Nightblade wants Cold, Demo wants Fire. Poor overlap. | | Spellbreaker | Nightblade + Arcanist | Squishy with no healing. Needs perfect gear. | | Sorcerer | Arcanist + Demolitionist | Extreme glass cannon. Fun but fragile. | | Warlock | Arcanist + Occultist | Chaos Warlock works, but better options exist | | Apostate | Inquisitor + Necromancer | Niche Vitality caster, low synergy otherwise | | Defiler | Necromancer + Demolitionist | Almost no skill synergy between masteries |
Battlemage looks good on paper (Soldier melee + Arcanist buffs) but Arcanist's best skills are caster-focused while Soldier's are melee-focused. The Aether Battlemage exists and works at end-game, but it requires extremely specific gear to function, while Death Knight achieves the same thing more easily.
Saboteur is the classic trap class. New players combine Nightblade (cool assassin skills) with Demolitionist (cool explosions) and discover the masteries don't share a single damage type. Cold conversion or Fire conversion can make it work, but it's always fighting against its own kit.
D-Tier: Challenge Picks
| Class | Masteries | Problem | |-------|-----------|---------| | Mage Hunter | Inquisitor + Arcanist | Both want to be the "main" caster, clash for skill points | | Templar | Oathkeeper + Arcanist | Minimal skill overlap, poor damage focus | | Trickster | Nightblade + Shaman | Bleeding builds exist but Warder does them better |
These combinations work in Normal and Elite difficulty but struggle in Ultimate without perfectly rolled gear. If you enjoy the class fantasy, play them in Campaign mode. For Shattered Realm farming, choose something higher on this list.
For leveling guides with any of these classes, check the Grim Dawn Walkthrough. New to the game? Our Grim Dawn Beginner's Guide explains the systems you need to understand.
