All Rune Slayer Subclasses and How to Get Them

Unbeknownst to most, picking a subclass in Rune Slayer is probably the most important factor determining how your endgame will go. I didn’t believe it at first, but it can really be the difference between farming Imps in Balgaron Chasm and playing a dying simulator. To help you prep for PvP and Colosseum farming, I present to you our guide to all Rune Slayer subclasses, and how to unlock them. 

How to Unlock Rune Slayer Subclasses

To unlock subclasses in Rune Slayer, you’ll need to do the following first:

1. Create a character.
2. Reach level 30. 
3. Choose your subclass by clicking on the Level Up button, picking one of the available subclasses (each class gets two, except Warrior and Priest) and holding Accept for 0.5 seconds. 

This process is the same for all classes, but keep in mind the choice is permanent and there’s no crying over spilled milk if you change your mind later on. Thankfully, we have you covered with a guide on the best Rune Slayer subclasses for each class.

Best Rune Slayer Subclasses for Each Class 

Think of subclasses in Rune Slayer like specializations in WoW—more powerful versions of the base class, appealing to a specific part of the class fantasy. To get to level 30 ASAP, don’t forget to use our guide on how to level fast in Rune Slayer and save some valuable time. Once you get that fateful ding, follow our tips and get the most meta build. 

Archer Subclasses

In terms of available subclasses, Archer takes inspiration from the Beastmaster and Marksmanship specs in WoW:

Beast Tamer (Unlocks at Level 30)

• Alpha Predator – Grants the ability to tame wild creatures.
• Bestial Swiftness – Increases movement speed while mounted.
• Feral Strikes – Your pet heals based on the damage it deals. (Consumes 30 Focus)

Sharpshooter (Unlocks at Level 30)

• Double Tap – Ballistic Shot has a chance to fire twice.
• Ballistic Shot – Fires a quick projectile, dealing 10 Physical DMG. (Consumes 15 Focus)
• Dragon Piecer – Unleashes a charged arrow that pierces multiple enemies, dealing 20 Physical DMG. (Consumes 35 Focus)

Best Pick: Beast Tamer 

Beast Tamer has become the definitive choice for Archers. The latest buffs solidified it as an unstoppable force in both solo and group play. Your mount speed boost makes mobility effortless, your pet heals you based on its own damage output, and—most importantly—you can tame wild creatures, expanding your combat potential far beyond what a Sharpshooter could ever hope for.

Sharpshooter, in comparison, remains stagnant and unreliable. Double Tap is inconsistent, Ballistic Shot lacks impact, and Dragon Piecer is too slow to be practical. The class struggles in dynamic fights where movement and adaptability are key—exactly where Beast Tamer thrives.

Priest Subclasses

For some reason, Priest only has a single subclass, so I hope they add a DPS-based one, too.

Cleric

• Angelic Guardian – Bless an ally to enhance healing effects and revive them. (Consumes 100 Mana)
• Divine Healing – Healing spells also restore your own health.
• Clarity – All spells cost no Mana, while Critical Strike Chance temporarily increases.

Best (and Only) Pick: Cleric

I don’t whether the fact that Priest players get NO CHOICE whatsoever is more sad or hilarious. Regardless, Angelic Guardian provides a second chance in battle, ensuring that key allies stay in the fight. Divine Healing rewards you for supporting your team by restoring your own health, eliminating the typical healer fragility. 

And then there’s Clarity, which completely removes Mana costs while boosting Critical Strike Chance—a game-changer in high-pressure encounters.

Magician Subclasses

Depending on your class fantasy (demon summoning maniac vs arcane powerhouse), you can choose between:

Warlock

• Summon Imp – Calls forth an Imp using collected Souls.
• Summon Fiend – Calls forth a Fiend using collected Souls.
• Souls – Gain Souls through Soul Steal.
• Soul Steal – Absorb a fallen enemy’s Soul. (Consumes 100 Mana)
• Soul Link – Some damage taken is redirected to your summoned creatures.
• Sacrifice – Dismisses your current summon, reclaiming its Soul.

Sorcerer

• Arcane Explosion – Expends an Arcane Charge to trigger a blast, dealing 25 Magic DMG. (Consumes 100 Mana)
• Arcane Charges – Casting spells has a chance to generate an Arcane Charge.
• Arcane Mend – Uses two Arcane Charges to restore health.
• Arcane Finale – When fully charged, unleashes a devastating spell that inflicts 50 Magic DMG. (Consumes 200 Mana)

Best Pick: Warlock 

Warlock offers far more practical utility than Sorcerer, especially in PvE content where melee allies rely on sustained engagement. The Souls system provides continuous resources, allowing you to summon creatures that take damage for you, deal consistent pressure, and absorb enemy attacks. This makes Warlock an ideal pairing for frontline fighters, as it ensures longevity while also providing solid offensive presence.

Sorcerer, by contrast, is too focused on burst damage, requiring Arcane Charges to be built up over time before unleashing its strongest abilities. While that might work in a controlled setting, it lacks the adaptability needed for prolonged fights.

Striker Subclasses

Master combat beyond simple hand-to-hand strikes and take your pick between:

Monk

• Spirit Burst – Releases a surge of energy. (Consumes 25 Focus)
• Spirit Shift – Switches combat stance to assume a different spirit form. (Consumes 10 Focus)
• Spirit Cleanse – Resets the cooldown of Spirit Burst after executing a finisher.
• Spirit Finisher – After using Spirit Shift post-finisher, teleport behind your target.

Ashura

• Asura’s Wrath – Enhances attack power, scaling with Wrath.
• Wrath – Gained upon executing Asura’s Crash successfully.
• Asura’s Crash – Teleports behind an airborne enemy and slams them into the ground, dealing 5 Physical DMG. (Consumes 20 Focus)

Best Pick: Monk 

Monk excels in every aspect a Striker should. Spirit Burst allows for rapid damage output, Spirit Shift grants combat versatility, and Spirit Finishers add a level of unpredictability and mobility that no other Striker subclass can match. The ability to chain attacks, teleport, and reset cooldowns ensures momentum remains constant in any encounter.

Ashura, on the other hand, is too conditional to be reliable. Asura’s Crash requires an enemy to be airborne before it can be executed, making it situational and hard to land consistently. Wrath stacks feel like an unnecessary extra layer of resource management, further limiting effectiveness.

Warrior Subclasses

Wield heavy weapons with new combat styles and choose between these three Rune Slayer subclasses:

Sword Mastery

• Field – Places a combat zone that allows Flicker Strike to teleport you directly to enemies. (Consumes 30 Focus)
• Flicker Strike – A rapid attack that chains between enemies. (Consumes 25 Focus)
• Flux – Landing hits within the Field increases stacks, extending Flicker Strike’s chain potential.

Berserker

• Rage – Required to activate Berserker skills.
• Enrage – Enters a frenzied state, amplifying attack power. (Consumes 40 Rage)
• Bloodlust – Increases physical damage and Lifesteal based on missing HP.
• Blood Thirst – Executes a dual-strike attack that restores health, dealing 10 Physical DMG. (Consumes 20 Focus & 50 Rage)
• Blood Craze – Defeating an enemy increases Rage by 25 and boosts movement speed by 30% for 8 seconds.

Knight

• Shield Slam – Smashes the ground with a shield, drawing enemy aggression. (Consumes 25 Focus)
• Iron Will – Absorbs incoming damage meant for nearby allies. (Consumes 20 Focus)
• Shield Crash – Charges forward with a shield, blocking and attacking simultaneously. (Consumes 30 Focus)
• Fortress – Using a shield skill while blocking can trigger a guard break.
• Exhaust – Temporarily reduces damage taken.

Best Pick: Berserker

Berserker is built for one thing—overwhelming offense, and it does that better than any other Warrior subclass. Blood Thirst provides both damage and healing, Blood Craze rewards aggressive play with movement speed and resource regeneration, and Enrage amplifies all of it. The ability to chain powerful attacks while recovering health ensures high combat uptime, making Berserker a relentless force on the battlefield.

Sword Mastery, on the other hand, tries to play like an Assassin but lacks the precision and speed to pull it off effectively. At the same time, Knight, while defensively solid, is ultimately a reactive playstyle in a game that rewards proactivity. Guarding and absorbing damage doesn’t end fights—dealing damage does.

Thief Subclasses

Strike from the shadows with precision.

Ninja

• Rising Fang – Slashes upward to launch an enemy into the air. (Consumes 20 Focus)
• Shukuchi – Instantly dashes forward.
• Rend – Lunges at an enemy, launching them upward and dealing 5 Physical DMG. (Consumes 25 Focus)
• Sky Rend – Successfully landing Rising Fang enables you to execute Sky Rend.

Assassin

• Veil – Conceals yourself in shadows.
• Gouge – Strikes a nearby enemy, inflicting Blind and dealing 10 Physical DMG. (Consumes 30 Focus)
• Shadow Step – Moves unseen through the darkness, positioning for an ambush.
• Greater Initiative – Landing an attack while undetected significantly increases damage.

Best Pick: Assassin 

Assassin is the clear choice for PvP and excels in high-pressure scenarios where speed and precision are everything. Veil provides instant invisibility, allowing for unparalleled positioning and ambush potential. Shadow Step guarantees engagement on your own terms, while Greater Initiative ensures that landing the first strike results in devastating damage output.

Ninja, in contrast, relies too much on setup. Rising Fang and Sky Rend require careful execution, making them difficult to use effectively against mobile opponents. The lack of direct stealth mechanics also makes it harder to reposition in PvP scenarios, leaving Ninja at a clear disadvantage.

Roll the end credits, as we’ve reached the end of our list of all Rune Slayer subclasses. Now that you know how to get and optimize them, you and your guildies will have no problem adapting to the HP scaling that came with the latest update. If you need a bit more insight from the community, check out the Rune Slayer Discord and Trello board. 

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