With 15 Mastery classes to choose from, Last Epoch offers one of the most diverse character progression systems in modern ARPGs. Masteries act as subclasses, allowing you to focus on a specific playstyle. They range from traditional fantasy archetypes like the Sorcerer to more experimental options like the Falconer, which has you darting across the battlefield while your bird companion deals devastating damage.

 

Choosing the right Mastery can be overwhelming, especially for new players. Some are strong across all aspects of the game, while others excel in niche areas but fall short overall. A large amount of Last Epoch gold provides you with strong support. To help you decide, we’ve ranked every Mastery for Season 2 in a tier list based on their performance in both mapping (clear speed) and bossing (single-target fights), as well as their defensive capabilities.

 

How We Ranked the Masteries

 

Several factors determine where a Mastery falls on the list:

 

Damage Scaling: Multipliers that provide “more” damage are far stronger than simple increases. Masteries with access to heavy multipliers naturally rise in the rankings.

 

Defensive Tools: Damage reduction, resistance, crit avoidance, and sustain (such as leech or regen) are vital to surviving in high corruption and late-game bosses.

 

Skill Power and Fluidity: Even a mathematically strong skill can underperform if it feels clunky or slow. Masteries with efficient, responsive toolkits generally perform better.

 

Synergy and Flexibility: A strong Mastery doesn’t just do damage—it supports multiple archetypes and provides defensive flexibility so you can focus gear elsewhere.

 

With that in mind, here’s where each Mastery lands in Season 2.

 

S-Tier: Void Knight, Paladin

 

These two Masteries sit comfortably at the top thanks to their unmatched mix of power, survivability, and smooth gameplay.

 

Void Knight – Famous for Erasing Strike and the World Splitter variant, Void Knight deletes entire screens while remaining mobile and tanky. Its passive tree is packed with value: critical chance, crit multiplier, life leech, resistances, and even damage reduction. It also offers the unique benefit of being able to deal damage while moving—making it not just strong, but fun and fluid to play.

 

Paladin – After the Sentinel rework, Paladin skyrocketed to dominance. The Judgement skill alone has absurd numbers, combining healing with enormous damage in one ability. Holy Aura, Symbols of Hope, and Healing Hands round out its kit with equally strong buffs and sustain. The Paladin passive tree is unmatched defensively, offering resistances, recovery, block, armor, and penetration. In short, Paladin has no real weaknesses, which is why it continues to dominate endgame ladders.

 

A-Tier: Falconer, Bladedancer, Shaman, Druid

 

Strong Masteries that perform well in most areas but lack either the overwhelming numbers or defensive safety net of S-Tier picks.

 

Falconer – Fast, stylish, and incredibly fun, Falconer combines mobility with explosive damage from its bird companion. Its weakness lies in defenses, as the passive tree offers little in the way of resistances or sustain. Popular builds like Ballista or Umbral Blades deliver top-tier clear, but players must rely heavily on Dodge, Silver Shrouds, or Glancing Blows to survive.

 

Bladedancer – A melee rogue option with balanced strengths. High DPS, strong mobility, and reliable defensive layering (Dodge, Glancing Blows, Dusk Shrouds) make it extremely versatile. It lacks the sheer over-tuned power of Paladin or Void Knight, but remains one of the most rewarding melee classes to play.

 

Shaman – Known for its arena-pushing potential, Shaman combines elemental damage and melee with strong sustain and utility. Tornado is the standout skill, providing damage and vacuum utility, while the passive tree gives penetration, cooldown reduction, and auto-casting effects. It may not farm as quickly as top picks, but its ability to climb deep corruption or arena waves makes it a sleeper powerhouse.

 

Druid – The shapeshifting Mastery excels with Storm Werebear, offering massive DPS, excellent survivability, and flexibility through forms like Spriggan or Swarmblade. Its primary weakness is speed; while durable and deadly, it’s not the fastest farmer. Still, for players who enjoy tanky, hard-hitting shapeshifters, Druid is one of the best all-around options.

 

B-Tier: Lich, Marksman, Beastmaster

 

Solid but flawed, these Masteries can shine in certain builds but generally fall short compared to A-Tier.

 

Lich – Built around sacrificing life for damage, Lich excels with Reaper Form and Death Seal. It offers high damage potential and sustain, but comes at the cost of safety, as constant health drain makes it risky. The passive tree has powerful damage nodes, though defenses remain limited.

 

Marksman – The archetypal archer. With strong builds like Hail of Arrows and Heartseeker, Marksman delivers consistent ranged DPS. Sustain through health on hit is excellent, but its defenses are paper-thin compared to Rogue counterparts. It’s fun and viable, but requires careful play.

 

Beastmaster – A summoner Mastery that thrives with pets like Storm Crows and Wolves. It offers good, clear, and bossing potential but suffers from clunky scaling and slow movement. Strong in group play or for those who enjoy minion builds, but not a meta frontrunner.

 

C-Tier: Necromancer, Runemaster, Forge Guard

 

Playable but underwhelming compared to higher-tier picks.

 

Necromancer – Another summoner, but focused on undead minions. Skills like Dread Shade and Summon Wraith offer respectable DPS, yet defenses rely heavily on minions tanking for you. Snapshotting tricks can push performance higher, but it feels inconsistent compared to Beastmaster.

 

Runemaster – A creative caster archetype built around the Rune of Invocation. Its hybrid spell-crafting system is unique and capable of high DPS, but survivability is a serious concern. With effort, it can shine, but it’s mechanically demanding and unforgiving.

 

Forge Guard – Tanky and thematic, Forge Guard has tools like Manifest Armor and Smelter’s Wrath, but lacks the raw power or utility of top picks. It can work as a niche armor-stacking build, but it doesn’t compete well against Paladin or Void Knight.

 

D-Tier: Spellblade, Warlock, Sorcerer

 

Still viable (all Masteries are), but they lag behind across the board.

 

Spellblade – Fast and flashy, combining melee with magic. While it has strong DPS options like Enchant Weapon and Shatter Strike, its defenses are weak, making it prone to one-shots. Fun, but punishing.

 

Warlock – Focused on curses and damage over time, Warlock is accessible for new players but lacks late-game scaling. Builds like Witchfire or Bleed can function, yet defensively, they offer little compared to stronger Masteries.

 

Sorcerer – The classic caster archetype underperforms in Season 2. Skills like Frostclaw and Static Orb offer strong numbers, but mana issues and sluggish play hold it back. It’s serviceable, but when compared to Paladin or Void Knight, it feels outclassed.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Every Mastery in Last Epoch is viable to some degree, but Season 2 has clear winners. Paladin and Void Knight dominate thanks to their unmatched combination of power and defenses, while Falconer, Bladedancer, Shaman, and Druid provide strong alternatives for those looking for different playstyles.

 

At the bottom, classes like Sorcerer and Warlock remain fun but inefficient, making them more “style picks” than meta contenders. Whether you’re chasing ladder pushes or simply experimenting with builds, understanding where each Mastery stands will help you make the most of Season 2. The help of a large amount of cheap Last Epoch gold will be more handy.

Aug-26-2025 PST