If you’re getting ready to play Aliens Fireteam Elite 2, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is which class to choose. There are six classes available, and each one has its own abilities, perks, weapons, and progression.
In this guide, I’ll go through all six classes and explain what each one is actually good at, who I think should play it, and which class I would recommend depending on how you plan to play. Whether you’re completely new to the series, playing mostly solo, or jumping in with a full squad of friends, you should have a much better idea of where to start by the end.
One thing I want to make clear right away is that there isn’t one universally best class. The right choice really depends on how you like to fight.
And even if you pick a class that doesn’t end up being your favorite, your time won’t be wasted. Every class has its own progression, and later on, those unlocks become important for the Specialist.
So, let’s take a closer look at all six.
Aliens Fireteam Elite 2 Best Class Tier List – Abilities, Skills
Before choosing a class, it helps to understand how the system works.
Each class comes with two unique kit abilities. These abilities also have their own upgrade paths, allowing you to change how they function as you progress.
On top of that, you have the perk board.
The sequel expands the perk system considerably, giving you 42 perk slots, compared with the 32 slots available in the first game.
Weapons are also tied more closely to your class. Each class has access to a signature weapon, which can have a major impact on how that class feels to play.
There’s another important thing to remember: every class levels separately.
That means choosing a class is a real investment of your time. However, you shouldn’t worry about picking the “wrong” class because that progression can eventually help you build the Specialist.
The Specialist is designed around combining things you’ve unlocked from other classes, so leveling different classes is ultimately part of your long-term progression.
Aliens Fireteam Elite 2 Class
Here’s the quick version before we get into the details:
- Duelist: Flexible damage dealer and an easy starting point.
- Marauder: Heavy weapons, explosives, and swarm clearing.
- Machinist: Turrets, area control, and defensive support.
- Hunter: Precision damage and weak-point control.
- Medic: Healing, protection, and team support.
- Specialist: Endgame hybrid class built from other class unlocks.
Now let’s look at each one properly.
Duelist
The Duelist is the flexible damage class.
I’d describe it as an all-rounder that puts a heavy emphasis on raw damage. If your main goal is to shoot enemies and keep the pressure on without worrying about complicated team management, this is probably the easiest class to understand.
Stay on Target
The Duelist’s main class perk is Stay on Target.
Dealing damage gives you stacks, with each stack increasing your damage by 2%, up to a maximum of 20%.
The important part is that those stacks disappear when you stop dealing damage.
So, the game is basically encouraging you to stay aggressive.
If you keep shooting and constantly putting pressure on enemies, you can maintain your damage bonus.
Mobility
The Mobility perk works nicely alongside Stay on Target.
It provides 10% movement speed and 20% stun recovery, while also extending the duration of your Stay on Target stacks by 50% for abilities.
This makes the Duelist feel very mobile and forgiving when you’re constantly moving around a fight.
Duelist Abilities
The first ability is Burst Configuration, which gives you access to a powerful experimental weapon.
The second is the Shrapnel Grenade, which can be upgraded toward options such as a remote detonator or cluster configuration.
The overall kit is very straightforward: shoot things, keep moving, and keep your damage stacks active.
Marauder
Next up is the Marauder, and this is your heavy weapons specialist.
If you see a giant wall of Xenomorphs coming down a corridor, the Marauder is the class I want standing in front of me.
This class is built around heavy weapons, explosives, and dealing with large groups of enemies.
Blast Cannon
The Marauder’s Blast Cannon is one of its main abilities.
You can build it toward different options, including burning or thermal damage.
It’s particularly useful when enemies start getting too close and you need to create some breathing room.
Titan Rockets
The second ability is Titan Rockets.
You can modify the rockets with options such as phosphorus or homing.
Both abilities are designed to help you deal with moments when a room suddenly turns into a swarm.
Reactive Charges
The Marauder also has the Reactive Charges perk.
If you’re hit by a melee attack, it triggers a blast that knocks nearby enemies backward.
There is a 30-second cooldown, so I would treat this more like an emergency tool than something you should deliberately trigger whenever possible.
Rampage
The perk that really defines the Marauder, however, is Rampage.
Every enemy you kill adds a Rampage stack.
Once you reach 25 stacks, your fire rate, reload speed, and movement speed all increase.
The downside is reduced stability, and the effect lasts for eight seconds.
That tells you exactly how the Marauder wants to be played.
Keep killing.
Keep moving.
Keep pushing forward.
Machinist
The Machinist is the technical and defensive class.
This is the class I’d look toward if you enjoy controlling an area rather than constantly running around looking for enemies.
The Machinist uses deployable equipment to hold ground and provide additional firepower for the team.
Sentry Turret
The first ability is the Sentry Turret.
You can customize it depending on your build, with options such as a gas turret or rumble turret.
The turret allows you to establish an area of control and gives your team additional damage without requiring another player to stand there.
Bodyguard
The second ability is Bodyguard.
This is a flying turret that follows you around.
It can be upgraded toward different versions, including artillery and shredder variants.
This gives the Machinist both stationary and mobile sources of additional firepower.
Machinist Team Support
The really important part of the Machinist is what these machines do for the rest of your team.
Allies standing near your turret gain 10% damage resistance.
When you stand near the turret yourself, it regenerates five health every second.
Another perk can provide 10% reload speed and stability when your machines are destroyed, and this bonus can stack up to five times.
The developers have also confirmed that the Sentry Turret doesn’t deal friendly-fire damage.
That makes it particularly useful when you’re defending an objective or playing Horde Mode.
If you like setting up a position and controlling the battlefield, Machinist is probably going to feel great.
It’s also one of the classes I’d consider for solo players because the turret essentially gives you another source of reliable damage that behaves predictably.
Hunter
The Hunter is the precision and control class.
Instead of simply spraying bullets into a group, the Hunter is designed around slowing enemies down and hitting important weak points.
Particle Pulse
The first ability is Particle Pulse.
This can be upgraded into options such as Particle Beam or Cryo Pulse.
It gives you a strong tool for dealing damage while also allowing you to tailor the ability toward your preferred build.
Stasis Bolt
The second ability is Stasis Bolt.
It can be upgraded into options such as Quad Bolt or Arc Bolt.
Its main purpose is controlling enemy movement and creating opportunities for you and your teammates to land accurate attacks.
No Mercy
The Hunter has a perk called No Mercy, which increases weak-point stopping power by 50%.
This is especially useful when you’re trying to interrupt or control dangerous enemies through accurate weak-point shots.
No Rest
The No Rest perk increases weapon weak-point damage by 50%.
Together, these perks make the Hunter very clearly focused on precision shooting.
Railgun
The Hunter also gets access to a personal Railgun as a signature weapon.
The design director specifically discussed the Railgun as a tool for dealing with armored mini-bosses.
So if heavily armored targets are the enemies you struggle with the most, Hunter could be a very good choice.
I’d recommend Hunter to players who enjoy accurate shooting and carefully picking apart priority targets.
If you’re the kind of player who prefers landing one well-placed shot rather than spraying an entire magazine, this class should feel right at home.
Medic
Now we get to the Medic, and I think this class deserves more attention than it might get at first glance.
The Medic is your dedicated support class, bringing healing and defensive tools that can keep the entire Fireteam alive.
Trauma Station
The Medic’s first ability is the Trauma Station.
This provides healing support for your team and helps keep everyone alive during difficult encounters.
Combat Stims
The second ability is Combat Stims.
These can heal teammates while also reducing ability cooldowns.
That means you’re not simply restoring health. You’re also helping your entire team use their abilities more frequently.
Guardian
The Medic’s passive perk is Guardian.
When you shoot an enemy that is attacking one of your allies, that ally gets healed.
This encourages the Medic to pay attention to teammates and actively protect them rather than simply standing at the back of the room.
Can the Medic Revive Dead Players?
This is an important distinction.
The Medic can still help get a teammate back up when that player is downed.
However, once a player has fully died, they cannot be resurrected.
The developers discussed the possibility of allowing dead teammates to be brought back, but that feature was not included at launch.
A fully dead player will spectate until the mission ends.
Because of this, preventing your teammates from going down becomes incredibly important.
Healing damage after the fact is useful, but stopping that damage from turning into a death is even more valuable.
If you’re playing with a coordinated squad, I strongly recommend having someone try Medic.
With four players on a team, dedicating one slot to support becomes much easier than it was when the game only had three-player squads.
A good Medic can prevent deaths, keep the team healthier, and provide cooldown support when the fight gets intense.
It may not always be the flashiest role, but a strong Medic can be the reason your team actually finishes a difficult mission.
Specialist
Finally, we have the Specialist.
But there’s an important detail here: you can’t simply start the game as a Specialist.
The Specialist is more of an endgame goal that you work toward by leveling your other classes.
The idea is that you unlock abilities, perks, weapons, and other pieces from different classes and eventually combine them into your own custom Marine.
How Specialist Progression Works
Playing Specialist increases your Specialist rank, which unlocks unique perks and items while also giving you more room on the perk board.
However, the abilities themselves still need to be unlocked from the original class they belong to.
For example, if you level your Medic to level 10, the abilities available through that Medic progression can then become part of what you use when building your Specialist.
You can then combine those pieces with things you’ve unlocked from other classes.
That means you could potentially combine Duelist weapons with Machinist turrets and Marauder rockets.
This is where the class system gets really interesting.
Why Your First Class Doesn’t Matter That Much
The Specialist is actually one of the reasons I wouldn’t stress too much about your first class choice.
Every class you level can eventually become another piece of your final Specialist build.
So if you start as Duelist and later decide you want Machinist abilities, you’re not starting over.
You’re simply adding another part to your long-term progression.
Best Class for New Players
If you’re completely new to Aliens Fireteam Elite, my first recommendation is Duelist.
It’s simple, effective, and doesn’t demand too much from you while you’re learning the game.
Your main damage perk rewards you for continuously shooting enemies, which is already what you’re going to be doing.
You also get useful mobility benefits that make recovering from stuns less punishing.
The Marauder is another good beginner option.
Its heavy weapons are satisfying and can be more forgiving when large groups of enemies close in.
Just remember that friendly fire becomes active on Intense difficulty and above, so you’ll eventually need to learn how to use those explosives responsibly.
Best Class for Solo Players
If you’re mostly going to play solo, I would lean toward Machinist.
The game has AI teammates that can deal damage, absorb attacks, and help revive you, but having a turret gives you another reliable source of damage and battlefield control.
The Machinist’s plasma weapons are also useful because they deal thermal damage, which is effective against the early enemies discussed in the guide.
They also use ammunition differently, allowing you to fire in controlled bursts without constantly running out of ammo.
The Hunter is another good solo option.
Its Stasis Bolt can slow enemies down and give you more time to deal with them.
And when you’re playing alone, having more time to react is incredibly valuable.
Best Class for a Full Squad
If you have a full group of four players, I’d make sure somebody is playing Medic.
The move from three players to four players makes having a dedicated support class much more practical.
A good squad setup could include:
- Medic for healing and protection
- Machinist for turrets and area control
- Marauder for heavy weapons and swarm clearing
- Hunter or Duelist for precision or flexible damage
This gives your team a good mixture of healing, area control, heavy damage, and single-target damage.
You don’t necessarily have to follow this exact setup, but it gives you a solid starting point.
The game’s co-op is also cross-platform, including voice chat, so playing with friends across different platforms is easier.
Best Class for Fighting Armored Enemies
If heavily armored enemies are giving you trouble, I’d take a serious look at Hunter.
The class is designed around weak-point damage and precision, and the Railgun gives you another powerful tool for dealing with armored targets.
The weak-point bonuses from perks like No Mercy and No Rest also fit perfectly with this role.
You just need to be comfortable aiming carefully.
Best Class for Horde Mode
For Horde Mode and objective defense, Machinist is one of the strongest fits.
The whole class revolves around controlling space with deployable equipment.
You can establish defensive positions, provide your teammates with damage resistance, and use your turrets to cover areas that would otherwise require another player.
Marauder is another excellent choice for Horde Mode because of its heavy weapons and ability to clear large groups.