Hypixel RavenGard Classes: Every Starter Class and How to Choose
Hypixel's RavenGard is a PvPvE extraction game where you enter a dungeon, loot gear, fight mobs and other players, and try to make it out alive.
Hypixel's RavenGard is a PvPvE extraction game where you enter a dungeon, loot gear, fight mobs and other players, and try to make it out alive. Before you can do any of that, you have to pick a class — and since that choice shapes your two starting abilities, it's worth understanding what each one does before you commit.
What Classes Do in RavenGard
Every class in RavenGard starts with two abilities. Based on early playtest observations, one of those two abilities is always a heal, while the other varies by class — increased damage, increased defense, or invisibility.
For example, the Knight starts with:
- A defense ability — increases physical defense by 30% for 10 seconds
- A heal ability — restores health
Your class also matters for gear. Some equipment pieces are class-locked, meaning only a specific class can wear them. If you find a great chestplate marked for Warrior and you're playing Knight, you can't use it — so your class choice affects what loot is actually useful to you during a run.
The Available Classes
The playtest featured three starter classes, each with its own ability kit:
Warrior
The Warrior is widely considered the strongest pick in the current build. It leans toward offense, with an ability that increases your damage output. Warriors can also wear gear that's exclusive to their class, which can give them an edge in loot-heavy runs.
Knight
The Knight is the defensive option. Its signature ability boosts physical defense by 30% for 10 seconds, making it forgiving for newer players who are still learning enemy attack patterns. Paired with the standard starting heal, the Knight is a solid choice if you'd rather survive mistakes than maximize damage.
The Rogue-Style Class (Invisibility)
The third class features an invisibility ability in its kit. Details on its full playstyle are limited, since it's the least documented of the three. If you like sneaking past fights or disengaging when a run goes bad, this may be worth testing — but verify its current ability lineup in-game, since the game is actively being playtested and things can change.
Does Your Choice Matter?
Yes and no. The class you pick determines your second ability and what class-locked gear you can use, but all three share the same core loop: fight, loot, extract. If you're unsure, Knight is the safest starting point thanks to its defensive ability, while Warrior is the popular pick for players who want raw power. Don't overthink it — you can level up and unlock new abilities later.
How to Pick Your Class
Getting started is straightforward:
- Open the compass menu and select RavenGard, or visit the NPC in the Prototype Lobby.
- Talk to Diego on the ship where you spawn. After a few lines of dialogue, he lets you choose your class.
- Follow (or skip) the tutorial. The tutorial chain sends you to talk to someone at Raven's Nest, but it's optional — you can head straight into a dungeon if you prefer.
- Grab free gear from the Supplier near Raven's Nest if you're starting with nothing. His shop gives out a full set of gear for free once his chat dialogue finishes.
Customizing Abilities as You Level
Your class isn't locked into its two starting abilities forever. As you kill enemies and level up, you earn ability points you can spend to swap skills:
- Press L (default keybind) to open your character menu.
- Choose Ability One or Ability Two to replace.
- Browse the ability list — options like Rally are available — and purchase the skill for one ability point.
- Equip it in place of your current ability.
This means even if you pick a class and dislike its kit, you can gradually rebuild your loadout around a different playstyle.
Class-Agnostic Tips That Matter More Than Your Pick
Whichever class you choose, these habits will affect your runs more than your ability loadout:
Turn Off Auto-Sprint
Toggle sprint or auto-sprint drains your stamina — the green bar under your health. You need stamina to sprint, attack, block, and parry, so burning it passively on auto-run leaves you helpless in fights. Turn it off and sprint only when you actually need to move.
Learn to Block and Parry
- Blocking cuts incoming damage roughly in half and is extremely underrated. It does cost stamina.
- Parrying appears to cost no stamina, negates damage entirely, and can stun the enemy. It's difficult to time, but it's been confirmed working against archer enemies, and likely works on others. Practice on archers first — they stand still, wind up, and shoot on a consistent rhythm.
Watch Enemy Eyes
When an enemy's eyes turn purple, it's telegraphing a special attack. Learn these patterns:
- Shield chargers do a downward swipe after charging — back up, let the swipe whiff, then attack.
- Axe spinners toss bones that damage and slow you, then spin with their axe. The safest play is to let the spin finish before re-engaging.
- Crawlers drop to the ground when killed but can still hit you with Slowness VI — keep your distance.
- Mimics are chests that attack you when opened.
Stick With Your Team
Dungeon queues fill teams of three (roughly 24 players per lobby). Solo play gets you killed, and dying means losing everything you're carrying. Group up, and use revive statues — or a Respawn Sigil from a chest — to bring fallen teammates back.
Head Toward the Middle of the Map
RavenGard has a closing storm, similar to battle royale games. The center is where most players and extraction points end up. If you want fights, go mid; if you want to extract safely, stay near the middle but away from the storm edge.
Storing and Selling Your Loot
Once you extract alive, your gear is safe. Store your best pieces in your lockbox so they survive future deaths, and sell unneeded items to any of the vendors around Raven's Nest for crowns, which you can spend on health items and armor. Note that you can only carry three heals per run, and the health potion is generally the best option.
Final Verdict
Pick Knight if you're new and want survivability, Warrior if you want the currently strongest damage output, or the invisibility class if you want to experiment. But remember: your class is adjustable through ability points, and fundamentals like stamina management, blocking, and team play matter far more than your starting pick. Since RavenGard is in active playtesting with progress wipes between tests, double-check ability stats and class balance in-game before investing heavily in any one build.
