Class Overview

Explore the 11 classes in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire! Compare their Health, Defenses, progression, and multiclass options to find your perfect fit.

Hey there! So you're diving into Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and trying to figure out which class to pick? It's a big decision, and honestly, each of the 11 classes has its own unique flavor. This guide's gonna give you a quick rundown so you can see how they stack up against each other. Think of it as a cheat sheet to help you compare, even though a Barbarian and a Wizard are, well, pretty different!

Your class choice is super important because it sets your starting Health (that's your hit points, or HP) and your base defenses. We've got a table below that breaks down how each class fares, from the toughest (marked with 4 stars) to the more fragile (marked with 2 stars).

Class	Health	Deflection	Fortitude	Reflex	Will
Barbarian	★★★★	★★	★★★★	★★★	★★
Chanter	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★
Cipher	★★	★★★	★★★	★★	★★★★
Druid	★★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★★	★★★
Fighter	★★★★	★★★★	★★★	★★★	★★
Monk	★★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★★
Paladin	★★★★	★★★	★★★★	★★	★★★★
Priest	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★★
Ranger	★★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★
Rogue	★★★★	★★★	★★	★★★★	★★★
Wizard	★★	★★★	★★	★★★	★★★★

Don't sweat the small stuff too much, though. Most of these differences aren't huge. If you add up all the stars for each class, the total ranges from 15 (for Chanter, Cipher, or Wizard) up to 19 for a Monk. So, while there are distinctions, they're not always massive.

Character Progression

As you level up, you'll unlock new Power Levels (PL) and Ability Tiers (AT). Classes that rely on resource pools for their abilities – like Barbarians, Fighters, Monks, Paladins, Rangers, and Rogues – get an extra slot each time a new tier unlocks. Keep an eye on that!

When you're first creating your character, you've got the option to pick two classes instead of just one. Going single-classed means you'll hit those Power Levels sooner and can grab more potent abilities and spells earlier. Multi-classing, on the other hand, lets you dabble in a wider variety of skills and powers, which can be really interesting!

No matter what, all characters will get new weapon proficiencies (Prf) every 3 levels after level 1, and an extra Empower point at level 2, then every 4 levels after that. It's all about how you build your character!

Lvl	PL	AT	Pool	Abilities	PL	AT	Pool	Abilities	Prf	Emp
1	1	1	3	1	1	1	3	1+1	-	-
2	1	1	-	+1	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	2	2	4	2	1	1	3	1+1	+1	-
4	1	2	2	4	1+1	+1	-	-	-	-
5	3	3	5	2	1	1	3	1+1	-	-
6	1	1	-	+1	-	-	-	-	-	-
7	4	4	6	2	3	3	5	1+1	+1	-
8	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
9	5	5	7	2	1	1	3	1+1	-	-
10	1	4	4	6	1+1	+1	+1	-	-	-
11	6	6	8	2	1	1	3	1+1	-	-
12	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
13	7	7	9	2	5	5	7	1+1	+1	-
14	1	1	-	+1	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
16	8	8	10	2	6	6	8	1+1	+1	-
17	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
18	1	1	-	+1	-	-	-	-	-	-
19	9	9	11	2	7	7	9	1+1	+1	-
20	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Heads up: single-classed characters will likely end up with an extra +1 Power Level advantage by level 19 or 20 if they pick the Prestige ability. It's a small thing, but it can add up!

When you mix two classes, the game averages out their Health and Defense stats. So, a 'Battlemage' (Fighter/Wizard) would have (40 Health + 10) / 2 = 25 Health per level. Your starting skill points get averaged too, which can sometimes leave you with a bunch of skills at just 1 point – not always super useful, but that's the trade-off!

Multiclass Names

Combining any two classes creates a unique name for that multiclass. There are 55 possible combinations, and here's a look at some of them:

	Barbarian	Chanter	Cipher	Druid	Fighter	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Ranger	Rogue
Chanter	Howler
Cipher	Witch	Spiritualist
Druid	Tempest	Theurge	Oracle
Fighter	Brute	War Caller	Psyblade	Warden
Monk	Ravager	Cantor	Transcendent	Ascetic	Brawler
Paladin	Fanatic	Herald	Inquisitor	Liberator	Crusader	Votary
Priest	Shaman	Celebrant	Mystic	Universalist	Cleric	Contemplative	Templar
Ranger	Savage	Wildrhymer	Seer	Beastmaster	Hunter	Wanderer	Shepherd	Itinerant
Rogue	Marauder	Harbinger	Mindstalker	Pathfinder	Swashbuckler	Shadowdancer	Holy Slayer	Zealot	Scout
Wizard	Warlock	Loremaster	Hierophant	Sorcerer	Battlemage	Sage	Arcane Knight	Thaumaturge	Geomancer	Spellblade

Skill Overlaps

When you go multi-class, your starting skill points get averaged out. This can sometimes lead to having a bunch of skills sitting at just 1 point, which might not be super helpful. This table shows you at a glance which skills each class starts with:

Skill	Barbarian	Chanter	Cipher	Druid	Fighter	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Ranger	Rogue	Wizard
Alchemy	-	-	-	✓	-	✓	-	✓	✓	-	-
Arcana	-	✓	-	-	-	-	✓	✓	-	-	✓
Athletics	✓	-	-	-	✓	✓	✓	-	-	-	-
Bluff	-	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-	✓	✓	-
Diplomacy	-	✓	-	-	-	-	✓	✓	✓	-	-
Explosives	-	-	-	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-	✓
History	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-	✓	-	-	✓
Insight	-	-	✓	-	-	✓	-	-	-	-	✓
Intimidate	✓	-	-	-	✓	-	✓	-	-	-	-
Mechanics	-	-	✓	-	-	-	-	-	-	✓	-
Metaphysics	-	-	✓	✓	-	✓	-	-	-	-	✓
Religion	-	-	-	✓	-	✓	✓	✓	-	-	-
Sleight of Hand	-	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-	-	✓	-
Stealth	✓	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	✓	✓	-
Streetwise	-	-	-	-	✓	-	-	-	-	✓	-
Survival	✓	-	-	✓	-	-	-	-	✓	-	-

Power Levels and Spellcasting

Just a quick note on spellcasters: Druids, Priests, and Wizards don't use a resource pool for their spells. Instead, they're limited by how many spells they can cast in a given timeframe. It's a different way of managing your power compared to other classes!