Our Remnant 2 Archetypes Guide will go over how the game's class system works, along with the ways you can earn more later on. With 11 different archetypes to unlock (plus 1 via DLC), we'll help you make the most out of the Remnant 2 Classes!
Quicklinks: Starting Archetypes | Base Game Archetypes | DLC Archetypes
Archetypes are just Classes
The simplest way to describe Archetypes in Remnant 2 is to say that they're essentially the class system you'd find in many other RPG. Each one comes with its own Skills, Perks, and an Archetype Trait. Most of these must be unlocked by levelling up your class, with the max level being 10.
It's possible to change your Archetypes freely, as long as you're not in combat, and you have it unlocked, though new ones must be leveled up from 0. You can also buy the weapons and armor that you didn't start with from Brabus and Whispers in Ward 13.
Every class in Remnant 2 has its own special Trait, which once you've leveled to 10, can be freely used if you switch your archetype down the line - offering you more traits to be used as you replay the game.
Best Starting Archetype
You have access to 4 starting Archetypes in Remnant 2 (or 5 if you pre-ordered the game):
- Medic - Able to heal allies and gain bonuses while doing so.
- Hunter - Excels in ranged damage.
- Challenger - Very bulky, and can survive fatal wounds with its Prime Perk.
- Handler - Has a dog that can pull aggro away from you, and supply useful buffs.
- Gunslinger - Only available initially via the pre-order DLC, but can be earned later. Offers high damage and ammo preserving perks.
The best starting Archetype in Remnant 2 will depend on both your playstyle, and whether you're playing solo or with friends. If you're after something that's great for both, Handler is a solid choice. Solo, the dog makes for a great AI companion in both tanking and dealing damage, while in co-op the Kinship Trait reduces friendly fire damage dealt and received.
Challenger works well for solo play, due to its general survivability — especially great for shotgun or melee builds. Meanwhile, Medic is incredibly potent in co-op since its skills help the entire party.
Secondary Archetypes
It's also possible to equip a secondary Archetype on top of your main one. This grants access to everything you'd have from equipping it as your main (or Prime) Archetype, except for the Prime Perk. To do so, you must first level up your starting Archetype to level 10. Then, you'll have the option to equip a second Archetype from the character menu. Once equipped, it will still gain experience like normal until level 10.
Running a dual Archetype, once unlocked - can give you a very powerful combination of abilities and traits as you take on more difficulty levels within Remnant 2, as well!
Where to Unlock Remnant 2 Archetypes
Archetypes are unlocked in Ward 13 via Wallace, the guy hanging out on his own near the wrecked ship. He'll need a special material unique to each Class, plus Lumenite Crystals (earned from tougher enemies) and Scrap. At the start of the game, you'll have 5 Archetypes to choose from, with an additional 6 that are secret and must be found, including the Archon Archetype.
Unlocking the starter Archetypes that you didn't initially pick is quite simple, as they can all be earned while staying in Ward 13. The unique materials can be obtained from different NPCs:
Where to get the Medic
Dr. Norah (the medical supply vendor) sells the Medic Pin needed to unlock Medic for 1,500 Scrap in Ward 13.
Where to get the Hunter
Brabus (the weapon vendor by the firing range) sells the Rusty Medal needed to unlock Hunter for 1,500 Scrap in Ward 13.
Where to get the Challenger
Reginald "Reggie" Melone (the consumables vendor) will sell the the Old Metal Tool needed for Challenger for 1,500 Scrap in Ward 13.
Where to get the Handler
Mudtooth (the old guy selling concoctions) will sell the Old Whistle needed to unlock Handler for 1,500 Scrap in Ward 13.
How to Unlock Gunslinger in Remnant 2 Without Pre-ordering
This one takes a little more work than the others, though it works out cheaper in Scrap than the rest. Mudtooth can be asked to tell stories after you talk to him for the first time. You can pick this option multiple times, eventually earning the Gunslinger's Ring. Do this enough times, and you'll also get the Iron Cylinder material needed to unlock Gunslinger, along with the Gunslinger's Charm.
It's possible to get Mudtooth to tell all of his stories at once, but the amount he has seems to be based on your current playtime. So if he stops having new stories to tell, play through the campaign some more and then return later. You'll know when you've listened to every story when you get the Gunslinger's Charm and the Tall Tales Achievement.
The other available Archetypes have harder requirements, and are considered "Secret" Archetypes. However, once unlocked, they can be used for any future characters you create.
Secret Archetypes
There are 6 additional secret Archetypes you can get your hands on as well - there's a specific way to get each one, and they can't just be purchased!
Explorer
The Explorer Archetype can only be earned once you've completed the campaign. After defeating the final boss, you gain the Broken Compass material. Take this to Wallace to get the Explorer.
Summoner
The Fabled Grimoire material needed to unlock the Summoner can be found in Yaesha. However, there are a few steps to obtain it. First, you must have a version of Yaesha with a Blood Moon Altar in it (we found ours in The Forbidden Grove, marked on the map). Using it, you'll be able to craft the Faded Grimoire with 15 Blood Moon Essence, 5 Lumenite Crystals, and 1,500 Scrap. Once you purchase the Faded Grimoire, take it to Wallace in Ward 13 to unlock Summoner.
Want to know how to get Essence? We've got a Remnant 2 Blood Moon Essence Guide that'll help!
Alchemist
The Alchemist in Remnant 2 one isn't overly difficult to unlock, but it takes a little luck. Head to the outdoor (and non-burning) areas of Losomn — we were in Ironborough — and look for the large sewer drains. If you stand near these, you can potentially be dragged into a new area by a large creature.
While not guaranteed, you should eventually trigger this event after checking enough drains. After a short fakeout fade-to-black, you'll wake up in a pile of bones. The monster will reappear once you try to leave, so kill it to claim the item you're looking for — the Mysterious Stone. Take this to Wallace, and you'll be able to unlock the Alchemist.
Engineer
The item needed to unlock Engineer in Remnant 2, the Alien Device, can be found in N'Erud. I found it in the area The Eon Vault, which will only appear in versions of the world where you fight Tal'Ratha — the starting location for this world type is Forgotten Prison.
Scour the edges of The Eon Vault until you see a gap between some rocks, and head through. You'll first see a body, which is carrying the Technician armorset. Further in, you'll be able to interact with an object on the ground to pick up the Alien Device.
Invader
The Invader Archetype is possibly the most obscure to find (outside of Archon), first requiring you to obtain a weapon from a different world than the key material is in.
How to Get the Dreamcatcher in Remnant 2
To start with, you must first head to a version of the world Losomn that contains the area Marrow Parish. If you don't see this as the starting area in your version of Losomn, keep rerolling the campaign or adventure world until you get one that starts there.
From there, progress through Losomn until you're able to enter the mansion (the main gate is locked, so you end up heading out of Marrow Parish and then back in via another entrance). Once inside, you must find 3 Stone-Carved Dolls to give to the woman locked in a cell on the lower floor — follow our guide for the locked safe if you haven't found these already.
Once the dolls are handed over, you'll them need to unlock the cell. This is done with the Prison Cell Key, found on the upper floor by the balcony. Opening the cell will let you grab the Nightweaver Stone Doll (again, make sure to open the cell after handing over all 3 Stone-carved Dolls).
From there, keep progressing through the world as normal until you reach the Tormented Asylum. Inside, you'll find a cell with an eerie glow covered in webbing. Interacting with this will allow you to place the Nightweaver Stone Doll, netting you the Dreamcatcher melee weapon in return.
With all this done, you must now head to Remnant 2's final world. Near the end of the Corrupted Harbor, you'll end up inside a crashed ship. There's a small hidden entrance on the lower floor of this ship, leading into a separate outdoor area.
This is where the Dreamcatcher comes into play. Equip it, and attack the fog-producing growth to drain the fog and obtain a Walker's Dream. Using this item, you'll be transported to a separate area known as Twilight Vale.
Leaving the ship here, you'll encounter a boss version of the tall enemies featured in this world, known as Bane. It'll summon enemies once its health is lowered, so take them out before focussing again on the boss. If you end up losing the fight or quit out of the area early by accident, you must return to the secret area to get another Walker's Dream (unfortunately, you can't stack multiple of the item at once).
Killing Bane will net you the Supercharger Mutator, and the Wooden Shiv material. Taking the Wooden Shiv back to Wallace will let you unlock the Invader Archetype.
How to unlock Archon
Unlocking the Archon Archetype is no small feat, and the devs made it clear that you'd have to datamine the game's files to figure out how to unlock this powerful class, which is why it's tough to figure out. But thanks to Redditor MotherKosm, we have the solution after the community has figured this out:
You're going to need a few specific items, and equipment that you'll need to have equipped in order to enter the Red Door in Labyrinth. I stumbled across many of these, and hopefully you have too!
- Void Heart: You'll need to get the version of N'Erud that has you fight Sha'Hala as the final boss and choose between destroying or shutting down the core. After 12 real life hours, a ship to Alepsis-Taura will be made available, so you cannot destroy the core as that will destroy N'Erud.
- Leto's Amulet: You'll get this by flopping 100x by wearing heavy armor, sold by Reggie in Ward 13.
- Explorer's Set: Beat the game, and this armor will become available to buy from Whispers in Ward 13 (the guy with the tablet he uses to talk to you)
- Fortune Hunter & Worm Hole Abilities: You'll need to have the Explorer Class up to level 10 and Invader Class to level 5.
- Amber Moonstone: Cass sells this, and if it's not there, her stock resets every 30 minutes.
- Black Cat Band: Die 15 times to get this.
- Ford's Scattergun: You'll need to complete Yaesha and defeat the corrupter without offending the queen. Once defeated, you'll return to her and if you're courteous she'll give you the Seal of the Empress. Head into the library section, and a hidden area will open with this gun inside.
- Labyrinth Staff: There's a portal in Labyrinth that's constantly changing - and it's near the main portal. Facing the portal, head left and you'll see some "stairs to nowhere" with a bit jutting out, image above. Take a leap of faith down to the un-formed path, and follow it until you hit a roadblock - after a few moments a crumbling platform will appear that you can use to cross. Head onwards until you drop down and fight Bastion, and you'll see the staff on the opposite end of the area.
- Zania's Malice: Spawn into the Ashen Wasteland, and make your way to the first checkpoint. Head the opposite direction of where you should go to continue, and you'll find a hole in the floor that drops down, with another dropdown leading you to the Zania's Malice Relic.
- Anastasija's Inspiration: Sold by Whispers in Ward 13 for 3,000 scrap.
With all of the above equipped, you can now enter the Red Portal in Labyrinth and you'll be taken to the Backrooms (recommend Save Scumming!) to find 2-3 items, including the Strange Box required to unlock Archon.
Ritualist
Ritualist is an Archetype available for those that own The Awakened King DLC for Remnant 2. After purchasing The Awakened King, it gives you the option to create an adventure for that specific DLC. This will guarantee that you get the new storyline, and in turn the chance to unlock Ritualist.
The material needed for Ritualist is found in the second half of Forlorn Coast, the DLC's main area. You'll leave this area partway through, then return later on. After heading through this second part, there's a section near the water with some boats. One set of boats will go underneath the main path, leading into a cave.
Follow the cave to the end and kill the witch that attacks you. Then, pick up the Ragged Poppet that's resting by a wooden pillar.
Invoker
Invoker is part of the The Forgotten Kingdom DLC. Owning The Forgotten Kingdom gives you the option to create an adventure for that specific DLC. This will guarantee that you get the new storyline, and in turn the chance to unlock Ritualist.
After heading back to the Ancient Canopy as you progress through the main areas, you'll pull a lever to drop the statue lower in the area. Go down the stairs after its lowered, then into the room with the sand and dart traps.
In the back right corner, there is a safe spot with two piles of sand. Stand in between the piles of sand and wait for a few minutes, and you'll trigger a "death" animation. After this, you'll wake up in a new room containing the Old Flute material needed to unlock Invoker.
Warden
Warden is part of The Dark Horizon DLC. Owning The Dark Horizon gives you the option to create a specific adventure for it. This guarantees that you'll get the areas needed for this Achetype unlock material.
In the Withered Necropolis zone, you'll come across the Gardener again (the NPC from the starting area in The Dark Horizon.) Go past him and the first rideable drone until you reach a cliff face and a second drone.
Using this drone fly directly right, then keep following the wall. Eventually you'll come across two wind pillars, with a small ledge near the second one. Land on this ledge, then go left and onto the bridge.
You'll be ambushed by a few robots near the end of the bridge, so make sure to heal up first. From there, just follow the path down to find the Weathered Mechanism material. This area is right next to the checkpoint crystal, letting you return to Ward 13 quickly.
That's all for our Remnant 2 Archetypes Guide! Check back for more updates as we discover more secret Archetypes, and make sure to give our other guides a look below.
Isaac is a Staff Writer at TechRaptor, handling guides — and the occasional review — for games throughout many genres. Some of his more extensive work at… More about Isaac
