Your Remnant 2 Archetypes provide your character with special Perks, Skills, and more that you can use to obliterate foes or support your team, whether it’s a healing shield, an alien turret, or a dog. After completing the tutorial, you’ll choose one of four starting Archetypes for your character, but there are many more Archetypes to collect, including a few secret ones. Remnant 2 also lets you have two Archetypes active at once, granting you even more perks and powers. It's quite a lot to take in, so I’ve laid out how all the Remnant 2 Archetypes work, how to unlock them all, and which ones are best.
How Remnant 2 Archetypes work
Once you’ve completed the tutorial in Remnant 2 speak to Wallace, who resides up in the Ward 13 container crane. He’ll present you with several classes to choose from known as Archetypes, each with its own playstyle. Thankfully, your character is not locked into that choice for the rest of the game, and you can freely switch between other Archetypes that you unlock later.
As you play Remnant 2, you’ll earn XP that levels up your Archetype from Level 0 to Level 10. Doing so unlocks new features, bolstering your power and giving you more options to customize your build. All Archetypes in Remnant 2 get access to these features:
- Skills: Each Archetype gets three Skills, which are unique and powerful abilities that are restricted with a cooldown after using them. The first Skill is unlocked by default, the second is unlocked at Archetype Level 5, and the final one is unlocked at Level 10. You can have only one Skill active at once but can swap it out at any time in the Archetype menu.
- Perks: There are four of these passive bonuses for each Archetype – a Damage Perk, a Team Perk, a Utility Perk, and a Relic Perk. You’ll start by unlocking your Archetype’s Damage Perk when you reach Archetype Level 1 and end with the Relic Perk at Level 4.
- Prime Perk: A very powerful passive effect that is unlocked by default and improves as you level up. You only ever receive the benefits of the Prime Perk that belongs to the Archetype in your Prime Archetype Slot.
- Trait: Every Archetype adds a unique Trait to your Traits list. Like regular Traits, these offer a stat boost that improves as you upgrade the Trait, but unlike regular Traits, these ones upgrade automatically with your Archetype Level instead of using Trait Points.
Importantly, you can also get two Archetype slots – your Prime and Secondary slots – allowing you to gain the Skills, Perks, and Traits for another Remnant 2 Archetype. This slot is unlocked as soon as you've spent 10 Trait Points. With both slots unlocked, you can freely mix and match your available Archetypes, allowing you to change which Prime Perk you’re benefitting from. With 11 Archetypes to combine, there are 110 different permutations to try out for lots of uniquely powerful builds.
Best Remnant 2 Archetypes and combinations
Of the 11 Remnant 2 Archetypes, I don’t think there are any that are especially bad and worth avoiding, although there are some clear standouts and others that work incredibly well with other Archetypes. Here are the best Remnant 2 Archetypes and Archetype combinations that you should try out:
- Medic: A great beginner and team-oriented Archetype focused on survival. Useful in pretty much any situation, especially in co-op play. Pairs well with Handler, Challenger, and Alchemist.
- Explorer: Extremely useful for any player looking for loot and resources as they go further into the endgame of Remnant 2. Perhaps not one for the toughest battles, but great for exploring. Pairs well with any Archetype.
- Gunslinger: Great for any build focused on ranged weapons due to the expanded ammo reserves and weapon buffs it provides to boost DPS. Pairs well with Hunter, Engineer, and Summoner.
- Archon: Weapon Mods can be incredibly powerful so the Archon’s abilities to build into spamming Mods, even for allies, makes it very deadly. Pairs well with Gunslinger, Medic, and Engineer.
- Handler: Gaining the help of a dog companion that can also revive you makes the Handler a superb Remnant 2 Archetype for solo players, but its support capabilities also mean it works well in co-op situations too. Pairs well with most other Archetypes.
Remnant 2 Medic Archetype
The Medic Archetype is Remnant 2’s dedicated healing class, providing lots of healing for all. Their Skills allow them to create a Wellspring of healing energy on the ground, provide Healing Shields to absorb damage and heal a little, or instantly revive downed allies in a wide area with Redemption.
How to unlock Medic: Choose as starting Archetype or buy the Medic Pin from Dr. Norah and upgrade it to the Caduceus Idol with Wallace.
Prime Perk: Regenerator – Regain a spent Relic Charge after restoring 350 total health to allies. Each additional player increases the healing requirement by 50%. Resting or respawning at a Worldstone resets the total health restored, allowing you to trigger the perk again.
Trait: Triage – Increases Healing by 5% per Level.
Remnant 2 Hunter Archetype
Long-range damage is what the Remnant 2 Hunter Archetype is best at, with features that maximize weapon range and damage of all types. Hunters can also Mark enemies which increases the critical chance against them for all allies and their Skills apply Mark in different ways.
How to unlock Hunter: Choose as starting Archetype or buy the Rusty Medal from Brabus and upgrade it to the Sniper War Medal with Wallace.
Prime Perk: Dead To Rights – Dealing 60 base weakspot damage with a ranged weapon extends the duration of active Hunter Skills by three seconds, which can extend the timer beyond its normal duration.
Trait: Longshot – Increases weapon ideal range by 0.6m per Level.
Remnant 2 Challenger Archetype
The Remnant 2 Challenger Archetype specializes in close-range and melee combat. While naturally resilient, some of the Challenger’s features revolve around the Bulwark buff which provides additional damage resistance. Pick the Challenger if you want to be a walking tank.
How to unlock Challenger: Choose as starting Archetype or buy the Old Metal Tool from Reggie and upgrade it to the Steel Enswell with Wallace.
Prime Perk: Die Hard – If you take fatal damage, become invulnerable for two seconds and regenerate 50% of your maximum health. This can happen once every 10 minutes, but resets by resting or respawning at a Worldstone.
Trait: Strong Back – Reduces encumbrance by 1 per Level.
Remnant 2 Handler Archetype
The Remnant 2 Handler Archetype brings lots of utility and supportive buffs to combat, including an extra battle buddy in the form of a dog. As well as being able to revive downed allies, it can draw the attention of enemies or even heal everyone.
How to unlock Handler: Choose as starting Archetype or buy the Old Whistle from Mudtooth and upgrade it to the Silent Whistle with Wallace.
Prime Perk: Bonded – When you are downed, your companion will attempt to revive you at 50% maximum health. You can command your dog to this for allies too, but the downed ally must have at least one Relic charge.
Trait: Kinship – Reduces friendly fire damage dealt and received by 8% per Level.
Remnant 2 Gunslinger Archetype
The Gunslinger is Remnant 2’s firearms specialist, and you’ll never run out of ammo with this Archetype. Various perks ensure that you and your allies are almost always stocked up with ammo, and your best weapons become even better with numerous buffs enhancing your damage, fire rate, and more.
How to unlock Gunslinger: Choose as starting Archetype if you pre-ordered Remnant 2 or listen to all of Mudtooth’s stories to get the Worn Cylinder. Upgrade this to the Iron Cylinder with Wallace.
Prime Perk: Loaded – Activating a Gunslinger Skill instantly reloads both weapons and grants infinite reserve ammo for eight seconds.
Trait: Ammo Reserves – Increases ammo reserves by 5% per Level.
Remnant 2 Engineer Archetype
This Archetype makes use of Heavy Weapons to deal lots of damage. You can deploy your Heavy Weapon as an automated turret, or you can carry it yourself for full control. The Engineer gets access to three different Heavy Weapons through its Skills – the Vulcan rapidly spews shots, the Flamethrower deals lots of fire damage, and the Impact Cannon deals high damage with each charged shot.
How to unlock Engineer: Find the Alien Device on N’Erud to unlock the Remnant 2 Engineer Archetype.
Prime Perk: High Tech – Holding the Skill button Overclocks a carried or deployed Heavy Weapon. While Overclocked, the weapon deals extra damage, has an increased fire rate, and has infinite ammo.
Trait: Fortify – Increases armor effectiveness by 5% per Level.
Remnant 2 Explorer Archetype
The Explorer Archetype is quite different to any of the others with a strong focus on getting rare loot, farming resources, and running and gunning to get to where you need ASAP. It’s therefore a great Archetype to use for Adventures and rerolled campaigns if you’re hunting for gear.
How to unlock Explorer: To unlock the Remnant 2 Explorer Archetype, your main task is to defeat the campaign’s final boss.
Prime Perk: Lucky – Gain a 35% chance to additional items and rarer loot when defeating stronger enemies.
Trait: Swiftness – Increases movement speed by 1.5% per Level.
Remnant 2 Alchemist Archetype
With potions that can enhance stats and cure status effects, the Remnant 2 Alchemist supports and buffs allies in battle. These range from increased damage and status effect resistance to weapon handling and attack speed improvements. Alchemists also make great use of consumable concoctions for even more buffs.
How to unlock Alchemist: To unlock the Remnant 2 Alchemist Archetype, you need to get pulled through one of the many damaged sewer grates by a horrific monster in Losomn. Kill the monster to get the Mysterious Stone.
Prime Perk: Spirited – You can have up to three additional concoction buffs active at once. (Ordinarily you can have only one at a time)
Trait: Potency – Increases the duration of consumables by 10% per Level.
Remnant 2 Summoner Archetype
With the power of the Root in the Summoner’s hands, this Archetype can summon three different types of minions to battle for them and provide passive buffs. You can even sacrifice your minions in the middle of a fight to trigger other effects, mainly revolving around healing.
How to unlock Summoner: Visit Yaesha and start by collecting Bloodmoon Essences to unlock the Remnant 2 Summoner Archetype.
Prime Perk: Ruthless – Damaging a minion enrages it, causing it to gain 50% increased damage, attack speed, and movement speed.
Trait: Regrowth – Increases health regeneration 0.15/second per Level.
Remnant 2 Invader Archetype
The Invader is a master of evading and deception and is Remnant 2’s most agile Archetype. Invaders get Perks and Skills that enhance dodging capabilities and provide numerous ways to use decoys that draw attention away from you.
How to unlock Invader: To unlock the Remnant 2 Invader Archetype, you need to fight a secret boss in the game’s final world which can only be accessed if you’ve got the Dreamcatcher weapon.
Prime Perk: Shadow – Casting an Invader Skill leaves a decoy for three seconds which draws enemy fire. Deal 15% increased damage to enemies not targeting you.
Trait: Untouchable – Increases evade invulnerability window by 3% per Level.
Remnant 2 Archon Archetype
The Archon is an extremely difficult Remnant 2 Archetype to unlock but it’s worth it as its focus on using weapon Mods as often as possible makes it very powerful. Obviously, you need the right Mods on your weapons, but the Archon also packs some useful Skills and Perks that give it some elemental damage power and assist your allies with their own Mods too.
How to unlock Archon: If you want to unlock the Remnant 2 Archon Archetype, you’ve got to gather a shopping list of items from throughout the game first and then need to visit a particular portal in the Labyrinth.
Prime Perk: Tempest – Automatically generate two Mod Power per second. Casting a Mod increases all Mod power generation by 100% for six seconds.
Trait: Flash Caster – Increases Mod and Skill cast speed by 5% per Level.
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