How do all the PVE classes in Star Wars: The Old Republic stack up against each other?
Star Wars: The Old Republic features 48 different possible discipline paths broken up by 8 classes each separated into two different advanced classes. While all of these disciplines are fun to play, there are certainly some that are easier to get through the game and its endgame content. After hours of scouring Reddit, SWTOR forum boards, and other guides and charts, I have compiled a power ranking list of the disciplines in-game! Tanks and healers are in their own separate tiers as they don’t really stand up to the DPS classes when it comes to pure power.
PvE S tier - Extremely strong, high survivability, nerf quite possible in future, OP when played correctly:
- Sith Warrior - Fury Marauder/Jedi Knight Concentration Sentinel - 100
- Imperial Agent - Lethality Operative/Smuggler - Ruffian Scoundrel - 99.87
- Bounty Hunter - Pyrotech Powertech/Trooper - Plasmatech Vanguard - 99.75
- Sith Warrior - Annihilation Marauder/Jedi Knight - Watchman Sentinel - 98.77
PvE A tier - Very strong, but not unbalanced:
- Sith Warrior - Vengeance Juggernaut/Jedi Knight - Vigilance Guardian - 97.52
- Sith Inquisitor - Hatred Assassin/Jedi Consular Serenity Shadow - 95.97
- Bounty Hunter - Innovative Ordnance Mercenary/Trooper - Assault Specialist Commando - 94.86
- Imperial Agent - Virulence Sniper/Smuggler - Dirty Fighting Gunslinger - 94.79
PvE B tier - Strong, especially in situations that favor them, don't necessarily need a buff:
- Bounty Hunter - Advanced Prototype Powertech/Trooper Tactics Vanguard - 94.56
- Imperial Agent - Engineering Sniper/Smuggler - Saboteur Gunslinger - 94.19
- Sith Warrior - Rage Juggernaut/Jedi Knight Focus Guardian - 93.94
- Sith Inquisitor - Deception Assassin/Jedi Consular Infiltration Shadow - 92.67
- Imperial Agent - Concealment Operative/Smuggler - Scrapper Scoundrel - 92.53
PvE C tier - Usable, but higher tiers do the job quite better:
- Sith Inquisitor - Madness Sorcerer/Jedi Consular - Balance Sage - 91.05
- Sith Warrior - Carnage Marauder/Jedi Knight - Combat Sentinel - 91.02
- Sith Inquisitor - Lightning Sorcerer/Jedi Consular - Telekinetics Sage - 88.37
- Imperial Agent - Marksmanship Sniper/Smuggler Sharpshooter Gunslinger - 88.27
PvE D tier - Begging for a buff:
- Bounty Hunter - Arsenal Mercenary/Troop - Gunnery Commando - 87.76
PvE Tank tiers:
- S: Sith Warrior - Immortal Juggernaut/Jedi Knight - Defense Guardian
- A: Sith Inquisitor - Darkness Assassin/Jedi Consular - Kinetic Combat
- B: Bounty Hunter - Shield Tech Powertech/Trooper - Shield Specialist Vanguard
PvE Healer tiers:
- S: Imperial Agent - Medicine Operative/Smuggler - Sawbones Scoundrel
- A: Sith Inquisitor - Corruption Sorcerer/Jedi Consular - Seer Sage Shadow
- B: Bounty Hunter - Bodyguard Mercenary/Trooper - Combat Medic Commando
PVE DPS Tiers
1. Sith Warrior - Fury Marauder/Jedi Knight Concentration Sentinel (S Tier)
The dual sabers and focus on fury and hatred as the Sith Warrior Fury Marauder and the twin blades of hope as the Jedi Knight Concentration Sentinel top our list. Excellent for melee DPS and, when used in an optimized fashion, easily the highest level of damage done of any DPS class.
Why Sith Warrior - Fury Marauder/Jedi Knight Concentration Sentinel Is OP
- Up to 56 attacks per minute (APM) when optimized
- Fair survivability with up to medium armor
- An effective, flexible rotation that is more based on priority
- Parses out the highest amount of average damage than other classes at +6.12%
- Twin lightsabers are awesome and the stories are wonderful for these classes
Overall Power Rating: 100/100
2. Imperial Agent - Lethality Operative/Smuggler - Ruffian Scoundrel (S Tier)
With a mixture of DOT and ranged burst DPS, the Imperial Agent Lethality Operative and Smuggler - Ruffian Scoundrel both use their blasters and a number of poisonous tricks to deal out damage from a distance. This distance can keep them in the fight longer if need be.
Why Imperial Agent - Lethality Operative/Smuggler - Ruffian Scoundrel Is OP
- Up to 51 APM when optimized
- Ranged attacks increase survivability along with the infamous rolling mechanic
- Variety of DOT and burst DPS for a varied rotation
- On average +5.98% higher than average DPS damage
- The Imperial Agent has perhaps the best story in the entire game
Overall Power Rating: 99.87/100
3. Bounty Hunter - Pyrotech Powertech/Trooper - Plasmatech Vanguard (S Tier)
A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. The Pyrotech/Plasmatech overall can sometimes be considered lower on the list for overall DPS because of some questionable survivability compared to others, but when it comes to pure numbers, the Pyrotech Powertech and Plasmatech Vanguard dish out the damage.
Why Bounty Hunter - Pyrotech Powertech/Trooper - Plasmatech Vanguard Is OP
- APM of 51 when optimized
- +5.85% above average DPS damage
- Medium armor can help with the survivability
- Fairly standard rotation to memorize
- The Bounty Hunter has an excellent story and both get some of the coolest looking armor in-game
Overall Power Rating: 99.75/100
4. Sith Warrior - Annihilation Marauder/Jedi Knight - Watchman Sentinel (S Tier)
Twin sabers deal out a plethora of damage in a flurry of blows. An acrobatic combat display, these classes deal out the damage in spades in melee combat. They are a must in every party for that up close and in your face combat.
Why Sith Warrior - Annihilation Marauder/Jedi Knight - Watchman Sentinel Is OP
- Up to 56 APM when kitted out appropriately
- +4.81% average DPS damage
- Medium armor for fair survivability
- Very distinct rotation to learn and master
- Classic Star Wars archetypes perfect for beginners and Masters alike
Overall Power Rating: 98.77/100
5. Sith Warrior - Vengeance Juggernaut/Jedi Knight - Vigilance Guardian (A Tier)
Armed with a single deadly blade and heavy armor, the Sith Warrior Vengeance Juggernaut and the Jedi Knight Vigilance Guardian are sights to behold. Dealing out heavy damage and able to stand up to the toughest enemies on their own, they round out the top of the superior A tier.
Why Sith Warrior - Vengeance Juggernaut/Jedi Knight - Vigilance Guardian Is superior
- An APM of up to 47 when optimized
- +3.49% average DPS damage
- Heavy armor increases survivability
- Can offhand as a tank in a pinch
- Standard rotations to learn and master
Overall Power Rating: 97.52/100
6.Sith Inquisitor - Hatred Assassin/Jedi Consular Serenity Shadow (A Tier)
With a double-bladed lightsaber and Force powers, the Sith Hatred Assassin and Serenity Jedi Shadow are the only Inquisitor/Consular pair this high up on the tier ranking. Another surprise, the sheer amount of damage they can deal out on average when optimized to earn them a spot on the list.
Why Sith Inquisitor - Hatred Assassin/Jedi Consular Serenity Shadow Is superior
- Average APM of 48
- +1.84% DPS damage compared to the standard
- DCDs can offset some of the squishiness
- A mixture of melee and some ranged DPS abilities
- Some excellent story content for both classes, particularly the Inquisitor
Overall Power Rating: 95.97/100
7. Bounty Hunter - Innovative Ordnance Mercenary/Trooper - Assault Specialist Commando (A Tier)
The most well known of the Bounty Hunter and Trooper subclasses for its prowess in PVP, the Innovative Ordnance and Assault Specialist are pure DPS powerhouses. With heavy blasters and combat focused on burst DPS, these classes are great for characters in both PVE and PVP settings.
Why Bounty Hunter - Innovative Ordnance Mercenary/Trooper - Assault Specialist Commando Is superior
- APM of 44
- Average DPS damage of +0.66% above average
- Fair survivability with medium armor
- Ranged burst DPS
- Can offhand tank if necessary
Overall Power Rating: 94.86/100
8. Imperial Agent - Virulence Sniper/Smuggler - Dirty Fighting Gunslinger (A Tier)
Finishing out our list of the S and A tiers of disciplines, the Sniper and Gunslinger make their appearance. With deadly ranged DPS and very high survivability due to their legendary roll escape mechanic, they still stand out as one of the best DPS classes/advanced classes and overall one of the most powerful.
Why Imperial Agent - Virulence Sniper/Smuggler - Dirty Fighting Gunslinger Is superior
- APM of 40 when optimized
- DPS damage of +0.59% above average
- Extremely well-known roll evasion technique makes survivability a plus
- Long-range DPS is excellent to mix in with a party
- Those outfits are awesome looking!
Overall Power Rating: 94.79/100
PVE Tank Tiers
1. Sith Warrior - Immortal Juggernaut/Jedi Knight - Defense Guardian (S Tier)
The top of our tanks and the most powerful when it comes to pure power and the ability to take a hit, the Sith Warrior Immortal Juggernaut and Jedi Knight Defense Guardian both balance out DPS and Damage Taken per Second (DTPS). Lead the fight for the Empire or the Republic from the frontlines as one of these charismatic figures!
Why Sith Warrior - Immortal Juggernaut/Jedi Knight - Defense Guardian Is OP
- DPS damage of +1.54% above average
- Average DTPS of 2475 when optimized
- Average 75.25% damage reduction
- Average 68.39% damage reduction on AOEs
- Best mix between taking damage and being able to deal it out
Overall Power Rating: 100/100
2. Sith Inquisitor - Darkness Assassin/Jedi Consular - Kinetic Combat (A Tier)
The Sith Inquisitor Darkness Assassin and Jedi Consular Kinetic Combat take the A tier for tanks. While they have some of the highest damage reduction of the three tank classes, they are certainly a little lackluster when dealing damage themselves, bringing them down from the top. Given the right circumstances, they can hold the line all on their own with nothing but their double-bladed lightsabers and the Force.
Why Sith Inquisitor - Darkness Assassin/Jedi Consular - Kinetic Combat Is superior
- DPS damage of -4.46% above average; the lowest of the tanks
- Average DTPS of 2658 when optimized, the highest of the tanks
- Average whopping 79.35% damage reduction
- Average 79.63% damage reduction on AOEs; the highest of all tanks by almost 11%
- The only positive percentage (+13.93%) % total damage reduction vs average DTPS
Overall Power Rating: 90/100
PVE Healer Tiers
1. Imperial Agent - Medicine Operative/Smuggler - Sawbones Scoundrel (S Tier)
Someone Call a Doctor?: Smugglers and Operatives provide some great healing opportunities with good heals and survivability.
The Imperial Agent Medicine Operative and the Smuggler Sawbones Scoundrel take the top healer spot with impressive healing capabilities and some decent survivability. You can’t help anyone if you can’t help yourself!
Why Imperial Agent - Medicine Operative/Smuggler - Sawbones Scoundrel Is OP
- Average of 21,348 Heals Per Second (HPS)
- The only positive % of HPS vs Average HPS (+19.36%)
- Rolling evasion inherent in the class overall helps with survivability
- Great AOE heals capabilities
- Great mobility making the class slippery to get ahold of
2. Sith Inquisitor - Corruption Sorcerer/Jedi Consular - Seer Sage (A Tier)
Sith Inquisitor Corruption Sorcerer and Jedi Consular Seer Sage take the A tier spot for healers with the best balance overall. A jack of all trades for healers, the classes are great for single target and AOE heals. A great utility healing class!
Why Sith Inquisitor - Corruption Sorcerer/Jedi Consular - Seer Sage Is superior
- Average HPS of 17,136
- When optimized, -4.19% HPS vs Average HPS, right between the two other healer classes
- Excellent utility healing class, jack of all trades
- Good AOE and good single-target healing capabilities
- Fairly mobile class increasing survivability
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