SEVEN HEROES / ONE FIRST CLEAR
D2 Survivors
Class tier list.
Choose the hero.
Understand the first build.
Original starter recommendations for the independent Survivors project. Read the engine, the tradeoff and the next useful choice.
NORMALOrdinary drops. No required unique.
Source-reviewed editorial advice. No claimed DPS benchmark or Terror ranking.
THE SEVEN-HERO COMPARISON
Find your first direction.
Choose a class to compare its fit. Every card links to an original placement note with a practical next decision.
7 of 7 class directions shown. Fresh solo Normal profile.
S tier
Our clearest first picks
SorceressCold control / spell rechargeRead the placement 
PaladinBlessed Hammer / supporting aurasRead the placement No class direction matches these filters.
A tier
Strong starter directionsB tier
More contact & equipment judgmentNo class direction matches these filters.
C tier
No current assignmentNo class assigned here for this starter profile.
D tier
No current assignmentNo class assigned here for this starter profile.
E tier
No current assignmentNo class assigned here for this starter profile.
F tier
No current assignmentNo class assigned here for this starter profile.
Equal letters have no internal order. C–F remain unassigned; we do not force viable classes into a weak tier to fill the scale.
THE REASON IS THE USEFUL PART
Seven classes.
Seven starting conversations.
A class letter cannot choose the next card for your actual inventory. Use these notes to identify a damage engine, useful support and a limitation to watch.
SSorceressCold control / spell recharge+
A readable ranged plan with control and broad recharge support.
What the current project documents
Her spells fire automatically, and Faster Cast Rate and Warmth shorten their recharge. Ice Blast and Glacial Spike can freeze susceptible targets; cold immunity and higher difficulties limit that control.
Our placement
We like the separation between movement and offensive output for a first clear. Build one reliable damage line, then make room for control and defense. It is easier to identify why a pick helps than to maintain several unrelated elemental projects at once.
Keep this tradeoff in view
Control is not a permanent boss lock. Elemental immunity and an unfinished evolution line can leave a visually busy build without the damage it needs.
Choices to recognize as they become available
- Ice BoltA cold damage line to develop
- WarmthRecharge support
- Frozen ArmorA defensive option to compare
SPaladinBlessed Hammer / supporting auras+
An immediate spell opening with passive support that stays active.
What the current project documents
Blessed Hammer is available from level 1 here. Drafted auras work simultaneously, rather than requiring the single active-aura selection of classic Diablo II. A hammer is not a physical weapon hit.
Our placement
That gives our starter profile a particularly clear shape: a damage engine, then support for the problem in front of it. We favor this spell route over assuming an early melee weapon will carry every encounter.
Keep this tradeoff in view
Aura abundance can distract from an underdeveloped damage skill. Weapon Critical Strike does not turn hammer damage into critical hits, and offensive aura reach still matters.
Choices to recognize as they become available
- Blessed HammerAn available opening damage engine
- PrayerA sustain option when offered
- Holy ShieldA later defensive choice to inspect
A
NecromancerA working army / direct spell backup+
Flexible damage and support, with more moving parts to keep useful.
What the current project documents
Energy supports his spells and summons, with a larger per-point spell contribution than other classes in this project. Curses are supporting effects rather than damage skills, and they appear less frequently in card offers.
Our placement
A summon-supported plan gives a new player a useful way to organize choices: maintain battle contribution, add a compatible spell and choose support that changes the current fight. We place it just below our simplest openings because it asks the player to distinguish several jobs.
Keep this tradeoff in view
An army on screen is not a substitute for checking its actual contribution. A support-heavy hand can leave a weak offensive core, and the desired curse may not appear immediately.
Choices to recognize as they become available
- Raise SkeletonA summon line to develop
- TeethDirect spell contribution
- Amplify DamagePhysical support when it fits
A
AmazonRanged volleys / compatible passives+
Good spacing lessons; projectile and weapon rules need attention.
What the current project documents
Bow skills shoot from range, while spear thrusts wait for a valid target in reach. Most volleys redistribute spare shots onto fewer targets; Multiple Shot has its own fan behavior. Critical Strike does not multiply every secondary elemental effect.
Our placement
We recommend learning a ranged line before deliberately moving into thrust range. Her offensive and defensive passives offer understandable ways to improve the same plan, provided you read what the chosen projectile can actually do.
Keep this tradeoff in view
A weapon upgrade, a skill-card upgrade and Pierce solve different problems. Treating every lightning effect as a critical weapon hit overstates the benefit of a physical-damage choice.
Choices to recognize as they become available
- Fire ArrowOne ranged opening to develop
- Critical StrikeSupport for qualifying physical damage
- PierceCompare with your actual projectile
A
AssassinTrap contribution / passive support+
Let traps contribute while you learn where to stand.
What the current project documents
Her traps are placed near packs and attack automatically. Martial Arts instead wait for a target in reach, with Dragon Flight an exception that closes distance. Fade and Burst of Speed are passives in this project.
Our placement
For a first-clear recommendation we prefer the clearer trap-and-support problem over immediately committing to contact-heavy charge interactions. Watch whether the current pack remains in a useful firing area, then choose the upgrade that improves that contribution.
Keep this tradeoff in view
Automatic placement does not mean every trap shot reaches the target you need. Mixing a partial melee plan into an unfinished trap plan can make both difficult to evaluate.
Choices to recognize as they become available
- Fire BlastAn opening damage option
- Charged Bolt SentryA trap line to inspect as it opens
- FadeA passive defense option
A
DruidBeasts / a coherent spell line+
Versatile support and damage, if the plan stays focused.
What the current project documents
Wereforms do not disable his spells or summons here. Ordinary monsters can attack a nearer beast, while act bosses push through rather than accepting it as a permanent barrier. Form attacks still require targets within reach.
Our placement
We value the ability to keep several army jobs working together, but a newcomer benefits from choosing a main direction. Begin with useful beast or spell contribution and add the support it can exploit; variety alone is not a complete build.
Keep this tradeoff in view
A row of animals is not guaranteed boss protection. Splitting investment between weapon blows and unrelated elemental lines can leave the important part of the run underdeveloped.
Choices to recognize as they become available
- RavenA beast opening to consider
- Oak SageLife support when offered
- TwisterA physical spell direction to inspect
B
BarbarianA weapon plan / defensive warcries+
Rewarding close-range play with more weapon and contact dependence.
What the current project documents
His melee blows need a damageable target within reach. Two weapons retain their own damage and item effects; several attacks use both hands, while other blows use the main hand. Warcries and passive masteries support the plan.
Our placement
Our B placement reflects the extra questions a fresh player must answer, not a measured damage deficit. You need a useful weapon, appropriate range and enough safety to keep contact. A new weapon can change the comparison more than another unrelated damage card.
Keep this tradeoff in view
Walking into the horde because Whirlwind looks powerful is a poor substitute for checking survival. Copying a developed weapon setup does not establish the same experience with early drops.
Choices to recognize as they become available
- BashAn opening close-range damage option
- ShoutA defensive support choice
- Battle OrdersLater life support to inspect
THE PROFILE BEHIND THE LETTERS
A first clear.
Not a universal champion.
A first playthrough with ordinary drops and no required unique, set or runeword. We prioritize a clear offensive plan, room to move and useful defensive choices. This is an editorial starter ranking, not a timed race or a Terror ceiling.
What moves a recommendation upward?
- Can the opening plan deal useful damage without a particular rare item?
- Can the hero keep contributing while the player learns spacing and the encounter?
- Do offensive and defensive picks form an understandable next decision?
- How much does the suggested direction depend on close contact or weapon quality?
When should you set the letter aside?
A specific drop, an evolved skill, a different difficulty or your preferred control style can change the better choice. These placements do not describe a fully equipped Hell run, a Hardcore survival guarantee, a speedrun record or an unlimited Terror push.
We reviewed the project’s code-derived documentation. We did not run a controlled seven-class comparison, measure DPS or claim a statistical win rate. The S–F letters are Cobalt’s analysis of this stated starter profile.
CURRENT SOURCE REVIEW / 3 NOV 2026
Same world.
Project-specific rules.
The official wiki identifies build 20261103.2 · e9098a84. Its comparison with 20261103.1 documents the following points; this is a documentation review, not a claim that every wording change is a balance buff.
- Amazon lightning thrusts retain a physical weapon hit; their separate lightning effects remain elemental. Critical Strike doubles only the physical component.
- Matching item-granted auras add their item levels in the documented item-skill rule.
- A new jewel can replace the jewel in the selected socket, returning the old one to your hand.
- A gamepad does not control the desktop app while another window has focus.
AFTER THE FIRST CLEAR
Do not carry one letter
through every difficulty.
Nightmare and Hell change the problem. Recheck immunity coverage and the actual weapon or skill doing the work. An attractive screenshot of a completed build does not supply its missing equipment to a new hero.
Terror opens for a class after Hell Baal. Use the camp waypoint and read the chosen act, tier and affixes. This starter board does not rank those later timed encounters.
Read the official Terror rules ↗BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Three quick answers.
Is this a Diablo II: Resurrected or Project Diablo 2 tier list?
No. This board covers the independent D2 Survivors project at d2survivors.lol. Familiar class and skill names can have different rules here. Blizzard’s original art identifies the classes; the project wiki supplies the gameplay references.
Does B tier mean Barbarian cannot clear Normal?
No. Our letter reflects how much weapon, range and contact judgment the recommended opening asks of a new player. It is not a tested damage ceiling or a statement that another class wins every encounter.
Which skill should I take next?
Start with the damage source you actually hold. Compare the next card’s job with your current failure: missing damage, unsafe spacing, weak support or an unfinished line. The notes list recognizable directions, not a guaranteed card order or an inventory import.
THE PRIMARY REFERENCES
Current rules.
Visible evidence.
Reviewed 3 November 2026 against the project wiki’s build 20261103.2. The seven class references below support the mechanics in the notes; the rankings and recommendations are our interpretation.
- D2 Survivors wiki: build identity
- Current build comparison
- Sorceress: project skill and passive rules
- Paladin: project skill and passive rules
- Necromancer: project skill and passive rules
- Amazon: project skill and passive rules
- Assassin: project skill and passive rules
- Druid: project skill and passive rules
- Barbarian: project skill and passive rules
- Terror progression and encounter rules
- Official Blizzard class art manifest
Arreat Summit is used for class illustrations, not for copying classic Diablo II numbers into D2 Survivors. Image credits.