--- key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-character-classes type: mechanic id: game-mechanics--gm-character-classes lang: en title: Character classes summary: >- A class defines a character’s tools, strengths and role, changing how they solve problems and contribute to a team. updatedAt: '2026-10-21' status: active url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-character-classes/ jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-character-classes.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-character-classes.md aliases: [] tags: - Game design techniques - Abilities - Character sourceIds: - source-07b65da1dc2fe9b3 - source-83fdca653df94ce5 - source-9f534bd1171b0ab1 - source-64b5d9613b4b6662 - source-342e085753c5e586 - source-4fbe0ec86af26f62 - source-d7b824ec8d06ee50 - source-8a51b8719e42ba1a - source-e86545dce21ba1dc - source-0a031a39aeeef0d8 sources: - id: source-07b65da1dc2fe9b3 title: 'Game Mechanics: Character classes' url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes' verifiedAt: null - id: source-83fdca653df94ce5 title: Diablo (1996) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/diablo' verifiedAt: null - id: source-9f534bd1171b0ab1 title: Battlefield 3 (2011) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/battlefield-3' verifiedAt: null - id: source-64b5d9613b4b6662 title: PlanetSide 2 (2012) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/planetside-2' verifiedAt: null - id: source-342e085753c5e586 title: Battlefield 4 (2013) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/battlefield-4' verifiedAt: null - id: source-4fbe0ec86af26f62 title: Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) url: >- https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/star-wars-battlefront-ii-2017 verifiedAt: null - id: source-d7b824ec8d06ee50 title: 'Insurgency: Sandstorm (2018)' url: >- https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/insurgency-sandstorm verifiedAt: null - id: source-8a51b8719e42ba1a title: 'Tom Clancy''s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint (2019)' url: >- https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint verifiedAt: null - id: source-e86545dce21ba1dc title: Battlefield 6 (2025) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/battlefield-6' verifiedAt: null - id: source-0a031a39aeeef0d8 title: Deep Rock Galactic url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/' verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: game-mechanics id: gm-character-classes title: Game design techniques url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-character-classes categoryIds: - gm-category-character - gm-category-abilities supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-21' title: Character classes description: >- A class defines a character’s tools, strengths and role, changing how they solve problems and contribute to a team. image: src: images/mechanics/drg-loadout.webp width: 1440 height: 810 game: Deep Rock Galactic sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/' originalUrl: >- https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/548430/ss_4cac98f49fde6e994a64e813baaf7b34a195d2cc.1920x1080.jpg?t=1792497307 credit: Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing rights: © Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing. All rights reserved. caption: The Driller’s equipment alt: >- Deep Rock Galactic: the Driller loadout shows a flamethrower, pistol, explosive charges and reinforced drills. markers: - x: 49 'y': 94 label: The selected class is Driller - x: 86 'y': 43 label: Drills provide a distinct way to create routes tips: - Give each class a useful action beyond dealing damage. - 'Explain a role through a task, not only a list of statistics.' examples: - title: Deep Rock Galactic url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/' endsAt: null provenance: >- Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification. license: CC-BY-4.0 codeLicense: MIT attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics --- # Character classes id: game-mechanics--gm-character-classes type: mechanic key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-character-classes lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-character-classes/ A class defines a character’s tools, strengths and role, changing how they solve problems and contribute to a team. ## At a glance ![Deep Rock Galactic: the Driller loadout shows a flamethrower, pistol, explosive charges and reinforced drills.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/drg-loadout.webp) [Deep Rock Galactic](https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/) · © Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing. All rights reserved. 1. The selected class is Driller 2. Drills provide a distinct way to create routes - Give each class a useful action beyond dealing damage. - Explain a role through a task, not only a list of statistics. - [Deep Rock Galactic](https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/) ## How it works A selected class defines an ability set and gameplay role. ## Variants ### How the technique works - A selected class defines an ability set and gameplay role. ## Context and limits All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source. ## Connected materials ## Sources and provenance Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification. - [Game Mechanics: Character classes](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes) (id: source-07b65da1dc2fe9b3) - [Diablo (1996)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/diablo) (id: source-83fdca653df94ce5) - [Battlefield 3 (2011)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/battlefield-3) (id: source-9f534bd1171b0ab1) - [PlanetSide 2 (2012)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/planetside-2) (id: source-64b5d9613b4b6662) - [Battlefield 4 (2013)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/battlefield-4) (id: source-342e085753c5e586) - [Star Wars Battlefront II (2017)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/star-wars-battlefront-ii-2017) (id: source-4fbe0ec86af26f62) - [Insurgency: Sandstorm (2018)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/insurgency-sandstorm) (id: source-d7b824ec8d06ee50) - [Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint (2019)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint) (id: source-8a51b8719e42ba1a) - [Battlefield 6 (2025)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/character-classes/game/battlefield-6) (id: source-e86545dce21ba1dc) - [Deep Rock Galactic](https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/) (id: source-0a031a39aeeef0d8) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors