The nine professions
Every character in the game is one of these nine, and the choice cannot be changed later. Here they are side by side, with a line each on how they actually play. Click one for the full guide.

GuardianHeavy armour and the thinnest health pool in the game, held up by blocks, aegis and healing. Forgiving once you use its defences, punishing if you facetank.
WarriorNineteen weapon sets, one resource bar and no complicated mechanic. The class that asks the least of you and gives back the most per keypress.
RevenantYou channel dead legends and swap between two of them mid-fight. Very strong, very rigid: each legend fixes your utility skills for you.
EngineerKits, turrets and belt gadgets, and the longest list of buttons on the roster. Enormous range of things to do, steep hill to climb first.
RangerYou and a pet, always. Comfortable levelling, good damage at range, and a pet you have to actually manage rather than ignore.
ThiefInitiative instead of cooldowns, so you spam what works until the bar runs dry. Highest skill ceiling for staying alive, thinnest margin when you misjudge.
ElementalistFour attunements, four full skill bars, lowest health in the game. Enormous output when you rotate cleanly, a wet paper bag when you do not.
MesmerClones, phantasms and shatters. The class that wins by making the enemy hit the wrong target, and the one that takes longest to click.
NecromancerA second health bar you fight out of, minions that hold aggro and no reliance on dodging perfectly. The most forgiving class for a first character.
Numbers, weapons and elite specialisations live in the individual guides. Compare all nine in one table →