Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Classes Guide
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 has six classes: Duelist, Machinist, Marauder, Hunter, Medic, and Specialist. The first five cover distinct combat roles, while Specialist is built around mixing unlocked abilities, weapons, and perks from other classes.
There is no single class that is best for every player. Your starting point should match the way you want to fight: flexible damage, heavy weapons, area control, precision control, squad support, or later build customization. The class roundup and class selection guide provide the underlying class descriptions used here.
Quick answer: Start with Duelist for direct, flexible damage; Marauder for heavy weapons; Machinist for deployables and area control; Hunter for precision control; Medic for squad support; and Specialist as a later hybrid-build goal.
Contents
- Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Classes at a Glance
- Duelist, Marauder, and Machinist
- Hunter, Medic, and Specialist
- How Class Builds Work
- Which Class Should You Start With?
- FAQ
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Classes at a Glance
| Class | Core role | Main focus described in the available material |
|---|---|---|
| Duelist | Flexible damage | Rifle combat, mobility, and sustained offensive pressure |
| Marauder | Heavy firepower | Heavy weapons, explosions, and crowd control |
| Machinist | Area control | Sentry Turret, Bodyguard drone, and holding space |
| Hunter | Control and precision | Slowing enemies and targeting weak points or priority threats |
| Medic | Squad support | Healing, temporary health, and keeping the team active |
| Specialist | Hybrid build | Mixing unlocked abilities, weapons, and perks from other classes |
The roles above are useful starting descriptions rather than a power ranking. For a broader look at how combat and loadouts fit together, see the Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 gameplay guide.
Duelist, Marauder, and Machinist
Duelist
Duelist is the flexible damage option. The class is described around sustained rifle combat, mobility, and explosive answers. The available material also shows Duelist using two primary weapon slots, giving the class more flexibility when switching between different enemy situations.
Its kit includes Burst Configuration and Shrapnel Grenade, with upgrade paths that can change how the abilities handle explosive area damage or more focused targets. Choose Duelist when you want your class identity to come mainly from direct weapon damage and adaptable rifle play.
Marauder
Marauder is the heavy weapons class. Its kit includes Blast Cannon and Titan Rockets, which are presented as tools for dealing with dense enemy groups and moments when a corridor or room becomes overwhelmed.
The class can be built around different explosive, burning, or control-oriented variations. That gives Marauder a clear heavy-firepower identity without making every build identical. Its role is easy to understand: bring large weapons and area pressure when the squad needs help clearing a swarm.
Machinist
Machinist controls space with deployables. The class uses a Sentry Turret and a Bodyguard drone, allowing it to add automatic fire, cover angles, and help the team hold an objective or position.
The available material describes different turret and drone variants, so the class can be adjusted toward different forms of damage, mitigation, or utility. Machinist is the clearest fit for players who enjoy setting up a position and making the battlefield work for the squad.
Hunter, Medic, and Specialist
Hunter
Hunter is built around control and precision. Particle Pulse and Stasis Bolt are presented as tools for changing the pace of an encounter, while the class's railgun and particle-style weapons support accurate attacks against important targets.
The class is especially associated with slowing enemies and exposing or exploiting weak points. It is a strong thematic choice for players who prefer deliberate aim and target selection over simply firing into the largest group.
Medic
Medic is the support class. Its Advanced Trauma Station and Combat Stims are described as ways to restore or improve the squad's survivability during a mission.
The available material also describes a more aggressive support direction, where Medic can trade some traditional healing emphasis for buffs, damage, or other utility. The central identity remains the same: Medic helps the Fire Team stay active when an encounter starts to collapse.
Specialist
Specialist is not described as a class you start with immediately. Instead, it is an endgame-oriented class that becomes useful after progressing through the other classes. Its purpose is to combine unlocked abilities, weapons, and perks from Duelist, Machinist, Marauder, Hunter, and Medic.
That makes Specialist a destination for build experimentation rather than a simple sixth fixed role. If you are planning to use it later, leveling other classes is part of building the options that Specialist can draw from. You can also compare this progression with the separate single-player and Bots guide or the multiplayer guide.
How Class Builds Work
The class choice is only one part of a loadout. The available material describes a build layer involving Kit Abilities, a Perk Grid, Primary weapons, Signature weapons, Sidearms, Items, Attachments, Traits, and Augments.
The Perk Grid is described as having Kit Ability areas on the sides and a Passive Perk area toward the bottom. It also distinguishes Core options from Modifiers. A perk linked to a specific ability may need to sit next to that ability on the grid, so the shape of a build matters as well as the individual perk names.
Specialist extends this idea by allowing unlocked pieces from different classes to be combined. For the initial V1 page, the most reliable takeaway is that classes shape the direction of your abilities and equipment. A complete perk-by-perk build list requires more final-version evidence than the current material provides.
Which Class Should You Start With?
The available class guide explicitly argues that there is no universally best first class. That is a recommendation, not a confirmed balance ranking, but it gives a useful way to choose:
- Choose Duelist if you want a direct, flexible damage role built around guns.
- Choose Marauder if heavy weapons, explosions, and swarm control are the main appeal.
- Choose Machinist if you enjoy turrets, deployables, and holding a position.
- Choose Hunter if you prefer slowing enemies and focusing weak points or priority targets.
- Choose Medic if supporting the squad and improving its survivability is the part you enjoy most.
- Think of Specialist as a later hybrid-build goal rather than a starting selection.
Your first pick is also not the end of your progression. The available material describes each class as having separate progression, while Specialist benefits from the components unlocked across the roster.
FAQ
How many classes are in Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2?
The current class material describes six classes: Duelist, Machinist, Marauder, Hunter, Medic, and Specialist.
What is the best class to start with?
The available guide does not identify one universally best class. It recommends choosing based on how you prefer to fight, such as direct damage, heavy weapons, control, precision, or support.
Can you start as Specialist?
The available material describes Specialist as an endgame-oriented class that requires progression through the other classes first. The exact unlock level is not confirmed here.
Do classes have different weapons and abilities?
Yes. The material describes class-specific Kit Abilities and Signature weapons, along with broader weapon and perk customization. The exact final loadout rules vary by class and should be checked against a current detailed build guide.
Where can I learn about playing alone or with friends?
See the single-player and Bots page for solo play information and the multiplayer page for co-op and crossplay details.
Conclusion
The Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 classes cover distinct team functions, from direct damage and heavy firepower to control, support, and hybrid buildcrafting. Use the role that matches your preferred combat style, then explore the other classes as you work toward Specialist. Continue with the gameplay guide to see how these roles fit into a mission.