Killing Floor 2 Best Class (Solo and Co-op) – Perk Guide Tier List

Last Updated on December 25, 2022 by Samuel Franklin

Killing Floor 2 Best Class (Solo and Co-op) – Perk Guide Tier List

Our Killing Floor 2 best class guide will help you pick the ideal solo or co-operative focused class for your playstyle and preferences to help you through the brutal difficulty levels of this horror FPS (also known as KF2). With the vast array of enemies and classes available in Killing Floor 2 it can be a difficult choice for new and even intermediate players to decide where to focus their attention. While each of the classes have a clear role to play in the Killing Floor 2 multiplayer environment and are effective at filling that niche through their distinct designs some of them have a significantly easier time dispatching Zeds and beating the various game levels.

In this Killing Floor 2 tier list of classes we discuss the playstyle of each class along with strengths and weaknesses in order to rate their effectiveness at solo and co-operative play to assist in making a decision for your main class. With this information players can then overlay their own preferences and playstyle to ultimately find the best class for you to have the most enjoyable Killing Floor 2 experience. This article also serves as an introductory Killing Floor 2 perk guide for players looking to go beyond the in-game overviews. Note that the term perks and classes are used interchangeably throughout this page as in game the classes are referred to as perks.

Killing Floor 2 Best Class Factors

Each of the Killing Floor 2 classes brings a unique playstyle to the battlefield and a role in mind for their available toolkit. Combined with a deep understanding of specific class mechanics through hours of practice each class of Killing Floor 2 can be an important asset to the team or perform as a solo operator. With this in mind though some classes are simply easier to play which results in them achieving their potential with significantly less effort, levels or experience with that class. On the other hand some classes simply fulfil narrow and niche roles that can be compensated for with other classes even though it might not be their speciality.

Your preference for solo or co-operative play also factors into the determination of a best Killing Floor 2 class given a solo player can only rely on their own abilities and not have allies fill the gaps in their character design. For this reason the bar is significantly higher for viable solo classes compared to someone who regularly plays with others in the community.

The key factors that make classes strong in Killing Floor 2 are:

• Damage: Ultimately your goal in the core Killing Floor 2 adventure is to kill Zeds efficiently to advance through waves and eventually face off against the boss. From the lesser Specimens like the Cyst, Slasher, Stalker to the Elites like Rioters players need a means to remove all of these potential Zeds from the map. As a result a character that is capable of outputting reliable damage is going to be an important consideration, particularly when playing solo as you can’t rely on others for damage.
• Flexibility: With so many situations and variables to each of your Killing Floor 2 games a class that has built in flexibility within their kit will improve your consistency. In its simplest form a class that is reasonably effective against many Zeds is vastly superior to a specialist Zed killer that only shines against a small number of enemy types (even more so as a solo class). This allows you to contribute regardless of the situation and remove the need to constantly swap between different classes for those that prefer to master a small pool of Killing Floor 2 perks.
• Starting Loadout: Starting strong in Killing Floor 2 can set you up for the later waves and boss encounter, if you’re burning through resources to get yourself established with the necessary kit you’ll be significantly more stretched over the course of a game. Classes with reliable starting loadouts simply set you off on the right foot with effective weapons or utility for initial waves to build up your power. Your unlockable weapon list on characters is also an important factor as a class needs mid tier and high end options to counter the increasing threats that each wave brings. Some characters are also more reliant on DLC weapons to reach their peak effectiveness as opposed to classes with sufficient base game weapon power that may be a factor for you.

Killing Floor 2 Tier List

The below table rates each class/perk in Killing Floor 2 split between solo and co-op given this playstyle choice impacts on the strength of a class significantly for your average player. Note that in the hands of a skilled and experienced player a particular class can be higher rated than shown. Each is rated on a S > A > B > C tier rating scale as follows:

• S Tier: Powerful Killing Floor 2 classes that offer great consistency through flexible perk designs that ensure they are always an asset regardless of what you might face with the right adjustments.
• A Tier: Strong classes that still deliver a consistent level of power but have some minor weaknesses that need to be considered that prevents them from being a S tier option.
• B Tier: Your average Killing Floor 2 class which still excels in the situations it was designed for but struggles to compete against other potential classes outside of this core focus.
• C Tier: Weak classes that fill a specialist role or require significant mastery to use effectively. Classes in C tier may also simply be overshadowed by another class that performs their intended role better.

Killing Floor 2 Classes Overview

Each of the Killing Floor 2 class tier list ratings are discussed in detail below in the order the perks are presented in game.

Berserker

Solo Tier: S
Co-op Tier: A

The Berserker is a reliable ally to fight against the waves of ZEDs and as their starting loadout suggests they are masters of melee combat with some basic supporting firearms. The Berserker is the tank class of the Killing Floor 2 universe and has no issues getting close to enemies and is even rewarded with bonus experience for killing Specimens near an ally.

With these melee weapons buffed further by your passive perk bonuses to damage and damage resistance the Berserker is equally capable of absorbing and dealing damage. This is further enhanced with your perk skills that focus on increasing your health, providing sources of self healing, allowing you to attack faster, buffing your resistances, heavy or light attacks enhancements and buffing your ZED time for massive healing and crowd control or raw speed.

Overall this gives the Berserker great survivability that is a useful strength across solo and co-op play and surprisingly has decent speed to go along with this tanky focus. A melee playstyle also removes any ammo concerns that you might have with other characters and removes one more mechanic to manage as you fight off the endless Zeds. In terms of weaknesses their durability has limits so positioning yourself correctly against groups of enemies and well timed use of your healing sources are still required if you expect to have success. The melee playstyle is also unique to the Berserker in Killing Floor 2 so any melee mechanical experience you acquire won’t translate over to the other classes as effectively.

Regardless for solo their high durability, reliable damage, self healing abilities and lack of reliance on ammunition makes them a powerful choice for when you plan to fight alone. Similarly in co-op these elements are still useful although depend on party dynamics and maps as your effectiveness can fluctuate dramatically with these factors.

Commando

Solo Tier: C
Co-op Tier: B

The Commando is a blend of assault scout and mid range fighter that can help relay important information while also providing vital ZED time refreshes to the rest of their team. With an assault rifle as their primary weapon the Commando is a popular class and one that players will be able to use without much Killing Floor 2 experience effectively with a clear role supported by high amounts of ammunition to regularly contribute to a team.

Your passive perks as the Commando focus on bringing players a source of recoil reduction and reload speed which are ideal for your fast firing playstyle while also buffing your intelligence (cloaking and health bar). Passive perk skills are similar with reload, damage, durability and ammo capacity coming in various forms based on your playstyle and team needs.

The strengths of the Commando make you an effective front to mid support unit that can definitely spam their weapons for the longest of all Killing Floor 2 classes which means small to medium size ZEDs simply have no chance at reaching your supportive focused characters. Despite the high fire rate the overall damage of a Commando isn’t quite enough to handle the higher health enemies of the game though and the constant reloading can be a bit of an annoyance on your gameplay loop.

For solo players the Commando just isn’t self sufficient enough compared to other class options which results in a number of situations that can feel either unwinnable or simply a grind to overcome. They are slightly better in co-op though with their ZED time utility and are not a terrible introduction to new players given they have quite a flexible role and can always contribute in some form. When you understand the core Killing Floor 2 mechanics though you’ll simply find better flexibility and power on other class options that prevents them ranking higher despite the flexibility unless you push to become an absolute master Commando.

Support

Solo Tier: A
Co-op Tier: A

Focused on supporting the team with high burst shotgun damage, boosts to welding proficiency and flexible ways to design their perks the Support class in Killing Floor 2 is a great team asset while being equally capable alone despite their name. Holding doors is your speciality in particular but roaming around front lines dealing with the medium and heavy Specimen variants is also a viable option.

Perks are all about boosting your shotgun damage and penetration, improving welding and buffing ammo capacity when it comes to the Support class who can also repair doors and drop ammo for teammates. Perk skills are similar with players able to build around reload, ammo capacity, health, damage and team support that make you a flexible character like the Commando that can build for most situations and party dynamics.

This flexibility is one of your main strengths as you are effective across all ZED types, boost your teams ability to survive and create chokepoints when important to do so that can simplify a number of maps. As a result Support doesn’t have any glaring weakness that can’t be overcome with your main ones being longer reload times and expensive ammunition that can be mitigated with careful positioning, well aimed shots and practice with the class in general.

Support is surprisingly effective in solo mode with the right build due to their ability to simply deal with so many ZEDs without issue that results in a consistent ability to clear waves. This effectiveness also translates over to the co-op experience where players are happy to have you around when the difficult ZEDs show up while also calling on you for door control or resupply packs.

Field Medic

Solo Tier: A
Co-op Tier: S

The Field Medic role is obvious in a team with their focus on protecting allies from damage and healing any wounds that accumulate over the course of wave. This Killing Floor 2 class is also capable of self healing that makes them a suitable secondary tank for the team as they float between the front and back lines to heal or protect flanks with their diverse weapon list. With this diversity the Field Medic has flexible weapon pathways to help the team as necessary with most having good magazine capacity albeit lower damage than their attack focused peers.

Your perk bonuses also support this playstyle with the Field Medic boosting their armour, movement speed and the syringe mechanic of Killing Floor 2 with similar decision points on your perk skills. This allows the Field Medic to have a piece of equipment that recharges faster and is more potent than other classes and suits your objectives perfectly.

This leads the Field Medic to a clear strength for healing others and given this results in a faster base recharge of the syringe will always be your priority and is supported with a unique healing grenade for when an ally is out of reach. As already noted you are surprisingly durable when playing this class so absorbing aggro when your Berserker needs to retreat is a good secondary objective. While you can absorb damage for the team as a Field Medic you simply won’t be able to output significant damage to deal with medium to large Specimens and the diverse weapons can actually make it difficult for new players to determine what they should be bringing based on party dynamics that further hurt your effectiveness. To counter this players should focus on filling a niche their current party lacks rather than doubling down on a role already adequately covered by another class.

For solo the Field Medic is quite effective given it is difficult for them to fail with their durability and potent healing although the lack of damage makes them slow to complete waves when alone. With co-op removing the reliance on your own damage and the ability to heal your allies for any missteps they make you are a top tier choice that everyone likes to see in the lobby.

Demolitionist

Solo Tier: B
Co-op Tier: A

Specialising in area of effect damage the Demolitionist is the party member you call on when a large ZED stands in your way and you need an explosive problem solver. With rockets, grenades and other ranged explosive devices any group of ZEDs is in danger with the demolitionist also having supportive elements through additional grenade supplies for teammates and the ability to booby trap doors.

Like other classes your perk bonuses that grow increasingly potent with experience push your explosive damager further while giving you more ammo to get the job done and an increase to your own explosive resistance should mistakes happen. You also have access to the unique Reactive Armour that lets you release an explosion from your character to save you from death once per wave. Perks skills have similar themes as you choose from reload, damage, ammo and area of effect boosts based on your ideal playstyle and needs.

Your biggest strength is providing some much needed area of effect power to the classes of Killing Floor 2 (serving as a potential alternative to the Firebug) to quickly dismiss groups of ZEDs during a wave. Being the primary response to Fleshpounds (due to their vulnerability to explosive damage) is also a vital role on any KF2 team. While all great in theory you do suffer from some weapon weaknesses as they have minimum activation ranges which make you ineffective at close range.

In solo play Demolitionists are quite effective but their weaknesses will quickly cause frustration in a number of scenarios that make them difficult to be enjoyable long term particularly when you factor in the large resistance to explosives of the Scrakes. In co-op though where you have suitable allies fighting alongside you there are few downsides for the Demolitionist that safely positions themselves away from direct ZED harm.

Firebug

Solo Tier: B
Co-op Tier: B

The Firebug uses the power of fire to deal with waves of Zeds and has a playstyle that is more chaotic than other KF2 classes given their focus on running right up to the enemy while using their mostly flame weapon options for direct, area of effect and damage over time. In time the Firebug does get access to cannons and rifles that can alter their role in a team by flipping your target priorities around and do allow you to adjust to your team. Crawlers and Bloats are regularly on your target list though and this is reflected in your bonus experience for dealing with these staple ZEDs that can slow your team progress.

For perks the Firebug gains greatly from advancement as you’ll be able to lower the damage your own fire deals to you that can unlock some unique strategies and allow you to adopt an even more chaotic playstyle. Perks also boost your starting ammo along with the usual array of reload and damage buffs for your weapons with perk skills doubling down with choices to focus on ground fire attacks or direct burning and boost your area of effect potential further.

The strengths of the Firebug in Killing Floor 2 are clear in your design with efficient ways to tackle a large number of ZEDs (small and large) with the power of flame and spread that damage further with perk choices. When necessary you can also call on your later weapons options like the Microwave Gun to contribute to enemy clearance in different ways although these are limited in their own ways. Herein lies the main Firebug weakness that you can simply not be effective against all enemy types at all times so you need to be well supported to fill in the gaps.

For solo this means the Firebug has many struggles ahead of them where it is difficult to clear waves regularly so is not a top tier choice as a result. This also carries over to the co-operative realm where Firebugs are useful for some waves but need to be carried through other waves and while this balances out in the long run given they are simply so effective in the right waves it creates a lumpy sense of progression that doesn’t feel quite right.

Gunslinger

Solo Tier: S
Co-op Tier: S

The Gunslinger keeps their pistol close to them while fighting ZEDs at a comfortable short to medium distance with the appropriate mobility to retreat when a reload is required. Their firearm based damage is on the high side of Killing Floor 2 classes and effective against a broad range of Specimen encounters that make them a flexible and flashy class when they line up headshot after headshot on foes.

Pushing this further through perks to weapon damage and recoil reduction to hit your shots the Gunslinger also has some minor defensive utility with resistance to projectiles and increases to movement speed to kite enemies effectively. Perk skill choices are once again similar and build on your theme with unique options like removing the movement penalty when aiming down your sights, rewarding accurate headshots and providing some reload speed.

The strength of the Gunslinger is the endless potential for damage output with the best mobility of all classes which allows you to simply outrun anything that is chasing you down while you reset before turning around to kill them. Your only notable weakness is getting stuck reloading in a corner where you won’t survive long although map and ZED wave knowledge can counter this weakness in time.

This leaves the Gunslinger as a top tier choice across solo and co-op as they can handle themselves provided they have an experienced player controlling them. Your damage is effective against all ZED types providing plenty of consistency and the speed to outrun most of your mistakes that means you can always be confident going into your next wave of ZEDs.

Sharpshooter

Solo Tier: C
Co-op Tier: C

The sniping focused perk in Killing Floor 2 that can fit nicely into co-ordinated team that can keep them in the back line to fulfil the sniper playstyle they are designed around while also providing support with the best grenade in the game (the freeze grenade) that freezes enemies in their tracks. With this design headshots are the foundation of your damage which should be focused on the larger ZEDs and positioning yourself carefully to be able to remain in a single location for much of the incoming wave.

Your perk bonuses are narrow compared to other classes with a focus on headshot damage, recoil reduction and weapon switch which doesn’t quite fit into your character design given weapon recoil is not a major factor to your playstyle and ideally you don’t want to be regularly switching weapons. Perk skills are more suited to your class design though with damage buffs for standing still, consecutive headshot bonuses, reload speed and headshot based ZED time buffs.

The strength of the Sharpshooter is being able to pick off large ZED enemies from the safety of the backline with range that exceeds other classes and accurate headshots quickly adding up to respectable damage output that can even push 1 hit kills on some of the worst Specimen you might face. Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness though with non headshots offering low damage and limited options if your position is compromised to the point that the safety of other classes often trumps your potential damage output.

As a result the Sharpshooter is neither a strong solo or co-operative class with some glaring weaknesses and a playstyle that never quite works in the Killing Floor 2 formula and outside of sniping being your favourite playstyle isn’t going to be your first choice of perk.

SWAT

Solo Tier: A
Co-op Tier: B

SWAT is an initially strong perk choice for Killing Floor 2 players with a great foundation that allows you to mow through smaller ZEDs and thin waves for the rest of your allies. Doing this with the submachine gun variant the SWAT is focused on high fire rate and lots of bullets while also having some ability to tank or crowd control for the team.

Your perks when playing as SWAT boost your magazine size for greater carnage alongside the usual damage boost to your weapon type. Perk skills are similarly themed with opportunities to boost your armour or movement, improve the damage of your backup pistol, reload speed and utility through additional armour, ammo or to slow down ZEDs.

All of this combines to create a powerful early wave specialist at controlling ZEDs and thinning out waves with perks that allow you to spam your submachine gun and not be afraid to take a hit through your armour buffs boosting your survivability. SWATs also offer some crowd control on single targets with their fast firing weapons and the right perks that gives the rest of your team greater time to react. This strength of wave clear though diminishes with each advancing wave as your setup is simply not effective against particular ZED types without burning through ammunition and potentially even running out completely.

Despite these weaknesses with the right choice of weapons and upgrades the SWAT has good flexibility for solo through durability and damage that can be effective enough for the job. In the co-op space you’re a favourite of the lobby for the first few waves but quickly will start to struggle with roles that are better filled by other specialist characters.

Survivalist

Solo Tier: S
Co-op Tier: A

The last in this Killing Floor 2 perk guide the Survivalist is your jack of all trades option that allows you to build to your preferences to create something perfect for your playstyle. This comes primarily from the ability to run nearly all weapons effectively to create a level of flexibility that makes you a strong pick in all challenges that the game offers with players able to adjust to their individual and team needs.

Perks are at the heart of this flexibility with your perk bonuses increasing all weapon damage, all damage resistance, boosting armour, ZED Time reload and faster weapon switching that give you a strong foundation. Boosted further your perk skills allow you to invest into particular weapon types, ammo, healing, carry capacity, crowd control and stun that once again allow you to mix and match as required.

This creates your obvious strength as the Survivalist which is the ability to do it all and often at a level on par with the specialists in that role once you’ve acquired enough levels to boost your perks or obtain the necessary level up perks. Your only real weakness is that you can’t swap between these several times during a particular Killing Floor 2 game due to the cost restraints so you’ll need to make smart decisions as you progress.

For solo the Survivalist’s flexibility makes them clearly one of the best choices as they have unrivalled flexibility to react as necessary. This makes them similarly effective as a co-operative partner although they don’t quite reach the levels of particular specialist perks that are simply so powerful at their role.

Written by

Samuel Franklin

Samuel Franklin is the founder and lead editor of the Games Finder team and enjoys video games across all genres and platforms.

Sam’s played Killing Floor with his friends since the original game in the franchise was released and enjoys the simple core gameplay loop that offers endless challenging variety. He prefers to play traditional firearm or supporting classes to help his team successfully navigate the various waves of ZEDs.