Remnant 2—the sequel to 2019’s Remnant: From the Ashes—has several Archetypes, each with their own skills, traits, and perks. While some of these can be selected at the start of the campaign proper, others will need to be acquired through various means. Don’t worry, as we'll cover how to unveil most of them here in our Remnant 2 Archetypes unlock and Dual Class guide.

Our guide discusses the Archetypes mechanic, which is integral to overall progression in the campaign. We also look at the key items and tasks that are needed to beat the game.

Choosing your starting Archetype

Once you arrive in Ward 13 at the start of the campaign, you’ll be asked to talk to Ford and other NPCs. One NPC, Wallace, can be found by climbing up the metal steps next to the shipwreck. He’ll let you select your first Archetype. These are the available options:

• Medic - Available by default.
• Handler - Available by default.
• Hunter - Available by default.
• Challenger - Available by default.
• Gunslinger - Those who preordered the game can pick the Gunslinger at the start. However, the class can still be unlocked normally, even without preordering, through specific means.

Note that other archetypes, such as the Alchemist, Summoner, and Explorer, can be acquired later in the campaign. We talk about these further on in our guide.
How to unlock your second Archetype and Dual Class features

To unlock Dual Class—which gives you your second archetype—in Remnant 2, you’ll need to accumulate 10 Trait Points via boss kills or Tomes of Knowledge. You don’t need to allocate the points themselves, but you do need at least 10.

Once you have that amount, you should see a circular icon on the right-hand side of the character menu. This means that Dual Class is available. Before you can do that, you'll still need to acquire specific items, which we’ll discuss in detail shortly.

If you already have the necessary items, return to Wallace to turn it into a Class Engram. This process usually requires that particular item, 10 Lumenite Crystals, and 1,000 Scrap. You can then equip the Class Engram via the character menu, which enables the second Archetype.

Here are some tips if you plan on using two Archetypes with the Dual Class feature in Remnant 2:

• Unlocked Archetypes can be swapped out. You can reassign a new one as your “main”  class (which is the one on the left-hand side of the panel) by choosing its Class Engram.
• Only the Prime Perk of the main archetype will be active.
• You can select one skill for each Archetype. For instance, you can have the Medic’s Wellspring and Handler’s Support Dog. These are cast by pressing the Q and C keys.
• Having two classes means that your XP gains will be divided between the two.
• If you want to unequip an Archetype, go to the character menu, hover over its icon, and press the F key.
• Each Archetype has its own unique trait, which also gains levels as you earn XP. Once an Archetype has been maxed out to level 10, the trait can be used even if the Archetype itself isn’t equipped. However, this trait will be reset to its default rank. You have to either allocate points to that trait, or re-equip the Archetype itself.

Starting Archetypes: Medic, Handler, Hunter, and Challenger

These Remnant 2 Archetypes are available by default and can be selected upon talking to Wallace in Ward 13 at the start of the campaign.

However, if you didn’t choose them at that stage, you’ll need to purchase a specific item from a vendor in Ward 13. You may need to progress further in the campaign to see these items. You can then return to Wallace to exchange it for the necessary Class Engram.

Medic Archetype

The Medic Archetype in Remnant 2 is your traditional healer class, making it an important member if you’re playing co-op.

Required item: Medic Pin.
Vendor: Norah - Healing and restorative items merchant.

Handler Archetype

The Handler Archetype, meanwhile, relies on its dog companion. The doggo itself can attack, taunt, heal, and revive. Moreover, it will always be around as long as the Handler Archetype is equipped in either slot.

Required item: Old Whistle.
Vendor: Mudtooth - Concoctions and elixirs vendor.

Hunter Archetype

The Hunter is a sneaky class that has stealth effects, as well as a means of revealing nearby enemies. It relies primarily on precision shots to take down foes.

Required item: Rusty Medal.
Vendor: Brabus - Firing range and weapons vendor.

Challenger Archetype

The Challenger is your typical beefy and tanky class, able to take a lot of damage while dishing out the same in equal measure.

Required item: Old Metal Tool.
Vendor: Reggie - Consumables vendor.
Unlockable Archetypes: Gunslinger, Alchemist, Summoner, Explorer, and more

These Remnant 2 Archetypes have specific unlock requirements. Bear in mind that dynamic campaign generation does apply, which means your progress might be different. However, the unlock methods should remain the same across all playthroughs.

How to unlock the Gunslinger Archetype

As mentioned earlier, the Remnant 2 Gunslinger Archetype is available to those who pre-ordered the game, so it can be selected right from the get-go. However, if you didn’t pre-order, or if you didn’t pick this class at the start, you can still unlock it much later.

The goal is to keep asking Mudtooth to tell you a story, nudging him along in case he goes off-track. Still, you need to make sure that you’re also progressing further in the campaign by clearing the main objectives in each region.

As you advance in the main quest, you'll earn various rewards from Mudtooth by hearing of all his tales. Once you've completed them all, you’ll then receive the Worn Cylinder, which can be exchanged for the Gunslinger’s Class Engram.

How to unlock the Alchemist Archetype

The Remnant 2 Alchemist Archetype can be unlocked fairly early in the campaign. You’ll want to explore the Losomn region, specifically the Morrow Parish overworld area. While you’re there, be on the lookout for large sewer grates. There’s a chance that a Rat Ogre will grab your character, and you’d mistakenly think that they died.

Fortunately, your character is very much alive. Once you wake up, you’ll have to take out the Rat Ogre, which will drop the Mysterious Stone. Bring this to Wallace and exchange it for the Philosopher’s Stone Class Engram, and the Alchemist will be yours. The class focuses on team buffs and consumables.

How to unlock the Summoner Archetype

The Remnant 2 Summoner Archetype unlock method is a lot more involved. It requires you to reach the Yaesha region, which veterans of the first game would be familiar with. There, you’ll see a Bloodmoon Altar near the Root Nexus. The altar itself has various items up for grabs, including the Faded Grimoire. However, all of these require Blood Moon Essence.

To acquire Blood Moon Essence, you’ll need to trigger a Blood Moon. Essentially, the skies in the overworld areas should have a deep-red hue. If this hasn't occurred yet, then you might need to progress further in the Yaesha questline, or fast travel back and forth.

Once a Blood Moon is active, explore overworld areas like the Faithless Thicket and Lost Temple; you'll want to look out for bright purple wisps. Shoot these to obtain Blood Moon Essence.

You’ll need 15 Blood Moon Essence, 5 Lumenite Crystals, and 1,500 Scrap to purchase the Faded Grimoire from the altar. Once you have the item, exchange it with Wallace back in Ward 13. You can then level up the class so you can summon dark creatures, such as Hollows and Reavers.

How to unlock the Engineer Archetype

The Remnant 2 Engineer Archetype is one of the toughest to unlock in the game. The goal is to look for a technician’s corpse and the Alien Device item in the N’erud biome. The body can be found in either of the two second overworld zones: Eon Vault or Timeless Horizon.
Once there, you have to explore along the edge of the map until you see the body. Likewise, you have to contend with the Death Blight status effect, which instantly kills your character once the meter is full. Alternatively, you can unlock and level the Explorer class for its Fortune Hunter skill, which reveals nearby special items. This makes the corpse easier to spot.

In any case, upon seeing the technician’s body, jump over the gap to reach it so you can loot the Technician armor set. Moreover, if you look in the vicinity, you’ll spot an Alien Device. You can bring this to Wallace to exchange it for the Drzyr Caliper, which unlocks the Engineer class. The Engineer class brings futuristic armaments to bear. It can carry heavy weapons to fire projectiles manually, or deploy them as turrets that can track and shoot nearby hostiles.

How to unlock the Explorer Archetype

The Explorer is unique in that it focuses more on finding items and increasing your movement speed. To unlock the Explorer Archetype in Remnant 2, you’ll need to defeat the final boss. We won’t spoil what goes on in that fight, as it’s both a spectacle to behold and a brutal challenge for those who are unprepared.

After defeating your foe, one of the items you’ll receive is called the Broken Compass. Bring this to Wallace so you can acquire the Golden Compass Class Engram.

How to unlock the Invader Archetype

The Remnant 2 Invader archetype relies on evasion, decoys, and fast strikes. However, the class’ unlock method is rather complicated. First, you’ll need to make sure that your main quest in Losomn starts in Morrow Parish, and the goal is to eliminate the Nightweaver. Once you reach Morrow Sanatorium, here’s what you need to do:

• Collect all three Stone-carved Dolls and offer them to the woman trapped in the basement cell.
• Open the door to free her spirit, then pick up the Nightweaver’s Stone Doll.
• Proceed further until you get the Soulkey Tribute from the boss in the Shattered Gallery.
• Use the Soulkey Tribute on the large cobwebs in the basement. This transports you to the Dreamer Realm.
• Use the Nightweaver’s Stone Doll in the room next to the woman’s cell. This gives you the Dreamcatcher weapon.
• Defeat the Nightweaver boss and continue the campaign until you reach Root Earth.

Next, here are the steps once you arrive at the Corrupted Harbor zone:

• Go to the open area past the checkpoint and cargo loading bay.
• There, you’ll find a gray pod. Hit it with the Dreamcatcher to acquire the Walker’s Dream.
• While still in the open area next to the pod, use the Walker’s Dream consumable to get transported to the Dreamer Realm.
• Defeat the Bane boss and its summoned mobs to receive the Wooden Shiv.
• Return to Wallace and exchange the Wooden Shiv for the Invader’s class engram.

These are the ways that you can unlock archetypes in Remnant 2. There might be more that are still well-hidden, so bring your friends along to take on all challenges. Perhaps you might discover something new in Remnant 2’s mysterious and foreboding worlds.

You can pick up Remnant 2 on the Epic Games Store.