On this page
Short answer
Assault is the safest first pick; Medic is the most useful with strangers
Horde Siege has four classes at launch: Assault, Breacher, Marksman and Medic. The Coalition says there is no right squad composition and that four Breachers is a valid choice, so “best” comes down to what you want to do in a fight.
Our reading of the official class descriptions: Assault suits new players because it rewards fighting from cover, Medic gives the most value in matchmade squads because its Stim Vaporizer revives Gears from any squad, Marksman pays off if you land critical hits, and Breacher is for players who want to push.
- Classes at launch
- 4
- Levels per class
- 30
- Squad size
- 4 players
The four classes side by side
| Class | Tactical Gear | Passive bonus | Starts with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assault | Sonic Disruptor: stuns waves of enemies | More damage while in cover | Prototype Lancer, Gnasher |
| Breacher | Adrenaline Injector: refills health, reduces damage taken | Resistance to status effects and melee | Gnasher, Lancer Mk1 |
| Marksman | Pulse Drone: tags Locust for the squad | More critical-hit damage | Longshot, Hammerburst |
| Medic | Stim Vaporizer: heals and revives Gears in range | Faster health regeneration | Hammerburst, Gnasher |
Tactical Gear runs on a cooldown. Any class can wear any character skin.
Which class fits which player
These are recommendations built from the published descriptions, not an official tier list.
- New to Gears: Assault. Its bonus applies whenever you are in cover, which is where you should be anyway, and the Sonic Disruptor buys time on defence objectives.
- Queuing alone: Medic. Reviving downed players from other squads is unique to this class and keeps a mission alive when teammates wander.
- Confident aim: Marksman. Horde Siege maps have longer sightlines than older Horde maps, and the Pulse Drone helps everyone track targets.
- Aggressive playstyle: Breacher. The Adrenaline Injector lets you survive a push that would down any other class.
How class progression works
Each class levels separately through Class XP earned from completed missions, up to level 30. Levels unlock loadout weapons, equipment, Armor Mods, Tactical Gear Mods and Weapon Mods, and at set milestones the class gains base health and damage.
Difficulty is tied to that level. The game recommends Infantry for class levels 10 to 20, Commander for 20 to 30 and Allfather only for a maxed class. Switching to a fresh class therefore means dropping back to easier missions for a while.
Building a squad that works
Because classes complement each other, a mixed squad covers more situations: a Medic to keep people up, an Assault or Marksman holding lanes, and a Breacher to clear whatever reaches the objective. IGN’s guide calls the Pulse Drone a must-have in every squad for target tracking.
Two early mod suggestions come from the same guide: put Cover Brace on your primary weapon unless you are a Breacher, and give a Breacher’s Gnasher Slick Breech or a High Capacity Mag to cut reload time. Treat those as one outlet’s advice rather than settled wisdom; the mode has been live for less than a week.
Before you commit to one class
- Weapon Parts are only kept if at least one squad member extracts.
- Weapon mods and skins are shared across classes, so that investment is never wasted.
- The Siege Specialist achievement needs all four classes at max level.
- More classes are planned for seasonal updates.
- The Medic’s stim duration was adjusted after the beta, so older beta videos may be out of date.
Quick questions
Are classes used in Versus or the campaign?
No. Classes are a Horde Siege system. Versus gives every player the same starting loadout, and the campaign uses its own Supply Cache loadouts.
Can a squad run duplicates of one class?
Yes. The developers specifically mention dropping in with four Breachers as an option.
Does my character skin affect my class?
No. Classes can be combined with any skin, so your favourite character can play any role.
Sources
Where these answers come from
- Official · Official siteGearsofWar.com: Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer Deep DiveHorde Siege rules, classes, difficulties and objectives, Versus modes and maps, ranked play, progression, Coins and Iron.Published 2026-07-30 · Checked 2026-10-04
- Official · Official videoYouTube: Gears of War: E-Day Official Multiplayer RevealDeveloper walkthrough of Horde Siege, classes, Versus modes and maps, training modes and the customization approach, with timestamps.Published 2026-07-30 · Checked 2026-10-04
- Press or guide · GuideIGN Guide: Horde SiegeDefault loadouts and stat focus for each Horde Siege class, how gear upgrades work and practical match tips.Published 2026-10-03 · Checked 2026-10-04
- Official · Official siteGearsofWar.com: Emergence Begins – TomorrowSeason 1 dates, ranked start date, changes since the beta, features missing at launch and the launch known issues list.Published 2026-09-30 · Checked 2026-10-04
- Official · Official announcementXbox Wire: The Full Gears of War: E-Day Achievements ListAll 54 achievements with descriptions and point values, including the campaign act, collectible and Horde Siege achievements.Published 2026-09-09 · Checked 2026-10-04