Dark And Darker is a difficult game for solo players, even in the solo-only mode. Enemies hit hard, both players and PvE bad guys. To get really good as a solo player, you'll need to perfect your dodges, learn the ins-and-outs of your character, and have a bit of luck on your side when it comes to the final portal.

RELATED: Dark And Darker: Class Guide

However, playing solo is also a great way of learning the game, honing your craft, and pulling off some sneaky extracts. You will, however, need to pick the best class for the job. That's why we're here to talking you through the pros (and cons) of the different classes in the game for solo play.

We updated this guide on February 6, 2023, for the new February playtest of the game, including information regarding the new Goblin Cave solo queue mode. This changes everything.

Can You Play Dark And Darker Solo?

As of the February 2023 playtest, there is now a dedicated (experimental) solo queue mode. This takes you deep into a Goblin Cave. Everyone is a solo, which means you can only team up with players that you meet in the dungeon. This levels the playing field dramatically, but also shifts the meta for solo queue, as you no longer need to deal with up to three people at a time. This gives classes like the Ranger, Rogue, and Wizard a chance to shine even more as solo classes.

This mode is still subject to change. Goblins currently hit very hard and everything may be tweaked ahead of future updates and releases.

Best Solo Class In Dark And Darker? It Might Be The Rogue

Out of all the classes, the Rogue has been the most successful for us in solo play. Even in the new solo mode, the speed and ferocity of the Rogue's daggers make for some great battles. There are a few clear reasons for this. Let's get into it.

Rogue Playstyle

The main playstyle of the Rogue is stealth, deception, and surprise attacks. For our Rogue solo build, we've opted for these perks and abilities. It's a sort of mega-damage stealth combo build designed around taking down solo targets and extracting safely.

In terms of perks, we've opted for a lot of Backstab/First Attack/Poison Synergy here. The main aim is to play slow and steady in the shadows. Activate Stealth to get an advantageous position or use the Hide ability to position yourself behind an enemy player or mob. Then utilize the suprise damage combo of Ambush, Backstab, and Rupture to take down single target enemies.

Rogue Solo Tips

• Dark And Darker is a very dark game (go figure) which means you don't always need to use the Stealth/Hide mechanics of the Rogue, you can just turn out the lights. Dim torches wherever you go to create more shadowy darkness.
• You can deal a lot of damage with our combo build but once you get caught out, there aren't any escape mechanics/defensive capabilities. Get away quickly if you are facing a group of players.
• Play slowly. Wait for enemies to take damage from monsters.
• This Rogue playstyle is about playing relatively conservatively, getting the decent loot, and then extracting without causing too much fuss. Play smart and you should make it out alive.

Learn The Game With The Fighter

The Fighter is a fantastic class for you to pick up and learn the game with. Armed with a trusty shield, the Fighter is capable of blocking most incoming damage - ideal while you learn enemy attack patterns and getting into your first duels with other players. Rangers and Rogues, two powerful classes, can struggle with getting damage down on a Fighter. Wizards can usually just blast through your shields, and Barbarians may take your head clean off. All that aside, this is a perfect, all-rounder class for learning the ropes.

Smash Skulls With The Barbarian In Solo Play

On the complete other end of the Spectrum, you should try out Barbarian in solo play. Although this tanky, axe-wielding nightmare is awful slow, the class also comes with a bunch of HP and the potential to smash PvE enemies to smithereens. Great for clearing treasure rooms and handling gank situations.

We recommend taking Rage and Savage Roar for your Barbarian abilities. Rage offers you some great movement speed to catch up with opponents/get into their face, and Savage Roar has a fear effect that will send enemy monsters scattering.

Barbarian Playstyle

There isn't much to say here other than the Barbarian is designed to smash things. You'll feel a bit like a bull in a 7-Eleven, but being able to take down multiple enemies can be useful, especially for new players that haven't learned mob types and attack patterns yet.

You can smash down doors with your axe (and chests as well!) to speed up your run.

Defy Death With The Solo Ranger

The Ranger is one of the best classes in Dark And Darker if we're speaking in tier list terms (ranged damage is superior in the game, especially headshots), and it also performs very well as a solo class.

Ranger Playstyle

Go slow, utilize traps, and use the portals to escape. Sounds all very straightforward, but the Ranger is closest to the Rogue in terms of sneakiness. We really like the Advanced Hearing perk as this will alert you to nearby enemies, whereas the variety of Traps can be very useful in PvE or PvP.

Dark And Darker Solo Tips

Here are some tips to improve your solo Dark and Darker gameplay.

• Go slowly. Use the Shift key to walk slowly.
• Take your shoes off to reduce footstep noise.
• Listen closely for other players running around.
• Don't bother noisily breaking pots - the best loot is found in chests and loot rooms.
• Invest time in memorizing enemy patterns. Try to get used to the map, where loot spawns, and common places to run into enemy players.
• Gank (this is when you interrupt other player fights or PvE fights).
• It doesn't matter if you die repeatedly at the beginning - your character is still getting XP towards those new Perk slots.
• Practice with your favorite class and stick with it. There are a lot of nuances to certain playstyles that will come in handy if you are experienced with a class.

NEXT: Dark And Darker: Extraction Guide