Choosing the right class in Drill to Earth’s Core can make a major difference, especially once you reach deeper layers where enemies become stronger and resources become harder to manage. With 25 unlockable classes available, it can be difficult to know which ones deserve your Cores.
The strongest options are generally found in Tier 5 classes, with Executioner, Priest, Gunsmith, Bounty Hunter, and Prospector standing out for different reasons. However, some cheaper classes can still provide strong value before you have enough Cores for the expensive options.
How We Ranked the Drill to Earth’s Core Classes
This tier list looks at how useful each class is throughout an entire run rather than focusing on one specific ability. We considered starting equipment, level-up bonuses, combat performance, resource benefits, and how useful each class becomes during the later stages.
Co-op value was also considered because some classes become much stronger when their abilities benefit other players. Classes that need very specific situations to work effectively were placed lower, while those that provide consistent value from the beginning received higher rankings.
Drill to Earth’s Core Class Tier List
S Tier
- Executioner
- Priest
- Gunsmith
- Bounty Hunter
- Prospector
A Tier
- Demolitionist
- Reaper
- Gunslinger
- Bruiser
- Samurai
- Crafter
B Tier
- Tank
- Driller
- Lucky Looter
- Nightcrawler
- Pirate
- Goblin King
C Tier
- Miner
- Scout
- Healer
- Mechanic
- Racer
- Witch
- Salvager
- Recruit
- Princess
S Tier Classes
S Tier classes are the strongest choices available in Drill to Earth’s Core. They either provide excellent damage, powerful support, or major economic benefits that remain useful throughout a run. These classes can justify their high Core costs when you are looking for a long-term investment.
Executioner
Executioner is one of the best classes for dealing with bosses. It provides a massive 200% increase to boss damage and can receive a free Drill Upgrade after killing a boss. Bosses also consistently drop Gems, giving the class additional value during difficult encounters.
Its main weakness is that much of its power is focused on bosses. If you are spending most of your time mining or fighting regular enemies, some other classes can provide more consistent benefits.
Priest
Priest is the strongest dedicated support class, especially when playing with other players. It provides 1% HP regeneration every second and can instantly revive allies, while blessed teammates can extend the duration of its effects by getting kills.
The major drawback is its 30,000 Core price. Priest is also much more valuable in co-op than in solo play, where its ability to keep an entire team alive is less important.
Gunsmith
Gunsmith turns firearms into a major part of your arsenal. The class allows you to craft guns and ammunition, while piercing shots make it easier to hit multiple enemies. Gun kills can also turn enemies golden, adding another useful effect to its combat kit.
The biggest issue is ammunition management during the early stages. Once you have enough resources to maintain your ammo supply, Gunsmith becomes considerably more effective.
Bounty Hunter
Bounty Hunter combines strong combat bonuses with additional income. It gives 100% more Bounty Coins and increases Gun and Melee Damage by 50%. Dungeon bosses can also become bounty targets, giving you more opportunities to benefit from the class.
Its damage potential is strongest when you are consistently fighting bounty targets. Players who spend less time hunting these enemies will not get the full value from the class.
Prospector
Prospector is one of the best classes for resource-focused players. Ores automatically become smelted bars, while ore veins always provide at least two items. There is also a chance to obtain Pristine Gems, making mining considerably more rewarding.
The tradeoff is that Prospector does not provide direct combat bonuses. This means dangerous areas can be harder to explore if you rely heavily on the class without another source of combat power.
A Tier Classes
A Tier classes are strong alternatives that can perform extremely well without reaching the overall consistency of S Tier choices. Several of these classes are also much cheaper, making them attractive options while saving toward the more expensive classes.
Demolitionist
Demolitionist specializes in explosive damage, providing a 50% boost while also cutting explosive costs by half. Explosives can additionally cause walls to spawn ores, combining combat and resource gathering.
The class is less comfortable in tight spaces and depends heavily on having enough explosives available.
Reaper
Reaper becomes stronger as you defeat more enemies. It can generate Soul Orbs and use the Soul Lantern for area damage, while kills provide permanent HP scaling.
Its main limitation is that its strongest benefits take time to build. It is therefore more effective during longer runs than short encounters.
Gunslinger
Gunslinger is a straightforward choice for players who prefer guns. It provides 100% more Gun Damage, allows enemies to drop ammunition, and eventually makes guns fire 100% faster.
The class depends heavily on maintaining an ammunition supply. Its performance can drop significantly when ammo becomes difficult to obtain.
Bruiser
Bruiser focuses entirely on melee combat, giving a 100% Melee Damage increase and allowing consecutive hits to build additional power. It also reduces the stagger threshold by 50%.
The problem is its requirement to stay close to enemies. This can become dangerous when dealing with stronger enemies in deeper areas.
Samurai
Samurai is another powerful melee class that provides 100% increased Melee Attack Speed and a 25% Critical Hit Chance. Critical attacks can also chain to nearby enemies, allowing you to clear groups more efficiently.
Despite its strong combat abilities, the 30,000 Core price makes it expensive compared with other melee-focused options.
Crafter
Crafter is designed around improving your team’s crafting economy. It reduces crafting prices, improves Drill Boost effects, and provides additional value from Scrap.
Its usefulness depends heavily on how often you and your team craft items. Players who do not rely much on crafting will get less from this class.
B Tier Classes
B Tier classes are usable and can perform well under the right circumstances, but they generally lack the overall impact of higher-ranked options. Some are still worth considering when their specific abilities match your preferred playstyle.
Tank
Tank is built around survivability rather than damage. It can increase HP scaling by up to 150% and provides a Taunt Banner, while enemies affected by the taunt deal 25% less damage.
Its main weakness is the lack of offensive power. Tank is useful for absorbing damage but does not help much with clearing enemies quickly.
Driller
Driller focuses on improving the vehicle and mining side of the game. It provides 50% additional wall damage while driving, reduces Drill Upgrade costs by 50%, and can deliver burst wall damage when fuel drops below 10%.
Most of its benefits disappear when you are not driving, which makes it less useful during sections where you spend more time on foot.
Lucky Looter
Lucky Looter improves chest rewards and can provide Coins from chests. At higher levels, it can also guarantee at least two chest drops.
The class is heavily dependent on finding chests, so its value can change considerably between runs.
Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler is designed around darkness. It provides night vision and stealth while in dark areas, while its first attack from darkness can deal 200% additional damage.
The problem is that its strongest abilities require dark environments. Its effectiveness is therefore inconsistent across different areas.
Pirate
Pirate focuses heavily on generating Gold. It gives a chance to obtain Gold Bars, increases their selling value by 100%, unlocks a cannon, and adds a small bonus to Dig Site spawns.
The 30,000 Core cost is difficult to justify when compared with classes that provide more direct combat or resource benefits.
Goblin King
Goblin King allows you to recruit Goblins using a Scepter, with the ability to eventually maintain up to 20 recruits. Goblins can also sell for 100% more, giving the class a strong economy-focused setup.
However, managing the recruits takes time, and the class is expensive. Its complexity also makes it less immediately useful than several cheaper choices.
C Tier Classes
C Tier classes are not necessarily unusable, but they generally provide limited value compared with the stronger options. Many are inexpensive and can work as early-game choices before you have enough Cores for better classes.
Miner
Miner costs only 100 Cores, making it an easy early purchase. It improves Pickaxe damage and increases the selling value of ores and bars.
However, its resource bonuses are eventually overshadowed by Prospector, making Miner much less attractive for endgame progression.
Recruit
Recruit is another extremely cheap option that provides basic damage and HP bonuses. Its low price makes it accessible early on, but its bonuses are too small to remain useful once you reach deeper layers.
Scout
Scout improves movement speed and can highlight Scrap and Chests. These effects can make exploration more convenient, but the class offers almost no direct combat value.
Its movement bonus is also not significant enough to compete with classes that provide stronger combat or economic effects.
Healer
Healer provides 100% increased healing and reduces the cost of medical items. This makes it useful for maintaining your health during a run.
However, Priest provides substantially more support utility, including HP regeneration and instant ally revives, making Healer difficult to recommend for long-term investment.
Mechanic
Mechanic focuses on fuel management. It provides a fuel contribution bonus, unlocks a Magnet at Level 2, and can generate fuel from kills.
The problem is that these abilities are highly situational. Players who are not struggling with fuel will gain relatively little from the class.
Racer
Racer is focused almost entirely on driving. It increases Drive Speed and reduces the cost of Drive upgrades.
Like Driller, its usefulness is limited because the majority of its abilities only matter while operating the vehicle.
Witch
Witch improves potion-based gameplay by doubling potion duration and allowing you to craft potions that can also affect nearby allies.
While this can work in a coordinated team, maintaining the required potion resources makes the playstyle more demanding than simply using a stronger general-purpose class.
Salvager
Salvager improves Scrap-related income, gives a chance to obtain Iron Bars, increases Scrap Cog rewards, and makes Scrap sell for more.
These bonuses can help with resource gathering, but Prospector provides a much stronger overall option for players who want to focus on mining and materials.
Princess
Princess starts with Coins and uses a Staff that can heal allies while also sharing earnings. Gems can also be sold for more value.
Despite these useful team-oriented abilities, Princess does not provide enough personal combat power to compete with the higher-tier support and damage classes.
Which Class Should You Unlock First?
For players saving toward a major purchase, the best choice depends on how you play. Prospector is a strong option for resource-focused players, while Executioner is better suited to those who want to make boss fights easier.
Priest is particularly useful for co-op groups because its healing and revival abilities can keep teammates alive during difficult sections. Gunsmith and Bounty Hunter are better suited to players who want a stronger combat-focused setup.
If you do not have enough Cores for the 30,000-Core classes yet, A Tier options such as Gunslinger, Bruiser, Demolitionist, or Reaper can provide strong value without requiring as much investment.
The best classes in Drill to Earth’s Core are not always the most expensive ones, but the 30,000-Core S Tier options generally provide the biggest long-term impact. Executioner, Priest, Gunsmith, Bounty Hunter, and Prospector each specialize in different areas, so your choice should depend on whether you prefer boss damage, support, weapons, bounty hunting, or resource farming.
Cheaper classes such as Gunslinger and Bruiser are also worth considering while saving Cores. Meanwhile, several C Tier classes are better treated as early-game options rather than permanent investments.