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The introduction of Battlefield 2042 Specialists marked a big shift in the meta for the multiplayer shooter, as it replaced the four-class system that had been used for many of the previous Battlefield games. Instead of that somewhat restrictive choice, you now get to select one of the unique Specialist characters to play as, and each of these is a distinct No-Pat soldier with access to exclusive gear and traits – if you're not sure what a No-Pat is, then we've got an explanation in our Battlefield 2042 campaign guide to get you up to speed. Although these Specialists can be roughly matched up to the previous class system through their special item and passive trait, there is enough variety within them to drill down to one that closely matches your preferred playstyle. To help you make that choice, here’s what you need to know about the Battlefield 2042 Specialists.
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How Battlefield 2042 Specialists work
Battlefield 2042 has (sort of) done away with the traditional class system and instead uses a combination of Specialist characters, ‘Loadouts’, and the classic Battlefield gadgets, which anyone can use in Battlefield 2042. Each Specialist in Battlefield 2042 has one piece of unique Specialist equipment and one passive trait that sets them apart from the others. They are loosely categorized as either Assault, Support, Engineer, and Recon Specialists to mimic the old classes.
Loadouts are almost exactly like Call of Duty-style custom classes. Players can customize each Loadout with any primary and secondary Battlefield 2042 weapons, a gadget, and a throwable grenade of some kind. By default, the Loadouts are named Assault, Medic, Engineer, and Sniper, so you can create Loadouts that fulfil the roles of the more rigid classes of previous Battlefield games. These classes are fully customizable, including the names, so you don’t have to stick to those roles either. Loadouts don’t have any weapon or gadget restrictions either, so all of them are available to any class and are not affected by the Specialist you pick either. You could play a healing Support Specialist, such as Falck, but you could create a Sniper Loadout with a Repair Tool as your gadget.
At the start of a match in Battlefield 2042, you’ll need to choose your Specialist and your Loadout. You can switch to a different Specialist and customize or switch Loadouts whenever you’re on the deployment screen after dying. Of the 10 Specialists available in Battlefield 2042 at launch, eight are playable right away, although MacKay is unlocked at Level 15 and Paik is unlocked at Level 25.
Battlefield 2042 Assault Specialists
Mackay
Specialist equipment: Grappling Hook
Trait: Nimble – move faster while aiming down sights and on ziplines
Battlefield 2042 players that favor mobility will definitely want to opt for Mackay as their Specialist. His equipment is a grappling hook that can be fired out and used to swing around or scale buildings. It’s quite slow to deploy, so you won’t be able to constantly fly between buildings, but it does allow you to get on top of smaller buildings around objectives very easily for a good height advantage. Mackay’s Nimble trait lets players move faster while aiming down sights and he can travel faster along ziplines, so you’ll always be a little more mobile than other Specialists.
Sundance
Specialist equipment: Grenade Belt
Trait: Wingsuit – deploy a wingsuit instead of a parachute when falling
Sundance has an unusual kit combination that allows them to cause all kinds of destruction and move around each of the huge Battlefield 2042 maps quickly. Their Grenade Belt equipment allows players to throw three different types of grenades: Scatter grenades release a cluster of mini explosives, Anti-Armor grenades target enemy vehicles like a missile, and EMP grenades emit a regular pulse in a small area that distorts enemy HUD elements. Sundance players can throw only two grenades from this belt but they can be of any type, and they still get their two Loadout grenades as well! Her wingsuit is great for crossing large distances very quickly, allowing players to remain mobile, although it is quite situational given that a high position is needed for it to work.
Dozer
Specialist equipment: SOB-8 Ballistic Shield
Trait: Blast Resistance – reduce explosive damage effects
For the ultimate defense in Battlefield 2042, players should choose Dozer. He comes equipped with the SOB-8 Ballistic Shield which defends the player from incoming bullets and can be used to shield others standing behind it. Dozer players can defend others and objectives with the shield ready or use it to push up aggressively and close the gap since it can be used as melee weapon too. Th shield does severely limit your movement though, lowering your overall movement and turning speeds. Dozer’s Blast Resistance trait also means he’s a little hardier when it comes to taking damage from explosions, which is useful when objectives are getting bombarded by grenades and vehicle weapons, making him a great defender Specialist overall.
Battlefield 2042 Engineer Specialists
Boris
Specialist equipment: SG-36 Sentry Gun
Trait: Sentry Operator – Nearby Sentry Guns are more effective
If you enjoy locking down objectives, then Boris should be your chosen Specialist. He comes equipped with the SG-36 Sentry Gun, which can be placed down to watch a certain area. Any enemies that get within range will be fired at by the sentry gun automatically, so it’s great for watching your back, or guarding an objective. The Sentry Operator trait that Boris improves a sentry gun that he is standing next to, so don’t place your sentry and abandon it. Making use of this perk means combined fire from both the player and their sentry gun can make short work of enemy squads, provided they can be spotted by the sentry gun.
Irish
Specialist equipment: Fortification System – includes Deployable Cover and Shootdown Sentry
Trait: Veteran – provides armor with additional benefits from downed enemies
Making a reappearance from Battlefield 4, Irish – another Engineer – comes equipped with some deployable cover and can gain armor from downing enemies. His specialist equipment, the Fortification System, includes the DCS Deployable Cover, which protects squadmates from incoming bullets and explosions, and the APS-36 Shootdown Sentinel, which can destroy explosive projectiles, presumably like a Call of Duty trophy system. With his Veteran trait, Irish can hold more armor plates than usual and can recover more of them too. Armor plates are a new equippable item in Battlefield 2042, and they allow players to add 20 extra health points for themselves by slotting in a plate.
Battlefield 2042 Support Specialists
Falck
Specialist equipment: S21 Syrette Pistol
Trait: Combat Surgeon – teammates you revive start with full health
The first Medic Specialist in the game, Falck is for players that want to keep their allies alive and well while on the Battlefield. Her S21 Syrette Pistol can be fired at teammates to administer some instant healing for them. It’s great to quickly use after your squad has barely survived a strafing run from an enemy helicopter or other vehicle. You can also use it on yourself if you’re the one that needs a boost, and you can use it on enemies to deal a bit of damage. It comes with 12 healing darts and you can quite easily get more when you get ammo from dead players. If a Falck player revives you, you’ll return to the battlefield at full health thanks to her Combat Surgeon trait. Remember, all players can revive dead teammates now! While it’s no longer a job for just Medics, Falck players will be more useful.
Angel
Specialist equipment: Loadout Crate
Trait: Trauma Specialist – Allies you revive gain armor
Angel’s kit is all about resupplying teammates. His special Loadout Crate allows Angel players to call in an airdrop box that allies can use to resupply their current gear, or switch Loadouts entirely to a new set of weapons. Note that you cannot change your Specialist, only your Loadout. Angel also has the option to throw out up to three ammo and armor packs for players to grab on the go. Both the crate and ammo packs operate on a relatively short cooldown, so Angel players are almost always topped up supplies and ready to dish them out to teammates. Reviving teammates with Angel’s trait means you’ll gift them a handy armor plate to give them a little extra protection as they get back in the fight.
Battlefield 2042 Recon Specialists
Casper
Specialist equipment: OV-P Recon Drone
Trait: Movement Sensor – alerts you when enemies are in proximity
Casper is a great Specialist for spying on the enemy. Using his OV-P Recon Drone, you can spot enemy players and disorient them using EMP blasts from the drone. It can also mark targets for lock-on weapons too. The drone has surprising range, so you can scout ahead with it to spot some potential targets or keep it nearby to protect your general area. His Movement Sensor trait provides a warning when enemies get too close, and this even works while you’re using your drone, meaning almost no one will be able to get the drop on you. As a Recon Specialist that leans into the typical sniper role of the class, Casper also comes equipped with a Ghillie Suit, making him well-suited to hiding in foliage to spy on and snipe enemy players. Good drone use and the Movement Sensor means Casper can also be good for more mobile and stealthy playstyles that use suppressed SMGs for example.
Rao
Specialist equipment: Cyberwarfare Suite
Trait: Trojan Network – Downing a hacked enemy reveals other enemies
Rao is the ultimate disruption Specialist in Battlefield 2042 at the moment. His Cyberwarfare Suite allows him to hack enemies and their vehicles, disabling their hardware and systems. For enemy players, they’ll have their HUD disrupted, preventing them from seeing their map and ammo counter. Rao players that kill hacked enemies will then be able to see other nearby enemies thanks to the Trojan Network trait he has. Rao’s cyber suite also works on vehicles, preventing them from using countermeasures, and in-game objects, such as bollards that can be raised and lowered through hacking. Since getting quite close to hack things is essential for Rao, he’s the kind of Recon Specialist that suites a more stealthy, close-quarters playstyle, rather than a sniper role.
Paik
Specialist equipment: EMG-X Scanner
Trait: Acquisition – enemies that you damage you become spotted
Paik’s Recon kit is a simple and versatile in Battlefield 2042. With Paik’s scanner equipped, nearby enemies will have very few places to hide, making her a great Specialist for clearing out tight buildings with an SMG or Shotgun. Her Acquisition Trait causes any enemies that hit her to get spotted, so even shooting a Paik player helps them out. Players could take a more defensive marksman/sniper role thanks to this trait, as any players that shoot back and hit will be spotted, allowing the Paik player to retaliate with accurate fire.
