- Runaways classes each provide a unique starting loadout and ability.
- Smuggler offers exceptional mobility and value for early loot runs.
- Bounty Hunter is the strongest all-purpose choice for combat and escapes.
- Breacher specializes in vault access, storage, firepower, and melee damage.
- Juggernaut excels in direct fights but sacrifices a large amount of speed.
Runaways Classes Tier List
Runaways classes shape your opening inventory, movement options, survivability, and approach to robberies. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize fighting, carrying loot, breaking into valuable targets, or escaping police encounters. Based on the current roster, Smuggler, Bounty Hunter, and Breacher stand out as the most efficient high-value picks, while Juggernaut, Medic, and Gang Member remain strong choices for specialized or team-focused runs.
Video Highlights:
- Class rankings compare combat power, utility, mobility, and starting value.
- Smuggler is praised for its low cost, backpack, crowbar, and 20% speed bonus.
- Bounty Hunter combines high mobility with melee and ranged combat tools.
- Breacher starts with C4, a shotgun, a medium backpack, and strong melee damage.
- Juggernaut offers double health but has the roster’s largest movement penalty.
| Tier | Classes | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| S | Smuggler, Bounty Hunter, Breacher | Efficient solo runs, combat, high-value robberies |
| A | Medic, Gang Member, Juggernaut | Sustain, team utility, direct fighting |
| B | Contractor, Old CEO, Scout | Budget upgrades and specialist strategies |
| C | Brawler | Low-cost melee-focused play |
The tier placement is not a strict measure of mechanical strength alone. A class can be excellent in one situation and inefficient in another. For example, Old CEO can accelerate early wealth through valuable starting items, but its health and speed penalties make dangerous escapes less forgiving. Likewise, Juggernaut can dominate a contested area while struggling to reposition when leaving becomes the smarter play.
For most players, save toward Smuggler first, then consider Bounty Hunter when you want a stronger combat loadout without giving up mobility.
All Classes, Costs, and Abilities
Every class is purchased from a class NPC in the Runaways lobby. The cost determines how quickly you can access the class, but price alone does not define value. Starting equipment, movement bonuses, health modifiers, and utility tools can make a cheaper class more useful than an expensive one for a particular route.
| Class | Cost | Starting Loadout | Ability Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brawler | 25k | Knuckle | 5% stronger melee, 10% slower running |
| Scout | 35k | Small backpack, bat | 10% faster running, 5% weaker melee, 20% less health |
| Old CEO | 40k | Gold ruby necklace, diamond, gold tiara, diamond ring | 5% slower running, 15% less health |
| Smuggler | 45k | Small backpack, crowbar | 20% faster running, 10% weaker melee |
| Contractor | 70k | Mace, pistol, light bullet pack | 10% stronger melee, 5% more health, 5% slower running |
| Medic | 120k | Two medic bags, light armor, medic pack | 20% more health, 5% slower running |
| Gang Member | 170k | Blue cow, small backpack, MAC, light bullet pack | 10% faster running, 5% less health |
| Bounty Hunter | 300k | Machete, pistol, light bullet pack | 20% faster running, 10% stronger melee |
| Breacher | 550k | Medium backpack, shotgun, C4, shotgun bullet pack | 40% stronger melee |
| Juggernaut | 850k | Light armor, minigun, medium backpack, light bullet box | 100% more health, 20% slower running |
The roster covers four broad play patterns:
- Mobility: Scout, Smuggler, Gang Member, and Bounty Hunter help you move through a run quickly.
- Combat: Brawler, Contractor, Bounty Hunter, Breacher, and Juggernaut improve fighting potential.
- Survival: Medic and Juggernaut provide the strongest health-related benefits.
- Robbery utility: Smuggler, Gang Member, Breacher, and Old CEO offer useful starting resources for loot-focused routes.
A large bonus can hide a serious drawback. Scout gains speed but loses health, Juggernaut gains durability but loses speed, and Brawler trades mobility for modest melee damage.
Best Class by Playstyle
The best class changes with your objective. A solo player trying to collect low-risk loot needs reliable movement and carrying capacity, while a coordinated crew may benefit more from healing, armor, or heavy firepower. Use the comparisons below to match your purchase to the run you actually want to play.
Best Value
Smuggler costs 45k and supplies a small backpack, crowbar, and 20% faster running.
Best All-Rounder
Bounty Hunter combines a machete, pistol, ammunition, 20% faster running, and 10% stronger melee.
Best Breaching
Breacher brings C4, a shotgun, shotgun ammunition, and a medium backpack.
Best Survivability
Medic provides two medic bags, light armor, a medic pack, and 20% more health.
| Playstyle | Recommended Class | Why It Works | Main Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast solo looting | Smuggler | High speed and early storage at a low cost | 10% weaker melee |
| Combat and escape | Bounty Hunter | Strong melee, pistol, ammunition, and high mobility | Costs 300k |
| Vault-focused robbery | Breacher | C4, shotgun, ammunition, storage, and 40% stronger melee | Costs 550k |
| Team support | Medic | Extra health and multiple healing tools | No starting firearm or backpack |
| Heavy frontline combat | Juggernaut | 100% more health, armor, minigun, and medium storage | 20% slower running |
| Budget mobility | Scout | 10% faster running, small backpack, and bat | 20% less health |
| Early economy boost | Old CEO | Starts with several valuable items | 15% less health and slower running |
Smuggler is the clearest budget recommendation because its advantages affect nearly every stage of a run. The backpack helps carry loot, the crowbar supports early utility, and the speed bonus makes it easier to disengage before a manageable situation becomes dangerous. Its melee penalty matters in direct fights, so avoid treating Smuggler as a brawler.
Bounty Hunter is better when you want to fight rather than avoid every confrontation. Its machete, pistol, and light bullet pack provide immediate close- and mid-range options. The class also keeps the same 20% movement advantage as Smuggler while adding stronger melee damage without a health penalty.
Breacher is the strongest specialist for high-value targets. The medium backpack supports larger loot hauls, while C4 and the shotgun create a powerful robbery setup from the start. Its 40% melee bonus is also valuable when close-range threats appear around a breach.
Choose Bounty Hunter if you want one class that can loot, fight, reposition, and escape. Choose Smuggler instead when low-cost mobility is more important than combat power.
How to Choose and Buy a Class
Classes are purchased from an NPC in the game’s lobby. Because the roster ranges from 25k to 850k, your best decision is usually based on the next milestone you can afford rather than the most expensive class available.
Define Your Run
Decide whether your immediate goal is fast loot, combat, vault access, survival, or team support. This prevents you from buying a powerful class that does not match your route.
Check the Full Loadout
Review the starting weapons, backpack, ammunition, armor, healing items, or valuables. A class with several useful items may save more preparation time than a class with one impressive stat.
Compare the Penalties
Look for slower running, weaker melee, or reduced health. These drawbacks affect your ability to escape police, survive contested robberies, and recover from mistakes.
Buy at the Lobby NPC
Visit the class NPC in the Runaways lobby and purchase the class when your funds support the intended strategy. Do not spend all your money if doing so leaves you unable to prepare for the run.
Adjust Your Route
After selecting a class, change your priorities. Smuggler favors quick exits, Breacher favors valuable secured targets, and Medic favors sustained team operations.
| Budget Stage | Practical Choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 25k–40k | Brawler, Scout, or Old CEO | Low-cost access with focused benefits |
| 45k–120k | Smuggler, Contractor, or Medic | Strong early utility, combat, or sustain |
| 170k–300k | Gang Member or Bounty Hunter | Better complete loadouts and mobility |
| 550k+ | Breacher or Juggernaut | End-game specialization for robberies or combat |
The most important purchase comparison is between Scout and Smuggler. Scout costs 35k and supplies a backpack, bat, and 10% faster running, but the 20% health reduction is significant. Smuggler costs only 10k more, doubles the movement bonus, and removes Scout’s health penalty. Unless your budget is extremely tight, Smuggler is usually the more efficient upgrade.
Contractor is a reasonable bridge into armed combat. It provides a mace, pistol, ammunition, stronger melee, and extra health, but its slower running and lack of backpack reduce its long-term flexibility. Gang Member costs more but starts with storage, a MAC, ammunition, and a 10% speed bonus, making it a stronger generalist for mid-game progression.
Do not judge a class only by its listed cost. Compare the equipment you would otherwise need to find, the escape speed you gain, and the risks created by each penalty.
Class Checklist and Final Rankings
Use this checklist before committing to a class purchase. It focuses on the factors that most often determine whether a run stays profitable: mobility, storage, combat readiness, survivability, and role fit.
Class Selection Checklist:
- Confirm whether the run prioritizes loot, combat, breaching, or survival
- Check the starting backpack, weapons, ammunition, armor, and utility items
- Compare movement, health, and melee modifiers before buying
- Keep enough resources available for the next robbery preparation
- Choose a class that matches your solo or team role
| Rank | Class | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bounty Hunter | S | Flexible combat, mobility, and escapes |
| 2 | Smuggler | S | Budget farming and fast solo routes |
| 3 | Breacher | S | High-value robberies and vault access |
| 4 | Gang Member | A | Balanced mid- and late-game runs |
| 5 | Medic | A | Healing, durability, and team support |
| 6 | Juggernaut | A | Frontline fights and contested areas |
| 7 | Contractor | B | Early armed combat |
| 8 | Scout | B | Low-cost speed and storage |
| 9 | Old CEO | B | Starting economy acceleration |
| 10 | Brawler | C | Low-cost melee specialization |
The final ranking favors classes that remain useful across several situations. Bounty Hunter leads because it has strong mobility, immediate ranged and melee options, and no listed health drawback. Smuggler follows because its low price and movement bonus create excellent value even though it is weaker in direct melee fights. Breacher ranks alongside them for players who can afford a specialized robbery class.
Medic, Gang Member, and Juggernaut are dependable but more situational. Medic is forgiving and valuable in groups, Gang Member offers a strong complete starting kit, and Juggernaut can absorb enormous punishment. Their limitations become more visible when a run requires rapid movement or flexible disengagement.
For the full roster, check the class selection screen in the lobby: each entry lists its cost, loadout, ability, and acquisition method before you commit.
Start with the class that supports your current objective, not your imagined endgame. A well-matched Smuggler or Medic run can be more productive than an expensive class used outside its role.
Q: What are the best Runaways classes for most players?
Bounty Hunter is the strongest all-purpose option because it combines 20% faster running, 10% stronger melee, a machete, a pistol, and light ammunition. Smuggler is the best budget alternative for fast loot runs.
Q: Which class is best for solo loot farming?
Smuggler is usually the best fit for solo farming. Its small backpack supports loot collection, while the 20% movement bonus helps you reach targets and escape before unnecessary fights.
Q: Is Juggernaut worth its high cost?
Juggernaut can be worthwhile for players who expect sustained combat or want to anchor a coordinated crew. Its 100% health increase, armor, minigun, and medium backpack are powerful, but the 20% speed penalty makes escapes harder.
Q: Where do you buy classes in Runaways?
Classes are purchased from a class NPC located in the Runaways lobby. Review the cost, loadout, bonuses, and penalties before confirming your choice.