Battlefield 2042 is available right now, playable in full on all platforms. Hazard Zone is an exciting addition, with all kinds of unique mechanics and ways to play. What we're really interested in, however, are the Battlefield 2042 specialists.
We've ranked the best Battlefield 2042 specialists here, as well as the information we know about the other specialists available! If you want information on the best Hazard Zone specialists, we have a page for that too.
Basically, specialists are Battlefield 2042's version of a class system, with every character in possession of unique abilities and gadgets. We've experienced some of them in action already and have details on the others to be added in the future, so can pretty accurately define who will be best.
There are currently 10 specialists in Battlefield 2042, with more likely to come as DLC or free updates, so here’s everything we know about these characters thus far. You can also play all of these specialists in Battlefield Portal, so have a look at some of our advice on how to create your own unique gameplay experiences if you fancy.
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Everything You Need To Know About Battlefield 2042's Specialists
All the Battlefield 2042 specialists are now available to play.
They each have unique abilities you can find out more about in their tier listings - we're going to count down from best to worst based on the details we know so far.
Battlefield 2042 Specialists Tier List
Best Battlefield 2042 Specialist - Webster Mackay
Mackay is the most dynamic specialist in Battlefield 2042. His Grappling Hook can get you to the high ground much faster than other specialists can, so if you learn to use him properly you'll be far stronger than your enemies thanks to the advantage gained by verticality.
His passive trait is Nimble, which gives you faster movement speed when aiming down sights, further making him the go-to assault character for those of you who want a quick fighter in all game modes.
His hook is punishing if you use it badly, forcing a lengthy reload if you miss and an even longer cooldown if you grapple onto the wrong bit of scenery, but in general, Mackay is a great specialist who can get you to positions other specialists aren't able to. Check out our detailed breakdown on our Mackay specialist guide page!
2 - Emma "Sundance" Rosier
Sundance is another fantastically mobile specialist, with their wingsuit offering a ridiculous amount of distance when flying through the air. On some maps, you can easily zoom over to the complete opposite side to help your teammates on a different capture point.
There's also their solid ability with various different Smart Explosives. Our two favourites are the cluster grenade, which deals a ridiculous amount of damage at close range, and the EMP grenade, which disables enemy equipment. There's also a micro-drone, which follows baddies when fired.
We have more tips and advice on our page explaining how to use Emma "Sundance" Rosier too!
3 - Wikus "Casper" Van Daele
Casper is a strange specialist, and not immediately a super exciting-looking one. However, his recon style of play is super strong in Battlefield 2042, and will give you the advantage over enemies who don't have quite as much awareness as you do. The OV-P Recon Drone is brilliant when you're communicating with a squad of friends. You can spot your foes and communicate with your teammates, whilst disorienting the baddies with EMP blasts. It even lets you designate targets for lock-on weapons.
Our favourite thing about Casper is his trait: Movement Sensor. It alerts you to enemies approaching you, somewhat similar to the High Alert perk in Warzone. With this trait, you'll be able to dart into cover before getting melted by an enemy much more reliably. It's a defensive ability that can save your skin a huge amount - and your teammates if you're a good communicator.
We have more advice over on our Casper specialist tips page too.
4 - Ji-Soo Paik
Ji-Soo Paik is a recon fighter whose Threat Perception ability makes those who damage you become spotted (highlighted and easy to see). It's a powerful ability and makes fighting back against flankers a whole lot easier.
Her EMG-X Scanner is even more powerful, highlighting enemies behind cover. Yes, this might be another way to see through walls. It's pretty brief though - see Warzone's Snapshot Grenade.
Check out a full rundown on how to use her on our Paik specialist guide!
5 - Kimble "Irish" Graves
Irish is a member of the 'engineer' class, much like his Russian counterpart Boris. We prefer Irish's abilities though, despite him being unavailable in the open beta. The Fortification System gadget is a big part of this, allowing you to place deployable cover anywhere you can fit it. This can open up new angles of attack that otherwise might've been overly exposed.
Irish's trait is Veteran. As a seasoned fighter, Irish can shrug off punishment more than other soldiers and spawn in with armour already equipped. This lets him survive an otherwise even firefight and come out on top, whilst also freeing up a gadget spot in his loadout for other uses.
Find out more on our Irish specialist tips page!
6 - Maria Falck
Maria is by no means a bad specialist. It's just that her abilities don't quite lend themselves to making quite as big a difference as the specialists above her on this list. The S21 Syrette Pistol is rather handy if you're a crack shot with it though, and the fact that you can heal yourself with it means it's possible to jump into cover and return to battle when an enemy is still hiding to recover.
Her trait, Combat Surgeon, is somewhat less impactful though. Everyone has the ability to resurrect a downed ally, but Maria can do so and they immediately have full health. While undoubtedly handy, and situationally clutch, it just isn't as consistently powerful as other traits. Still great if you're a support fan, though!
We have more advice on how to use her on our Falck specialist tips page too!
7 - Constantin "Angel" Anghel
Romanian specialist Angel is a support character, able to call in resupply crates with ammunition and armour. He's useful to have around when you're in a squad thanks to the ability to switch loadouts at will, but when you go solo it's slightly less handy.
Similarly to how Falck works, he gains a bonus upon reviving friendlies too - they get armour added when they get back up. It's handy when going on a resurrection spree, but in the heat of battle it's often better to go with Falck.
Check out our Angel specialist tips here.
8 - Boris
Boris might be down as the bottom-tier specialist here, but don't let that put you off! He's a solid pick a lot of the time and when you're defending, his SG-36 Sentry Gun can be a real pain in the neck for enemies trying to sneak onto an objective.
His Sentry Operator trait is the main reason the sentry guns are good, though. The guns on their own don't do a ridiculous amount of damage, but they can be targeted by your guns and your enemy will then be highlighted. If you're playing as Boris, this is the way to use your sentries - just don't expect them to pile up the free kills for you.
Check out our Boris specialist tips for more!
9 - Navin Rao
Navin Rao is a technical specialist with the potential to really scupper the enemy's plans with his hacking ability. His Cyber Warfare Suite allows him to stop enemy equipment from functioning as it's supposed to. Annoyingly, this ability does take quite a long time to pull off though, which gives enemies time to spot that they're being hacked, shoot you dead, and carry on with their day.
He also has the ability to get a mini UAV-like effect with his Trojan Network, showing you baddies on the minimap and helping you pinpoint enemy locations. This effect stops him from being the lowest-ranked specialist in the game, as it's super handy to find enemy locations and communicate them with your teammates.
Find out more right here on our Navin Rao specialist guide!
10 - Santiago "Dozer" Espinoza
Dozer is the gentle giant of Battlefield 2042 - although he won't be so gentle when you get your hands on his equipment. His trait is Blast Resistance, which reduces the damage you take from explosives. It's pretty handy, since frag grenades were super strong in most builds, including the great LCMG loadout we put together, but the ability isn't quite as strong as some of the other operators' offerings.
The SOB-8 Ballistic Shield looks like it'll be another really strong ability, deflecting small-arms fire from enemies. Basically, Dozer has a riot shield. He isn't making waves just yet, but if explosives become more ubiquitous in the meta you're sure to see a whole lot more Dozer in Battlefield 2042.
We have a bit more advice on our Dozer specialist guide too!
Keep this page bookmarked so you get all the details on the Specialists, including future ones that will be released as DLC. In the meantime check out more of our Battlefield 2042 guides! We have an explainer on all Battlefield 2042 game modes so you can plan what you fancy playing, or have a look at the Battlefield 2042 PC requirements to make sure your machine can handle the heat.