Best AA for Each Class — Your Class-Defining AA Build
The AA abilities you choose define your character at the endgame more than any other single factor. Two characters of the same class, level, and gear can perform dramatically differently based on their AA investments. This guide provides optimal AA priority lists for every class in EverQuest Legends, covering must-have AAs, situational picks, and build recommendations for different content types.
Before diving into class-specific recommendations, every player should understand the AA system fundamentals: the six AA categories (General, Archetype, Class, Special, Radiant, Tradeskill), how the shared pool works, and the general priority rules. This guide assumes you understand the basics and provides the specific recommendations for each class.
Universal Priorities (All Classes)
Regardless of which class you play, these AAs should always be purchased first:
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Run Speed (General, 5 ranks, 5 total AA points) — The most impactful quality-of-life and combat AA. Faster movement means less time traveling, better positioning, and easier escaping. Buy this first on every character.
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Innate Defense (Archetype, 5 ranks, 5 total AA points) — More HP benefits every class in every situation. Buy this second on every character.
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Experience AA (General, 3+ ranks, 3+ total AA points) — The snowball effect described in our AA farming guide. Every point invested here makes all future AAs come faster.
These three AAs should be purchased in this order before investing in any class-specific abilities. The total cost is 13 AA points for a foundation that benefits every class.
Tank Classes
Warrior
Priority Order:
| Priority | AA | Category | Ranks | Total Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Run Speed | General | 5 | 5 | Universal priority |
| 2 | Innate Defense | Archetype | 5 | 5 | More HP for tanking |
| 3 | Experience AA | General | 3 | 3 | XP snowball |
| 4 | Innate Offense | Archetype | 5 | 5 | Better aggro through damage |
| 5 | Combat Fury | Class | 3 | 6 | Critical hits for aggro generation |
| 6 | Area Taunt | Class | 3 | 6 | Snap aggro on multiple mobs |
| 7 | Defensive | Class | 3 | 6 | Reduced damage taken |
| 8 | Weapon Affinity | Class | 3 | 6 | More weapon procs for aggro |
| 9 | Stubborn Mind | Special | 1 | 3 | Resist mental effects |
| 10 | Planar Durability | Special | 3 | 9 | Massive HP boost |
Must-Have AAs: Run Speed, Innate Defense, Combat Fury, Area Taunt, Defensive. These five AAs transform a Warrior from adequate to exceptional. Combat Fury provides the critical hit threat that holds aggro, Area Taunt handles multi-mob situations, and Defensive reduces incoming damage significantly.
Raid Focus: Prioritize Defensive and Planar Durability — surviving raid boss hits is your primary job. For Ogre Warriors, stun immunity already provides exceptional consistency, making the defensive AAs even more valuable.
Solo Focus: Innate Offense and Combat Fury first — faster kills mean less time taking damage.
Paladin
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Mind > Healing Adept > Divine Might > Holy Steed > Lay on Hands Enhancement > Slays Undead > Sanctification
Must-Have AAs: Holy Steed (movement speed mount), Lay on Hands Enhancement (bigger emergency heal), Sanctification (resist disease/poison). Paladins benefit from a balanced approach that enhances both tanking and healing capabilities.
Shadow Knight
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Offense > Innate Mind > Life Tap Enhancement > Death Peace > Unholy Steed > Harm Touch Enhancement > Fell Strike
Must-Have AAs: Life Tap Enhancement (stronger self-healing through life taps), Death Peace (improved Feign Death for pulling), Unholy Steed (movement speed). Shadow Knights are the most self-sufficient tank class, and their AAs should reinforce this strength.
Healer Classes
Cleric
Priority Order:
| Priority | AA | Category | Ranks | Total Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Run Speed | General | 5 | 5 | Universal priority |
| 2 | Innate Defense | Archetype | 5 | 5 | Survive aggro from healing |
| 3 | Experience AA | General | 3 | 3 | XP snowball |
| 4 | Innate Mind | Archetype | 5 | 5 | More mana for heals |
| 5 | Healing Adept | Class | 3 | 6 | Stronger direct heals |
| 6 | Spell Casting Reinforcement | Class | 3 | 6 | Faster casting time on heals |
| 7 | Divine Arbitration | Special | 1 | 3 | Emergency group heal |
| 8 | Celestial Renewal | Special | 1 | 3 | Healing over time |
| 9 | Turn Undead | Special | 1 | 3 | Undead crowd control |
| 10 | Blessing of Reverence | Special | 3 | 9 | Enhanced HP buff |
Must-Have AAs: Healing Adept, Spell Casting Reinforcement, Divine Arbitration. These three AAs dramatically improve Cleric healing output and emergency response. Divine Arbitration is the single most important Special AA for Clerics — it saves groups from wipes.
For healing strategies, see our Cleric healing guide.
Druid
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Mind > Healing Adept > Exodus > Dire Charm > Enhanced Root > Spirit of the Wood > Nature's Bounty
Must-Have AAs: Exodus (emergency group evac), Dire Charm (powerful charm ability for solo/group), Spirit of the Wood (healing over time). Druids benefit from AAs that enhance their versatility.
Shaman
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Mind > Enhanced Slow > Cannibalization > Malos Enhancement > Spirit Call > Root Enhancement > Ancestral Guard
Must-Have AAs: Enhanced Slow (stronger slows for better damage reduction), Cannibalization (HP to mana conversion for sustained healing). Shaman AAs should emphasize their unique role as the best slow class and their mana sustainability through Cannibalize.
DPS Classes
Rogue
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Offense > Backstab Enhancement > Combat Fury > Escape > Ambidexterity > Poison Mastery > Duelist's Direction
Must-Have AAs: Backstab Enhancement (core damage ability), Escape (emergency agro drop), Combat Fury (critical hits). A Halfling Rogue with these AAs becomes the highest single-target melee DPS in group content.
Wizard
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Mind > Spell Casting Fury > Spell Casting Reinforcement > Fury of Ro > Manaburn > Quick Evac > Innate Critical > Arcane Enlightenment
Must-Have AAs: Spell Casting Fury (spell critical hits for massive damage), Manaburn (massive burst nuke for raid content), Quick Evac (faster evac casting for group safety).
Necromancer
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Mind > Life Burn > Spell Casting Fury > Fear Enhancement > Scent of Dusk > Summoner's Boon > Death Silence > Wraith of Nature
Must-Have AAs: Life Burn (massive HP-to-damage conversion for burst DPS), Spell Casting Fury (critical hits on nukes and life taps), Fear Enhancement (more reliable fear kiting). Dark Elf Necromancers with high INT and these AAs are devastating solo characters.
Monk
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Offense > Combat Fury > Combat Agility > Feign Death Enhancement > Martial Arts Enhancement > Stun Kick > Purify Body
Must-Have AAs: Combat Fury (critical hit rate), Feign Death Enhancement (pulling and escape reliability), Martial Arts Enhancement (hand-to-hand damage). Monks are premier pullers and melee DPS, and their AAs should enhance both roles.
Berserker
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Offense > Combat Fury > Frenzy Enhancement > Vengeful Fury > Axe Throwing Mastery > War Cry > Destruction
Must-Have AAs: Combat Fury (critical hits for burst damage), Frenzy Enhancement (signature attack damage), Vengeful Fury (enhanced burst window). Berserkers are the burst melee DPS kings.
Magician
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Mind > Spell Casting Fury > Pet Enhancement > Elemental Dominion > Damage Shield Enhancement > Quick Summon > Frenzied Burnout
Must-Have AAs: Pet Enhancement (dramatically stronger pets), Spell Casting Fury (nuke crits), Elemental Dominion (pet control). Magicians are pet-focused casters, and their AAs should maximize pet performance.
Ranger
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Offense > Combat Fury > Archery Mastery > Innate Camouflage > Weapon Shield > Endless Quiver > Guardian of the Forest
Must-Have AAs: Archery Mastery (ranged DPS enhancement), Endless Quiver (never run out of arrows), Weapon Shield (parry all attacks). Rangers are the premier ranged melee class.
Beastlord
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Offense > Combat Fury > Pet Enhancement > Spiritual Attunement > Warder's Alacrity > Feral Spirit > Bestial Frenzy
Must-Have AAs: Pet Enhancement (stronger warder pet), Combat Fury (melee damage), Spiritual Attunement (enhanced self-buffs). Beastlords are pet-melee hybrids, and their AAs should strengthen both.
Support Classes
Enchanter
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Mind > Spell Casting Reinforcement > Enhanced Charm > Mez Enhancement > Mana Flow > Arcane Rune > Color Strike > Theft of Thought
Must-Have AAs: Enhanced Charm (longer, more reliable charm for pet DPS), Spell Casting Reinforcement (faster casting for emergency crowd control), Arcane Rune (self-protection rune). Enchanter AAs should maximize their ability to maintain crowd control and charm pets under pressure.
Bard
Priority Order: Run Speed > Innate Defense > Experience AA > Innate Offense > Instrument Mastery > Selo's Acceleration > Jam Fest > Persistent March > Rizlona's Call > Sound of Authority > Rallying Cry
Must-Have AAs: Instrument Mastery (stronger song effects), Selo's Acceleration (faster group movement), Jam Fest (extended song range and duration). Bards benefit from AAs that enhance their unique song-based playstyle.
Tips and Strategies
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Follow the universal priorities first: Run Speed, Innate Defense, and Experience AA should be purchased on every character before anything else. Skipping these for class AAs is always a mistake.
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Match AAs to your content: If you raid, prioritize defensive and healing AAs. If you solo, prioritize offensive AAs and self-sufficiency abilities.
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Use the shared pool to accelerate expensive AAs: Special AAs cost 3 points per rank. Earn those points on your fastest AA-farming class using the shared pool.
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Plan your build before spending: AA points cannot be refunded (except through the rare AA reset). Plan your full build in advance to avoid wasting points.
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Respect prerequisites: Many powerful AAs require prerequisite investments. Factor these into your planning so you are not blocked when you reach the required level.
Common Mistakes
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Skipping Run Speed for class AAs: Run Speed is worth more than any early Class AA. The quality-of-life improvement is irreplaceable.
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Spreading points too thin: A character with 1 rank in 10 different AAs is weaker than one with 5 ranks in Run Speed and 5 in Innate Defense. Concentrate your investment.
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Not adapting for content: Raid AAs and solo AAs are different. Using a raid-focused build for solo content is suboptimal, and vice versa.
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Ignoring Archetype AAs for Class AAs: Archetype AAs are cheaper (1 point per rank) and provide strong foundational bonuses. Do not skip them for more expensive Class AAs.
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Forgetting about the shared pool: Earning all your AAs on a slow class when you have a fast alternative available in your 3-class combo is a significant missed opportunity.
Conclusion
Choosing the right AAs for your class is the most important character-building decision in the EverQuest Legends endgame. The priority lists in this guide provide a roadmap for each class, but remember that individual playstyle and content focus should influence your final choices. The universal priorities — Run Speed, Innate Defense, and Experience AA — apply to everyone. After that, invest in the Class and Special AAs that most directly enhance how you play.
For the complete AA system overview, see our AA system guide. For AA farming strategies, visit our AA farming guide. For class fundamentals, check our all 16 classes compared guide.