Which class or classes are the most self-sufficient?

I'm interested in giving Black Desert Online a try, but since I don't really have anyone I'm playing with, I'll probably be going solo for most things and grouping up only occasionally. Because of this, I'll need a class that has a solid kit for being self-sufficient with minimal investment in material and/or consumable resources.

Are there any classes that are more self-sufficient both pre and post Awakening? And if so, which ones? Bonus points for highlighting the specific skills that help with self-sufficiency.

Solution 1:

TLDR: The game is pretty well balanced where most classes can fend for themselves.

What I've found is that the game is not really geared towards group activities, other than some PVP content. In everything else you're not playing together, you're playing alongside your friends.

Mainly, you can't give money/items to other players. I believe this was mainly designed like this to combat gold farmers. No reason to farm gold if you can't actually give it to someone!

Also, most of the classes are pretty self sufficient in the standard grind spots. Another factor is that while there are some skills that help the group, it's almost as if every player is fending for themselves. I believe you do get an XP buff when you have 3 or more players in a party, and there are some buffs/heals that certain classes have. But for example, unlike other MMO's, there isn't a dedicated healer class. Some classes are noticeably better at dealing damage to single targets vs multiple targets.

Anecdote: Currently the Shai seems to be the best life-skilling class because of her increased weight capacity and better starting levels for cooking/alchemy. Also, the Guardian/Wizard/Witch/Sorceress all seem to be very good at quickly clearing PVE content.

Check out YouTube class guides to get more details about which class may suit your playstyle.