Diep.io Classes and Their Dovion Equivalents, Tank by Tank
Got hundreds of hours of Diep.io in your fingers? Good news: none of it goes to waste when you arrive in Dovion. The game openly builds on Diep.io's logic (levels, stat points, an evolution tree) and moves it to the sea. So every big tank family has a cousin with sails. This guide gives you the match-up, class by class, so you can find your playstyle from your very first match.
The idea: an archetype, not a copy
Dovion doesn't copy Diep.io tanks barrel for barrel. It takes their archetypes, meaning the way they win a fight: up close, from range, through sheer volume of fire, through summons, or through area control.
The game even shows it on screen: in the evolution menu, every ship carries a small chip like "≈ Smasher" or "≈ Overlord". The match-ups below are exactly those.
Quick reminder of how it works: everyone starts as a Chaloupe (the starting rowboat), then picks a path at level 5 and a lineage a little later. The full tree is in our guide to the 9 ship lineages.
The three level 5 paths
Even before lineages, your first choice already puts you in a family:
- Goélette (schooner): the Smasher, Sniper and Stalker family. Speed, quick hits, getting out of fights.
- Brigantin (brigantine): the Sprayer, Destroyer and Ranger family. Firepower and head-on combat.
- Chalutier (trawler): the Trapper, Overlord and Necromancer family. Control, summons and economy.
Not sure? Our article Goélette, Brigantin or Chalutier? breaks down each option.
Class-by-class match-up
Smasher → Narval lineage
Your body is the weapon. The Narval is a ram hull built for ramming: its active ability on the E key is a Charge whose damage depends on your speed. Like the Smasher, it lives at close range and punishes anyone who lets it get near. Big difference: charging into empty water stuns you, so don't dive in blind.
Sniper and Hunter → Torpilles lineage
Strike from long range, then move on. The active ability, the Éventail de torpilles (torpedo fan), launches several torpedoes at once. It's the perfect weapon against ships that steer badly, just like a Sniper punishing predictable paths.
Machine Gun and Stalker → Spectre lineage
Bullet spam and stealth. At the top of the lineage, the Vaisseau Fantôme (ghost ship) has the Voiles Mortes (dead sails), which make it vanish from enemy screens. Stalker players will love the ambush game here.
Sprayer → Bordées lineage
A wall of fire from the sides. The Grande Bordée (full broadside) fires both flanks at once, and its recoil can even be used as a small dash. Think Sprayer, but with cannons on the sides instead of the front.
Destroyer → Mortier lineage
The big shell that hurts. The Mortier (mortar) fires a lobbed shell, aimed at your cursor, that flies over obstacles. As with the Destroyer, every shot counts and the pace is slow.
Streamliner and Ranger → Orage lineage
Long-range pressure and lightning. The Chaîne d'orage (storm chain) charges while you hold the key, then the bolt bounces from hull to hull. Against a tight group, it's devastating.
Trapper → Pièges lineage
The zone game. Estacades are floating log walls that block ships and cannonballs and hurt on contact. Like a Trapper, you don't chase: you set up the ground and let the enemy come to you.
Overseer and Overlord → Flottille lineage
Drones, naval edition. The Flottille commands an escort of boats with the Pavillon d'Armada (armada flag). A nice bonus: it's also the lineage with the biggest cargo hold in the game, handy for storing gold.
Necromancer → Profondeurs lineage
Command the wildlife. The Gong des profondeurs (deep gong) heals around you and calls whales. It's the ocean version of the Necromancer: you turn the environment into an army.
What really changes compared to Diep.io
Your reflexes carry over, but three differences deserve your attention:
- One active ability per lineage. In Diep.io, almost everything is about shooting. In Dovion, the E key changes the rhythm of every duel. Timing it well matters as much as aiming well. Our deep dive on E key abilities covers them all.
- A world, not an arena. Islands block shots, the fog in the center hides enemies, and events (caravans, corsairs, bosses) mess with your plans.
- A ship has inertia. A boat doesn't stop on a dime like a tank. Anticipating your turns becomes a skill of its own.
Where to start if you come from Diep.io
- You played Smasher or Booster: go Goélette, then the Narval lineage.
- You played Overlord or Necromancer: take the Chalutier, then Flottille or Profondeurs.
- You played Destroyer or Annihilator: Brigantin, then Mortier.
- You like trying everything: switch lineage every match. The tree is built for that.
No lineage is "the best" overall: each one has counters, as we explain in Who beats who?. For a broader look at the two games, read our Dovion vs Diep.io showdown.
The easiest way is still to test your favorite class at sea: Play Dovion for free, right in your browser, on PC and mobile.