Hierarchy
Actor (AActor)
An Actor is the base class for any object that exists in the Unreal Engine world.
Definition
Any object that has a transform (location, rotation, scale) and can exist, act, or be rendered in the world.
Characteristics
- Has a position, rotation, and scale
- Can contain Components
- Can execute logic (Tick)
- Can be replicated over the network
Examples
- Static or interactive props
- Lights
- Triggers and volumes
- Projectiles
- Cameras
- Visual effects
Note
An Actor cannot be controlled by a player or AI by default.
Pawn (APawn)
A Pawn is an Actor that can be possessed and controlled.
Definition
A physical representation of a player or AI entity in the world.
Characteristics
- Can be possessed by a PlayerController or an AIController
- Acts as the link between:
- input / AI logic
- the physical world
- Can receive movement commands
Examples
- Player character
- Enemies
- Vehicles
- Drones
- Controllable cameras
Note
A Pawn does not provide advanced movement systems by default
(walking, jumping, gravity, etc.).
Character (ACharacter)
A Character is a Pawn specialized for humanoid characters.
Definition
A ready-to-use Pawn designed for bipedal characters with standard movement behavior.
Built-in Components
- CapsuleComponent (collision)
- SkeletalMeshComponent (animations)
- CharacterMovementComponent (advanced movement)
Features
- Walking, running, jumping
- Gravity, slopes, stairs handling
- Camera ↔ animation consistency
- Network-ready movement (client prediction)
Examples
-FPS / TPS player characters
- Humanoid NPCs
- Bipedal enemies
Note
Less suitable for non-humanoid entities
(vehicles, atypical creatures, or objects).