diff --git a/core/io/resource.h b/core/io/resource.h
index 090d2248e2c..af4a70352b6 100644
--- a/core/io/resource.h
+++ b/core/io/resource.h
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ class Resource : public RefCounted {
 	GDCLASS(Resource, RefCounted);
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::RESOURCE;
+
 	static void register_custom_data_to_otdb() { ClassDB::add_resource_base_extension("res", get_class_static()); }
 	virtual String get_base_extension() const { return "res"; }
 
diff --git a/core/object/object.h b/core/object/object.h
index c0e33457973..2a78743d712 100644
--- a/core/object/object.h
+++ b/core/object/object.h
@@ -605,6 +605,8 @@ public:
 		MESH_INSTANCE_3D = 1 << 14,
 	};
 
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = (AncestralClass)0;
+
 	struct Connection {
 		::Signal signal;
 		Callable callable;
@@ -790,6 +792,8 @@ protected:
 
 	bool _disconnect(const StringName &p_signal, const Callable &p_callable, bool p_force = false);
 	void _define_ancestry(AncestralClass p_class) { _ancestry |= (uint32_t)p_class; }
+	// Prefer using derives_from.
+	bool _has_ancestry(AncestralClass p_class) const { return _ancestry & (uint32_t)p_class; }
 
 	virtual bool _uses_signal_mutex() const;
 
@@ -821,16 +825,12 @@ public:
 	static T *cast_to(Object *p_object) {
 		// This is like dynamic_cast, but faster.
 		// The reason is that we can assume no virtual and multiple inheritance.
-		static_assert(std::is_base_of_v<Object, T>, "T must be derived from Object");
-		static_assert(std::is_same_v<std::decay_t<T>, typename T::self_type>, "T must use GDCLASS or GDSOFTCLASS");
-		return p_object && p_object->is_class_ptr(T::get_class_ptr_static()) ? static_cast<T *>(p_object) : nullptr;
+		return p_object && p_object->derives_from<T>() ? static_cast<T *>(p_object) : nullptr;
 	}
 
 	template <typename T>
 	static const T *cast_to(const Object *p_object) {
-		static_assert(std::is_base_of_v<Object, T>, "T must be derived from Object");
-		static_assert(std::is_same_v<std::decay_t<T>, typename T::self_type>, "T must use GDCLASS or GDSOFTCLASS");
-		return p_object && p_object->is_class_ptr(T::get_class_ptr_static()) ? static_cast<const T *>(p_object) : nullptr;
+		return p_object && p_object->derives_from<T>() ? static_cast<const T *>(p_object) : nullptr;
 	}
 
 	enum {
@@ -864,7 +864,8 @@ public:
 	}
 	virtual bool is_class_ptr(void *p_ptr) const { return get_class_ptr_static() == p_ptr; }
 
-	bool has_ancestry(AncestralClass p_class) const { return _ancestry & (uint32_t)p_class; }
+	template <typename T>
+	bool derives_from() const;
 
 	const StringName &get_class_name() const;
 
@@ -1024,7 +1025,7 @@ public:
 
 	void clear_internal_resource_paths();
 
-	_ALWAYS_INLINE_ bool is_ref_counted() const { return has_ancestry(AncestralClass::REF_COUNTED); }
+	_ALWAYS_INLINE_ bool is_ref_counted() const { return _has_ancestry(AncestralClass::REF_COUNTED); }
 
 	void cancel_free();
 
@@ -1035,6 +1036,29 @@ public:
 bool predelete_handler(Object *p_object);
 void postinitialize_handler(Object *p_object);
 
+template <typename T>
+bool Object::derives_from() const {
+	static_assert(std::is_base_of_v<Object, T>, "T must be derived from Object.");
+	static_assert(std::is_same_v<std::decay_t<T>, typename T::self_type>, "T must use GDCLASS or GDSOFTCLASS.");
+
+	// If there is an explicitly set ancestral class on the type, we can use that.
+	if constexpr (T::static_ancestral_class != T::super_type::static_ancestral_class) {
+		return _has_ancestry(T::static_ancestral_class);
+	} else {
+		return is_class_ptr(T::get_class_ptr_static());
+	}
+}
+
+template <>
+inline bool Object::derives_from<Object>() const {
+	return true;
+}
+
+template <>
+inline bool Object::derives_from<const Object>() const {
+	return true;
+}
+
 class ObjectDB {
 // This needs to add up to 63, 1 bit is for reference.
 #define OBJECTDB_VALIDATOR_BITS 39
diff --git a/core/object/ref_counted.h b/core/object/ref_counted.h
index 3bd2b06272d..9fca55dd225 100644
--- a/core/object/ref_counted.h
+++ b/core/object/ref_counted.h
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ protected:
 	static void _bind_methods();
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::REF_COUNTED;
+
 	_FORCE_INLINE_ bool is_referenced() const { return refcount_init.get() != 1; }
 	bool init_ref();
 	bool reference(); // returns false if refcount is at zero and didn't get increased
diff --git a/core/object/script_language.h b/core/object/script_language.h
index 4b995347751..a1bbb58d92a 100644
--- a/core/object/script_language.h
+++ b/core/object/script_language.h
@@ -140,6 +140,8 @@ protected:
 	}
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::SCRIPT;
+
 	virtual void reload_from_file() override;
 
 	virtual bool can_instantiate() const = 0;
diff --git a/scene/2d/node_2d.h b/scene/2d/node_2d.h
index dadb163baf0..be18ff82ce9 100644
--- a/scene/2d/node_2d.h
+++ b/scene/2d/node_2d.h
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ protected:
 	static void _bind_methods();
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::NODE_2D;
+
 #ifdef TOOLS_ENABLED
 	virtual Dictionary _edit_get_state() const override;
 	virtual void _edit_set_state(const Dictionary &p_state) override;
diff --git a/scene/2d/physics/area_2d.h b/scene/2d/physics/area_2d.h
index 982346f3007..b6f6288b661 100644
--- a/scene/2d/physics/area_2d.h
+++ b/scene/2d/physics/area_2d.h
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ class Area2D : public CollisionObject2D {
 	GDCLASS(Area2D, CollisionObject2D);
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::AREA_2D;
+
 	enum SpaceOverride {
 		SPACE_OVERRIDE_DISABLED,
 		SPACE_OVERRIDE_COMBINE,
diff --git a/scene/2d/physics/collision_object_2d.h b/scene/2d/physics/collision_object_2d.h
index c63d0ac40a1..a46e9d2daf3 100644
--- a/scene/2d/physics/collision_object_2d.h
+++ b/scene/2d/physics/collision_object_2d.h
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ class CollisionObject2D : public Node2D {
 	GDCLASS(CollisionObject2D, Node2D);
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::COLLISION_OBJECT_2D;
+
 	enum DisableMode {
 		DISABLE_MODE_REMOVE,
 		DISABLE_MODE_MAKE_STATIC,
diff --git a/scene/3d/mesh_instance_3d.h b/scene/3d/mesh_instance_3d.h
index 28ca664a778..2e89639693e 100644
--- a/scene/3d/mesh_instance_3d.h
+++ b/scene/3d/mesh_instance_3d.h
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ protected:
 	bool _property_get_revert(const StringName &p_name, Variant &r_property) const;
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::MESH_INSTANCE_3D;
+
 	void set_mesh(const Ref<Mesh> &p_mesh);
 	Ref<Mesh> get_mesh() const;
 
diff --git a/scene/3d/node_3d.h b/scene/3d/node_3d.h
index cf68d2c831f..2936c8923e7 100644
--- a/scene/3d/node_3d.h
+++ b/scene/3d/node_3d.h
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ class Node3D : public Node {
 	friend class SceneTreeFTITests;
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::NODE_3D;
+
 	// Edit mode for the rotation.
 	// THIS MODE ONLY AFFECTS HOW DATA IS EDITED AND SAVED
 	// IT DOES _NOT_ AFFECT THE TRANSFORM LOGIC (see comment in TransformDirty).
diff --git a/scene/3d/physics/collision_object_3d.h b/scene/3d/physics/collision_object_3d.h
index 8483e770096..e40b949c877 100644
--- a/scene/3d/physics/collision_object_3d.h
+++ b/scene/3d/physics/collision_object_3d.h
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ class CollisionObject3D : public Node3D {
 	GDCLASS(CollisionObject3D, Node3D);
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::COLLISION_OBJECT_3D;
+
 	enum DisableMode {
 		DISABLE_MODE_REMOVE,
 		DISABLE_MODE_MAKE_STATIC,
diff --git a/scene/3d/physics/physics_body_3d.h b/scene/3d/physics/physics_body_3d.h
index b9ab0eefd33..5c5608010dd 100644
--- a/scene/3d/physics/physics_body_3d.h
+++ b/scene/3d/physics/physics_body_3d.h
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ protected:
 	Ref<KinematicCollision3D> _move(const Vector3 &p_motion, bool p_test_only = false, real_t p_margin = 0.001, bool p_recovery_as_collision = false, int p_max_collisions = 1);
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::PHYSICS_BODY_3D;
+
 	PackedStringArray get_configuration_warnings() const override;
 
 	bool move_and_collide(const PhysicsServer3D::MotionParameters &p_parameters, PhysicsServer3D::MotionResult &r_result, bool p_test_only = false, bool p_cancel_sliding = true);
diff --git a/scene/3d/visual_instance_3d.h b/scene/3d/visual_instance_3d.h
index 727066a754b..ad25327ce0b 100644
--- a/scene/3d/visual_instance_3d.h
+++ b/scene/3d/visual_instance_3d.h
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ protected:
 
 	GDVIRTUAL0RC(AABB, _get_aabb)
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::VISUAL_INSTANCE_3D;
+
 	enum GetFacesFlags {
 		FACES_SOLID = 1, // solid geometry
 		FACES_ENCLOSING = 2,
@@ -86,6 +88,8 @@ class GeometryInstance3D : public VisualInstance3D {
 	GDCLASS(GeometryInstance3D, VisualInstance3D);
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::GEOMETRY_INSTANCE_3D;
+
 	enum ShadowCastingSetting {
 		SHADOW_CASTING_SETTING_OFF = RS::SHADOW_CASTING_SETTING_OFF,
 		SHADOW_CASTING_SETTING_ON = RS::SHADOW_CASTING_SETTING_ON,
diff --git a/scene/gui/control.h b/scene/gui/control.h
index b8b47c9be9d..78846c0ea02 100644
--- a/scene/gui/control.h
+++ b/scene/gui/control.h
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ class Control : public CanvasItem {
 #endif //TOOLS_ENABLED
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::CONTROL;
+
 	enum Anchor {
 		ANCHOR_BEGIN = 0,
 		ANCHOR_END = 1
diff --git a/scene/main/canvas_item.h b/scene/main/canvas_item.h
index 9de847b81fc..b66c9c555de 100644
--- a/scene/main/canvas_item.h
+++ b/scene/main/canvas_item.h
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ class CanvasItem : public Node {
 	friend class CanvasLayer;
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::CANVAS_ITEM;
+
 	enum TextureFilter {
 		TEXTURE_FILTER_PARENT_NODE,
 		TEXTURE_FILTER_NEAREST,
diff --git a/scene/main/node.h b/scene/main/node.h
index 8276b4715f5..b9eb0b71320 100644
--- a/scene/main/node.h
+++ b/scene/main/node.h
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ protected:
 	};
 
 public:
+	static constexpr AncestralClass static_ancestral_class = AncestralClass::NODE;
+
 	// N.B. Any enum stored as a bitfield should be specified as UNSIGNED to work around
 	// some compilers trying to store it as signed, and requiring 1 more bit than necessary.
 	enum ProcessMode : unsigned int {