A Complete Guide to Elden Ring Classes

Your journey through the Lands Between begins with a crucial decision: selecting your starting class. This choice establishes your initial stats, equipment, and playstyle foundation, though Elden Ring’s flexible leveling system allows for significant customization later.

FromSoftware, renowned for their intricate game design, provides unprecedented freedom in character development. The ten available classes each feature distinct stat distributions, starting gear, and inherent strengths that cater to different approaches.

Whether you’re new to Souls games or a seasoned veteran, your class selection significantly influences early-game progression and combat effectiveness. Understanding each class’s core mechanics helps align your choice with preferred gameplay styles.

Astrologer

The Astrologer represents the quintessential intelligence-based caster, excelling in sorcery spells from the outset. With exceptional starting Mind and Intelligence attributes, this class can immediately access powerful magical abilities.

Strategic positioning becomes critical since Astrologers possess reduced physical attributes, making them vulnerable in close-quarters engagements. Many players supplement their build by acquiring additional resources to enhance Vitality and Endurance stats.

Strengths & Limitations

Astrologers begin with Glintstone Pebble and Glintstone Arc, providing reliable ranged damage options. Their high Intelligence scaling enables rapid progression through advanced sorceries found in Raya Lucaria Academy.

The primary challenge involves managing limited FP (Focus Points) and maintaining distance from aggressive enemies. Early game survival depends heavily on kiting tactics and strategic spell usage rather than direct confrontation.

Wretch

This class represents FromSoftware’s traditional ‘deprived’ experience, starting with minimal equipment and balanced base stats. The Wretch begins at level 1 with only a club and loincloth, offering maximum customization potential.

Seasoned players often recommend avoiding the Wretch during initial playthroughs due to its punishing early game. However, it provides unparalleled freedom for specialized builds.

Advantages & Challenges

The Wretch’s blank slate approach allows for any stat distribution path, making it ideal for players who want to experiment with multiple playstyles in a single character.

New players frequently struggle with the lack of direction and immediate combat disadvantages. Survival depends on quickly acquiring basic equipment from early game areas.

Warrior

This class specializes in dexterity-focused combat, utilizing dual scimitars for rapid, successive attacks. The Warrior demands precise timing and positioning to maximize damage while avoiding retaliation.

Maintaining stat consistency proves crucial for Warriors – continuing to invest in Dexterity ensures optimal scaling with their preferred weapons.

Combat Analysis

Warriors excel in mobility and attack speed but sacrifice health pool compared to other melee classes. Their playstyle rewards aggressive, precision-based approaches.

The reduced vitality makes mastering evasion essential. Players should prioritize learning enemy attack patterns to capitalize on openings between combos.

Prophet

Prophets channel the power of faith through incantations, offering both offensive capabilities and valuable support spells. Their high Faith and Mind attributes enable sustained spellcasting.

This class begins with Catch Flame and Heal, providing both damage and sustainability. Prophets can wield weapons that scale with Faith, dealing Holy damage to certain enemies.

Magic Capabilities

The versatility of incantations allows Prophets to adapt to various combat situations, though they remain less durable than pure melee classes.

Early game challenges include limited spell variety and ineffective starting shield. However, access to healing provides significant survivability advantages.

Hero

Designed for straightforward melee combat, the Hero emphasizes Strength and Vigor attributes. This class can withstand substantial damage while delivering powerful attacks.

The Battle Axe starting weapon provides excellent strength scaling and damage output. High endurance enables sustained combat engagement.

Combat Effectiveness

Heroes dominate close-range encounters but struggle against enemies requiring ranged approaches. Their armor offers minimal protection, requiring strategic positioning.

Players should focus on timing heavy attacks to break enemy stances while managing stamina consumption carefully.

Prisoner

This class offers a unique blend of intelligence-based magic and dexterity-focused combat. The Prisoner begins with a estoc and magic glintblade spell.

Hybrid Playstyle

Balanced starting stats allow for flexible development paths. Players can transition between melee combat and spellcasting based on situational demands.

The starting armor provides limited protection, encouraging evasive maneuvers. This class excels in adaptability rather than specialization.

Bandit

The Bandit class emphasizes arcane attributes and stealth approaches. Starting with a knife and shortbow, this class excels in critical attacks and item discovery.

Specialized Abilities

Bandits possess exceptional discovery rates for valuable items but require significant investment to develop spellcasting capabilities.

The class requires careful stat management to balance combat effectiveness with utility functions.

Vagabond

This class features exceptional starting Vigor and Strength, making it incredibly durable in early encounters. The Vagabond begins with longsword, halberd, and heater shield.

Massive health pool and strength attributes enable aggressive playstyles. However, the class lacks magical capabilities and ranged options.

Combat Performance

Vagabonds excel in sustained melee combat but struggle against enemies requiring magical solutions or long-range engagement.

Samurai

Beginning with the uchigatana and longbow, the Samurai offers both melee excellence and ranged capability. High dexterity enables rapid attacks and precise bow usage.

The class provides excellent mobility and attack variety. Samurais can effectively engage enemies at multiple ranges from the beginning.

Combat Versatility

While the starting shield proves inadequate for sustained blocking, the class compensates with exceptional evasion capabilities and sustained damage output.

Confessor

This class begins at a higher level with balanced stats except in Intelligence and Arcane. Confessors wield a broadsword and finger seal.

Exceptional Faith and Strength attributes enable both powerful incantations and effective melee combat.

Hybrid Capabilities

Starting with Urgent Heal and Assassin’s Approach provides both survivability and stealth advantages.

The class offers excellent durability through blocking and healing capabilities. However, the reduced health pool compared to pure melee classes requires careful engagement management.

Strategic Class Selection

Understanding attribute soft caps proves crucial for long-term build optimization. Most stats experience diminishing returns after reaching 40-60 points, depending on the specific attribute.

Common beginner mistakes include spreading stats too thinly across multiple attributes rather than focusing on primary scaling stats for your chosen weapons and spells.

For optimal performance, prioritize Vigor to 40 for health, then focus on your primary damage stat (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Faith) based on your preferred playstyle.

Endgame considerations should influence early decisions – certain weapons and spells require specific stat investments that may take dozens of levels to achieve.

Advanced players should consider respec opportunities available after defeating certain bosses, allowing for build adjustments mid-game.

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