Elden Ring classes: what you actually pick at the start
Choosing one of the Elden Ring classes is the first real decision the game asks of you, and the choice tends to stick with players for a long time even though the game never locks you in. Each class arrives with a different starting level, a different spread of attributes, and a different piece of starting gear, so the opening hours feel noticeably different depending on which archetype you pick. If you understand what each starting kit is actually optimized for, you can read the rest of the game through that lens: which weapons feel right, which stats are worth raising, and which encounters will punish you early.
This guide walks through what every Elden Ring class is designed to do well, where each one tends to struggle in the first few hours, and how the choice connects to broader decisions like stat investment, weapon scaling, and respeccing. It is written as an editorial overview, not a tier list, because how a class “feels” depends as much on the player as on the numbers.
How starting classes actually work in Elden Ring
Every class in Elden Ring begins at level 1 or a small handful of levels above it, and the game distributes a total of 80 attribute points across the nine core stats before the player takes control. What changes from class to class is how those 80 points are distributed, which class-exclusive piece of starting gear you receive, and the implied role the developers had in mind. The class is essentially a suggested build template: it tells the game which stats to highlight, which weapons and armor to hand you, and which playstyle is most forgiving before you start earning runes.
Because the total points are fixed at 80, a class that invests heavily in one attribute has to take points away from somewhere else. A heavy melee class like the Hero, for example, leans into Strength and Vigor at the cost of Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane, while a magic class like the Astrologer pours points into Mind and Intelligence and leaves physical defenses thin. The class description on the character creation screen does not list every trade-off explicitly, which is why comparing the starting stat blocks side by side is so useful.
Three things make the class choice less rigid than it first appears. First, every starting weapon can be found elsewhere in the game world, so you are not permanently locked out of a playstyle by your choice. Second, attributes can be raised freely as you level up, and a late-game respec option (Larval Tears and Rennala’s services) lets you rebuild a character entirely once you reach a specific point in the story. Third, the keepsake you select at the end of character creation can shift the early game in small but meaningful ways, and several keepsakes are designed to soften the early weaknesses of a given class.
Starting stats for every class at a glance
The table below condenses the starting stat blocks for all ten Elden Ring classes. The exact values are taken from in-game character creation and reflect the default allocation. Keep in mind that none of these numbers is final; they are a starting framework you are expected to grow out of as you play.
| Class | Level | Vigor | Mind | Endurance | Strength | Dexterity | Intelligence | Faith | Arcane |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vagabond | 9 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| Warrior | 8 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Hero | 7 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 14 |
| Bandit | 5 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 14 |
| Astrologer | 6 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 7 | 9 |
| Prophet | 7 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 16 | 10 |
| Samurai | 9 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Prisoner | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 9 |
| Confessor | 10 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 14 | 9 |
| Wretch | 1 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
The Wretch is the obvious outlier: every stat at 10, no specialization, and the lowest starting level in the game. The Wretch is a blank canvas, not a balanced build, and that distinction matters when you read the rest of the table.
What each Elden Ring class is designed to do
The class descriptions in character creation hint at the role the developers had in mind, but the practical reality shows up in combat. Below is a focused look at each of the ten classes, including their starting gear, their natural strengths, and the kinds of situations where the kit feels awkward. Use this as a reference once you have a shortlist of one or two classes that match the kind of game you want to play.
Vagabond: the classic sword-and-board foundation
The Vagabond is the closest thing the game has to a “knight” archetype. It begins with a longsword, a heater shield, a halberd, and heavy armor that you can actually equip at level 9 without overburdening the character. The stat spread favors Vigor, Endurance, Strength, and Dexterity, which means the Vagabond can swing most melee weapons effectively, block with a wide range of shields, and wear heavier armor than the lighter classes.
The trade-off is magic. Mind, Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane all sit at average or below-average values, so any spellcasting build will require significant leveling investment. In practice, the Vagabond is happiest using a versatile melee weapon, a medium or great shield, and a bow for ranged encounters. It is forgiving for new players because the high Vigor and Endurance pool absorb early mistakes, but the slower roll and heavier equipment also mean the Vagabond has to commit more deliberately to dodges.
Warrior: dual-wield agility and parry timing
The Warrior begins with two curved swords and a small shield, which signals the design intent immediately. The class is built around Dexterity, fast stamina recovery, and the kind of aggressive, mobile combat that rewards parrying and rolling rather than blocking. The shield is small on purpose: it is there to enable parries, not to soak up hits.
The stat spread is thinner than the Vagabond’s, with low Vigor and only average Mind, so the Warrior needs to win fights quickly before the low health pool becomes a problem. The class works well for players who are comfortable with stamina management, who want to learn parry timing on smaller enemies, and who do not need heavy armor to feel safe.
Hero: heavy weapons and glass-cannon swings
The Hero arrives with a large battleaxe, a wooden shield, and light cloth armor, and the stat block reflects that: high Strength and a respectable Arcane, but the lowest Intelligence in the game and very little investment in Mind. The Hero is designed to wield the largest, slowest weapons the game has to offer, which makes enemies stagger on every clean hit and turns the character into a one-or-two-swing duelist.
The downside is survivability. Cloth armor and middling Vigor mean the Hero cannot take many trades, and the huge weapons drain Endurance quickly. A Hero player typically raises Vigor and Endurance as a priority, uses a colossal weapon with a high poise weapon art, and accepts that magic is essentially off the table without heavy investment.
Bandit: stealth, daggers, and ranged pressure
The Bandit is the only class that starts with a bow as a primary ranged option, alongside two daggers and a small parry-focused shield. The stat spread leans on Dexterity and Arcane, with a meaningful Faith floor for potential spells. This combination supports two very different playstyles: the close-range critical-hit assassin who sneaks up for backstabs, and the mid-range archer who snipes from cover.
Low Vigor and the absence of heavy armor mean the Bandit is fragile in a straight fight. The class rewards map knowledge, patience, and the willingness to disengage when an encounter goes badly. The Arcane stat also opens up item discovery bonuses, which is a small but useful edge in a game where rare drops matter.
Astrologer: the dedicated mage starting point
The Astrologer is the highest-magic starting class. It begins with a small sword, a wooden shield, a staff, and a glintstone spell, and the stat block gives it the highest starting Mind and Intelligence in the game. The intended role is obvious: a pure sorcery build that uses FP for both spells and weapon arts, with melee as a backup rather than a primary tool.
The cost is physical fragility. The Astrologer has the lowest Vigor of any class and light starting armor, so a single strong hit from a heavy enemy can be lethal. A typical Astrologer run leans on summons, range, and positioning, then catches up on Vigor and Endurance before moving into mid-game zones with tougher enemies.
Prophet: holy incantations and reach
The Prophet is the faith-focused counterpart to the Astrologer. It begins with a spear, a small shield, and several healing and combat incantations already equipped, and the stat block gives it the highest starting Faith in the game. The Prophet is designed for players who want to use incantations as their primary damage source while still being able to poke with a spear when FP runs low.
Like the Astrologer, the Prophet has low Vigor and a small health pool, so positioning and patience matter. The For additional context, class shines when you build around a small set of high-value incantations and a reach weapon like the spear, rather than trying to be a frontline fighter.
Samurai: precision katana and mounted combat
The Samurai arrives with an Uchigatana, a longbow, a secondary katana, and a set of medium armor. The stat block emphasizes Endurance and Dexterity, which makes the class exceptionally good at long combo strings, fast roll-catches, and bleed damage from the Uchigatana’s innate weapon ability. The longbow also makes the Samurai one of the most effective starting classes in mounted combat, because arrows fired from horseback scale with the bow’s range.
The Samurai does not have room for significant spellcasting, and its Mind is average, so FP-based tools should be used sparingly. The class is a strong choice for players who like reactive, fast-paced melee with a ranged fallback.
Prisoner: hybrid magic and dexterity
The Prisoner starts with a rapier, a glintstone staff, and a small shield, and the stat block blends Dexterity and Intelligence into a workable hybrid. The class is designed to switch between melee and sorcery fluidly: a rapier thrust to finish off a weakened enemy, a glintstone spell to keep pressure up at range, and enough of a stat spread to wear medium armor without overburdening.
The Prisoner is not a specialist. It does not hit as hard as a pure Strength or pure Faith build, but it adapts to more encounter types without respec. The class suits players who like the idea of switching tools mid-fight rather than committing to one weapon archetype.
Confessor: faith-leaning hybrid with stronger defenses
The Confessor starts with a broadsword, a medium shield, a finger seal, and several useful incantations, and it begins at level 10, which is the highest starting level of any class. The stat block is unusually well rounded: average or above in Strength, Dexterity, Mind, and Faith, with a useful Faith floor for incantations.
The Confessor is the closest thing to a “generalist” class in the game. It can swing a heavy weapon, cast holy incantations, wear medium armor, and block effectively, and it does not need to specialize immediately. The risk is the opposite of the Wretch’s: the Confessor is decent at everything and great at nothing, so a player who never commits to a focus can end up with a build that works but does not excel.
Wretch: the true blank slate
The Wretch is a class only in the loosest sense. It begins at level 1, with a single club and no armor, and every stat at 10. There is no implicit role, no starting spell, and no protective gear, which means the first few hours of the game are noticeably harder than they are for any other class.
The reason to pick the Wretch is meta: the uniform stat spread means you can pivot into any build without the wasted points of a more specialized class, and many experienced players start as Wretch specifically because they plan to respec into a specific archetype from level 1. For a new player, the Wretch is a deliberate challenge, not a shortcut.
Starting weapons and gear compared
The starting gear for each class is more than flavor; it is a strong hint at how the developers expect you to play. The table below lists the most distinctive piece of starting equipment for each class, since every other piece tends to be recoverable elsewhere in the world.
| Class | Distinctive starting item | Category | Design intent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vagabond | Longsword + heater shield | Melee / block | Forgiving sword-and-board play |
| Warrior | Twin curved swords + parry shield | Dexterity / parry | Aggressive melee with parry windows |
| Hero | Large battleaxe + wooden shield | Colossal weapon | Slow, high-damage Strength swings |
| Bandit | Twin daggers + longbow + buckler | Stealth / ranged | Critical hits and sniping |
| Astrologer | Glintstone staff + starting sorcery | Sorcery | Range-first magic build |
| Prophet | Finger seal + healing incantations | Incantation | Faith-based support and damage |
| Samurai | Uchigatana + longbow | Katana / mounted | Bleed-focused melee and ranged pressure |
| Prisoner | Rapier + glintstone staff | Hybrid | Switchable melee and sorcery |
| Confessor | Broadsword + finger seal | Faith hybrid | Generalist with holy magic |
| Wretch | Club | Blank | No specialization, do-it-yourself build |
Two things are worth noticing in this table. First, classes whose starting item is a weapon type they already excel at (Vagabond with the longsword, Samurai with the Uchigatana, Astrologer with the glintstone staff) tend to feel strong immediately, because the gear and the stat block reinforce each other. Second, classes that hand you a weapon type that is not the obvious best fit for their stats (the Hero with a colossal battleaxe, the Bandit with twin daggers) usually have a clear, intended upgrade path in the first few zones.
Choosing an Elden Ring class for your playstyle
The honest answer to “which Elden Ring class is best” is “it depends on how you want to play the next forty to eighty hours.” A class is a starting commitment, not a verdict, and respeccing is always available once you reach a specific point in the story. Use the list below to map the way you like to play to the class that is most likely to feel comfortable from the first encounter.
- If you want a forgiving introduction with strong melee, medium armor, and a shield, the Vagabond is the safest pick.
- If you prefer fast, reactive melee and you enjoy parrying, the Warrior rewards aggressive play.
- If you like the fantasy of swinging a massive weapon and trading hits for big damage, the Hero captures that fantasy immediately.
- If you enjoy stealth, backstabs, and ranged pressure, the Bandit has the right kit from minute one.
- If you want to learn sorcery without a heavy melee fallback, the Astrologer gives you the deepest starting magic pool.
- If you want to learn incantations and use holy magic, the Prophet is the cleanest faith start.
- If you want responsive katana combat with a strong mounted option, the Samurai handles both.
- If you like the idea of switching between melee and magic depending on the enemy, the Prisoner fits that hybrid role.
- If you do not want to specialize right away, the Confessor lets you experiment with several archetypes at once.
- If you want the cleanest possible blank slate and you are willing to accept a tougher first few hours, the Wretch is the only true do-it-yourself start.
Common mistakes when picking a starting class
Most regrets about the early game come from a small set of predictable misreads. A few practical checks can save you from a class that you would not have picked with more information.
- Treating the Wretch as a balanced build. The Wretch is a blank slate, not a well-rounded character, and it does not catch up to other classes until you commit to a focus.
- Assuming a high starting level means a stronger character. The Confessor is the only class that starts at level 10, but its stat spread is generalist, not dominant.
- Picking a magic class without reading the Mind and Vigor numbers. Astrologer and Prophet have excellent magic stats but the lowest Vigor in the game, so positioning matters more than for melee classes.
- Ignoring the keepsake. Keepsakes are small but they can patch the early weakness of a class, and a few are designed specifically to make a tough start easier.
- Chasing a class by its description instead of by its stat block. The descriptive text hints at intent, but the numbers are the contract.
How respeccing changes the long-term value of your choice
Respecs in Elden Ring are not free, but they are available once you reach a specific point in the main story. Once you have access, you can rebuild a character around a different archetype entirely, which means the long-term cost of a “wrong” choice is a finite amount of farming rather than a permanent dead end. For most players, the practical question is not “what is the best class” but “which class makes the first ten hours most enjoyable.”
That framing also helps you think about the choice honestly. If you want to spend the early game exploring a hybrid playstyle, the Confessor or Prisoner gives you room to do that. If you want the early game to feel like a focused class fantasy, the Astrologer, Samurai, or Vagabond is more likely to deliver. If you want the early game to feel like a clean puzzle you solve yourself, the Wretch is the most rewarding and the least forgiving.
Class and keepsake: a quick pairing reference
Keepsakes are the small items you pick up at the very end of character creation. They do not change your stats directly, but a few of them are particularly effective at smoothing over the early weakness of a specific class. The table below is a starting reference, not a ranking; the “best” keepsake for you depends on what you find most annoying about your chosen class in the first few hours.
| If your class feels… | Consider a keepsake that… | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Low on health (Astrologer, Prophet, Bandit) | Adds a small healing tool or FP buffer | Reduces the cost of a single bad encounter |
| Low on FP (Warrior, Samurai, Bandit) | Restores or adds FP | Keeps weapon arts and spells usable |
| Light on ranged options (Vagabond, Hero) | Adds a small ranged consumable | Covers pulling enemies and sniping at range |
| Light on physical damage early (Wretch) | Boosts a stat you intend to focus on | Saves several early level-ups |
How class choice connects to weapon scaling
One reason class choice matters even if you plan to respec later is that weapons scale with specific attributes, and the attributes you start with are the ones you can invest in cheaply. A class with a high starting Strength (Hero, Vagabond) can wield heavy weapons effectively from the first hour, while a class with high Intelligence (Astrologer) can wield intelligence-scaling staves and a few early magic weapons without spending a single level.
For most players, this means the practical question is which attribute you want to start raising early. If you want to use heavy weapons, the Vagabond, Hero, or Samurai gives you the most efficient path. If you want to use sorcery, the Astrologer and Prisoner have the cleanest stat blocks. If you want to use incantations, the Prophet and Confessor give you a head start on Faith.
A short walkthrough of choosing your first class
If you are stuck between two or three options, a quick decision process can help. The list below is intentionally short, because overthinking the class choice tends to produce a worse outcome than just picking one and playing.
- Decide whether you want to start the game as a melee, ranged, or magic character. This is the most important question, because it sets your early playstyle.
- Look at the stat block for the class that matches that role and check the Vigor value. Anything below 12 will feel fragile in the first few zones.
- Confirm that the starting weapon is one you actually want to use for several hours. You can change later, but the opening is more enjoyable with a kit that already feels right.
- Pick a keepsake that patches your class’s weakest early moment, not the most popular keepsake in the community.
- Play for two to three hours before deciding whether to restart. Most classes feel weak in the first hour because the player does not yet know the early zones.
Frequently asked questions
How many Elden Ring classes are there?
There are ten starting classes in Elden Ring: Vagabond, Warrior, Hero, Bandit, Astrologer, Prophet, Samurai, Prisoner, Confessor, and Wretch. Each one has a different starting level, a different distribution of the 80 attribute points available at level 1, and a different piece of unique starting gear.
Does the starting class lock you into a playstyle?
No. The starting class is a starting template, not a permanent choice. Every starting weapon can be found elsewhere in the game, attributes can be raised freely as you level up, and a respec option becomes available once you reach a specific point in the main story, which lets you rebuild your character from scratch.
Which Elden Ring class is the best for beginners?
The Vagabond is usually the most forgiving class for new players, because it has a high Vigor pool, decent Endurance, and a sword-and-board kit that works against most early enemies. The Samurai is a close second for players who prefer faster combat, and the Confessor is a reasonable pick for players who want a flexible generalist rather than a focused archetype.
Which class is best for magic users?
The Astrologer is the strongest starting class for sorcery, with the highest starting Mind and Intelligence in the game. For faith-based magic, the Prophet has the highest starting Faith, and the Confessor is a hybrid option that can use incantations while still wielding a broadsword and shield.
Is the Wretch actually a good class?
The Wretch is a deliberately difficult starting option, not a balanced build. Its value is the uniform stat spread: because every attribute is at 10, you can pivot into any build without wasting points, which experienced players use to start as a Wretch and respec into a specific archetype from level 1. For most new players, a specialized class is the smoother introduction.
Do starting levels matter more than starting stats?
Starting levels matter less than the distribution of the 80 attribute points, because the small level difference between classes is quickly made up in the first hour of play. What actually affects the early game is which attributes are high, which are low, and which starting weapon you receive.
Can you change class in Elden Ring?
You cannot change class directly, but you can respec your attributes at a specific location in the game, which has the same practical effect as choosing a new class. Respecs cost a finite, farmable resource, and most players treat the respec as a long-term tool rather than a frequent option.
What is the best class for PvP?
PvP performance depends much more on the level you duel at, your weapon upgrades, and your talisman setup than on the class you started with. The class only matters insofar as it determines your starting attributes, which influences how many levels you need to spend to reach a competitive stat block at your chosen PvP level.
Which class has the best starting weapon?
This depends on your playstyle. The Uchigatana given to the Samurai is widely considered one of the strongest starting weapons because of its innate bleed, while the Astrologer’s glintstone staff is the most powerful starting option for a magic build. The Vagabond’s longsword is the most flexible starting weapon because it scales with both Strength and Dexterity.
What should I pick if I want to try everything?
The Confessor is the most flexible starting class because it has above-average values in Strength, Dexterity, Mind, and Faith, and it starts at level 10. If you want to try several weapons and a few incantations without specializing, the Confessor gives you the most room to experiment before you commit to a direction.