All Elden Ring Starting Classes, Ranked from Worst to Best

Elden Ring's Starting Classes: A Ranked Guide from Worst to Best

Every journey in Elden Ring begins with a starting class, and with 10 options available, choosing the right one can significantly impact your early game experience. This guide ranks all 10 classes from worst to best, considering their stat distributions and starting equipment.

Table of Contents

• Best Elden Ring Starting Classes, Ranked
• Does Your Starting Class Matter in Elden Ring?
• What Is the Easiest Class for Beginners?

While the Vagabond and Wretch often top the lists, several other classes offer compelling advantages. Let's delve into the rankings:

10. Bandit

The Bandit occupies the bottom rung. Its low starting level (5) and primary focus on Dexterity—a relatively weak stat early on—coupled with subpar equipment, makes it a less-than-ideal choice.

9. Confessor

Confessors suffer from a lack of compelling early-game advantages. Faith, their primary stat, requires significant investment before becoming truly effective, and their initial equipment doesn't synergize well with early Faith builds.

8. Prisoner

Similar to the Bandit, the Prisoner offers a weaker version of Dexterity/Intelligence builds. Its low survivability and less-than-optimal starting weapons make it a less attractive option compared to other alternatives.

7. Warrior

While a decent Dexterity option with two starting swords, the Warrior falls short of superior Dexterity-focused classes. Its high base Dexterity brings it closer to soft stat caps, but the equipment doesn't justify its selection.

6. Prophet

Faith-based classes present a challenging starting point. However, the Prophet is the best among them, offering decent starting spells. Nevertheless, its equipment pales in comparison to other classes, making it reliant on acquiring superior Faith weapons.

5. Hero

The top four classes stand out significantly. The Hero boasts advantages like a Battle Axe and high Strength (16), ideal for early-game combat. Its Ash of War also boosts damage. However, low Dexterity hinders meeting minimum stat requirements, and stronger Strength options exist.

4. Samurai

This is the best readily available Dexterity class. Its excellent armor and the exceptionally strong Uchigatana—a weapon with great scaling, impressive damage, and bleed potential—make it a formidable choice.

3. Astrologer

The Astrologer is the go-to class for Intelligence-based builds. Its ability to spam early-game spells, coupled with a high starting Intelligence (16) at level 6, and excellent equipment, makes it a top contender. It also transitions well into Strength/Intelligence builds.

2. Wretch

The Wretch starts at level 1 with even stat distribution. Its decent club and effective Ash of War offer potential, but the lack of armor and low level presents a challenging start for newcomers. While not ideal for single-stat builds, its flexibility makes it perfect for experimentation and respeccing.

1. Vagabond

The Vagabond emerges as the best overall starting class. Its well-rounded stat distribution, fantastic weapon, and durable armor provide a strong foundation for any build. This makes it suitable for both new and experienced players.

Does Your Starting Class Matter in Elden Ring?

Unless you're focused on highly optimized builds, your starting class's impact diminishes significantly. While classes like the Bandit might present a tougher initial experience, the ability to respec and focus on desired stats ultimately negates the initial differences. Even in PvP, the advantage of a perfectly optimized build is minimal unless you're competing at the highest level.

What Is the Easiest Class for Beginners?

For new players, the Vagabond is recommended. Its straightforward melee combat allows for a smoother learning curve, enabling players to grasp Elden Ring's mechanics more easily.

Elden Ring is available now on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.