Best Class In Elden Ring: Which One To Choose? (Ranked)

Elden Ring allows you to begin the game with a chosen class that already has stats that were pre-distributed and equipment that comes with the character. Each class has its own specific strengths and weaknesses, as you will learn later on in the game that the starting class will no longer matter. However, there are some starting classes that are better than the others, and that’s why we are ranking the best classes in Elden Ring.

10. Wretch

Strengths

The Wretch can be the best character to choose when you play Elden Ring, but it can also be the worst. In a way, the Wretch is your double-edged blade character because of the very fact that it starts out bare and with no equipment.

But the thing that makes the Wretch a great character to use at the start is that it starts out with nothing and with stats that aren’t pre-distributed. This means that it should be very easy for you to build your own Tarnished, depending on how you want it to be.

Those who have played FromSoftware games before would be able to enjoy starting out with the Wretch because it allows them to dictate the direction of the character’s build. As such, this is why the Wretch can be the best class you can start out with in Elden Ring, especially if you’ve played any Souls game before.

Drawbacks

The problem with the Wretch is that it starts out bare and doesn’t have anything. It doesn’t offer any real advantage over any other class at the start because of the fact that it doesn’t have any equipment and its stats are not distributed.

So, in that case, you might end up struggling a lot at the beginning because of the fact that you might not be able to kill any enemy at the beginning of the game. That is the biggest drawback to the Wretch.

Beginners in the FromSoftware world should never start out with the Wretch because using this class will never offer any real advantage. Any beginner would want to start out relatively strong out of the gates, and that’s something you can’t do when you start out with the Wretch. 

9. Bandit

Strengths

Different types of games tend to have different classes that specialize in stealthy characters. This is where the Bandit comes in as it is Elden Ring’s version of a stealthy ninja or assassin character. As such, the Bandit is great at swift and quick combat that focuses on its ability to move fast and attack using light yet somewhat weak weapons, such as daggers and bows.

Coming out of the gates with the highest base Arcane, the Bandit should be able to provide you with a good advantage over the other classes because it would be easier for you to find loot from fallen enemies. This will allow you to build your Bandit up quickly enough during the beginning of the game.

Elden Ring also has a sneak ability that allows you to minimize the chances of enemies detecting you as you approach them. This allows the Bandit to shine because you can sneak up on enemies and then get a few good hits on them before they can react.

Drawbacks

But the problem with the Bandit class is that you can’t sneak up on bosses. Bandits cannot use their stealth against the strongest opponents in the game because bosses are already aggressive the moment you enter their arenas.

While it might be true that a Bandit is more mobile and more capable at getting a few good hits at a boss after dodging, the problem is the damage output. The only way for a Bandit to match the damage output of other characters is through the bleeding effect that comes with most daggers. But, other than that, it can be really difficult to find any real advantage if you start out using a Bandit, especially when we talk about boss encounters.

And if you’re someone who prefers to fight from a range, it will take a while before you are able to find a good ranged weapon in this game. This is why a Bandit is not the best class to start out with in Elden Ring.

8. Prisoner

Strengths

The thing about the Prisoner class is that it can be somewhat entertaining to use, especially if you try out a spellsword Prisoner build that is capable of using spells as its primary weapon and striking enemies with a sword to conserve FP. This is why there are a lot of people who don’t mind starting out their Elden Ring journey with the Prisoner.

Another thing that can make the Prisoner entertaining to play with is the fact that it allows players to get the best of both worlds in Elden Ring. The other classes tend to lean more towards either being a fighter or a magician, but the Prisoner can allow you to enjoy both melee combat and magic combat.

As such, those who would want to enjoy whatever Elden Ring can offer should be able to find that the Prisoner is a delight to play with at the beginning. It may take some time for a player to adjust to switching between using spells and using a sword, but that shouldn’t take up too much time.

Drawbacks

The problem with the Prisoner is that, at the start, it can be a bit too half-baked. That’s because the Prisoner’s stats and equipment aren’t strong enough to truly allow you to enjoy being a spellsword. You’ll find that your spells and your melee attacks won’t be as strong as what the other characters can do, and that means that it’s going to take a lot more time for you to defeat certain enemies.

So, while the initial outlook for a Prisoner is for it to be a versatile character, it will take some time for you to truly see how versatile it can get, especially if you struggle to collect runes at the start of the game. It might take a few dozen hours before you can truly see the Prisoner shine against all sorts of different enemies because of its amazing versatility as both a spellcaster and as a melee fighter.

7. Warrior

Strengths

The Warrior class is what you would call the favorite of a player that leans more towards offense than any other aspect of the game. That’s because the Warrior is truly a warrior in the sense that it allows you to dish out consecutive attacks when you stay on the aggressive, even during the early portion of the game.

Being able to dual-wield allows the Warrior to kill plenty of enemies at the start quite easily because it won’t take a lot of time for this class to decimate an enemy with its continuous flurry of attacks.

As such, if you prefer to stay on the aggressive instead of playing a more defense-oriented style, the Warrior should be able to provide you with a fun experience at the beginning. And once you stagger your opponents with your continuous flurries, you’re going to understand how powerful this class can be for beginners.

Drawbacks

The thing about Elden Ring is that enemies are already going to be very difficult to deal with for beginners at the beginning of the game. So, while the Warrior class may be appealing as an offensive unit that can unleash flurries, the problem is in relation to surviving encounters against enemies.

Elden Ring is a game that forces you to understand the habits and patterns of your opponents, and that means that you shouldn’t always stay on the offensive. Being too aggressive will kill you in this game, and that’s what can be difficult about the Warrior because this class demands that you stay on the offensive.

But if you end up understanding how important it is to dodge or block, that is where the Warrior class can excel. However, those who don’t understand why you need to study opponent patterns instead of staying aggressive will struggle with the Warrior.

6. Hero

Strengths

The Hero is kind of like the Warrior in the sense that it was made to be an offense-oriented character at the beginning of the game. With high levels of Strength and Vigor, it’s easy to understand that this character should be a frontline attacker that can dish out insane amounts of damage with a few hits.

What makes the Hero different from the Warrior is the fact that this class was meant to be a heavy hitter at the start. Heroes specialize in using the heaviest weapons possible to deal maximum damage with every hit. This makes it a great choice for those who prefer to play a dodge-and-counter style that allows the Hero to deal massive punishments when there’s an opening for an attack.

Of course, the Hero was also made to be able to handle hits. Even though it is best to dodge in Elden Ring, the good thing about the Hero is that it can handle getting hit by an opponent because of how it has a high enough HP and defense thanks to its respectable Vigor and Endurance. This is why the Hero should be a great class to use for those who prefer to punish their enemies.

Drawbacks

The biggest drawback of the Hero is its slow movement. This is one of the slowest characters in the game as it struggles to move around effectively to dodge attacks and make use of openings for counterattacks.

Of course, it isn’t easy to master the art of endlessly dodging before punishing an opponent with a huge blow coming from a colossal sword. This is why the Hero class isn’t necessarily the easiest class to start out with, even though some beginners have found success with this character.

Another problem with the Hero is that ranged opponents would be able to pick it off from a distance. If you find yourself against a mage or an archer, it’s going to be difficult to close the distance against them in places where you can’t use your horse. That means that there’s a huge chance of you getting killed before you even get to punish ranged attackers.

5. Prophet

Strengths

The Prophet is one of the magic-oriented characters in the game, and that means that those who prefer to use mages will enjoy using a Prophet at the beginning. This also means that you have to be able to quickly understand how spells work. And once you do, you’ll find that using a Prophet is a joy to use.

What makes the Prophet a good choice as well for beginners is the fact that it does have a higher durability than the classic mage character. This means that you’ll be able to somewhat survive getting hit by enemies at the start without immediately dying. Of course, we do prefer that you master the art of dodging because any character can benefit from knowing how to dodge well in Elden Ring.

Of course, the high Faith stat that the Prophet starts out with allows it to gain access to some of the most powerful spells early on in the game. This is why you can easily pick different enemies off at the start by killing them with your powerful spells. On top of that, Prophets can also wield melee weapons a bit more effectively than other mage classes.

Drawbacks

The biggest drawback when using a Prophet or any other mage class is the fact that it’s going to be a glass cannon. It might be true that you can kill enemies with insane magic attacks, but it’s also true that you can end up dying just as easily as well.

As such, the focus of most people who start out the game using a Prophet is to learn how to survive. This means understanding the importance of learning how to dodge and learning how to pick opponents off one by one instead of charging at them guns blazing.

But once you do master the art of understanding how to survive in this game, the Prophet will be a nuclear bomb that can easily kill plenty of different opponents with its array of magical attacks.

4. Astrologer

Strengths

The Astrologer is what we would call the purer mage in Elden Ring because its stats lean more towards it becoming the perfect magic-user. This means that you should rely a lot on your different spells when you are using an Astrologer. And what makes it different from a Prophet is that its spells are more versatile in the sense that you don’t necessarily need to focus more on huge spells that take too long to cast because the Astrologer has access to quick spells that may not be too strong but are still effective.

Once you get the hang of knowing when to cast your spells and understanding which spells you need to cast, the Astrologer is going to be one of the most dangerous classes in the game. On top of that, you’re going to have a lot of fun punishing your opponents with a flurry of spells.

Magic is insanely powerful in Elden Ring, and that means that the Astrologer can end up becoming one of the most potent offensive classes in the game when you understand how to effectively play this class.

Drawbacks

The problem with the Astrologer is that it has the highest difficulty when it comes to its learning curve. This means that it will take some time for beginners to understand how to use this character because you can’t just throw spells at any given time.

Of course, the fact that the Astrologer is arguably the easiest class to kill (aside from the bare Wretch) doesn’t make it any easier to use. Some Astrologer users tend to die early on before they even get to unleash any spells.

So, unless you master the art of casting spells and knowing when to bide your time, you’re going to end up dying a lot at the beginning of this game. But trust us when we say that the Astrologer’s magic attacks will be more than worth it when you get the hang of using this class.

3. Confessor 

Strengths

The Confessor is the game’s version of a paladin because it is one of the few classes that should be able to perform both melee and magic attacks. So, in a way, the Confessor can be a versatile class that some people will find delightful to use at the beginning.

What makes the Confessor so good at the beginning is that it has a high Faith and Intelligence stat distribution at the start. This allows you to use it as a spellcaster that can punish enemies. On top of that, you can also use it as a melee attacker.

Of course, while not exactly a pure tank, the Confessor should be able to take some hits thanks to its fairly high durability. Confessors are also well-equipped at the beginning, and that allows you to survive attacks early on.

There are different types of builds that you can use for your Confessor, but you can go with the classic paladin build that will allow you to improve your defense and healing capabilities while having enough spells and power to dish out painful attacks.

Drawbacks

Like the spellsword Prisoner, the problem with the Confessor at the beginning is that it can get a bit too half-baked. Some players may struggle killing enemies at the beginning because Confessors aren’t the most offensively stacked characters.

However, once you do get the hang of playing the Confessor, you’re going to be able to enjoy how truly versatile it is. Just don’t expect it to be able to dish out massive damage when it comes to either its physical attacks or its spells. 

2. Samurai

Strengths

What makes the Samurai such a great class to use at the beginning is that it’s a very straightforward class. If you have seen samurai movies in the past, it’s not going to be difficult to understand how to play this class.

Samurais are equipped with arguably the best starting equipment in the game because the Uchigatana and the Land of Reeds set are going to stay with you for a long time. On top of that, it also comes with a powerful bow that will allow the Samurai to pick enemies off from a distance before going at them one-on-one.

What makes the Samurai so good to use is that you just need to take your time by dodging and attacking. Its Uchigatana has a unique ability that is very quick and strong, and this will allow you to deal massive amounts of damage when counterattacking. On top of that, the Samurai is mobile enough to dodge and is solid enough to tank some hits. This is why it’s one of the best classes to use at the start of Elden Ring.

Drawbacks

The problem with the Samurai is that you won’t be able to rely on magic unless you invest some points on Int and Fai. It’s a straightforward attacker that is versatile enough to be able to both dodge and tank.

But another drawback to its status as an attacker is that it isn’t the most capable of dealing massive amounts of damage. It may have some of the mobility of a Bandit, but it doesn’t have the power of a Warrior or a Hero. As such, the Samurai is arguably the middle point of the Bandit and the Warrior/Hero classes. This means that it can feel half-baked at times.

1. Vagabond

Strengths

The Vagabond is probably the best character for beginners to use because it makes things so simple. This is the heftiest class in the game when it comes to its ability to take hits because of its high Vigor and Endurance.

Vagabonds are also the best tanks in the game because they are great at using shields. This means that beginners don’t have to always dodge because they can always try to block or parry. On top of that, the Vagabond can also dish out high damage outputs when you master the art of using the riposte after a successful parry.

In other words, the Vagabond makes Elden Ring fairly easy to start with for beginners compared to other classes because it has everything a beginner needs to survive the game at its early portions.

Drawbacks

The biggest downside of a Vagabond is learning how to dodge and roll because this class is terrible at avoiding attacks due to its heft. That means that it’s going to be difficult to avoid getting hit by powerful attacks that you should be dodging instead of tanking.

Of course, it’s also going to be difficult to learn how to time your blocks and parries in this game. The heart of the Vagabond is its ability to block or parry, but it’s really easier said than done when it comes to using a shield. 

However, once you master the art of understanding when to block or parry, the Vagabond is going to be a monster because of its heft and power.