All Elden Ring Starting Classes, Ranked from Worst to Best

Elden Ring's 10 Starting Classes Ranked: From Worst to Best

Every journey in Elden Ring begins with a starting class, and there are ten distinct options. These classes differ slightly in stats and equipment. This ranking lists them from worst to best.

Table of Contents

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

The Vagabond and Wretch are generally considered the top two, although other classes offer compelling advantages. Here's a breakdown of each class:

10. Bandit

The Bandit, along with the Confessor and Prisoner, occupies the bottom tier. Its low starting level (5) and reliance on Dexterity, a relatively weak stat, make it a poor choice. Subpar equipment further diminishes its viability.

9. Confessor

The Confessor suffers from low overall effectiveness. Faith, its primary stat, is challenging to develop early on. Its starting equipment doesn't synergize well with early-game Faith builds.

8. Prisoner

Similar to the Bandit, the Prisoner is an inferior version of other Dexterity/Intelligence builds. Its low survivability and less-than-ideal weapon selection make it a less attractive option.

7. Warrior

While a decent Dexterity option with two starting swords, the Warrior is surpassed by other Dexterity builds. Its high base Dexterity gets it closer to the soft cap, but not enough to justify its selection, especially considering its gear.

6. Prophet

Faith-based classes are generally difficult to start with. However, the Prophet is the best of the bunch. Its spells are decent, but its equipment lags behind others. With strategic weapon choices, it can be viable.

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5. Hero

The top four classes are significantly stronger than the rest. The Hero boasts advantages like a Battle Axe and high Strength (16), ideal for early-game encounters. However, low Dexterity hinders meeting minimum stat requirements, and superior Strength options exist.

4. Samurai

This is the best Dexterity-focused starting class. Its excellent armor and the Uchigatana, a high-damage weapon with excellent scaling and bleed potential, make it a strong contender.

3. Astrologer

The Astrologer is the optimal choice for Intelligence-based builds. Its superior early-game spellcasting capabilities, 16 Intelligence at level 6, and suitable equipment make it a top pick, even for builds transitioning to Strength/Intelligence.

2. Wretch

The Wretch starts at level 1 with balanced stats (10 in each). Its club and Ash of War are decent, but its lack of armor and low level present a steep learning curve for new players. While not ideal for single-stat builds, it's excellent for highly customizable builds or respeccing.

1. Vagabond

The Vagabond is the best overall starting class. Its balanced stats, strong weapon, and good armor are advantageous for early-game builds and easy respeccing or pivoting to other builds.

Does Your Starting Class Matter in Elden Ring?

Unless you're focused on min-maxing, your starting class's impact is minimal. While some classes may present a tougher early game, you'll eventually allocate stats according to your preferred build. Even a suboptimal choice will only slightly deviate from a fully optimized build. Min-maxing itself has little impact, especially in PvP, unless playing at the highest level.

What Is the Easiest Class for Beginners?

For new players, the Vagabond is recommended. Its straightforward melee combat simplifies learning Elden Ring's mechanics.

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