Elden Ring offers ten starting classes: Vagabond, Warrior, Hero, Bandit, Astrologer, Prophet, Samurai, Prisoner, Confessor, and Wretch. Each class has its strengths and weaknesses, which we have discussed in our How to Pick Your Starting Class in Elden Ring guide.
Which class you choose could depend on various factors, including whether you enjoy melee or magic-based combat or if you want a class that takes more skill to master.
But if you are brand new to the world of intentionally difficult video games, you might want a class that is easy to learn and one that has the tools needed to stay alive or overcome a mistake.
If this will be your first trek through Elden Ring, here are the three starting classes that should make your early hours in the Lands Between a little less painful.
Vagabond is the Best Beginning Class for Melee
Players who already know how to play Elden Ring may want a class that can maximize their damage, knowing that it will come at the expense of survivability.
For example, the Hero class is probably the best pure melee fighter in the game, but it also takes a bit more skill to play well, and you could be in trouble early if you mistime your attacks and leave yourself open.
We think the Vagabond is the melee class that a true rookie should go for on their first playthrough. The Vagabond offers some of the best physical damage mitigation out of all of the starting armor sets and even includes the best starting shield, which you can use to block attacks.
You can switch to a two-hand attack stance when you feel like you’re in a safer battle, but the shield is always right there to swap back to if you ever get into trouble.
Other melee classes may have more power or speed, and the Vagabond will take a lot more work than other classes to turn into a magic-user. But the Vagabond’s high amount of starting Vigor or health points can keep you on your feet for longer, and that’s a trait that many new players will likely prioritize.
One quick tip, though: While the Vagabond does include the most or best starting armor in the game, we recommend un-equipping your helm at the start. The armor is so good (and heavy) that it will slow your movement, including your dodge move. You can put the helm back on after you level up your Endurance stat, which lets you handle a heavier load.
Astrologer is the Best Beginning Class for Magic
If you prefer a mage-like class that can sling spells from afar, the Astrologer and the Prisoner are your best two options.
What’s great about the Astrologer is that it comes equipped with a sword that can help deal a decent amount of physical damage in the early game if you run out of Focus Points and can not cast any more spells. But unless you already know what you are doing, going all-in on casting from the start can be a bit rough. You will become a mighty mage soon enough, but you will never advance to that point if you can not finish off your foes after you run out of mana.
Astrologer is simply the best “all-around” class out of the classes designed to be Magic users in the end game, and that can help you make it to the end game instead of repeatedly throwing down your controller in rage.
Confessor is the Best Beginning Class for a Hybrid Build
What if you want a little bit of everything in your Elden Ring class? What if you are going to smack stuff with a sword, deal minor magic damage, and, oh yeah, it would be nice if you could heal yourself up without going back to a Site of Grace.
The Confessor is likely the best choice for someone who wants all of the above.
One especially nice perk for new players is that the Confessor starts the game at Level 10, higher than all other classes. You can go toe-to-toe with more enemies sooner instead of running away from something that you know badly out levels you.
You will never deal as much melee or magic damage as a class designed for that specific task, but hybrid life can be fun with the option to jump back and forth between physical weapons and spells, depending on the situation.
The Confessor is also a great option for multiplayer as you can serve as a heal bot for the group. When in single-player, those heals will keep you standing long after another class would be tasting dirt.
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