There are 10 classes in Elden Ring that vary from one another and change the way a player experiences the majority of the game. After a while, classes start not to matter anymore as players can allocate skill points (and respec) however they please. Each class starts with different stats and equipment, some of which can't be found elsewhere in Elden Ring.

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Some classes are notably harder to play than others. The Wretch, for example, is Elden Ring's version of a deprived from Dark Souls, starting out with nothing but a big stick. On the other hand, the Vagabond starts with a shield that blocks 100% physical damage. Be sure to do your research and figure out what playstyle suits you best before going into Elden Ring for the first time – though the classes blend together after a while, how one experiences the first half of the game is almost entirely dictated by your class' strengths.

Astrologer

The Astrologer is Elden Ring's primary sorcery-oriented class because they start with two Glintstone spells – Glintstone Pebble and Glintstone Arc. Their Intelligence stat is noticeably lacking, though, as Dexterity is the Astrologer's main martial skill. Their high Mind stat gives them more starting FP, and their high Arcane stat lets them use certain spells that require it.

The Astrologer starts with an Astrologer's Staff to cast their Glintstone Sorceries alongside a shield. For the initial parts of the game, you'll only be dealing damage with your sorceries. Be sure to pick up a Dexterity-based melee weapon as soon as you can to open up your options in combat. Sorceries are useless if you run out of FP, after all.

Bandit

The Bandit class is Elden Ring's closest interpretation of a traditional Thief class, though it has some things that make it more akin to a Ranger. Their high Dexterity stat lets them use ranged weapons and fast melee weapons with ease, letting them pick off enemies from afar as easily as cutting them down up close. Their high Arcane stat essentially increases their luck, though it does also allow access to certain spells later on, too.

Bandits start with a Great Knife and a Buckler for melee combat and a Shortbow with Bone Arrows for ranged. The Buckler is perfect for parrying enemies, though learning the correct timings is a challenge in and of itself. Choose a Bandit if you want to try out Elden Ring's Stealth system and new ranged combat mechanics (like jump-shots).

Confessor

The Confessor is a kind of blend between a Priest class and a Bruiser, thanks to their equal focus on melee options and incantations that can heal or buff allies. Their highest stats are Faith and Mind, which gives them a high starting pool of FP and the ability to cast higher-level incantations more effectively. Their equal 12 stat in Strength and Dexterity leaves plenty of wiggle room for choosing a melee weapon.

The Confessor starts with a Broadsword and a Blue Crest Heater Shield, which blocks 100% physical damage. They start with two incantations: Urgent Heal, which quickly heals a small amount of HP, and Assassin's Approach, which muffles sound and reduces fall damage. Choose the Confessor class if you want to give Elden Ring's incantations a try, because there's a lot more to it than simple healing and buffing.

Hero

The Hero class is a powerful melee-oriented class with high stats in Vigor, Endurance, and Strength. They start with very high HP and Stamina bars as a result, though their other stats are pretty lacking. Heroes can of course spec into these other branches of gameplay, which is highly recommended as having a variety of options is essential to take on a lot of Elden Ring's content.

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The Hero class starts with a Battle Axe and a Large Leather Shield, which has relatively meager defense stats but is able to parry pretty effectively. The Battle Axe, on the other hand, is very powerful and two-handing this weapon while performing a Jump Attack is a sure way to deal significant posture damage to a target.

Prisoner

The Prisoner is arguably the most "souls"-looking character, thanks to their disturbingly designed headpiece. They, like the Astrologer, are oriented around Glintstone Sorceries and Dexterity. The Prisoner starts with a 14 in both Dexterity and Intelligence, with a 12 in Mind and 11s in everything else aside from Faith and Arcane. They are pretty good across the board and have lots of build options available from the start.

Prisoners start with Estoc, a Dex-based sword seen in just about every FromSoftware game, as well as a Rift Shield. They only get one sorcery from the start though - Magic Glintblade - alongside a Glintstone Staff to cast their spells with.

Prophet

The Prophet is much like the Confessor, though they start with higher Faith, different Incantations, and a higher Mind stat for more starting FP. While Confessors tend to be better for solo players who can rapidly heal themselves and muffle their movements, Prophets are better for group play or for the support role, though that isn't to say they can't dish out damage in PvE too.

Prophets start with the Short Spear and Rickety Shield, which are both relatively low-tier items. However, they also start with the Heal ability, which heals for more than the Confessor's Urgent Heal, and Catch Flame, a short-range fire blast that's reminiscent of the Dark Souls series' Pyromancies.

Samurai

The Samurai is a class positively brimming with martial prowess in both close quarters and long-range. Their very high Dexterity stat makes them extremely good with fast weapons, while their high Endurance and Strength stats let them dodge and hit more often as well as wield a wider variety of weapons.

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Samurai start with the Uchigatana, an iconic Dex-based weapon of the Souls series, as well as the Red Thorn Roundshield, built for parrying. Their Longbow and both regular Arrows and Fire Arrows let them pick off foes from long distance before closing the gap and slicing them apart with their Uchigatana - you can almost hear them say "heh, nothing personnel, kid".

Vagabond

The Vagabond is arguably the most beginner-friendly class in Elden Ring, though it does have a few major flaws that reduce its effectiveness compared to others. Vagabonds start with the highest Vigor as well as high Dexterity and Strength stats, making them well-suited for martial combat. Their main strength is in their starting equipment, though.

The Vagabond starts with two powerful melee weapons - the short-range Longsword and medium-range Halberd - as well as a Heater Shield that can absorb 100% physical damage. Their armor is one of the most defensive options for starting classes, too. Their main drawback is low extraneous stats, but it's easy to allocate points in these stats to open up some more options like spells and Incantations.

Warrior

The Warrior class might sound like a bruiser-type class, but it's actually more like a blend between a Bandit and a Vagabond. Their highest stat is Dexterity, which is required to Powerstance their two starting weapons. Following that is the Mind stat with 12 points, increasing their FP, as well as a tie between Endurance and Vigor to give a decent starting Max HP and Stamina.

Warriors start with not one but two Scimitars, which can be equipped in both hands to Powerstance them and unlock a new move set that deals significantly more damage at the cost of defense. However, their starting equipment is not too bad, and the Riveted Wooden Shield can come in handy if physical defense becomes more of a concern.

Wretch

The Wretch is a new interpretation of an old classic. Since the beginning of the Souls series, FromSoftware has always included a "naked guy with a stick" class. It's kind of like an artificial Hard Mode for Elden Ring, though skilled players claim that it's actually the easiest playstyle thanks to the freedom to build in any direction as well as the sheer power of a simple Club.

Wretches start with nothing but this club, which can be two-handed to increase its damage to HP and posture. They don't start with anything else, so it's kind of pointless to leave your offhand empty. All of their stats start at 10, which makes them a kind of jack-of-all-trades with lots of build options. They are, of course, the squishiest class though, so don't pick a Wretch unless you're confident you know what you're doing in Elden Ring.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.

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