This article is part of a directory: Complete Guide To Elden Ring: Weapons, Items, Tips, Tricks, Bosses, & Builds
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After years of building anticipation, Elden Ring has finally released, and FromSoftware fans have been blown away by the game's depth, open-world design, and unsurprisingly challenging combat. Elden Ring had a lot to live up to, not just in terms of its own hype, but also the beloved status of previous FromSoftware games like the iconic Dark Souls series and newer titles like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Despite the pressure on the new IP, Elden Ring has managed to deliver, with glowing reviews and high scores across the board since its release.

One of the aspects that helped to make Elden Ring one of the highest reviewed games ever made is the depth of its character creation. With the vast array of options for customization, players have been able to recreate characters from pop culture, like Kratos for the God of War series, and even the Nickelodeon cartoon character Nigel Thornberry. In addition to letting their creative side loose when they design their character, players can choose between ten different starting classes in Elden Ring, each of which was in part influenced by key cultural aspects.

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Elden Ring's Classes

Elden Ring Best Starting Beginner Class Ranking Guide

The classes in Elden Ring are the starting archetypes for the game. Each one offers gamers different initial stats, perks, and equipment to help them on their way. A handful of the classes are easier to start with, with some like the Wretch probably best reserved for more veteran FromSoftware and Dark Souls players. However, as gamers progress through Elden Ring, the classes start to blend together and give players the option to switch up their playstyle as they go.

Samurai

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Perhaps the class with the most obvious cultural inspiration, the Samurai class has a satisfying mix of ranged and melee combat to give players flexibility. With high Dexterity, Endurance, and Strength stats, Samurai are quick and agile. The influence of Japanese culture in the creation of this class is clear, especially with the use of traditional Samurai weapons like a longbow and katana. While real-life Samurai armor changed over the centuries during which it was predominantly in use, the design of Elden Ring's fearsome warrior is clearly reminiscent of classic armor designs, like the inclusion of the kabuto-like helmet.

Astrologer

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The Astrologer is Elden Ring's sorcerer-focused class, and comes equipped with two starting spells, in addition to a staff and shield. This mage-like character is a strong starting option, and is easy to upgrade as players progress through Elden Ring's challenging gameplay. Described as "a scholar who reads fate in the stars," the inspirations for the Astrologer are clear. Their hooded and robed appearance and scholarly aptitude are reminiscent of European medieval astrologers, and their magical abilities bring to mind famous fictional wizards like Merlin from Arthurian legend.

Confessor

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A class that combines the archetypes of a Priest and a Bruiser, the Confessor is an interesting choice. As both a support character and a combatant, the Confessor can get up close and personal in melee combat, but also has incantations to help buff or heal allies. They even have some stealth aspects similar to Elden Ring's Bandit class, with an incantation called Assassin's Approach that helps them sneak up on enemies. The combination of warrior/assassin elements with a holy/religious quality through their healing abilities makes the Confessor reminiscent of the Knights Templar and other medieval religious military orders.

Hero

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The Hero is a typical melee-focused fighter, more at home on the battlefield than anywhere else. They start with high stats in Vigor, Endurance, and Strength, as well as formidable HP and Stamina bars. The Hero's starting equipment is a battle axe and leather shield, and they are described as "descended from a badlands chieftain." This vague backstory and set of equipment bring to mind a Viking warrior, or another equally ferocious tribal fighter with a culture of combat, similar to Eivor in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

Bandit

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A cross between a thief and a ranger, the Bandit is a class that combines stealth with ranged and close combat. Their high Dexterity stat comes in handy when using weapons or reacting to any given situation, and their high Arcane stat gives players access to certain spells as they progress through the game. A thief build is a classic archetype in many fantasy stories, and is used in games like Dishonored, particularly with their arcane abilities. But the ranger elements like their shortbow, buckler, and knife make it more reminiscent of the Rangers of Ithilien from Lord of the Rings, showing multiple influences and inspirations.

Warrior

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While the name may bring to mind more of a Tank-style class, Elden Ring's Warrior is like a cross between the Bandit and Vagabond classes. With high Dexterity and medium physical stats, the Warrior is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. Warriors can dual-wield two scimitars for powerful attacks, but this does mean that they sacrifice some of their defense. This can be recouped if they equip their wooden shield, so the choice is up to gamers for how they wish to play. This "twinblade wielding warrior from a nomadic tribe" has clear cultural influences from regions like the Middle East, South Asia, or North Africa — all areas where scimitars were historically a popular weapon of choice.

Prisoner

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Perhaps one of the most bizarre-looking classes for players to choose from, the Prisoner still feels at home in a FromSoftware game despite (or maybe because of) their strange metallic headpiece. With a slightly more advanced playstyle required, the Prisoner could cause some problems for Souls-like newbies, but presents interesting options for players thanks to their high Intelligence and Dexterity. Aside from the obvious Souls vibes in the character design, the Prisoner is reminiscent of the unidentified Frenchmen who remained masked throughout his incarceration and was misidentified by Voltaire as the Man in the Iron Mask.

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Wretch

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Like every Dark Souls game, FromSoftware has provided players with the seemingly susceptible, but surprisingly hardy, naked person armed with nothing but a stick. Although the Wretch may look like a tough class to master with their limited equipment (they only begin the game with a club) and their low level, they also offer players a lot of freedom when it comes to perfecting their own playstyle. The Wretch borrows from other FromSoftware games more than anything, and is the “deprived” of the game, giving players a blank starting slate.

Vagabond

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Similar to the Knight class in previous games, the Vagabond starts with high Vigor, Strength, and Dexterity. Armed with a sword, shield, and halberd, the Vagabond represents the more traditional armored fantasy fighter. Described as "a knight exiled from their homeland to wander," the Vagabond could be seen as representative of the fictional trope of a disgraced former hero searching for redemption, featured in many stories and games with fantasy themes. Their armored appearance and use of traditional knightly weapons also bring to mind many Dark Souls characters from earlier games.

Prophet

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Much like the Confessor, the Prophet class starts with a high Faith stat and various incantations. While Prophets begin the game with fairly low-level equipment, they also have a healing ability superior to the Confessor's, and a short-range fire blast for more offensive purposes. Depicted as "a seer ostracized for inauspicious prophecies," the Prophet appears to be influenced by Greek Mythology and the blind oracle Tiresias who had the power of foresight, but who often existed on the margins of society due to his gift.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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