Elden Ring: The Best Starting Classes [500+ Hours Experience]

The best starting class is the core element of the gameplay experience in Elden Ring. Like most Soulsborne games, you can always change or reset the starting class’s level stats later in the game, but in the early hours, the base stats, the armor, weapons, and starting items matter the most. 

Elden Ring Starting Classes Comparison

Elden Ring offers players a total of 10 Starting classes to choose from during the character creation screen. The following table compares all starting classes in Elden Ring.

1. Vagabond

Vagabond starting class in Elden Ring is similar to how a knight class performs in Dark Souls. This class rocks a long sword, decent armor set pieces, and a shield. Vagabond is the best starting class in Elden Ring should you want a quality, strength-based or melee-based playstyle in the game.

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Starting Stats

Starting Items

I prefer picking the Crimson Amber Medallion as the starting item for the Vagabond starting class in Elden Ring.

Starting Equipment

Here is the list of armor and weapons that Vagabond gets at the start of Elden Ring.

Armor

• Vagabond Knight Helm
• Vagabond Knight Armor
• Vagabond Knight Gauntlets
• Vagabond Knight Greaves

Weapons

• Longsword
• Halberd
• Heater Shield

Build Playstyle

A quick look at Vagabond’s starting stats will reveal that this class of character is designed to rely on melee weapons. It is because this starting class has one of the highest Vigor, Dexterity, and Strength. You can pretty much make decent strength, dexterity build, or a hybrid build of these two attributes for Vagabond in Elden Ring.

2. Samurai

Samurai is another starting class that focuses heavily on fast movements and quick attacks. This starting class can be made into a great dexterity build in Elden Ring. Also, the Samurai starting class comes with an Uchigatana sword and a longbow with normal and fire arrows as starting weapons.

Samurai is our best starting class in Elden Ring because he is the perfect fit for equipping the best weapons, applying bleed stats effect, and more on enemies in the early game.

Starting Stats

Starting Items

Since most of the playstyle of this starting class will involve close to mid-range combat, I recommend picking the Crimson Amber Medallion as a starting item in Elden Ring.

Starting Equipment

Here is the list of starting armor and weapons you get if you pick Samurai as the starting class in Elden Ring.

Armor

• Land of Reeds Helm
• Land of Reeds Armor
• Land of Reeds Gauntlets
• Land of Reeds Greaves

Weapons

• Uchigatana
• Longbow
• Arrow
• Fire Arrow
• Red Thorn Roundshield

Build Playstyle

Samurai has the highest dexterity in the game, so you will need to rely on sharp or dex weapons that must have a bleed status effect. 

3. Astrologer

The Astrologer is the perfect mage-casting starting class in Elden Ring. You also get two decent spells, which are excellent for AoE and ranged attacks. This is the best starting class in Elden Ring for players who’d want to have a pure intelligence or magic playstyle build in the early or mid-game.

Starting Stats

Starting Items

The Memory of Grace and a starting Keepsake item of the player’s preference are the two items the Astrologer starting class gets in Elden Ring.

Starting Equipment

Here is the list of starting equipment you’d get if you begin your journey with the Astrologer class. 

Armor

• Astrologer Hood
• Astrologer Robe
• Astrologer Gloves
• Astrologer Trousers

Weapons

• Glintstone Pebble
• Glintstone Arc
• Short Sword
• Astrologer’s Staff
• Scripture Wooden Shield

Build Playstyle

Astrologer is fully capable of becoming a pure intelligence caster in Elden Ring. Other than that, you can also use this starting class for a strength intelligence hybrid, a dexterity intelligence hybrid, and a caster hybrid using multiple spell types.

4. Prophet

The Prophet starting class has one of the highest Mind and Faith attributes in Elden Ring. This also makes this character class a perfect fit for using an incantations playstyle. 

Starting Stats

Starting Items

Since the Prophet is a little low on dealing physical damage, I recommend picking up the Fanged Imp Ashes so that you can summon two spirits to fight beside you.

Starting Equipment

Here is the list of starting equipment you get while playing with Prophet starting class in Elden Ring.

Armor

• Prophet Blindfold
• Prophet Robe
• Prophet Trousers

Weapons

• Heal
• Catch Flame
• Short Spear
• Finger Seal
• Rickety Shield

Build Playstyle

The Prophet class can be leveled up to use as a dexterity and faith hybrid playstyle. Since the prophet already has a high Mind and Faith levels from the get-go, investing equally in intelligence attributes will surely give you a hybrid caster class that will be best in incantations and sorceries.

My Take On The Best Starting Class

There are ten classes in Elden Ring, and a class can impact your experience, so you should choose it wisely. On your first playthrough, I would recommend you select the Samurai Build, as I think it is the best one in-game. 

Moreover, you also get Uchigatana, one of the best weapons in the Elden Ring. Warrior and Vagabond are pretty good too, but Samurai Class takes the throne for being the best starting class in Elden Ring.

That is pretty much everything you need to know about the best starting class in Elden Ring. Which class is your favorite in the game? Let us know more of your thoughts in the comments section below.