Choosing your start in the Lands Between feels like a life-or-death commitment. You’re staring at ten different faces, wondering if picking the guy in the metal bucket will ruin your 100-hour save. Honestly? It won't. But picking the wrong one makes those first five hours a total nightmare.
Most people think Elden Ring classes are like traditional RPG roles where a Mage can never pick up a sword. That's just wrong. These are "origins." They determine your starting gear and your "floor" for stats. You can turn a naked Wretch into a plate-wearing tank by level 30 if you want. The trick is knowing which path saves you the most frustration early on.
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The Melee Meat-Grinder: Vagabond and Hero
If you’re new, just pick the Vagabond. Seriously.
It starts with 15 Vigor. In Elden Ring, Vigor is the "I don't want to die in one hit" stat. You get a Longsword, a Halberd, and a Heater Shield. That shield is the MVP because it has 100% physical damage negation. You block a hit, you don't lose health. Simple. Just remember to unequip the Halberd or a piece of armor immediately—the Vagabond starts "heavy," which makes your dodge roll slow and clunky.
The Hero is for the person who wants to hit things with a brick. It’s the best pure Strength start. You get a Battle Axe and a high Strength stat, but your Dexterity is low. If you want to use a bow later, you'll have to waste points catching up. It's a specialized pick for those who know they want the "unga bunga" lifestyle of giant hammers and colossal swords.
Dexterity Darlings: Samurai and Warrior
The Samurai is arguably the best class in the game for a first playthrough. It’s kind of ridiculous. You start with the Uchigatana, which has a native "Bleed" effect. Bleed is incredibly strong because it deals a percentage of a boss's total health once the meter fills up. You also get a Longbow right away. Being able to snipe annoying imps from a distance before they ambush you is a godsend.
Then there's the Warrior. You start with two Scimitars. It looks cool—you’re basically a spinning blade of death. But be careful. Dual-wielding means you can’t use a shield effectively, and you have to upgrade two weapons to keep your damage up. It’s a bit of a resource sink for beginners.
Magic and the "Glass Cannon" Problem
Choosing between Astrologer and Prophet is basically choosing between blue lasers and yellow fire.
The Astrologer is your classic Sorcerer. You start with Glintstone Pebble, which is basically a magical sniper rifle. It’s safe, it’s effective, but you are fragile. One stray dog bite and you’re back at the Grace.
Prophets are a bit weirder. They use Incantations (Faith). You get a Short Spear and a fire spell called Catch Flame. It’s basically a magical shotgun—you have to be close. It’s more versatile later on because Faith covers healing, fire, lightning, and holy damage, but the start is definitely more technical than the Astrologer's "stand back and shoot" vibe.
The Hybrid Weirdos: Prisoner and Confessor
The Prisoner looks terrifying with that iron mask, but it’s actually a brilliant Intelligence/Dexterity hybrid. It starts with Magic Glintblade, a spell that delays its firing. You cast it, the enemy dodges the cast, and then the blade actually fires and hits them in the back. It’s smart.
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The Confessor is the "Paladin" start. High Faith and decent Strength/Dex. You get a Broadsword and a 100% physical shield, just like the Vagabond, plus a small heal. It’s the highest starting level (Level 10), which actually makes it slightly worse for "min-maxing" later, but it’s a very comfy safety net for someone who wants a bit of everything.
The Outliers: Bandit and Wretch
Don't pick the Bandit unless you love parrying or want a very specific Bleed/Arcane build. The Great Knife is short. You will miss your swings. You will get frustrated. It's fun for veterans who want to use the high Arcane stat to find rare items, but for a first timer? It’s a struggle.
And the Wretch?
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- Level 1.
- 10 in every stat.
- A wooden club.
- No clothes.
People say it's the "best" because it's a blank slate. That's a trap. While it's true you can respec later, the Wretch is actually less "optimized" because it has 10s in stats you might want to be at 7 or 8. Only pick this if you want that "zero to hero" feeling where every pair of pants you find feels like a legendary treasure.
Making Your Final Call
If you’re still staring at the screen, follow this logic:
- Vagabond if you want to survive.
- Samurai if you want the best weapon.
- Astrologer if you want to blow things up from the next zip code.
- Confessor if you want to be a battle-mage with a shield.
Forget about the "end game" for now. By the time you reach the midpoint of the game, you'll meet an NPC who lets you reset all your stats anyway. Your starting class is about surviving the first few hours in Limgrave without throwing your controller.
Next Steps for Your Build:
Once you pick your class, go find the Gatefront Ruins in Limgrave immediately. There’s a map fragment there and a basement with the Whetblade, which lets you customize your weapon’s skills. This is way more important than your starting stats because it determines how your weapon actually scales with your character. If you picked a magic class, head south to the Weeping Peninsula for better spells early. If you went melee, just keep pumping Vigor until it hits 30. You’ll thank me when the first major boss doesn't delete your health bar in a single swing.