Summary
There are plenty of classes to choose from when beginningElden Ring, but some are undoubtedly more beginner-friendly than others. The various potential backgrounds for the Tarnished offer a wide variety of starting equipment and stats, which can encourage people to experiment with new playstyles over time. On the other hand, the choice of class can also have a notable impact onhow hardElden Ringis, particularly in the early stages of the game.
There are a total of ten classes to choose from inElden Ring, each with its own specialties and weaknesses. When starting a new game, it is important to keep in mind how much the choice of class can affect gameplay; a Tarnished’s strengths and weaknesses, and by extension the tactics they are best suited to, are effectively defined by their class in the early game. As such, some classes are clearly better suited to more experienced players, or at least those looking for a bigger challenge, while others make the beginning of the game more accessible.
How Many Bosses Are In Elden Ring?
As befitting the sheer size of the Lands Between, there are an immense number of Bosses available for the Tarnished to fight in Elden Ring.
The Vagabond Is the Most Beginner-Friendly Elden Ring Class
A Well-Rounded Option With A Lot Of Health
Among the various options,the Vagabond is arguably the best class forElden Ringbeginners. It offers the highest starting Vitality at 15, the second-highest Strength stat at 14 (as opposed to the Hero’s 16 Strength points), and is very well-rounded in general. As a result,the Vagabond has the highest starting health, something which is always a major advantage in a Soulsborne game and of great importance to beginners in particular. The comparatively high strength stat also works well with melee combat, a common type of RPG combat style that is relatively easy to come to grips with.
The Vagabond begins the game at level 9, which means it will cost 811 runes for the Tarnished’s first level up when choosing this class.
In addition to this,the Vagabond’s equipment plays to the class’ strengthsperfectly, offering players the ability to wield a longsword or halberd alongside a simple but effective shield.The Heater Shield can block all physical damage when guarding, a perfect choice for facing the enemies commonly found in the first part of the game. Although blocking attacks does cost Stamina, alternating between a sword (or halberd) and shield allows a Tarnished to make quick work of Godrick Soldiers and other physically threatening foes in Limgrave.
Of course, there are otherclasses inElden Ringthat offer a similarly smooth start to the game for different playstyles, such as the magic-oriented Astrologer. Although physically weak, the class starts with two basic Glintstone Sorceries (Glintstone Pebble and Glintstone Arc) to fight enemies with from a distance. Again, as much of Limgrave’s enemies focus on melee combat, fighting at range compensated for the Astrologer’s lower starting health pool. However, it is also worth noting thatthe Damage Reduction and Resistances provided by the Vagabond’s starting armor make it among the best available at the beginning ofElden Ring.
Elden Ring: Starting Gear Each Class Should Pick According To Lore
Although classes don’t really matter in Elden Ring, there are certain weapons and armor sets that are more lore-accurate to wear than others.
Some Elden Ring Classes Present A Bigger Starting Challenge
Some Choices Are Best Suited For Experienced Players
In direct contrast to the Vagabond, there are some classes that can make completing the early stages ofElden Ringmuch harder, particularly for those who are new to the game and inexperienced with its gameplay. For example, the Wretch is extremely weak, starting the game at level 1 with nothing but a Club. As the class name suggests, this option makes the Tarnished very frail, making combat much more of a struggle.
With no pre-allocated stats, it is worth noting that the Wretch does also offer the best freedom in directing the Tarnished’s growth and early build.
Ultimately, everyElden Ringclass has its own appeal, and exploring the differences between them provides an excellent reason to choose starting a new game over a New Game Plus. Of course, given enough time, theTarnished’s overall build can be directed in any number of ways as their level increases. Moreover, the possibilities become truly endless once Rennala has been defeated and Rebirth unlocked, with it being perfectly possible to change the Tarnished’s stats to reflect a different starting class to their chosen one (although then acquiring the relevant equipment can itself cost runes).
The Vagabond class is an excellent starting class, offering good defensive properties alongside good Strength and HP. The class’ balanced stats also mean that the Vagabond can be a jack of all trades, able to pick up basic magic without the need to grind too much or respec. Of course, some may find anotherElden Ringstarting class suits them better, depending on their preferred playstyle. But for beginners, especially those with no real preference or who are otherwise unsure of what to pick, one cannot go wrong with a Vagabond Tarnished inElden Ring.
