What Elden Ring Starting Class Will You Choose? Poll 1

With Elden Ring now less than two weeks away, it's time to start making some important decisions. Firstly: what will be your starting class? Of course, you can spec in any direction you like whilst exploring The Lands Between, but choosing a specific class can help you achieve the build you like much faster. Maybe you want to stick with the sword and shield, dabble in a bit of magic, or attack from a distance with a bow and arrow. Elden Ring has starting classes that'll help you achieve those goals quickly.

Therefore, we want to know what sort of build you're aiming for and the starting class you'll choose in order to get there fast. You can share your pick in the latest Push Square poll at the bottom of this article, but if you need help choosing, we've included a brief overview of all 10 classes in the game below. The information has been sourced from Fextralife.

Hero

A stalwart Hero, at home with a battleaxe, descended from a badlands chieftain.

Starting Equipment: Battle Axe, Leather Shield

The Hero class is the perfect choice for players looking to spec into Strength. It begins the game with the highest stat in that category of 16, and couples it with a lot of Vigor. Not the most of every class on offer, but only a single point off the top at 14.

Bandit

A dangerous bandit who strikes for weak points. Excels at ranged combat with bows.

Starting Equipment: Knife, Shortbow, Buckler, Bone Arrow (Fetched)

Those of you looking to take advantage of stealth will want to select the Bandit class. Sticking to the shadows most of the time and striking when the time is right, the class starts the game with the most Arcane (14). That's significantly more than the others, with the stat governing item discovery and affecting your resistance to incantations.

Astrologer

A scholar who reads fate in the stars. Heir to the school of glintstone sorcery.

Starting Equipment: Staff, Shortsword, Shield

The Astrologer class is essentially the mage, with high starting stats in Mind and Intelligence. The latter governs your use and effectiveness of offensive spells, so this is the class for you if you want to deal damage through magic. Mind then affects your FP (Focus Points) gauge, so since the Astrologer has such high base stats in this field, you'll be able to pop off a lot of spells straight from the off.

What Elden Ring Starting Class Will You Choose? Poll 2

Warrior

A twinblade wielding warrior from a nomadic tribe. An origin of exceptional technique.

Starting Equipment: Scimitar x2, Buckler, Blue Cloth Cowl, Blue Cloth Vest, Swordsman Gauntlets, Swordsman Greaves

Dexterity is the name of the game for the Warrior class, beginning the game with the most at 16. All its other base stats are fairly average, however. This could be a good option for archers.

Prisoner

A prisoner bound in an iron mask. Studied in glintstone sorcery, having lived among the elite prior to sentencing.

Starting Equipment: Estoc, Staff, Shield

The Prisoner class is fairly similar to the Astrologer, except it really doesn't do well with Faith. You'll want to avoid this class — at least for starters — if you want to use defensive spells for healing and buffs. It has the worst Faith stat in the game at the start, so only pick this one if you're looking for decent Dexterity and Intelligence.

Confessor

A church spy adept at covert operations. Equally adept with a sword as they are with incantations.

Starting Equipment: Broadsword, Shield, Finger Seal

Thanks to a high Faith stat and decent physical starting attributes, the Confessor class strikes a nice balance between melee weapon usage and defensive spells. Just be warned though that you begin the game at level 10 — the highest of any starting class. That means you have an ever so slightly smaller chance to customise your build.

What Elden Ring Starting Class Will You Choose? Poll 3

Wretch

A poor purposeless osd naked as they day they were born. A nice club is all they have.

Starting Equipment: Club

Boy do we love the descriptions attached to these deprived classes. Yes, the Wretch class is the one that begins at level one and has far and away the toughest opening hours. All of your base stats begin at 10, and you'll need to play it safe in the early goings. The upside to all this, though, is that you have a ton of extra levels to allocate over the other classes, so you really can take the Wretch in whichever direction you like. If you make it through the first few hours unscathed, then the Wretch class is an enticing option.

Vagabond

A knight exiled from their homeland to wander. A solid, armor-clad origin.

Starting Equipment: Longsword, Halberd, Shield

If you're looking for a "Quality Build", the Vagabond class is the one for you. It has the highest Vigor stat of all the starting classes in the game, which is then combined with high Strength and Dexterity. You'll need to work on those Intelligence and Faith stats if you wish to use magic, though.

Prophet

A seer ostracized for inauspicious prophecies. Well versed in healing incantations.

Starting Equipment: Spear, Finger Seal, Rickety Shield, Prophet Blindfold, Prophet Robe, Prophet Trousers, Heal, Beast Claw

With very high Mind and Faith stats, the Prophet class can cast a lot of defensive spells before having to replenish FP. You also automatically begin with the Heal and Beast Claw spells, so you can both attack and defend using magic straight from the off. The downside is your base physical stats are pretty bad, with the worst starting Endurance in the game.

What Elden Ring Starting Class Will You Choose? Poll 4

Samurai

A capable fighter from the distant land of reeds. Handy with Katana and Longbows.

Starting Equipment: Uchigatana, Long Bow, Red Thorn Roundshield, Bone Arrow (Fletched), Firebone Arrow (Fletched)

The Samurai class begins with the highest Endurance stat in the game, paired with lots of Dexterity and decent Strength. This doesn't seem like the best option for magic-based builds, but those using a bow and arrow in combination with melee weapons should do nicely.

So, what will it be? Are you looking to spec into melee weapons, magic, or long-ranged bow and arrows? Make your choice in the poll and then expand on your decision in the comments below.

What Elden Ring starting class will you choose?