One of the most important decisions you’ll make in any Soulslike is what to go with for your starting class. Ultimately, you’ll be able to adjust your character to whatever build you want by levelling up your stats, but your starting class affects your playstyle where it often matters most: Right at the beginning of the game. It determines your starting stats, the weapon you’ll likely use for the first few hours, the type of armor you’ll wear, what kind of magic you’ll wield, and what items you’ll start the game with.
It’s the kind of decision you’ll want to make an informed choice about, so to that end, we asked Hexworks themselves to breakdown the starting classes of Lords of the Fallen and give some recommendations as to what classes might fit a particular player’s style.
Blackfeather Ranger
A ranged archetype with two types of arrows at their disposal. While no slouch in melee range, the Blackfeather’s best strategy is to begin combat from afar, aiming manually and landing headshots for critical damage. If the Ranger does get into a close ranged scrap, once the enemy disengages, they can let loose with specialized arrows to trigger debuffs or elemental damage before getting back in and finishing them off with their axe.
Starting Gear:
Axe, Bow, Oak Arrows, Poison Arrows, Light Shield, Medium Armor
Stats to Focus:
Agility is the primary stat for the Ranger as it synergizes with the bow’s damage. As such, leaning toward more Agility based weapons is the most efficient strategy stats wise. There’s little need to scale into elemental magic as the arrows have elemental types. Raising Vitality for extra HP is always a fine idea, especially early game.
Note from the Developer:
Picking up targets from afar on the move, landing headshots in this type of melee focused game will always be satisfying. Especially landing critical bow hits on the bosses, hitting their weakpoints which are otherwise unreachable most of the time by melee. Aside from this, playing a cunning woodsman from the frozen wastes, feels like an apex predator on the prowl.
Condemned
This is a masochistic character class choice for pain gluttons. The Condemned is a wretched prisoner who has suffered indescribable torment. Flimsy and feeble, they make for a very poor starting class. They use their waste buckets from their cells as a melee weapon. They can throw rocks at their enemies, but that won’t achieve much except annoyance. As pitiful as that sounds if they are fast on their feet they can make reasonable progress, albeit paid in blood.
Starting Gear:
Broken Bucket Fist Weapon, Throwing Rocks, Light armor
Stats to Focus:
The Condemned has the lowest stats in the game and this makes them quite the dark horse when it comes to builds. They can build absolutely anything early on since level ups will come quickly and they won’t have points invested in stats that they don’t need. This is an expert class to be sure.
Note from the Developer:
No question they have one of the most iconic looks and they are perfect for experts that are keen on optimizing their builds. If the idea of starting with the ‘worst’ class and thriving with it for bragging rights sounds appealing, then the Conemned is the class for you. But the number one reason to play this class is the two handed sprint heavy attack: the dive kick. Dive kicking people off ledges puts the “Fall” in the Lords of the Fallen.
Dark Crusader
A powerful melee class with Radiant powers, and a Longsword capable of massive sweeps and deadly vertical strikes, the Dark Crusader is indomitable in melee, even more so than the Hallowed Knight. While it lacks in the ranged department, it more than makes up for it with excellent physical protection. The Crusader can charge into enemies, wielding the sword in the two handed stance, performing devastating spins, and few can withstand the onslaught, especially early game
Starting Gear:
Crusader Greatsword, Crusader Heavy Armor, Rosary Catalyst
Stats to Focus:
Strength will help with the melee damage and keep up with the heavier weapon requirements. Endurance for Stamina and carrying capacity, and for maintaining a reasonable encumbrance. And of course, Radiance to be able to cast more advanced protective spells.
Note from the Developer:
The Crusader is our poster boy, looks absolutely metal and is by far the most lore appropriate character to crusade and right the wrongs in Mournstead.
Exiled Stalker
The Exiled Stalker is an advanced class that fits the mold of the cunning and stylish rogue. This class wields twin daggers and is best described as a dervish of death. Getting in, chaining hits, and then disengaging in a flash only to re-engage half a second later is their specialty. He can also poison weapons like an assassin. This is an advanced class; it requires a lot of precision in execution and mastery of the terrain. As such, it is not recommended for beginners.
Starting Gear:
Two Daggers, Medium Stalker Armor, Throwing Daggers, Poison salts
Stats to Focus:
Agility and Endurance to boost Stamina and dagger damage, and so you can inflict as much damage as possible before being forced to disengage. This class does not do a lot of posture damage, which means, if not careful, they will end up trading hits with enemies. Increasing HP at the early levels is never a bad idea.
Note from the Developer:
The medieval assassin cut throat trope is obviously incredibly important. The Stalker is a stylish daredevil that appeals to many, since it is the epitome of confidence and martial artistry. A deadly dervish of death with poisoned blades. That being said, this is a very demanding class and its lengthy combos can land the players in hot water quite often.
Hallowed Knight
The Hallowed Knight is a classic sword and board archetype, who is very versatile, with a fast attack rate, while also having fairly good armor. Despite how heavy the armor looks, the class is medium encumbered, allowing for decent dashes and rolls. Open to spellcasting from the onset.
Starting Gear:
Short Sword, Knight Shield, Heavy Armor, Grenades, Healing-over-time consumable.
Stats to Focus:
Ideally Vitality and Endurance for HP and Stamina. Can then go either into Agility (for halberds and spears) or Radiance to cast Radiant spells.
Note from the Developer:
This is an all-rounder, a jack of all trades. Great defenses, fast attacks, popular weapon. Tossing grenades is always good fun. The most popular archtype: the errant knight
Mournstead Infantry
Extremely long melee range, with an emphasis on defense, ranged javelin tossing, and being quick on their feet. Despite this class starting off with comparitively low damage, their ranged capabilities more than make up for those shortcomings. Two handing the spear opens up massive lunging thrusts and multiple fast pokes.
Starting Gear:
Spear, Light Shield, Heavy Armor, Throwing Javelins, Healing-over-time consumable.
Stats to Focus:
Despite the heavy armor, the weapon and shield are fairly light, and alongside the Condemned, the Mournstead Infantry is free to specialize in anything. Either continue pumping Agility to get more damage out of the spear, or raising Strength to pick up the early halberds in the hub is also a great idea. Magic can also be easily be embraced since this class has decent melee and great range.
Note from the Developer:
This class is the infantry soldier archetype. Spear on the shoulder, small shield, poking at enemies from afar. The common type of medieval warrior that conquered the lands, poking at its enemies with spear and javelin. The common rank and file soldier rising above its status is another juicy medieval trope.
Orian Preacher
The pious evangelist of the Orian church, bestowing the wisdom of Orius, one hammer blow at a time. This is meant to be an advanced class for experienced players. While lacking in physical protection by donning robes and a flimsy shield, the Preacher more than makes for that with a tremendous hat. The hammer is weighty and impactful, breaking the will and posture of the heretics, and the starting healing spell grants the Preacher unparalleled sustain. Not that they need it – their faith alone will see them through these trials and tribulations.
Starting Gear:
Hammer, Light Shield, Radiant Catalyst, Healing Radiance Spell, Light Armor, Small Manastone consumable.
Stats to Focus:
Radiance is the number one priority. Not only does it boost the damage of the Radiant spells, but also increases mana. Vitality or Strength come next in terms of importance, both improving the Preacher’s survival in melee, since the Radiant spells are less about destructive power and lean more towards buffs and support. That being said, Preachers naturally branch into either full blown ranged spellcasters, or the paladin archtype, a heavy melee class drawing upon divine power.
Note from Developer:
Given how religion permeates all aspects of the game, the Preacher feels like the most lore appropriate class – Bringing justice to the heretics, redeeming the Sentinels, and smiting the demonic back from whence they came. And then there is that majestic hat that they sport.
Partisan
A variant of the Hallowed Knight, the Partisan is a Mournstead Knight champion. His starting weapon, a flail, is more specialized and comes along with a crossbow, which gives him quite powerful single target ranged options, especially compared to the knight’s bomb that focuses more on area of effect damage. The Partisan style of play is meant to be very relentless in their attack, especially given their Unripe Berries that buff stamina regeneration.
Starting Gear:
Flail, Knight Shield, Crossbow, Heavy Armor, Unripe Berries for Stamina regen.
Stats to Focus:
The Partisan has great defense, so increasing Agility to get more out of the flail, and Endurance to keep the momentum of swings is a great early strategy. As always, early investments in Vitality for HP is incredibly useful.
Note from the Developers:
Clad in chainmail, swinging flails and shooting crossbows, the Partisan is the skirmisher archetype. Perfectly balanced, with armor that is not as heavy as the Hallowed Knight. It reflects the fantasy of an effective duelist for all situations.
Pyric Cultist
The Pyric Cultist is an advanced class who is a fervent worshipper of Adyr and has sworn to see the natural order and humanity’s one true god finally restored. A mage wielding pyromantic spells that engages enemies from afar with a very effective fire projectile. They also make good use of the heavy polearm at their disposal when things survive the fiery barrage and close in. The staff is particularly effective against groups of enemies, while his initial fire magic is strong against single targets or closed grouped targets. This may seem exceptionally strong, but take heed: the early area features Rhogar enemies, and fire spells are not particularly effective against them.
Starting Gear:
Cultist Staff Polearm, Rhogar Catalyst, Infernal Orb Spell, Medium Armor, Small Manastone consumable
Stats to Focus:
Infernal is their most important stat – boosting spell damage as well as mana. Their armor is quite reasonable, which makes them fairly resisitant to physical damage. As such, investing in Endurance to maintain a high Stamina to keep flinging those spells and dodge out of harms way is a good first choice. Alternative they can branch out, investing heavily into strength to wield the heavy devastating Rhogar weapons that have high stat requirements as well as weight.
Note from the Developer:
With their masks made from human skin, these pyromancers are the anti-Preacher so to speak. Human cultits yearning for Adyr’s return, spreading its pestilent teachings in the human communities and immolating the opposition. Aside from being agents of chaos and destruction, they also revel in bloodletting, collecting hands and using them as catalysts. This is a very “Lords of the Fallen” kind of class, since the embracing of the unfettered power that the Rhogar wield is very satisfying. And damning.
Udirangr Warwolf
All out offensive class that focuses on overpowering melee strikes that can stagger foes, while still being fast on their feet. Right from the outset, this class has the ability to set their weapon on fire using Fire Salts and swing it arouind like a maniac.
Starting Gear:
Long Sword, Throwing Axes, Medium Armor, Fire Salts
Stats to Focus:
Strength to increase the melee damage and keep up with the influx of the juicy strength scaling weapons and high strength requirements. Leveling Vitality for Health is always desirable, especially early game.
Note from the Developer:
The Warwolf is the barbarian archtype, fur clad berserker. No shield, all in, devastating wide sweeping attacks and really handy axes to throw. This class fulfills that melee glass cannon fantasy. WIth a little bit of Radiance or Infernalm, you can learn buffing warcries to further deepen the fantasy.
Mitchell Saltzman is an editorial producer at IGN. You can find him on twitter @JurassicRabbit