Lords of the Fallen: Best Starting Classes

Despite forming its own identity within the world of Soulslikes, Lords of the Fallen shares many similarities with its namesake. Whether you’re new to the genre or have extensive experience, there are some new things to learn here, such as the game’s realm-shifting mechanics. As you’ll be learning as you play, it’s a good idea to choose a class that fits your playstyle. Our guide details the best starting classes in Lords of the Fallen.

Best Starter Classes in Lords of the Fallen

Lords of the Fallen features nine starting classes — 10 if you count the Deluxe Edition’s early bonus. Overall, the game is flexible, allowing any player to equip any gear and magic as long as the proper stat requirements have been met. Because of this, anyone who may find these choices too easy or too hard to use can morph them into something different altogether after making some progress.

Dark Crusader

Standard edition owners have to make progress before unlocking the Dark Crusader, whereas Deluxe Edition owners are given the option from the start. If it’s available to you, the Dark Crusader tops our best starting classes list thanks to its starting strength, endurance, and vitality.

The Dark Crusader begins with the highest vitality stat in the game by several points, meanwhile offering equally impressive endurance.

The Dark Crusader excels at tanking hits and dealing posture damage. This makes it a safe bet for players with trouble learning enemy patterns. They’ll be able to take a few more hits than just about every other starting class. As long as you keep investing points in endurance, you’ll get the benefits of a hard-hitting tank without the slow movement associated with the archetype.

Advanced players can also benefit from the Dark Crusader’s posture damage. Most standard enemies become instantly staggered from one parry, letting you finish them off without a sweat. As one final boon, the Dark Crusader can be geared toward some Radiance Magic usage. In this case, the class begins with a throwable that deals holy damage, which is much better than the rocks you’re otherwise given in the early game.

Hallowed Knight

The Hallowed Knight is our second pick for those who don’t have access to the Dark Crusader. Think of it as a slightly leveled-down version of that class with similar strengths. Both archetypes feature the same strength stats, with endurance being only one point apart. Its starting vitality and Radiance may be quite a bit lower than the Dark Crusader, but that’s not a bad thing.

In isolation, the Hallowed Knight also appears attractive to players who want a hard-hitting character. Luckily, the Hallowed Knight begins with a shield, making you more resistant to posture damage. Shields also tend to offer their own stat benefits and additional protection depending on the shield. The Hallowed Knight’s starting throwable, the firebomb, can also be quite deadly when used on the right mobs when bunched together.

Partisan

The Partisan is your typical all-arounder for players who want to test things out and not commit to a path too early. The Partisan begins with a respectable number of strength points, as well as points dumped into agility, endurance, and vitality. While not matching the strength of the Udirangr Wolf or the vitality of the Dark Crusader, it isn’t especially lacking in anything except a magic predisposition.

This makes the class viable in many early-game scenarios before you begin to figure out how to specialize further. Sporting a shield like the Hallowed Knight, the Partisan allows for a greater safety net thanks to its vastly increased agility. It’s also one of only two classes that begins with a bow-type weapon, which comes in handy for players who love to pick enemies off from a distance.

Those are the best starting classes in Lords of the Fallen. If you’re interested in leveling up your understanding of the game, we also have a weapon upgrades guide, as well as other tips and tricks for your journey on our guides page for the game.