In Lords of the Fallen, as in most Soulslikes, you’ll make one of your biggest decisions right at the start of the game. That decision is, of course, choosing the base class which will define your starting character. Your decision here determines not only your starting stats but also your equipment loadout, both of which will define the difficulty of the game’s early sections. If you’re not sure which starting class you should pick in Lords of the Fallen, then read on for a quick-fire guide to their strengths, weaknesses, and overall playstyles.
Which of Lords of the Fallen’s starting classes is right for you?
Hallowed Knight
Screenshot: PC Invasion
A true classic. The Souls games, and many of their descendants, have traditionally been designed around a sword-and-board knight style of character, and that’s exactly what the Hallowed Knight offers in Lords of the Fallen. You get a solid sword, a solid shield, and a very solid spread of starting stats to back them up. Your initial allocation pushes you more towards a Strength focus than an Agility one, but you can still do either, or both, depending on your preference. In a fun twist, the Hallowed Knight also starts with some points in Radiance, letting you tap into light magic later down the line.
Udirangr Warwolf
Screenshot: PC Invasion
Since the dawn of Souls, players have built pure Strength builds: builds where you funnel every level you gain into the Strength stat, leaving the complexities of stat management to those who cower behind shields or pore meekly over spellbooks. The Udirangr Warwolf is the representative of that style of play in Lords of the Fallen, and it’s just as fun to play as it always has been. You take your massive starting greatsword, grip it firmly in both hands, and go to town on every enemy that stands in your way. A great starting Strength stat, and solid Endurance and Vitality stats, make the Warwolf viable right out of the box.
Partisan
Screenshot: PC Invasion
The Partisan is the epitome of the all-rounder class. It packs solid stats across the board, and options for both close- and long-range combat in its starting arsenal. Every class in Lords of the Fallen gets some kind of ranged attack, but the Partisan gets the best of them all with its powerful crossbow. Paired with a flail, you can get stuck into enemies near and far. It also comes with a shield, letting you play defense too when it comes to it. If you’re unsure of what kind of character you want to play in Lords of the Fallen and want to choose the starting class that leaves you the most options open, then the Partisan is your best bet.
Mournstead Infantry
Screenshot: PC Invasion
An Agility-focused class, but with enough points in the other physical stats to play Strength as well, the Mournstead Infantry is defined more by its starting loadout than its stat spread. It begins with a spear and small shield, ideal for parrying foes and following up with a critical thrust. Tanking up and attacking from behind the shield is also an option, but the starting light armor will likely push you to be more evasive, focusing on dodging and parrying rather than blocking.
Blackfeather Ranger
Screenshot: PC Invasion
Essentially a vibe-shifted version of the Partisan, the Blackfeather Ranger offers the same mechanical flexibility in a lighter, more agile package. The starting loadout of axe and bow lets you fight well at any range, but the lighter gear compared to the Partisan lets you be more evasive, dancing around enemies rather than standing your ground and bearing their brunt on your shields. The Partisan has better stats overall, so in most cases, you’d be better off going with that instead of the Blackfeather Ranger. But if you prefer nimble feet to heavy boots, then you’ll likely still find plenty to enjoy here.
Exiled Stalker
Screenshot: PC Invasion
The first ‘Advanced Class’ on this list, the Exiled Stalker is, according to the game, more challenging to master than those we’ve covered so far. In terms of archetype, it’s a classic nimble rogue, with a ton of points stacked up in the Agility stat to really maximize the damage of its dual daggers. Thanks to its lack of shield and light armor, dodging will be your bread and butter with this class, as will landing quick strikes with your blades whenever the opportunity presents itself. Speed-based classes like this are all about quantity over quality, inflicting lots of small hits as opposed to one big one, so if you enjoy that style of play, this should be your class of choice.
Orian Preacher
Screenshot: PC Invasion
The Orian Preacher is one of two magic-focused classes in Lords of the Fallen, the second of which we’ll be getting to shortly. It specializes in the Radiance stat, which governs the power and availability of holy spells, letting you righteously smite your foes from minute one. If that plan fails, it can also fall back on a gnarly thorned hammer and battered shield combo to deal with those who get too close. Holy magic offers both defensive utility and damage potential, but the trade-off is that the Orian Preacher doesn’t do too well in physical combat — early on, at least. This is a slow-burner class with big potential later, so if you’re fine with enduring a tricky start, there are great rewards in it for you with this one.
Pyric Cultist
Screenshot: PC Invasion
The Pyric Cultist is all about risk vs. reward. It’s tied with the Orian Preacher for having the highest starting stat across all the classes, with 18 points in Inferno, but mediocre stats elsewhere mean that it’s very much reliant on the fire magic Inferno enables to survive. Matters aren’t helped by its light armor and low Vitality, both of which make you a bit of a glass cannon early on. If you like living life on the edge, and enjoy the sizzling spectacle of fire magic, then the Pyric Cultist is the perfect starting class for you.
Condemned
Screenshot: PC Invasion
The Condemned is a continuation of one of the Soulslike genre’s best recurring jokes: the useless starting class. Most games in this style have one, a character with bad stats across the board, poor starting equipment, and no special items or abilities to help overcome these difficulties. Lords of the Fallen takes things one step further by making the Condemned’s starting weapon a bucket: a playful reminder of where the class belongs. The game tells you to pick the Condemned at your own risk, and you will undoubtedly have a tough time if you choose it as your starting class, but the trade-off is greater control over your stat distribution since they all start at 9 and can be shaped from there according to your preferences. Perhaps better suited to repeat playthroughs, where you can plan your progression based on the items and weapons you know are coming, the Condemned is a great pick for challenge runs and specialized builds alike.
When deciding which starting class you should pick in Lords of the Fallen, you should take all of the above into account, and weigh all of the available options according to your own preferences and past experiences with the Soulslike genre. There really is something for everyone among these nine classes, and each new playthrough will let you test out another, so don’t be afraid to experiment and move outside your comfort zone, too.
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