Dark Souls Classes Explained: Which Starting Class Is Best

There are 10 starting classes in Dark Souls and Dark Souls Remastered: Warrior, Knight, Wanderer, Thief, Bandit, Hunter, Sorcerer, Pyromancer, Cleric and Deprived. For most new players the Pyromancer or Knight is the best pick, the Thief is strongest for experienced players who want the Master Key, and the Sorcerer is the clear choice for a magic build. The good news is that your class only sets where you start, so no choice locks you out of any build later.

We checked every stat and starting item below against the Fextralife Dark Souls wiki's class and gift pages in November 2026. The numbers are identical in Remastered and the original release.

All Ten Classes and Their Starting Stats

Every class starts with a different spread across eight stats: Vitality, Attunement, Endurance, Strength, Dexterity, Resistance, Intelligence and Faith. The starting level is calculated from those stats, but Resistance is ignored in that calculation, which is why high-Resistance classes start at lower levels than you might expect.

Dark Souls starting classes (Fextralife Classes page)

Class	Level	VIT	ATT	END	STR	DEX	RES	INT	FTH
Warrior	4	11	8	12	13	13	11	9	9
Knight	5	14	10	10	11	11	10	9	11
Wanderer	3	10	11	10	10	14	12	11	8
Thief	5	9	11	9	9	15	10	12	11
Bandit	4	12	8	14	14	9	11	8	10
Hunter	4	11	9	11	12	14	11	9	9
Sorcerer	3	8	15	8	9	11	8	15	8
Pyromancer	1	10	12	11	12	9	12	10	8
Cleric	2	11	11	9	12	8	11	8	14
Deprived	6	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11

Two numbers jump out. The Pyromancer starts at level 1, the lowest in the game, and the Deprived starts at level 6 with an even 11 in everything. Most classes total 86 stat points; the Sorcerer has 82, the Pyromancer and Cleric 84, and the Deprived 88.

Why Your Class Matters Less Than You Think

The wiki puts it plainly: classes only determine what your character starts the game with. Every stat can be raised at a bonfire, and every weapon, spell and armor set can be found or bought by any class. A Sorcerer can end the game in heavy armor with a greataxe, and a Bandit can become a pyromancer.

What the class really decides is how the first few hours feel. The Asylum Demon, the Taurus Demon and the Bell Gargoyle all arrive before you have many souls to spend, so a class with a strong opening weapon, a good shield or a ranged attack makes that stretch noticeably smoother. Our Dark Souls boss order guide shows how quickly those early fights come.

There is one real long-term effect. A lower starting level costs slightly more souls overall to reach the same final stats, but it also lets you place every point exactly where you want it. Min-maxers aiming for a specific level for co-op or PvP care about this. Everyone else can ignore it.

The Strongest Picks: Pyromancer, Knight and Thief

Pyromancer. The wiki calls it among the stronger starting options because of its early access to pyromancy, good stat distribution and the lowest soul requirements for leveling. It starts with a Hand Axe, a Cracked Round Shield, the Pyromancy Flame and Fireball. Pyromancy damage does not scale with Intelligence or any other stat, which means every class can use it well once they find a flame. The advice is to put points into Dexterity to cast faster.

Knight. The most forgiving class for a nervous first run. It starts with the highest Vitality in the game at 14, a Broadsword, the Tower Kite Shield and the full Knight armor set. The catch is weight: the Knight starts heavy enough to roll slowly, so the wiki suggests leveling Endurance early. One point in Faith also unlocks the Heal, Force and Seek Guidance miracles that Petrus sells at Firelink Shrine.

Thief. The Thief starts with a Master Key, which opens many doors early and gives you access to much of the game, plus the Bandit's Knife, the Target Shield and the Black Leather set. The Bandit's Knife deals high critical damage and the Target Shield has extended parry frames, which makes it lethal in experienced hands. It also starts with 15 Dexterity, the highest of any class, and extra Attunement, Intelligence and Faith for hybrid builds. Do not take the Master Key as your gift if you pick the Thief, since you already have one.

The Other Melee Classes

• Warrior. Starts with a Longsword, the Heater Shield and hard leather armor. The wiki notes it has one of the better shields in the game and stats high enough to use many decent weapons immediately, but its casting stats are among the lowest, so it is a poor pick for magic.
• Bandit. Starts with a Battle Axe, the Spider Shield and the Brigand set, with high Vitality, Endurance and Strength. Its 14 Strength and 14 Endurance suit heavy weapons from the start.
• Hunter. The only class that starts with a bow. It gets a Shortsword, Short Bow, Standard Arrows and a Large Leather Shield. That bow is handy for pulling enemies one at a time and softening up anything you would rather not meet head-on.
• Wanderer. Starts with a Scimitar and a Leather Shield. It looks like a pure Dexterity class, but the wiki points out it pairs well with sorcery, especially buffs like Great Magic Weapon and Crystal Magic Weapon on fast weapons.

If you want a straightforward strength or dexterity build, any of these four works. The Bandit and Warrior give the best early damage, and the Hunter gives the most flexibility in the opening areas.

The Casters: Sorcerer and Cleric

The Sorcerer starts with 15 Attunement and 15 Intelligence, which the wiki calls the best choice for specializing in sorceries. Its kit is a Dagger, the Sorcerer's Catalyst, a Small Leather Shield and the Soul Arrow spell. It also starts with the lowest Resistance of any class, which the wiki counts as a plus, since Resistance is a stat most builds leave alone. Intelligence-scaling weapons such as the Moonlight Greatsword are a natural fit later.

The Cleric starts with 14 Faith, a Mace, the East-West Shield, the Canvas Talisman and the Heal miracle. It is aimed at players who want a Faith build with healing and support tools, but its offensive miracles come later, so the early game leans on the Mace. Faith also unlocks one of the game's covenants: the Warrior of Sunlight needs 25 Faith to join, a number the Cleric reaches sooner than anyone. Our guide to all nine Dark Souls covenants lists the requirements for each.

The Deprived and Your Starting Gift

The Deprived starts with nothing but a Club and a Plank Shield. The wiki is blunt that there is not much it can do that other classes cannot do better at the start. Its even spread of 11 in every stat makes it a blank slate, and the Club's B rating in Strength scaling actually makes it one of the better weapons for the Asylum Demon. Pick it if you want a challenge or a fully custom build; avoid it on a first run.

After the class, you choose a starting gift. The eight options are the Divine Blessing, Black Firebomb, Twin Humanities, Binoculars, Pendant, Master Key, Tiny Being's Ring and Old Witch's Ring. Most are limited-use items, while a few are key items or equipment. The Master Key is the popular choice for non-Thief classes, but the wiki warns it can lead you into areas you are not ready for. The Black Firebombs make the Asylum Demon much easier, and Twin Humanities give you an early supply for kindling. If you plan to stock up on humanity later anyway, our humanity farming guide covers where to get more.

Chasing the platinum or all achievements? Class does not matter for any of them, but the Pyromancer's head start on spells helps with the pyromancy collection, as explained in our Dark Souls Remastered trophy guide.

Matching a Class to the Build You Want

If you already know the kind of character you want to end up with, work backward from it. The idea is to pick the class whose starting stats waste the fewest points on things your build will never use.

• Heavy strength build: Bandit. Its Strength and Endurance are where a greataxe or greatsword build wants them, and its low Intelligence costs you nothing.
• Fast dexterity build: Thief or Hunter. Both open with 14 or more Dexterity, and the Thief's Master Key is a bonus.
• Pure sorcery: Sorcerer, without much debate.
• Faith and miracles: Cleric for a pure build, or Knight if you want the extra health while you level Faith.
• Spellsword hybrid: Wanderer for sorcery buffs on a dexterity weapon, or Thief for a mix of everything.
• No idea yet: Pyromancer. It levels cheaply, Fireball carries the early game, and nothing about it locks you in.

Whatever you choose, the first upgrade levels on your weapon will matter more than your class within a couple of hours. Spend early titanite on one weapon you like rather than chasing the perfect starting stats.

Trying Every Class Without Starting Over

If you want to test several builds without replaying the opening for each one, the store's Dark Souls Remastered modded starter save gives you three fresh characters. The product page lists a level 5 character with all items, all weapons except boss and special weapons and 999,999,999 souls, a level 1 character with all items, all weapons, all magic and the same soul count, and a third copy of that level 1 character with infinite health and stamina added.

Starting at level 1 with a huge soul bank means you can level any stat you like, which is a quick way to try a Sorcerer, Cleric or Pyromancer style build in an afternoon. It is for PS4 and PS5 only and you must own Dark Souls Remastered. Details are on the Remastered modded save page and the wider Dark Souls store section.

Frequently Asked Questions