Dark Souls 3 Character Classes Explained: Which One Actually Fits Your Playstyle?

You’re standing there, staring at the screen, and the music is doing that ominous swelling thing it always does in FromSoftware games. You haven't even seen a hollow yet, but you’re already stressed. That’s the classic Dark Souls 3 experience. Choosing a starting class feels like a massive, life-altering commitment, but honestly? It’s mostly about your "math" for the first three hours.

Dark Souls 3 character classes explained simply: they are just presets. They determine your starting gear and your base stats. They don't lock you into a "job" forever. If you start as a beefy Knight and suddenly decide you want to shoot blue lasers from a stick, you can. It just might take you a few extra levels to get there.

Most people overthink this. They see the stats—Vigor, Attunement, Luck—and their brain melts a little. Don't let it. Whether you’re a veteran of the series or someone who just bought the game because you saw a cool clip on TikTok, your starting class is really just about how much of a "head start" you want in a specific direction.

The Heavy Hitters: Knight and Warrior

The Knight is the gold standard. Seriously. If you’re unsure, just pick the Knight. You start with the Longsword, which is arguably one of the best weapons in the entire game, regardless of how many hours you put in. It’s fast. It hits hard enough. Most importantly, the Knight starts with the Knight Shield. This isn't just a piece of metal; it’s a 100% physical damage reduction shield. That means if a dog bites you and you’re holding that shield up, you take zero damage. In Lothric, that’s a luxury.

Then you have the Warrior. If the Knight is the disciplined soldier, the Warrior is the guy who just wants to hit things with a heavy piece of iron until they stop moving. You start with the Battle Axe and the highest Strength stat of any class. You aren't here to block; you’re here to trade hits and win. It’s a very "gaunlet" style of play. You’ll have less Attunement—which means fewer Focus Points (FP) for weapon arts—but who needs magic when you have a big axe?

Some players argue the Warrior is better for "Pure Strength" builds because it has low Intelligence and Faith, meaning you aren't "wasting" points in stats you won't use. It’s about efficiency.

Why the Mercenary and Herald are "Middle Ground" Choices

The Mercenary is the "Sellsword Twinblades" delivery system. Those blades are widely considered the highest DPS (damage per second) weapon for PvE content. You start with high Dexterity, making this the go-to for anyone who wants to play Bloodborne style—fast, aggressive, and lots of rolling. You’re a bit of a glass cannon, though. You don't have the heavy armor of the Knight, so if you miss a roll, it’s going to hurt.

The Herald is a weird one. It’s a hybrid. You get a spear, a decent shield, and a basic healing miracle. It feels like the "safety" class for people who are scared of running out of Estus Flasks. The spear allows you to poke enemies from behind your shield, which is a very safe, albeit slow, way to play. Honestly? Most players find the Herald a bit underwhelming once they reach the mid-game, but for the High Wall of Lothric, that extra heal is a godsend.

Thieves and Assassins: The High-Skill Floor

Let’s be real: the Thief is rough for beginners. You start with a Bandit’s Knife and a Shortbow. The knife relies on "Bleed" damage. You hit the enemy five times, the bleed meter fills up, and pop—they lose a chunk of health. It’s satisfying, but against bosses that don't bleed? You’re basically tickling them. And the Luck stat? It’s mostly for item discovery and specific niche builds. Unless you really love the aesthetic of a hooded rogue, maybe skip this for your first run.

The Assassin is a bit more interesting. You get the Estoc—a very long, annoying thrusting sword—and the "Spook" sorcery. Spook muffles your footsteps and eliminates fall damage. It’s great for sneaking up on those annoying Lothric Knights or taking shortcuts that would usually kill you. It’s a Dexterity/Intelligence hybrid start, which is a fun way to play if you like having a few tricks up your sleeve.

Magic Users: Sorcerer, Pyromancer, and Cleric

Magic in Dark Souls 3 is... controversial. Some say it's "Easy Mode," others say it's "Hard Mode" until you get the right items.

1. Sorcerer: You start with two spells and high Intelligence. You’re going to be kiting enemies, shooting Soul Arrows, and running away a lot. Early game is tough because your mana (FP) is limited. Late game? You’re a god.
2. Pyromancer: This is often called the best "new player" magic class. You get fire. Most things in Dark Souls 3 are terrified of fire. Dogs, pus of man, tree-creatures—they all freak out when you hit them with a fireball. You level both Intelligence and Faith, which gives you a lot of flexibility later on.
3. Cleric: You’re the holy warrior. You start with a Mace (which has great "poise" damage to stagger enemies) and healing spells. It’s a slow burn. Offensive miracles like Lightning Spear don't show up until much later in the game. You’re playing the long game here.

The Deprived: The Naked Man with a Club

You’ve seen the memes. The Deprived starts at Level 1 with nothing but a loincloth and a wooden club. On paper, it looks like a joke. In reality, it’s the most flexible class in the game. Because you start at Level 1, every stat is at a flat 10. This is the blank canvas. If you’re a veteran who wants to min-max a specific build at Level 120 for PvP, the Deprived is often the most efficient starting point.

Plus, there is a certain psychological advantage to beating a boss while wearing literally nothing. It sends a message.

Understanding the Stats (The "Math" Part)

When looking at Dark Souls 3 character classes explained, you have to look at the numbers under the hood.

Vigor is your health. Everyone needs this. Regardless of whether you’re a wizard or a warrior, if you have 10 Vigor, a boss will sneeze on you and you’ll die. Endurance is your stamina. You need this to swing your sword and, more importantly, to roll. In DS3, stamina is king.

Strength and Dexterity are your primary damage stats for weapons. Most weapons "scale" with these. If a sword has a "B" in Strength, the more points you put into Strength, the harder that sword hits. Intelligence and Faith do the same for magic.

Vitality is often confused with Vigor, but Vitality governs your "Equip Load." If you want to wear heavy, cool-looking armor without "fat rolling" (that slow, thudding roll that gives you no protection), you need Vitality.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't fall into the "Jack of All Trades" trap. If you try to level Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Faith all at once, you’ll end up being weak at everything. Pick a "physical" stat and a "magical" stat, or just stick to one.

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Another mistake? Ignoring Vigor. Beginners often pump all their points into Strength because they want to do big damage. But you can't do damage if you’re dead. Get your Vigor to 20 as fast as possible. You’ll thank yourself when you're fighting Iudex Gundyr or the Vordt of the Boreal Valley.

Real-World Build Examples

Think about what you want your "End Game" character to look like.

• The Paladin: Start as a Knight or Cleric. Focus on Strength and Faith. You’ll be wearing heavy armor and buffing your sword with lightning.
• The Spellblade: Start as an Assassin or Mercenary. Focus on Dexterity and Intelligence. You’ll be fast and have utility spells to invisible yourself or buff your weapon with magic.
• The Pure Bonk: Start as a Warrior. Put every single point into Vigor, Endurance, and Strength. Find the biggest club you can and ignore every other mechanic in the game. It’s surprisingly effective.

Finding Your Fit

The "Best" class is subjective, but the community generally agrees on the hierarchy for efficiency. For a first-timer, the Knight provides the smoothest learning curve. The Pyromancer provides the most "fun" variety early on. The Deprived provides the most "pure" Souls experience.

Remember, you can eventually "Respec" your character. Once you reach the Cathedral of the Deep and find a certain NPC named Rosaria, you can trade a specific item to move your stats around. So, if you start as a Sorcerer and realize you hate it, you aren't stuck. You just have to survive long enough to reach her.

Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough:

1. Select the Knight if this is your first Souls game. That 100% physical shield will save your life more times than you can count in the High Wall of Lothric.
2. Focus on Vigor early. Aim for 20 Vigor before you even touch your damage stats. Being able to survive two hits instead of one is a 100% increase in your margin for error.
3. Test every weapon. Even if you don't have the stats to "properly" use a weapon, swing it around. See if you like the moveset. The "feel" of a weapon is more important than the raw numbers on the screen.
4. Don't ignore the Fire Gem. If you pick it as your starting gift, you can infuse your weapon early on. Fire damage doesn't scale with stats, which means it’s incredibly powerful in the early game while your stats are still low.
5. Look for the Estus Shards. Your class gives you a starting amount of healing, but you need to find Shards to increase the number of sips you have. There is one very early in the High Wall on a stone anvil. Don't miss it.