Lords of the Fallen: All 10 Starting Classes – Which Class Should You Pick?

As a compelling Soulslike with an extremely gothic setting, Lords of the Fallen is one of the most exciting entries in the subgenre. And to help push that excitement to new heights is a selection of unique classes. There are nine classes, with a tenth locked behind game progression or unlockable by purchasing the Deluxe Edition. Here are all of the classes in Lords of the Fallen.

Every Starting Class in Lords of the Fallen

Lords of the Fallen features ten unique classes on release, with more to come likely in future expansions. Right now, we have an extensive range of playstyles available, from melee-focused fighters to magic users and in between.

Blackfeather Ranger

• Starting Gear: Axe, Bow, Oak Arrows, Poison Arrows, Light Shield, Medium Armor
• Best Stats: Agility and Vitality

With a strong focus on Agility and whittling away enemy health from a distance before landing the final strike up close, the Blackfeather Ranger is the primary ranged class in Lords of the Fallen.

You can pick off targets using the Bow, which pairs well with Poison Arrows for additional damage, before switching to the Axe. But the former can land critical hits from afar, making it a valuable tool.

Condemned

• Starting Gear: Broken Bucket Fist Weapon, Throwing Rocks, Light Armor
• Best Stats: Vitality, Agility, and Strength

Think of the Condemned as Lords of the Fallen’s answer to the Prison in Elden Ring. It’s a blank slate class allowing veteran players to test and optimize builds from the start. The Condemned is liking playing the game on “Expert” difficulty, as they start extremely weak, with Throwing Rocks, Light Armor, and a Broken Bucket Fist Weapon.

I highly recommend saving the Condemned class for later playthroughs, but you do you!

Exiled Stalker

• Starting Gear: Two Daggers, Medium Stalker Armor, Throwing Daggers, Poison Salt
• Best Stats: Agility and Endurance

If you fancy yourself a fast-moving class that hits enemies quickly and then escapes before taking a hit of their own, then the Exiled Stalker is your bag. This Agility and Endurance-based class uses Daggers, Throwing Daggers, and Poison to damage single targets and quickly whittle away their health.

To excel at this class, however, you must learn the various movement mechanics in Lords of the Fallen relatively well. That means focusing on kiting enemies, dodging, parrying occasionally, and skirting around more formidable enemies to land hits from behind.

Hallowed Knight

• Starting Gear: Short Sword, Knight Shield, Heavy Armor, Grenades, Healing Consumable
• Best Stats: Vitality and Endurance

As perhaps the best beginner-friendly class, the Hallowed Knight is a well-rounded melee-focused fighter that can two-hand his short sword or wield the sword and shield combo for better defense.

While the Hallowed Knight doesn’t specialize in any specific stat or playstyle, which can be problematic when not built properly, they excel at providing an excellent starting point that can help newcomers learn the ins and outs of this Soulslike.

Mournstead Infantry

• Starting Gear: Spear, Light Shield, Heavy Armor, THrowing Javelins, Healing Consumable
• Best Stats: Agility and Strength

If you want to play as a standard class, a master of none, then the Mournstead Infantry is the go-to soldier. They wield a spear to hit targets from mid-range, a Light Shield to block minor attacks, and Throwing Javelins for long-range engagements.

I will say that the Spear, while effective at killing mobs, is a bit unwieldy and would be best if you learned its distance, range, and attack speed to excel in combat encounters.

Orian Preacher

• Starting Gear: Hammer, Light Shield, Radiant Catalyst, Healing Radiance Spell, Light Armor, Small Manastone
• Best Stats: Radiance and Vitality

The Orian Preacher utilizes Radiance magic to heal and deal damage to enemies, making them a viable class for beginners who need a helping hand. The ability to heal, buff, and smite foes with light-based magic is so overlooked in this bleak world.

Like any magic-wielding class in a Soulslike, the downside to the Orian Preacher is their low health pool. You will want to boost their Vitality significantly to remain alive.

Partisan

• Starting Gear: Flail, Knight Shield, Crossbow, Heavy Armor, Unripe Berries
• Best Stats: Agility and Endurance

The Partisan is a backline fighter that excels at defensive movements and tactics, thanks to the Knight Shield, while picking off enemies from a distance with the Crossbow. When the distance closes, their Flail makes quick work of most mobs in due time.

Due to their overall playstyle and stat distribution, the Partisan excels at hit-and-run tactics. They become quickly overwhelmed by large groups but can land a hit or two, back peddle, and then close the distance once more.

Pyric Cultist

• Starting Gear: Cultist Staff Polearm, Rhogar Catalyst, Infernal Orb Spell, Medium Armor, Small Manastone
• Best Stats: Infernal and Endurance

While the Pyric Cultist absolutely falls under the advanced class status, it’s a powerful yet fragile magic-wielding class capable of wiping enemies from afar. You will want to focus heavily on increasing mana and spell damage, but also on improving Vitality to increase health points to avoid that squishy feeling.

If you intend to play Pyric Cultist, prepare to grind out levels early on to withstand the onslaught of bosses like Pieta, She of Blessed Renewal.

Udirangr Warwolf

• Starting Gear: Long Sword, Throwing Axes, Medium Armor, Fire Salts
• Best Stats: Strength and Vitality

If you’re a fan of barbarians in other role-playing games, then let me introduce you to the Udirangr Warwolf. This melee class excels at powerful strikes designed to stagger and stun enemies with each hit. They’re a balls-to-the-wall savage force that takes the fight to the enemy. As such, you’ll want to play proactively.

Alongside their Long Sword, the Udirangr Warwolf comes equipped with Throwing Axes to deal ranged damage before closing in for the kill.

Dark Crusader (Unlockable)

• Starting Gear: Crusader Greatsword, Crusader Heavy Armor, Rosary Catalyst
• Best Stats: Endurance and Radiance

While you can only unlock the Dark Crusader class by purchasing the Deluxe Edition or by completing the main campaign once through, it is one of the strongest available classes in the game. The Dark Crusader focuses on powerful melee attacks, wielding a Longsword that pairs vertical strikes with arc attacks to hit multiple enemies at once.

Alongside his powerful sword and absolutely insane aesthetic, the Dark Crusader also wields Radiance to cast protective spells. Think of him as the Paladin class of Lords of the Fallen.

Which Lords of the Fallen Class Should You Choose?

If you’re brand-new to the Soulslike genre, then I highly recommend you start with a melee-oriented class, like Hallowed Knight or Dark Crusader. You’ll find the combat tough at first but quickly master the various mechanics, like dodging and parrying, which will help you excel.

If you’re worried about your reflexes and want to remain a step back in combat encounters, then the power of the Orian Preacher cannot be ignored. While they’re a tad bit squishy, as a magic-casting class, they deal exceptional damage via Radiance magic while also unlocking the ability to buff and heal.