Classes | Dark Souls 3

Classes in Dark Souls 3 are the combat archetypes that players can choose during Character Creation, providing a starting framework for their journey. Each class determines the player's base stats, initial equipment, and starting playstyle, giving a unique introduction to the game's combat and mechanics. This guide covers all 10 starting classes, including their attribute point distribution and the gear they begin with.

Despite these initial differences, no class is locked into a specific role. Dark Souls 3 allows complete freedom to customize your character by leveling up and allocating points to any stat. This means you can shape your chosen class into a specialized build or a balanced jack-of-all-trades as you progress through the game. Whether you're a first-time player or a series veteran, understanding each class's strengths and weaknesses can help you make the best choice for your preferred playstyle.

Dark Souls 3 Classes Guide

Class Comparison Table in DS3

	LV	Vgr	Att	End	Vit	Str	Dex	Int	Fth	Luck
Knight	9	12	10	11	15	13	12	9	9	7
Mercenary	8	11	12	11	10	10	16	10	8	9
Warrior	7	14	6	12	11	16	9	8	9	11
Herald	9	12	10	9	12	12	11	8	13	11
Thief	5	10	11	10	9	9	13	10	8	14
Assassin	10	10	14	11	10	10	14	11	9	10
Sorcerer	6	9	16	9	7	7	12	16	7	12
Pyromancer	8	11	12	10	8	12	9	14	14	7
Cleric	7	10	14	9	7	12	8	7	16	13
Deprived	1	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10

• Note: All classes have a stat distribution of 99 points at level 10.

Dark Souls 3 Classes Starting Equipment

General Classes Notes, Trivia and Tips

• While rebirth at Rosaria allows the Ashen One to reallocate attribute points up to five times per playthrough, starting class choice remains a permanent structural commitment. There is an attribute floor during reallocation: no stat can ever be lowered below the initial base value assigned to the selected starting class. For instance, a Pyromancer who respecs into a physical Quality build will forever be stuck with 14 Intelligence and 14 Faith, wasting total attribute points that could have been allocated to Vigor or Strength. Consequently, selecting a starting class must be viewed as choosing permanent minimum stat boundaries for meta-level optimization.
  
• For the Ashen One planning to optimize a character for the standard Soul Level 120 or 125 meta, it is speculated the efficiency of a starting class is determined entirely by how many points it wastes in unwanted attributes. In Dark Souls 3, Luck is considered a stat for non-bleed or non-hollow builds, while Attunement, Intelligence, and Faith are unused for pure physical builds. To mathematically determine the optimal starting class for a specific build, the Ashen One must calculate the sum of all unwanted base attributes for each class; the class with the lowest numerical total of unwanted stats will achieve the highest possible combat stats at the target Soul Level.
• Deprived is is speculated as the superior starting class for min-maxing due to its clean slate of 10 across all attributes at Soul Level 1. However, Dark Souls 3's stat distribution math makes Deprived sub-optimal for specialized meta builds. Because Deprived allocates 10 points into Luck, Intelligence, Faith, and Attunement, it carries 40 points locked into those four stats. A specialized class like the Knight carries fewer points across those same four stats, giving the Knight extra stat points to convert into Vigor, Endurance, Strength, or Dexterity. Deprived is mathematically optimal only for builds that require balanced investments in every single stat.