Much like any other action role-playing game, you are going to spend a while wondering about which class to start with in Steelrising.
The following guide will save you time by pointing out the best class to not only start with but to devastate late-game enemies and bosses with ease.
You will also get to know the worst possible class to pick if you are looking for a challenge for your second playthrough.
Best starting class to pick in Steelrising
Do note that it all comes down to you and how you play with a specific class, meaning that pretty much any of the four classes can be the best in Steelrising.
That being said, the Dancer class is especially worth picking for newcomers. It is also a requirement of the agility-counterattack build which is arguably the best build right now in Steelrising.
The Dancer class comes with fans as its starter weapon which are ideal for short-range combat. The weapon also scales well with agility, allowing you to do moderate amounts of damage to enemies.
In addition, the Dancer class starts with a special shield move that enables you to block incoming damage. The class is just perfect to build into a powerful character to overpower both bosses and mini-bosses.
You are not limited to fans though. There are several other weapon types that scale well with agility. You are welcome to switch to them at any point in the game.
All classes ranked by starting attributes and weapons
There are a total of four classes in Steelrising that you can pick from when starting the game. Each class comes with its own unique abilities and starter weapons which can be changed later on.
All four classes have been ranked below from the best to the worst. Starting with a class means getting to know its starter weapon and stats, both of which have been detailed alongside.
Dancer
Being the best starting class available in the game, newcomers to the Souls formula will have no trouble pulling off a series of devastating combos in quick succession.
Agility-focused builds in Steelrising are particularly powerful because of their immobilization mechanic. Hitting an enemy multiple times staggers them, allowing you to follow up with more attacks. There is no other class that takes advantage of this than the Dancer.
Soldier
The Soldier class is perhaps one of the more popular picks in Steelrising. The class focuses on power and vigor to form a balance between damage and stamina, both of which are important in the early game.
Starting with the Soldier class also means that you can pick off enemies from a distance thanks to its Gribeauval Halberd starter weapon, a powerful polearm that will not let enemies near you if used right.
Bodyguard
The Bodyguard class focuses on durability and engineering. The extra durability offers the most health than any class from the get-go. The added engineering further boosts your defensive stats.
The Bodyguard class starts with Body of Work, a massive hammer that does high amounts of damage per hit. The weapon scales with power with a special ability to create a shield against incoming damage.
If you are looking for a defensive class in Steelrising, consider starting as a Bodyguard. Just note that you will do reduced damage compared to the other classes due to the focus on protection stats.
Alchemist
The Alchemist class focuses on engineering and elemental alchemy. If you are looking to take advantage of Alchemical Afflictions in the game, the Alchemist will give you an early start on that.
The problem with picking the Alchemist as a starting class is that most enemies die to flat damage easily in the early game. Hence, your Alchemical Afflictions will often not even trigger because the flat damage kills them beforehand.
That makes the starting stats pretty ineffective compared to other classes. In addition, its Glass-core Batons are probably the worst starting weapons in the game.
