Facing the terrors of Yharnam for the first time can be overwhelming, even before your insight is high enough to see everything. Nine different classes are available from the start, and whichever one is picked is locked in for the entire game. Don’t make a rookie mistake and choose a class that doesn’t complement your play style. Read on to prepare for the Hunt ahead, and be ready for anything.

9. Waste of Skin

Warning: Guard-werewolf on duty.

There’s nothing past the surface level here. This is the bottom line, a bare shell of a person. There is no reason to choose this class as a new player unless you truly want the worst first playthrough you’ve ever had. This class will either forge first time players in the fires of hell, or offer a challenge for seasoned veterans.

Excels In

• Dying.
• No, that’s it. For any first time players of a FromSoft game, this is the quickest way to experience the despair they offer.
• If you’re not a first time player, can be a good way to mold a character into custom builds or do level 1 playthroughs.
• Gives players a deep appreciation for the other classes.
• Being completely useless.

Choose Waste of Skin if

• You have a deep-seated loathing for yourself.
• You really just want to be punished by a game. - The “You Died” screen is your favorite thing.

Waste of Skin Usefulness Score: 0/100. Nothing. Useless. 

8. Milquetoast

It's not the best, but shockingly decent.

It’s okay to be mediocre sometimes, and that’s not a bad thing. This class is just an Everyman starter pack. A blank slate of a person, everything is perfectly balanced with stats. It gives the same ability to build from scratch as Waste of Skin, but is actually sort of useful with higher stats.

Excels In

• Being average. This class will easily get you through the early city streets, but you’ll

need to figure out a build direction by the time Cleric Beast is defeated.

• Easily adaptable since all stats are around the same level.
• Can continue the build as a standard jack-of-all-trades if so desired, but not

recommended.

• Great for learning the ropes of the game before deciding how you want to play, with well rounded abilities for early game weapons.
• Starts out with strength as the highest skill, making it much easier to adapt to builds relying on heavy weaponry.

Choose Milquetoast If

• You’re not really sure what kind of build you want.
• You want to try a little bit of everything. Can easily keep up with stats for most weapons.
• You’re a first time player, especially if new to Soulslike games. This class is great for learning the ropes.

Milquetoast Usefulness Score: 30/100

7. Cruel Fate

What a distinguished gentleman.

Finally, something that can be truly useful all the way through endgame. Cruel Fate isn’t the easiest to start with for new players, but it has massive payoff In the later areas. Starts with a massive boost to Arcane as opposed to the other classes, making it ideal for those wanting to take advantage of the games more mystical elements.

Excels In

• Arcane is high from the start, and with just a few levels allocated players can use

some of the main Arcane items from the get-go.

•   With certain blood gem fortifications, Ludwig’s Holy Blad and the Holy Moonlight Sword can be turned into true holy terrors with this build.
• Various Hunter's tools throughout the game are utilized with Arcane builds, allowing a variety of fighting styles upon acquiring.
• Later game or NG+ playthroughs work best with this build.
• Arcane attacks and tools can be utilized with great effect, but many of the best ones don’t show up until later game.

Choose Cruel Fate If

• You’re confident in your physical attack capabilities for the first couple of game areas. Arcane builds are a slow burn.
• You prefer a strength/magic based build. This class can easily incorporate the Logarius Wheel and a little more strength allocation along with Arcane to make an absolute force in late game.
• You want to experience Bloodborne’s cosmic terror even more in-depth during late game. The Hunters Tools that Arcane is used for can be incredibly powerful, even against a variety of boss enemies.

Cruel Fate Usefulness Score: 60/100 

6. Violent Past

If it bleeds, you can kill it. 

The name for this class is right, because violence is what it excels in. This starting class comes with the highest strength skill out of them all, which means it gets access to most of the early weapons without having to level as much as other classes. Commonly used as the base for builds that break stuff first and worry about it later.

Excels in

• Obliterating enemies with pure strength.
• Can use some of the more comically large weapons in the game much earlier with it’s already high Strength stat.
• The bigger, the better- Kirkhammer’s secondary form shines with high strength builds.
• Ludwig’s Holy Blade can be a mainstay for the entire game if well fortified with this build.
• Allows focus on a secondary skill set as well since Strength starts so high. A good Strength/Arcane build can destroy most enemies.

Choose Violent Past If

• You like to use the biggest weapons you can find. The larger the weapon, the easier it is to hit enemies, right?
• You want to use the classic pure strength build and level up nothing else. It’s not practical, but it is fun.
• Have you ever wanted to chase rats with a giant mallet like old cartoons? Because this build will let you do that with the Kirkhammer.

Violent Past Usefulness Score: 80/100

5. Professional

The last thing a beast sees before it takes a final breath.

Professionals are the best of the best when it comes to speed and precision. They get an immediate advantage in Skill, with the highest starting stat of the game. Though they may not get many of the larger weapons that the Violent Past has, they make sure to strike fast and strike precisely to do damage. 

Excels In

• Skill based weaponry and tools will make this class shine.
• Visceral attacks will scale with the skill stat as well, making this one of the best to choose for quick, massive damage.
• Can make use of Eileen the Crow’s weaponry, which are good for quickly and swiftly dispatching most enemies.
• Good potential to level Bloodtinge along with Skill for a dual build, allowing the use of weapons like Chikage.
• Simon’s Bowblade becomes a powerful weapon if utilized right with this class. 

Choose Professional If

• You like stealthier combat.
• You prefer your fights to be fast, utilizing smaller weapons and tools to hunt your prey.
• You’re new to Bloodborne. This is one of the better classes to get a handle on Bloodborne’s more fast-paced combat system.
• You enjoy brutally disemboweling your enemies. Visceral attacks scale unbelievably high with Skill, and they can be a potential make or break in tight situations. 

Professional Usefulness Score 83/100

4. Military Veteran

The best fights aren't fair.

If there’s a military in place near Yharnam, it’s doing a really bad job of looking out for people. Thankfully the Military Veteran class is here to help... maybe. This class is balanced between strength and skill, meeting the previous two in between. The cost though is low Bloodtinge and even more pitiful Arcane 

Excels In

• Balanced gameplay. Has access to most weapons in the game and is a broad base for building off of.
• Strength can be leveled for better physical attacks and big weapons, while Skill can scale for devastating visceral attacks. A deadly combo for most of the game.
• Great for using weapons that require a balance of Strength and Skill to use like the Hunters Axe.
• Good for an all-around experience. Allows a little bit of everything the game has to offer.
• Has good potential for both damage and rally system recovery with some weapons.

Choose Military Veteran If

• You’re a first time player. Another great starting class because of how well rounded it is.
• Good for those that aren’t quite sure if they want skill or strength based builds. Allowsa quick changeover if needed without investing in pointless skills.
• If your aim in all this is just slaughtering beasts, this is the one for you.

Military Veteran Usefulness Score: 85/100

3. Lone Survivor

In the words of a great prophet- it's hammer time.

Lone Survivor seems a little redundant in a game already about a lone survivor, but what’s not redundant is the amount of health this class starts with. With a decent amount of strength and skill balanced, this class gets a boost on health right from the start. Will the Lone Survivor hit as hard or fast as the others? No, but they can take a hit that would kill the others and keep going.

Excels In

• Being an absolute tank.
• Starts with good strength and skill that allow it to build into a broad variety.
• Gives the health to take hits while staying close during battle.
• Taking risks can lead to big payoff with more health available to tank hits. Let’s you get in close while ignoring some damage.
• Can be utilized well with the Chikage, as the secondary form consumes health.

Choose Lone Survivor If

• You’re new to the game. Allows newcomers to get used to the combat without dying quite as often.
• You like going in guns blazing. This is the best class for any type of berserker build.
• You’re not new but just haven’t quite gotten good yet. Gives the freedom to learn different weapons without the fear of dying a fast and painful death. 

Lone Survivor Usefulness Score: 90/100

2. Noble Scion

Is that Ivy from Soulcalibur? I love your work!

The Noble Scion is for the veteran Hunters. This class starts with low health, low stamina, and strength on the lower side. What it gets for that sacrifice is skill and Bloodtinge high enough to rip anything to shreds. While it isn’t an easy class to pick up or master, it is one of the best for maximizing your potential in-game and in PvP.

Excels In

• Blood. Lots of Blood.
• Amazing for NG+ runs as the best weapons for it are only in the late game.
• Rewards those who learned the parry system in Bloodborne. Allows for powerful visceral attacks.
• While strength is low, Bloodtinge and Skill can carry this through the early game for experienced players.
• One of the go-to classes for PvP fights due to high Bloodtinge scaling.

Choose Noble Scion If

• You want to get into the PvP scene.
• Feel confident in your Bloodborne skills and want a new challenge. - Are already familiar with the parry system and can use it effortlessly.

Noble Scion Usefulness Score: 98/100 

1. Troubled Childhood

Set phasers to obliterate.

The perfect encapsulation of Bloodborne’s frantic, fierce combat. This class gets high endurance and skill, making it great for continuous attacks and unrelenting barrages. While it won’t make use of some of the larger weapons, it does hit a sweet spot when it comes to fast and dangerous.

Excels In

• They can’t attack you if they’re busy being attacked.
• The low health is helped by the high endurance that encourages the rally system.
• Combined with the right weapons and buffs, can string together long, swift attacks in order to poison or bleed enemies. 
• The rally system shines with this class, allowing quick recoveries from hits so you can duck in fast and gain some health back.
• Encourages risky moves that can pay off with long combo strings.

Choose Troubled Childhood If

• You’re confident in your melee and dodging capabilities.
• You want to experience Bloodborne’s frantic combat as it was intended.
• You want to be a fast melee fighter that has access to Beast weapons.
• You don’t just want to cause chaos and danger, you want to BE the chaos and danger. 

Troubled Childhood Usefulness Score: 100/100

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