All 13 Lords of the Fallen classes and how to unlock them

Classes are one of the most important parts when creating your character in any Soulslike as they define your playstyle for the rest of the (long and tricky) game. Lords of the Fallen is no different and Hexworks has implemented a lot of variety and even some new ideas into its system. But what do each of these Lords of the Fallen classes do and specialize in? And perhaps more importantly, how do you unlock the secret LotF classes?

Below, you can find a full overview of all the Lords of the Fallen classes and their main playstyles, alongside how they synergize with other classes playing in Lords of the Fallen multiplayer. You will need to make the right choice for you if you want to take on some of the tougher Lords of the Fallen bosses, as these can be quite the challenge indeed. That’s why we’ve also highlighted the best Lords of the Fallen starting classes so you know which to pick first. If you’re struggling, however, we’ve also got the best Lords of the Fallen builds you can make, each with class recommendations to get you started.

Lords of the Fallen classes list

The 13 Lords of the Fallen classes are:

During our Lords of the Fallen review playthrough, we’ve sunk time into each of the starting classes, as well as the unlockable classes you can get through progressing further into the game. That’s right, there’s even more classes than you’re first greeted to when entering the character creator.

The most important thing to know about the Lords of the Fallen classes is that, like Elden Ring and other Souls games, each class is designed with a different build and playstyle in mind. Of course, you can alter this playstyle through allocating points into other stats upon leveling up, but you’ll have a much harder time trying to brute force a class into a different playstyle than you would just choosing the most natural fit from the start.

Why does this matter? Well, LotF is brutal from the get-go. With challenging enemies and even more deadly bosses very early into your adventure, you don’t want to make the experience any harder than it already is. Luckily for you, we’ve got the details on each of the Lords of the Fallen classes below, complete with their starting stats and items so you know what direction to point your build.

Blackfeather Ranger

• Weapons – Blackfeather Ranger Axe, Blackfeather Ranger Bow, Blackfeather, Ranger Shield
• Armor – Blackfeather Ranger armor set
• Pendants & Rings – N/A
• Spells – N/A

The Blackfeather Ranger is a great starting class, coming with a balanced stat distribution for melee, favoring Agility. With a melee weapon, shield, and a bow, the Blackfeather Ranger can do just about everything. Unlike the other jack-of-all-trades classes, this versatility comes more from the starting equipment rather than the stat distribution – the base stats point clearly towards an Agility build, wasting less time investing stat points elsewhere.

Whether you want to be able to take down foes in close range or from afar, the Blackfeather Ranger is a great choice for a starting class. They also look like the Hunter from Bloodborne, so that’s reason enough to pick the Blackfeather Ranger for many players.

As we go over in more depth in our build guide, the Blackfeather Ranger is a great candidate for an Agility build that makes strong use of status effects like bleed, poison, and burn. Second only to the Exiled Stalker, the Blackfeather Ranger can be absolutely devastating in the right setup thanks to rapid attacks and versatile engagement ranges.

Condemned

• Weapons – Broken Bucket, Throwing Rock
• Armor – Condemned armor set
• Pendants & Rings – N/A
• Spells – N/A

If you couldn’t tell by the bucket and rock counting as weapons, the Condemned is the classic ‘hardcore’ class in Lords of the Fallen. Starting off with effectively nothing, including incredibly low nine points in all stats, you will need to really level grind and find the best weapons to be able to survive. As such, only those looking for the hardest challenge should choose the Condemned. Seriously, if you’re a new player, avoid the Condemned.

With that said, given their flat stat distribution, the Condemned is an ‘easy’ way to make whatever build you like. Sure, you’ll start off incredibly weak with only a broken bucket for a weapon, but you’ll be able to swiftly level up from a starting level of one and dump points wherever you like.

Exiled Stalker

• Weapons – Exiled Stalker Daggers, Lacerating Knife
• Armor – Exiled Stalker armor set
• Pendants & Rings – N/A
• Spells – N/A

The Exiled Stalker is an advanced class for those with a lot of experience with Soulslikes, requiring precision, mastery, and skill. With light armor and low Vitality and Endurance stats, the Exiled Striker cherishes the dodge mechanic – you don’t have the survivability tank hits nor the stamina to block.

However, the Exiled Stalker benefits from a staggering 16 points in Agility right out of the gate. Coming with two daggers, this class is all about unleashing a flurry of attacks on an opponent as soon as there’s an opening. This is the best starting Lords of the Fallen class for an Agility build, and gets even better when taking advantage of status effects like poison later in the game.

Hallowed Knight

• Weapons – Hallowed Knight Sword, Hallowed Knight Shield, Grenade
• Armor – Hallowed Knight armor set
• Pendants & Rings – N/A
• Spells – N/A

You could say that the Hallowed Knight is the tanky Lords of the Fallen class, if there was such a thing in Souls games. With a shield as standard and a high Endurance value, the Hallowed Knight is able to block much more consistently than other classes. Likewise, despite the average 11 Vitality, they come decked out in heavy armor that is able to take quite a beating.

In return though, the Hallowed Knight does lack damage at the start of the game, as they only come with 12 points in Strength, their main damaging stat. We recommend boosting Strength early on to improve your damage as you’ll be more tanky than the other starting classes anyhow. 

Mournstead Infantry

• Weapons – Mournstead Infantry, Mournstead Infantry Shield, Short Javelin
• Armor – Mournstead Infantry armor set
• Pendants & Rings – N/A
• Spells – N/A

The Mournstead Infantry is a melee-focused class, with a lot of range and defense to help support them when up close. While they do begin almost as a jack-of-all-trades like the Partisan, the Mournstead Infantry should be pushed towards an Agility build due to the slightly higher-than-average Agility stat of this class.

Nevertheless, they’re a great starting class, especially for new players looking for a versatile option, complete with melee weapons with reach and a shield for defense.

Orian Preacher

• Weapons – Orian Preacher Hammer, Orian Preacher Shield, Orian Preacher Catalyst
• Armor – Orian Preacher armor set
• Pendants & Rings – N/A
• Spells – Radiant Flare

Religion permeates all aspects of Lords of the Fallen and the Orian Preacher is an evangelist of the Orian church. They take this to the next level by being a master of Radiance magic, “whether for protection or searing the sinful flesh of heretics”, as the in-game description reads.

Despite the heavy focus on Radiance magic offering ranged damage options, the Orian Preacher is best used as a versatile melee character. After all, they do begin with a massive hammer (as well as a catalyst). You can make use of magic to buff and heal yourself, making melee a little more forgiving at times.

Nevertheless, the Orian Pracher is the best class if you want a full Radiance build and nothing else simply due to the hefty starting stat rating.

Partisan

• Weapons – Partisan Flail, Partisan Shield, Partisan Crossbow
• Armor – Partisan armor set
• Pendants & Rings – N/A
• Spells – N/A

The Mournstead Knight champion, the Partisan is able to wield a variety of weapons from a flail to a crossbow, carrying a shield on their back too. With all these options right away, the Partisan is the best jack-of-all-trades of all the Lords of the Fallen classes. This is backed up by a balanced stat distribution across the board.

However, as the saying goes, a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none. While it might be tempting to invest in and do a bit of everything, we instead recommend tailoring your playstyle in a specific direction, most likely Strength. With that said, there are various weapons that scale on both Strength and Agility, so you can use these too.

Pyric Cultist

• Weapons – Pyric Cultist Staff, Pyric Cultist Catalyst
• Armor – Pyric Cultist armor set
• Pendants & Rings – N/A
• Spells – Infernal Orb

An advanced class and a fervent worshipper of Adyr, the Pyric Cultist is focused on spells, magic, and mana. Thanks to a tasty 18 stat roll in Inferno, the Pyric Cultist is the perfect starting class for an Inferno magic build. However, you could invest in Radiance to have a master of both kinds of magic if you favor versatility, though you would be sacrificing power elsewhere.

Given the emphasis on ranged magic, the Pyric Cultist isn’t always the easiest class to play. Having devastating magic can certainly keep you out of harm’s way against certain enemies, but some enemies and locations will force you into close-quarters engagements. 

Udirangr Warwolf

• Weapons – Udirangr Warwolf Sword, Bloody Hatchet
• Armor – Udirangr armor set
• Pendants & Rings – N/A
• Spells – N/A

Alongside the Dark Crusader, the Udirangr Warwolf is a great option if you’re looking for a straightforward Strength build making use of heavy-hitting melee weapons.

It’s an all-out offensive class focused on dealing high amounts of damage, though you won’t start with as much Vitality as you might expect for such a brute. That’s why we recommend you dump quite a few of your first few upgrades straight into Vitality.

For a full Strength build, the Udirangr Warwolf is undoubtedly the best, followed by the Dark Crusader that that offers easier access to magic, if you so wish. We recommend finding the heaviest weapon you can, like the Iron Wayfarer’s Hammer, and letting loose on foes with heavy-hitting, deliberate blows, especially in two-handed stance.

Dark Crusader

• Weapons – Paladin Isaac’s Sword, Throwing Hand, Radiant Burst Parchment
• Armor – Paladin armor set
• Pendants & Rings – Paladin’s Pendant
• Spells – N/A

The Dark Crusader class can be unlocked either through purchasing the Deluxe Edition or by completing The Paladin’s Request mission. This means that those with the special version of the game have the Dark Crusader as one of the starting options, whereas those who don’t will have to unlock the class for a second playthrough.

It is a strong melee-focused class able to use the heaviest and strongest of weapons thanks to relatively high Strength, Endurance, and Vitality. This makes the Dark Crusader a great Strength melee build candidate, focusing on hard-hitting weapons and sustain.

You can grab the Deluxe Edition of the game to get the Dark Crusader right away below, or you can also purchase an upgrade pack to get the class separately if you’ve already bought the game.

Lord

• Weapons – Lord Axe, Lord Catalyst
• Armor – Lord armor set
• Pendants & Rings – Ring of Bones, Ring of Duty
• Spells – Adyr’s Endurance, Infernal Weapon, Infernal Slash

The Lord class must be unlocked by completing the Inferno ending of the game, achieved by not cleansing any of the beacons and choosing to support Adyr. Yes, this means that the Lord is designed for repeat playthroughs since you need to beat the game with a specific ending before you gain access to it.

This is important because the Lord is an advanced class, and you’ll certainly value the experience you’ve gained through beating the game once already before trying out this class.

Adept with Inferno magic, the Lord is a spellsword type character. You’ll be up close and personal with your foes whilst throwing out devastating fire magic. Given how tricky this class can be, it’s good news that the Lord starts the game as the highest starting level out of all the classes, coming in at a staggering 23.

Putrid Child

• Weapons – Putrid Child Sword, Putrid Child Catalyst
• Armor – Putrid Child armor set
• Pendants & Rings – Pendant of Parting
• Spells – Diminishing Missile, Lingering Despair, Putrefaction

The Putrid Child class can only be unlocked by completing the Umbral ending of the game, requiring you to kill NPCs and avoid cleansing beacons. You read that right, you must kill various NPCs that will in turn make the game harder. Like the Lord class, you must start the game again with a fresh character to play the Putrid Child once you’ve unlocked them.

Thanks to high 15 stats in both Inferno and Radiant, the Putrid Child is a versatile spellcaster, though they will struggle in close-range at first. Thankfully, the starting weapons you get are perfect for the Putrid Child, scaling off the relevant stats. As always though, there are better weapons to find as you progress.

If you’re in the market for an Umbral magic build or multi-magic build, you can’t do any better than the Putrid Child, since you’ll need high stat investment in both Radiance and Inferno. 

Radiant Purifier

• Weapons – Radiant Purifier Polearm, Radiant Purifier Catalyst
• Armor – Radiant Purifier armor set
• Pendants & Rings – Empyrean Pendant
• Spells – Aura of Tenacity, Healing Sigil, Piercing Light

To unlock the Radiant Purifier class, you must complete the game with the Radiant ending, involving cleansing all the beacons and defeating Adyr. Again, this means you will have to start a new playthrough with a fresh character to play as the Radiant Purifier.

Second only to the Lord, the Radiant Purifier as a high base level of 22. As a result they have strong starting stats, including a superb 18 in Inferno and 14 in Vitality. This makes the Radiant Purifier a great fire spellcaster that’s surprisingly tanky early on. If you’re looking for an Inferno build based on offensive fire-based magic, then the Radiant Purifier is the best class for you.

What is the best starting class in Lords of the Fallen?

The best starting class in Lords of the Fallen is generally the Dark Crusader, so long as you have the Deluxe Edition (or have purchased the upgrade separately) due to its strong starting stats for a versatile Strength build.

If not, these are the best starting LotF classes to choose for each build type:

So, no matter what build or playstyle you’d like, there’s a starting Lords of the Fallen class made just for you. The classes are designed in such a way that each path has a specialist option right out of the gate, though the later unlocks do build upon this and become better options for second playthroughs.

What is the worst starting class in Lords of the Fallen?

We know some of you love making Soulslikes even harder for yourself, so the worst starting class in Lords of the Fallen is undoubtedly the Condemned. They are specifically designed to be the hardest option, though they are also the most flexible on too. If you’re a Soulslike veteran looking for a challenge, then the Condemned will actually be perfect for you.

What makes the Condemned so ‘bad’ is its incredibly low starting stats (the lowest of all the classes) and the terrible starting equipment. With a literal Broken Bucket weapon out of the gate, it’s not recommended for newcomers. However, its low starting stats mean you can quickly invest in any area you’d like to right away. As such, the ‘worst’ class isn’t necessarily all that bad if you’re skilled enough to pull it off, though it does undeniably have a harder start than the other classes.

What Lords of the Fallen class should you pick?

If you’re not looking to make the game any harder than it already is, then you should pick the class that aligns most with your playstyle. Before starting the game in earnest, this won’t be all that easy to decide. After all, how do you know what playstyle you enjoy in LotF if you haven’t yet fought a boss?

Broadly, there are four main playstyles in Lords of the Fallen:

• Strength – slow, heavy melee
• Agility – fast, less damaging attacks
• Inferno – fire-based magic, with an emphasis on all-out damage
• Radiance – holy-based magic, with an emphasis on healing and buffs

Using the table of starting classes for each stat build, take a look at which class best suits the playstyle you think you’d enjoy. If you enjoy being a stalwart tank unleashing heavy-hitting attacks, then a Strength build like the Udirangr Warwolf is for you. Like dodging and attacking enemies with a flurry of quick jabs, then an Agility build such as the Exiled Stalker is more your style.

There’s room to tweak your build later down the line and add more ranged or melee effectiveness, but you are, for the most part, locked into a specific approach. We’ve personally enjoyed playing a Strength-based Dark Crusader with a little bit of Radiance magic thrown into the mix to spice things up, such as the ability to heal without using our precious pots.

With an idea of how Lords of the Fallen classes work and which one you should choose during character creation, you’re ready to set out. While it’s not quite one of the best RPG games out there, the unique world and satisfying gameplay make it a solid outing just out of reach of the best Soulslike games out there. However, once you’re done with LotF, you can always give these a go.