Best Starter Class — Which One to Pick First

Which Class to Start With?

Short answer: Pick Paladin for your first run. It's the most forgiving and teaches you the game's mechanics without punishing every mistake.

Class Overview for Beginners

Paladin (Recommended for First Playthrough)

Difficulty: Easy

Strengths: High HP, passive damage reduction, panic button (Radiant Bastion)

Weaknesses: Slow clears, low damage ceiling

Learning curve: Gentle. Mistakes are survivable.

First Act difficulty: Easy (you can tank most mechanics)

Late game potential: B-tier (outclassed by Assassin/Mage for speed)

Paladin lets you learn boss patterns without dying repeatedly. By the time you hit Act 3, you'll know the mechanics well enough to attempt harder classes.

Assassin (Experienced Players)

Difficulty: Medium-Hard

Strengths: Highest single-target DPS, excellent mobility

Weaknesses: Very squishy, position-dependent

Learning curve: Steep. One mistake = death.

First Act difficulty: Hard (limited sustain tools early)

Late game potential: S-tier (top speedrun class)

Mage (ARPG Veterans)

Difficulty: Medium

Strengths: Best AoE, ranged safety, teleport

Weaknesses: Mana management, cooldown-dependent

Learning curve: Moderate.

First Act difficulty: Medium

Late game potential: S-tier (best for farming)

Sniper (Ranged Specialists)

Difficulty: Medium

Strengths: Extreme range, headshot burst damage

Weaknesses: Terrible in close range, weak AoE

Learning curve: Moderate.

First Act difficulty: Medium-Hard

Late game potential: A-tier (specific builds only)

Recommended First Playthrough Build

Class: Paladin

Starting weapon: One-handed sword (best balance of speed and damage) Early priorities: Health upgrades > damage > utility Blessing strategy: Defensive blessings first (Guardian Angel, Frost Armor) > sustain > offense Common mistake: Trying to DPS race bosses. Paladin wins through attrition, not burst.

By Act 3, you'll have enough game knowledge to know which class you want to try next.