There are two starting character classes leaked for the upcoming Elden Ring Tarnished Edition. This article covers Knight of Ides stats, weapons, pros and cons, builds, and how it compares to older classes.

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition New Starting Class

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will introduce two new starting classes in the game, one of which is called the Knight of Ides. This class has unique armor and interesting weapon choices, and its stats have been revealed. This class, along with another new class introduced in the Tarnished Edition, Heavy Armored Knight, is expected to be released sometime in 2025 and will be available on other consoles and PC after the Switch 2 release. There is no exact release date yet, but FromSoftware has confirmed the content won't stay exclusive forever.

Class Stats and Starting Level

The Knight of Ides starts at level 7, which is relatively low compared to some older classes. However, despite this lower level, the stats are quite strong, making it a solid choice for players who want a character with good balance and potential. This spread shows that the character focuses are mostly on Dexterity and Strength, with a decent amount of Faith and Mind. This suggests the class is meant to handle physical combat well, but also has some capability to use faith-based skills or spells.

• Vigor: 10

• Mind: 12

• Endurance: 11

• Strength: 13

• Dexterity: 15

• Intelligence: 8

• Faith: 11

• Arcane: 6

Armor and Weapons

The class begins with a new armor set known as the Silver Grooved Set, which provides a total poise of 33. Poise is important because it helps the character keep standing when hit by enemies, making it easier to continue attacking or defending without being staggered. The armor’s design reminds some fans of the classic Demon’s Souls knight armor, combining style with solid protection.

What really makes this class stand out is its two new weapons.

• A new sword: The Idus Sword. This is a light greatsword that starts with a special move called “impaling thrust” and can be infused for different effects. Compared to other similar weapons like the Milady, the Idus Sword has slightly lower stat requirements and a bit more base damage, though it might not scale up as much with stats. This makes it a powerful weapon early on, especially for players who want to focus on quick, precise strikes.

• A light shield with an opening on top: Along with the sword, the Knight of Ides also carries a new shield that looks like a small or medium shield. This shield is unusual because it has a gap that can be used to poke enemies, similar to the shields seen in the movie Troy. This might allow players to block and attack at the same time.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Pros:

• High Dexterity and Strength allow for fast and powerful attacks.

• The decent Faith stat means it can use some helpful Faith spells, making it more versatile than pure melee classes.

• The new shield and sword combo could introduce a unique fighting style, mixing defense with quick pokes or stabs.

• Starting at a lower level but with strong stats means this class can grow in powerful ways without needing to spend many early levels on basic stats.

Cons:

• The Endurance is a bit lower compared to some heavy classes, so the class can’t wear the heaviest armor or swing the heaviest weapons as effectively.

• Its Vigor (health) is lower than some older classes, which means it might be more fragile in tough battles.

• It’s not expected to be the best choice for highly competitive PvP, as players who want strong tanky builds might prefer other classes.

Builds and Playstyle

The Knight of Ides feels like a faithful armored samurai, mixing the speed and skill of a samurai with some holy magic support. If you enjoy fast swordplay combined with defensive moves and minor magic, this class is a great pick.

Because of the shield’s special design, you might want to try a style that uses quick jabs through the shield’s opening while blocking enemy attacks. This could help you control fights in close combat with lots of back-and-forth moves.

When compared to the original Samurai class, the Knight of Ides is like a newer, stronger version. It has one more point in Strength, which helps with damage. Higher Faith opens up access to some useful spells. Slightly lower Endurance and Vigor, so it trades a bit of toughness for agility and magic. Compared to the older Vagabond class, the new class is lighter and more focused on a balanced mix of offense and magic, while Vagabond tends to be heavy and tanky. It’s not the top pick for players wanting the biggest health pools or the heaviest armor, but it offers a unique style that could be very fun in both PvE and casual PvP. Starting with a light greatsword is very strong and could give an edge, especially on platforms like the Switch 2, where performance can sometimes be slower.