Steelrising is a new ARPG with a Souls-like blend on top. Like a Souls experience, players will have to choose a class before they get in-game, each with its own playstyle spin and passive buffs to get define a build or playstyle. This is where this comes in. This Steelrising Class picking guide will explain the differences between the four starting classes, along with the sort of playstyle you can expect to be using if you go down a certain route.

Steelrising Class Picking Guide¶

In total, players can select four Steelrising classes, with each one starting with a unique playstyle and starting modifiers. Note that you are not shoehorned into that role for the rest of the game, as you can pick up plenty of weapons as you collect them to try out new playstyles. Moreso, you can use two weapons in your build and swap between them, so you can take another weapon to flatter your build and pick up where you have a weakness. Moreso, you will naturally unlock weapons as you loot chests and beat enemies throughout the game.

Ideally, the starting perks and modifiers are what you’re looking for in a class and defining your role and weapon choices based on those stats. The starting weapon is typically replaced with new, fancier weapon as you get them, and the starting greandes are a non factor as you get them throughout your joruney very easily anyway.

Note that weapons you pick up in-game have ratings attached to the stats they synergize well with. These stats help to explain what weapons work well with your perk investments and build.

With that said, let’s take a look at each of the four Steelrising classes in more detail.

Steelrising Bodyguard Class¶

Starting stat modifiers:

• Health: 310
• Loot Multiplier: x1.14
• Affliction Multiplier: x1.14
• Balance: 12%
• Armor: 70

In summary, the Bodyguard class is your generic heavy footsoldier. It carries a slow, yet strong Warhammer, along with its Engineering and Durability starting bonuses making it a very tanky and durable class from the start, with added balance stats to keep you on your feet and spend less time being knocked over. If you want a playstyle that is all about meaty swings, while being able to take a beating yourself, this is for you.

However, the downside to this class is that it is slower to attack, and lacks range. Players will find they need to understand their enemy’s attack patterns much better to be able to land those clean heavy swings, as Bodyguards can take more damage by misreading or timing enemy movement and attacks. However, you have bonus health and armor, so it’s not all bad, adn when you do land one, most enemies will fall over thanks to your high impact rating, making it much easier to land our attacks. You’ll also find frost grenades are your best friend throughout the game, as that helps to slow down enemies and lock them up for your attacks to land with ease.

Steelrising Soldier Class¶

Starting stat modifiers:

• Endurance: 114
• Physical Damage: 71
• Impact: 87
• Critical Hit Multiplier: x1.16

The Soldier class is versatile, with a speciality in range, yet capable of dishing out powerful hits This all tops off with a focus on increasing your physical damage perks to ensure you’re always hitting hard from afar. However, it lacks any form of shielding or counterattack at the start of thegame, so the Soldier will feel the impact of taking a hit every now and then. This, of course, is if you don’t take some form of defensive weapon in your second weapon slot to use if you find yourself in an unfavourable position or use some form of crowd control grenade you can pick and buy with anima.

Howeve, when the build gets going, you will find you deal lots of critvcal damage, and have a solid blend of impact to knock down oppontnets, along with immobilization and crit for those longer fights.

Steelrising Dancer Class¶

Starting stat modifiers:

• Endurance: 114
• Physical Damage: 54
• Immobilisation: 41
• Critical Hit Modifier: x1.16

The Dancer is a dual-wielding class, performing weaker yet faster attacks compared to other Steelrising classes. The idea is to use fast attack weapons and combos to immobilize enemies and then enhance your damage with critical strikes. The general playstyle for this class is to dodge in, trade quick blows and then dodge out of the enemy’s attack to avoid getting hit. Alternatively, you can use your shield to block attacks, especially against the more regular light attack robots.

It’s also worth noting this is one of the harder classes to play, and short-range means players will find themselves up close and in danger the most. This is perhaps the hardest class to play in theory, yet it reaps plenty of damage and feels fluid, just like a dancer should. This is a class for players who like playing assassin-type roles or are looking for a somewhat harder starting experience.

Steelrising Alchemist Class¶

Starting stat modifiers:

• Loot Multiplier: x1.14
• Affliction Multiplier: x1.14
• Flame Resistance: 18%
• Frost Resistance: 12%
• Full Resistance: 18%

While the Alchemist is the weakest character for physical damage and weapon damage output, it instead exceeds using elemental and alchemical damage and items. The focus here for this class is to use the weapons with elemental bonuses, using their tools for long and short-range application of elements. Moreover, this class does much more with the various grenade types in-game and can be a more consumable-focused class.

You’ll find this class a little weak from the start, but as you encounter more elemental enemy types, you will soon find you take less damage. Moreso, you will acquire more elemental consumables and weapons as the game progresses, offering players the more intersting choices of weaponry and defining your own individual buiuld and playstyle. Overall, this class is a very unique playstyle for Souls-like experiences.