All you veterans: Pick the wretch for your first playthrough

[Swimfan]

I planned on picking Vagabond for my very first playthrough, since I love the knight theme and always roll with that (followed by a mage run) BUT there was always something nagging in the back of my mind and I just couldn't really place my finger on what I was missing.

Just watched a video by Ratatoskr on YT and his argument hit me like a truck: We, who know the Soulsborne games, should consider picking the Wretch class.
Tell me you didn't experience this in older titles: You picked the knight or any of the other well-equipped classes and every loot you got for the first few hours was 100% meaningless because you already had a really good (looking) armor/weapon and shield.

If you pick the wretch, you'll miss out on some stats but really, what does it matter?! The tradeoff you'll get is that EVERYTHING you'll find from the beginning will feel like an upgrade. You'll actually scavage every fallen enemy, hoping for some lousy trousers to upgrade yourself. You'll find that amazing Samurai/Knight armor anyways and man will you be happy when you do.
Funnily enough picking the wretch class for this purpose will ONLY work on your very first/blind playthrough because the stat-tradeoff won't be worth it, when you know which item/spell lies where.

Think about it ;-)

[Swimfan]

MaxxGold님이 먼저 게시:

Definitely going Wretch! :praisesun:

Praise the sun!

[Sodus]

Slowly building from nothing is always fun in first playthrough that Wretch brings with or other equivalent LVL1 classes in other Souls games. But I still hate useless stats being 10 but what can you do and nothing is yet known what is strong or weak.

Of course when people speak of optimal, it's all about PVP but those that avoid it or don't care about community rules, pick up Wretch.

[Swimfan]

Sodus님이 먼저 게시:

Slowly building from nothing is always fun in first playthrough that Wretch brings with or other equivalent LVL1 classes in other Souls games. But I still hate useless stats being 10 but what can you do and nothing is yet known what is strong or weak.

Of course when people speak of optimal, it's all about PVP but those that avoid it or don't care about community rules, pick up Wretch.

Exactly.

In older games I was always REALLY scared of not playing optimal, which was totally stupid.
a) This will only be the first of many runs and I'll play something optimised before the DLC launches anyways
b) This fear of not playing optimally also lead me to looking up guides a.s.o. and always spoil myself more than I had asked for
c) You waste some points, so what?! It's not as if 3-4 points in one stat would be more important than all the experience we have aquired in our time with their games

Wretch is only interesting on a blind run or for a challenge run (which is not my way to play).

[Friends with Benedicts]

I cant believe intelligencer is gone

[Alby]

Ha ha, bonk stick go brrr

[Varit Rockatansky]

Friends with Benedicts님이 먼저 게시:

I cant believe intelligencer is gone

Yeah. But it's not really gone, it was changed for the Confessor, but just in name. Yesterday a dude clear it out for me.

[Rare]

Gwyn님이 먼저 게시:

Yeah, no. Another horrible take. People, who really know soulsborne games, know, that, if you want to optimize your character, you should pick starting class with minimal stat you're not gonna use. Pure strength build don't need INT, faith for example, so pick up something with low INT, faith. Wretch/deprived are good only for making challenge runs and/or low SL twinks with unupgraded weapons, so you can have "ready for anything" character to relocate his stats and level up for any build at any moment, and just savescum back later. (That stuff is for people, who already beat and know the game, unless you want some "first playthrough no leveling challenge")

"Tell me you didn't experience this in older titles: You picked the knight or any of the other well-equipped classes and every loot you got for the first few hours was 100% meaningless because you already had a really good (looking) armor/weapon and shield." - in Fromsoft games it doesn't matter much, what weapon/armor you use, almost everything is viable. And good looking is subjective, but I very rarely have seen players with basic armor in coop in second/third locations. Also, pretty sure, that you can find or buy starting gear or similar to them much sooner, than in few hours. "Oh wow, I started halfnaked, but bought a chainmail from the first merchant 10-20 mins after! Such a game changing expirience!"

"The tradeoff you'll get is that EVERYTHING you'll find from the beginning will feel like an upgrade" - idk, no offence, but this is such a noob-ish take. If you'll find a dagger, it will not be "upgrade", if you don't like playing with daggers, if you'll find dex weapon, it will not be upgrade, if you started to level up STR, if you'll find broadsword, it will not be upgrade to club, as most weapons are balanced anyway, If you'll find pants, that have a bit more damage absorption, it will not save you, if you don't know boss/enemie moveset. Souls games are not about finding better gear, to upgrade your character, they are about learning movesets and gear is just mostly for fashion and weapon type, moveset preference/cool weapon arts or whatever.

based

[Hauzer]

Yeah, Intellegencer wasn't the greatest name for a class that starts with low Intelligence lol

[Varit Rockatansky]

Wretched is good for when you know the game, and you where's the stuff you want, and specially for when you're doing your MP character and you already know how the stats work.

[Hauzer]

Varit the Lowly Tarnished님이 먼저 게시:

Wretched is good for when you know the game, and you where's the stuff you want, and specially for when you're doing your MP character and you already know how the stats work.

Kinda the complete opposite of true since it is never the ideal class for a min/max build... It is great for what the OP is suggesting though

[Snefru]

Varit the Lowly Tarnished님이 먼저 게시:

and you where's the stuff you want

Does this mean loot/items are static? Or just some named items like in hidden chests or something?

[Hauzer]

Snefru님이 먼저 게시:

Varit the Lowly Tarnished님이 먼저 게시:

and you where's the stuff you want

Does this mean loot/items are static? Or just some named items like in hidden chests or something?

There is static in world, % chance drops, guaranteed drops, made from guaranteed drops and bought from vendors

I'm sure you will be seeing "ELDEN RING BEE OMEGA OP IN 10 MINS" youtube videos right at release

[Snefru]

Hauzer님이 먼저 게시:

Snefru님이 먼저 게시:

Does this mean loot/items are static? Or just some named items like in hidden chests or something?

There is static in world, % chance drops, guaranteed drops, made from guaranteed drops and bought from vendors

I'm sure you will be seeing "ELDEN RING BEE OMEGA OP IN 10 MINS" youtube videos right at release

Thanks for info. Yeah. I imagine won’t take long at all.

[Target]

cridus님이 먼저 게시:

You almost convinced me but, I'll eventually want to invade a lot and optimize the build, and the wretch class might not be the best choice for that.
It's also true that I don't know what build I'll wanna use, since we know nothing about the weapons, spells and AoWs... Buuuut I don't know if I want to risk it.

Chances are the meta level to invade will settle around somewhere any class can make a complete build. If you want to invade at specific levels, there is no way to know wich class is best set up for it right off the bat.

If any class strikes you as a good invader set up go ahead and o for it but I think their really is not a wrong choice for a first playthrough. Once we know more of the tricks and where the PVP hotspots are, we will be able to plan playthroughs and builds around it.

[Freak4Leeks]

Hauzer님이 먼저 게시:

Yeah, Intellegencer wasn't the greatest name for a class that starts with low Intelligence lol

well i believe it was old term for a spy which "confessor" is in it's description so it actually made more sense maybe because so many people had no clue and just thought it was super bad English they changed it, kinda like people trying to pronounce "gaol" lol