Unleash Your Inner Divine: Choosing the Best Starting Class for Incantations in Elden Ring

The Lands Between are ripe for exploration, filled with formidable foes and breathtaking landscapes. To survive, Tarnished must master a powerful skillset. For those drawn to divine magic and the power of faith, Incantations are the key. But to become a true master of Incantations in Elden Ring, the choice of your starting class is paramount. So, which one reigns supreme?

The best starting class for Incantations in Elden Ring is the Prophet. While the Confessor also begins with Incantations, the Prophet’s stat distribution leans more heavily into Faith, the primary attribute for Incantation scaling. This allows for stronger Incantations from the outset and sets you on a more efficient path to becoming a powerful faith-based caster. The Prophet also comes equipped with Catch Flame, a versatile offensive Incantation, and a basic healing spell, providing a solid foundation for both damage and survivability.

Diving Deeper: Why the Prophet Excels

While both the Prophet and Confessor classes start with the ability to use Incantations, several factors distinguish the Prophet as the superior choice for aspiring faith builds.

• Higher Faith Stat: The Prophet starts with a significantly higher Faith stat than the Confessor. This translates to higher Incantation scaling, meaning your spells will deal more damage and heal for more health right from the start. This early advantage is crucial for overcoming the challenges of the early game.
• Offensive Incantation: The Prophet starts with Catch Flame, a quick and effective offensive Incantation that deals fire damage. This provides a reliable source of damage early on and can be incredibly useful for dispatching weaker enemies and stunning larger foes.
• Starting Equipment: The Prophet begins with the Finger Seal, a basic but functional Sacred Seal necessary for casting Incantations. This ensures you can immediately utilize your faith-based spells without needing to search for a casting tool.
• Efficient Stat Allocation: The Prophet’s other stats are also allocated in a way that complements a faith-based playstyle. While Vigor might be lacking, the focus is on building Faith and Mind for spellcasting.

Alternatives and Considerations

While the Prophet is the ideal starting class for Incantations, the Confessor remains a viable option.

• Confessor: A Balanced Approach: The Confessor offers a more balanced stat distribution, with points allocated to Strength and Dexterity in addition to Faith. This makes them suitable for a “paladin” style build that combines melee combat with faith-based spells. If you’re unsure whether you want to fully commit to a pure caster, the Confessor provides more flexibility.
• Future Class Respec: Remember that Elden Ring allows you to respec your stats later in the game. This means that if you choose a different starting class but later decide you want to focus on Incantations, you can reallocate your stats to optimize your build. However, starting with the Prophet saves you valuable early-game levels.
• Wretch: The Ultimate Challenge: The Wretch is the hardest starting class. It is the “Deprived” class in Elden Ring and provides the most challenging experience, particularly in the early game. For experienced players seeking a unique and difficult playthrough, the Wretch can be a rewarding choice. It starts at level one with no armor and only a club.

Mastering Incantations: Beyond the Starting Class

Choosing the right starting class is just the first step on your journey to becoming a master of Incantations. Here are some key things to keep in mind:

• Sacred Seals: These are the casting tools for Incantations, similar to staves for sorceries. Experiment with different seals to find one that suits your playstyle. The Erdtree Seal is considered by many to be the best due to its excellent Faith scaling.
• Talismans: These equipable items provide various buffs and bonuses. The Flock’s Canvas Talisman greatly increases the potency of Incantations. The Radagon Icon shortens casting time for both Sorceries and Incantations.
• Incantations to Acquire: Seek out powerful Incantations throughout the game. Some standouts include Giantsflame Take Thee, Black Flame Blade, and various healing Incantations.
• Stat Allocation: Focus on leveling up your Faith stat to increase your Incantation scaling. Also, invest in Mind to increase your FP (Focus Points), which are consumed when casting spells.
• Learning from NPCs: Visit instructors like Brother Corhyn in Roundtable Hold and Miriel, Pastor of Vows in Liurnia to learn new Incantations.
• Weapon Choices: While you’ll be primarily casting Incantations, consider using weapons that scale with Faith. This will allow you to effectively deal damage even when you’re out of FP or need to engage in melee combat.
• Incantation Types: Explore the different types of Incantations available, including healing, offensive, buffs, and status effects. Mastering a variety of Incantations will make you a more versatile and effective caster.
• Early Game Incantations: Some useful early game Incantations include Catch Flame, Heal, and Bestial Vitality. These can significantly improve your survivability and damage output in the early stages of the game.
• Faith Scaling: Incantations scale primarily with Faith. Unless you use a Sacred Seal that has unique scaling, Incantations typically benefit from high Faith stats.
• Mixing Magic Types: You can mix Sorceries and Incantations but will need to return to a Site of Grace to memorize different spells.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding Incantations and starting classes in Elden Ring:

1. What stat makes Incantations stronger? Faith is the primary stat that increases the power of Incantations. Higher Faith results in better Incantation scaling, leading to increased damage and healing.
2. Are Incantations worth it in Elden Ring? Absolutely! Incantations are a powerful form of magic in Elden Ring, offering a wide range of abilities, from healing and buffs to devastating offensive spells.
3. Are Incantations better than sorceries? In many ways, yes. Incantations offer a wider variety of effects than Sorceries, including healing, buffs, and different damage types.
4. What is the best item for Incantations in Elden Ring? The Erdtree Seal is widely considered the best Sacred Seal due to its exceptional Faith scaling. But, the Gravel Stone Seal is best for those that lean into lightning Incantations.
5. Can you use Incantations as a sorcerer? Yes, you can use both Sorceries and Incantations, but you need to equip the appropriate casting tool (staff for Sorceries, Sacred Seal for Incantations) and memorize the spells at a Site of Grace.
6. Do Incantations use faith or arcane? Incantations primarily use Faith. Arcane can influence some Incantations, particularly those related to Dragon Communion.
7. What weapon do you need to cast Incantations? You need a Sacred Seal to cast Incantations.
8. Who is the best person to learn Incantations in Elden Ring? Brother Corhyn in Roundtable Hold and Miriel, Pastor of Vows, in Liurnia are both excellent instructors.
9. What is the strongest fire spell in Elden Ring? Giantsflame Take Thee is a very strong fire spell in Elden Ring.
10. Is O Flame better than Catch Flame? While O, Flame! deals more damage than Catch Flame, it is slower to cast and less versatile, making Catch Flame often more useful in practice.
11. What is Radagon weak to? Radagon is surprisingly weak to fire damage.
12. Is there a seal that scales with Dex? Yes, there are a few seals that scale with Dexterity, though most scale primarily with Faith. The Godslayer’s Seal is an example.
13. What is the highest faith scaling seal? The Erdtree Seal has the highest Faith scaling in the game.
14. What talisman helps Incantations? The Flock’s Canvas Talisman greatly increases the potency of Incantations.
15. What makes Incantations faster? The Radagon Icon talisman shortens the casting time of both Sorceries and Incantations.

The Path to Divine Power

Choosing the right starting class is the first step on your path to mastering Incantations in Elden Ring. While the Prophet offers the most direct route to a powerful faith build, the Confessor provides a more balanced approach. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your preferred playstyle and goals. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each class and focusing on building your Faith stat, acquiring powerful Incantations, and experimenting with different Sacred Seals and Talismans, you can unlock the true potential of divine magic and become a formidable force in the Lands Between. Consider researching deeper into the topic by reviewing the Games Learning Society website.