The Unforgiving Path: Why the Barbarian is the Hardest Starting Class in Demon’s Souls
The realm of Boletaria in Demon’s Souls is a harsh and unforgiving place, and your choice of starting class can significantly impact your initial journey. While some classes offer a smoother introduction, one stands out as particularly challenging: the Barbarian. This class, with its stark lack of starting gear and reliance on raw skill, embodies the game’s brutal difficulty right from the very beginning. For those seeking the ultimate test of resolve, the Barbarian offers an experience unlike any other.
The Barbarian’s Brutal Reality
The Barbarian class distinguishes itself with its pitiful starting equipment and a focus on purely physical stats. Unlike other classes that start with some form of armor and a decent weapon, the Barbarian begins the game essentially naked, wielding only a simple club. This makes the early game, especially the notoriously difficult 1-1 area, an exercise in survival. Without any protection against physical damage, every enemy encounter becomes potentially lethal.
Why is the Barbarian so Difficult?
Several key factors contribute to the Barbarian’s challenging nature:
- Lack of Armor: The absence of any armor means the Barbarian is incredibly vulnerable. Even the lowliest of Boletarian enemies can deal significant damage with each strike. This forces players to rely heavily on dodging and avoiding damage, a skill that takes time and practice to master.
- Weak Starting Weapon: The club, while functional, is slow and deals relatively low damage. It struggles against even the basic enemies, making every fight a prolonged and risky affair. This contrasts sharply with classes like the Knight, who starts with a strong sword and shield.
- High Level Starting Stats: The Barbarian, while having high Vitality and Strength, suffers from being one of the highest soul level starting classes. This means leveling will cost more to do the same thing that another character would level at a lower soul level, it also makes you a target for higher level invasions earlier than other characters.
- High Risk, High Reward Playstyle: The Barbarian’s weakness forces players to engage enemies in a precise and calculated manner. This creates a high-risk, high-reward scenario, where a single mistake can result in death, while a flawless series of attacks can be extremely satisfying.
A Test of Pure Skill
Playing as a Barbarian is a true test of skill and patience. Players must learn enemy attack patterns, master the art of dodging, and make the most of limited resources. It’s a brutal learning curve that can quickly overwhelm newcomers, yet it also offers a profound sense of accomplishment for those who persevere. While other classes might allow for more forgiving playstyles, the Barbarian requires players to fully embrace the game’s core mechanics. This raw, unadulterated experience truly embodies the spirit of Demon’s Souls.
FAQ: Barbarian and Starting Classes in Demon’s Souls
1. Does the starting class really matter in Demon’s Souls?
Yes, to a certain extent. While Demon’s Souls doesn’t lock you into a specific playstyle based on your starting class, it does determine your initial gear and stats. This influences how difficult the early game will be and sets you up for particular build paths. However, with time, any class can excel in any play style.
2. What are the other hardest starting classes besides the Barbarian?
While the Barbarian is often considered the most difficult, the Thief is also challenging for beginners due to its low health and reliance on dexterity-based weapons, as well as lower starting soul level. It encourages a more agile but risky playstyle. It also needs high investment to be worthwhile.
3. Is the Royalty class the easiest starting class?
Yes, the Royalty class is generally regarded as the easiest. It starts with the Soul Arrow spell, which is effective against early enemies, and a Fragrant Ring, which regenerates magic points, making the early game significantly smoother.
4. What is the best starting class for a melee build?
For a melee build, the Temple Knight is a great choice due to its balanced stats, good starting armor, and the halberd that is a powerful early weapon. The Knight is also a good option.
5. Is magic overpowered in Demon’s Souls?
Magic is very strong in Demon’s Souls, especially early on. Spells like Soul Arrow provide a safe and reliable way to damage enemies, making magic builds very potent.
6. Can you change your class in Demon’s Souls?
No, unlike some other RPGs, Demon’s Souls does not allow you to respec or change your class once you’ve started the game. Your initial choice and stat allocation will remain with you throughout the playthrough unless you get someone to Soulsuck you to reset your levels and stat allocation.
7. What stats should I focus on for a Barbarian playthrough?
For a Barbarian, focusing on Vitality to increase your health and Strength to boost your melee damage is crucial. Endurance is also very important.
8. Is it worth grinding for Plate Mail as a Barbarian?
While it’s certainly beneficial, grinding for Plate Mail early on can be tedious. It’s generally recommended to focus on developing your skills and learning the game’s mechanics first and finding easier to obtain armor along the way.
9. What mistakes should beginners avoid in Demon’s Souls?
Beginners should avoid leveling up the wrong stats, ignoring player messages, consuming boss souls without careful consideration, being overburdened with heavy gear, and returning to human form too often.
10. How does being in Soul Form affect gameplay?
Being in Soul Form reduces your maximum health, and it’s the standard form. It means you wont get invaded, but also the game mechanics are designed around you mostly playing in soul form. When you’re in Human form, you can be invaded by other players.
11. What is the significance of the Providential Ring?
The Providential Ring increases item drop rates, which can be invaluable for farming healing items early in the game. It’s a useful starting gift for beginners.
12. Is Demon’s Souls harder than other Souls games?
While difficulty is subjective, many players find Demon’s Souls to be one of the more challenging entries in the Souls series, with its unique level design and unforgiving mechanics.
13. What are some general tips for surviving in Demon’s Souls?
Practice patience, learn enemy attack patterns, don’t be afraid to die and learn from it, use the environment to your advantage, and explore thoroughly.
14. Can the Barbarian be good later in the game?
Yes, despite its difficult start, the Barbarian’s high starting strength can make it a powerful force in the mid-to-late game. With proper equipment and stat allocation, a Barbarian can absolutely conquer the game.
15. Is Demon’s Souls too hard for beginners?
Demon’s Souls is undoubtedly a challenging game, but it’s far from impossible. While difficult for beginners, if you understand the mechanics and take your time learning, anyone can enjoy this wonderful and atmospheric world. The key is patience and a willingness to learn from your failures. The Barbarian is certainly not recommended for your first play through, but a fun and rewarding class to play on subsequent playthroughs.
In conclusion, the Barbarian in Demon’s Souls presents the ultimate challenge for players seeking a truly difficult and rewarding experience. Its stark beginning forces players to engage with the game’s mechanics at their core, creating a journey that is both frustrating and incredibly satisfying. For those who embrace the difficulty and persevere, the Barbarian offers a unique perspective on the brutally beautiful world of Demon’s Souls.