If you want to play an absolute beefcake, Elden Ring has the class for you. The Hero class is your classic strength, melee-based fighter who will tank their way through the Lands Between. Your main focus will be on which weapons suit your playstyle and where best to allocate your runes.
The Hero class starts at level seven and has the highest starting strength of any class. It also has high vigor and endurance, allowing you to take more damage and have a larger equipment load. Heroes only start with two items: a battleaxe and a large leather shield. The battleaxe is an excellent starting weapon and if you enjoy using it, upgrading it with Smithing Stones is a good idea. However, the large leather shield should be substituted for a shield that has a higher damage reduction. There are still variations to how you can play the Hero though.
The biggest question is whether you want to play with a shield or not. Shielding means you can tank hits and not have to dodge all the time, while not using a shield would allow you to two-hand or even dual-wield weapons. The Hero is one class you’ll want to put endurance points into as it is better with strength-based weapons which are usually much heavier. Two-handing any sort of weapon means it will do more damage, so if you’re good with dodging and don’t want to use a shield, it’s a great option.
As for weapons that complement this class, the Lordsworn Greatsword is a great early sword that works well as a two-handed weapon. The battle hammer is another excellent pick and can easily stagger enemies. You’ll have to go to the Murkwater Catacombs and defeat the Grave Warden Duelist to obtain it, though. The Greataxe can be found in Limgrave and is guarded by two large trolls. It’s a heavy weapon that can do a lot of damage and is stronger than the starting battleaxe.
If you’re having problems in the early game with surviving, dump some runes into vigor to get more health and do some exploring for some better armor. Get ready to be the tankiest Tarnished in all the Lands Between.
