Modelled after Griffith from Berserk, the Prisoner is a hybrid class for using high-speed dexterity weapons and intelligence-based magic. The Prisoner starts at level nine and has all-around average stats, with higher dexterity and intelligence but low faith and arcane. You’ll be poking enemies in Elden Ring and using fancy swords to deal constant damage when you’re not casting spells from afar.
As a Prisoner, you’ll start with the Estoc sword, Glintstone Staff, the Magic Glingblade spell, and the Rift Shield. While the Estoc isn’t the most powerful sword in the game by far, its ability to do constant damage via poking the enemy is excellent in the early game. If you keep your distance using spells and rush in when the enemy is vulnerable to do melee damage, the shield you start with becomes redundant.
Before you venture far into the Lands Between, you may want to pick up some better spells. Find the Waypoint Ruins and go directly south, from there, you should find an enemy next to a dead body atop a fallen tower. Here is where you can get the Royal House Scroll which allows you to obtain better spells. Head back to the Waypoint Ruins, head to the dungeon underneath, and give the scroll to Sorceress Sellen. One of the spells you can now buy from her is the Glintstone Pebble. It’s a simple yet effective spell for taking out groups of enemies and dealing damage to bosses from afar.
Scholar’s Armament is another great spell for the early game as it enchants your right-hand weapon to deal magical damage. If you don’t like that, Carian Slicer is great as it makes a fast-sweeping, magical sword attack and has excellent coverage.
If you want better equipment, the Demi-Human Queen’s Staff is a nice pick and is dropped by the Demi-Human Queens in the Weeping Peninsula, which is south of Limgrave. The Rapier is a thrusting sword similar to the Estoc and scales with strength and dexterity.
The one downside with the Prisoner is that they’re generally bad with horseback combat. Thrusting swords like the Estoc are not mad for horse combat, and you’ll have to equip your staff to your right hand if you want to cast spells while upon your spectral steed. It can be a lot to manage at once, so it’s best to stay on foot and cast spells where you have more options for attacking and movement.
When allocating your runes to your stats, you’ll want to focus on dexterity, mind, intelligence, and a bit of endurance. Mind will increase your FP pool, whereas intelligence will buff your spells and staffs. Put levels into your endurance if you find yourself using your sword more often and if you run out of stamina.
The Prisoner is a class geared towards a more advanced player who knows the Souls genre. It blends melee and magic to create a devastating combo that can control the battlefield up close and from afar.
