FromSoftware reveals final stats of new Elden Ring classes, and one of them already got a tiny nerf
FromSoftware has officially revealed the final statistics for two new classes arriving in Elden Ring’s Tarnished Edition DLC, a $5 expansion. The two classes are the Idus Knight and the Heavy Knight, which were previously glimpsed during playtest phases.
The Heavy Knight has received a minor balance adjustment compared to its playtest iteration. The class now starts at level 10 instead of level 8, with the two additional levels distributed as +1 Faith and +1 Mind respectively. While modest, this change represents careful tuning before the DLC’s official release. Despite the adjustment, FromSoftware maintains that the Heavy Knight should remain a strong choice for strength-focused builds often referred to by players as “Hulk smash” playstyles.
Given Elden Ring’s progression system where each level grants exactly one stat point with diminishing returns on attribute scaling, even minor stat adjustments can have meaningful implications for early-game viability and specific build archetypes. The balance changes demonstrate FromSoftware’s methodical approach to ensuring new starting classes integrate smoothly into the existing metagame without disrupting established playstyles. This conservative adjustment strategy follows the studio’s typical pattern of refining content based on comprehensive player feedback and internal testing data gathered during development phases.