Isn’t choosing your starting class in Elden Ring one of the hardest decisions you ever have to make? I know how I scour the internet to direct me to the right class for me and couldn’t find a detailed piece that covers the basics along with the end game builds all packed in one. Luckily for you, I took the duty upon myself to cover each class along those lines. So here is the ultimate guide to the Astrologer class in Elden Ring.
The Astrologer is your pure mage class in Elden Ring. If sorcery is your thing and you don’t like to come face to face with enemies then this is the class for you. With substantial INT and Mind stats, this class can easily cast any spell in the game without worrying about close-quarter combat.
Astrologer is the perfect build for beginners who are too afraid of the brutal difficulty of melee engagements in Elden Ring.
Is Astrologer good for beginners?
Starter Equipment
| Weapons | Astrologer’s Staff Short Sword |
| Sorceries | Glintstone Pebble Glintstone Arc |
| Shield | Scripture Wooden Shield |
| Armor | Astrologer Hood Astrologer Robe Astrologer Gloves Astrologer Trousers |
Starting Stats
| Level | 6 |
| Vigor | 9 |
| Mind | 15 |
| Endurance | 9 |
| Strength | 8 |
| Dexterity | 12 |
| Intelligence | 16 |
| Faith | 7 |
| Arcane | 9 |
The Astrologer is the pure magic class in Elden Ring, specifically sorcery-based. It is one of the most beginner-friendly classes as it gives you a solid ranged option allowing you to thin out enemies before getting into range. And if you are not aware, sorcery is really powerful in this game so you will always have an upper hand.
The class has the highest Mind and Intelligence stats of the bunch. INT boosts the damage of most sorceries and allows you to equip other powerful spells you find in the game. Mind increases the overall FP meter, letting you fire more spells before consuming an FP flask.
Additionally, the high Dexterity stat not only allows you to use some fast melee weapons but also increases the speed at which you cast spells.
The starting spells this class comes with are no slouch either. Glintstone Pebble is a strong spell, able to stay potent in later stages of the game. Glintstone Arc is perfect for dispatching groups of enemies with its wide and unstoppable reach.
This class’s prowess in ranged combat ensures that none of the enemy. including some weaker bosses, are able to reach you, and you can easily gun them down.
Astrologer also packs a quick Short Sword to finish off enemies without wasting precious FP. Also, the included Scripture Wooden Shield is good enough to block some stray damage, but you can not rely on its defensive capabilities.
However, it has lower Vigor i.e. HP. This means you start off very weak. You will be forced to keep your enemies at bay and try not to engage in close-quarter combat.
What are the best Builds for Astrologer?
Here are some builds that go perfectly with the Astrologer class:
Best Hybrid Build for Astrologer
Stat Sheet:
| Level | 125 |
| Vigor | 50 |
| Mind | 20 |
| Endurance | 16 |
| Strength | 10 |
| Dexterity | 22 |
| Intelligence | 70 |
| Faith | 7 |
| Arcane | 9 |
Equipment:
| Talismans | Kindred of Rot’s Exultation Shard of Alexandar Magic Scorpion Charm Stargazer Heirloom |
| Weapons | Bastard’s Stars +10 (in both hands if you want but one works just fine) Regal Sceptre +10 (or any other staff) |
| Spells | Terra Magica |
| Mix of Wonderous Physick | Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear Intelligence-Knot Crystal Tear |
| Armor | Mushroom Crown Spellblade’s Traveling Attire Spellblade’s Gloves Spellblade’s Trousers |
| Other Items | Roped Fetid Pots Neutralizing Boluses |
How to play with the build:
Okay, so this build revolves around the Bastard’s Star flail, specifically its Nebula skill. Flails have received quite a massive buff over the last few updates, making them extremely viable weapons.
The multiple ring of explosions following the use of the Nebula skill really eats up the health of enemies and bosses alike. These explosions are quite random unlike other weapons in the game providing further surprising results.
When fully upgraded, the Bastard’s Star has an “A” scaling with INT. Pumping up the INT stat will not only significantly increase the normal damage but also the Nebula skill. You can power stance two of the same weapon for even more devastating outcomes, but one is enough for the build.
Everything else in the build is there to complement and boost the damage of this skill:
- Any staff, preferably Regal Sceptre, is there to cast the Terra Magica spell. Since Nebula is a magic attack, the buff you receive from this spell will enhance the damage output. Just be aware that you have to stay within the radius of the spell to capitalize on the buff.
- Shard of Alexandar talisman increases the damage of all skills.
- Magic Scorpion Charm increases the damage of magic attacks. Although, you will receive more damage with this talisman on.
- Stargazer Heirloom talisman gives more INT stat, adding more damage to the weapon.
- Now the Kindred of Rot’s Exultation talisman and Mushroom Crown headgear have a unique effect where they increase overall damage if either you or a nearby enemy gets poisoned/scarlet rotted. You can use this effect to your advantage by using the Roped Fetid Pots, poisoning yourself to get the buff. The buff stays active for some time even after you are cured so you can easily fix yourself with Neutralizing Boluses.
- The other three Spellblade armor pieces will increase the damage of magic-type Ash of War/Skills.
- The instructed Mix of Wonderous Physick will also give a 3-minute boost to all your magic attacks.
Before you face any boss, just pop these buffs before engaging and start spamming the Nebula skill, and watch as the explosion takes away their health.
Best Magic Build for Astrologer
Stat Sheet:
| Level | 150 |
| Vigor | 35 |
| Mind | 39 |
| Endurance | 25 |
| Strength | 10 |
| Dexterity | 15 |
| Intelligence | 85 |
| Faith | 10 |
| Arcane | 10 |
Equipment:
| Talismans | Godfrey Icon Magic Scorpion Charm Graven-Mass Talisman Radagon Icon |
| Weapons | Lusat’s Glintstone Staff +10 Azur’s Glintstone Staff +9/+10 |
| Recommended Spells | Terra Magica Greatblade Phalanx Comet Azur Stars of Ruin Comet |
| Mix of Wonderous Physick | Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear Cerulean Hidden Tear |
| Armor | Hierodas Glintstone Crown Use any other armor pieces that keep you under the medium equip load. |
How to play with the build:
This build is a pure magic build, no melee weapon is required. With all the stats listed above, you can easily use any spell in the game and the high INT stat will make them even more deadly. It is the perfect build to annihilate any boss or enemy without worrying about getting close to them, although there are some melee spells that you can use to play as an up-close and personal battle mage.
Equip the Godrick’s Great Rune to boost every stat by +5. Additionally, the Hierodas Glintstone Crown increases Intelligence and Endurance by +2 but reduces FP by 10%.
The Lusat’s Glintstone Staff will be your primary casting staff in the right hand. It has the best scaling out of all the staves and it boosts the damage of spells however, every spell will consume more FP. The Azur’s Glintstone Staff is only there for its special effect of reducing casting times. Equip it to your left hand and forget about it. Don’t forget to bring a healthy supply of FP flasks.
As for the talismans, they are pretty straightforward for any mage build:
- Godfrey Icon increases the damage of charged spells.
- Graven-Mass Talisman raises the potency of all sorceries.
- Radagon Icon shortens the time taken to cast spells.
- Magic Scorpion Charm increases the damage of all magic attacks. However, it does increase the physical damage received.
With this setup, any and all spells will reach their maximum lethal potential. Nevertheless, we do have some recommendations.
- Terra Magica to buff all sorceries when cast within the radius.
- Comet Azur for the unstoppable devastating beam, able to evaporate any who dare stand in its path.
- Stars of Ruin for raining down tons of deadly projectiles on an enemy.
- Greatblade Phalanx to catch any enemy that comes too close. It also has an amazing stagger potential.
- Comet will be your go-to spell in the middle of the fight when you can’t fire those long-winded spells. And it scales very well in damage.
The Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear increases the magic damage for 3 minutes. Additionally, the Cerulean Hidden Tear will give a window where you can cast spells without worrying about FP. This is perfect when you enter a boss arena and immediately pop the Physick and unleash an unending barrage of Comet Azur onto the boss.
Does your class actually matter in Elden Ring?
The initial class you choose significantly shapes your gameplay style during the early stages of the game. Each class possesses unique strengths, weaknesses, and tactical approaches. Some classes are specifically tailored for particular roles, such as the Astrologer, which excels in casting sorceries.
Nonetheless, as you progress to the late game, the importance of class selection diminishes. You gain the flexibility to allocate your leveling points as you see fit. Starting with a class that aligns with your preferred playstyle can provide a solid foundation for your future build, but it doesn’t restrict you in the long run.
For instance, if you aspire to create a character focused on incantations, the Astrologer might not be the ideal choice. Opting for the Prophet class, with its high Faith stats, is a more suitable starting point. However, with a modest investment in Intelligence, even the Astrologer can be transformed into a hybrid build, blending Intelligence and Faith together.
Can you change your class in Elden Ring?
Sadly, you’re stuck with your initial class once you start your adventure. Although, there’s a way out of this predicament. After you’ve taken down Rennala, the Full Moon’s queen, you’ll unlock a respec mechanic in Elden Ring.
There is a catch though, the respec only refunds the points you personally put into your character, not the ones that came with the class you picked. So, your class’s original stats will remain the same even after a respec.
If you’re itching for a whole new class experience, you’ve gotta start a fresh game from scratch. No shortcuts, even in New Game+.
Astrologer Tips and Tricks
Some tips you can employ when starting off with this class:
- You should prioritize the use of Glinstone Pebble over the Arc. The Arc is only handy when you are facing multiple enemies, and they are perfectly lined up in front of you. Pebble has better damage output and shouldn’t be ignored.
- When starting out, allocate more FP flasks to make sure you have enough juice to constantly be firing your spells.
- The best strategy for this class is to aggro enemies and slowly walk back and spam Glinstone Pebble.
- Spirit Summons are your best friends. These spirits will hold the attention of enemies, especially bosses, allowing you to kite them safely.
- I would bring out the Short Sword only when the enemy is flashing really low health to finish them off. This way you can conserve FP for other enemies.
- When mounted on Torrent, make sure you face the enemy before casting spells. You can always switch to the sword to use hit-and-run tactics.
- Try to upgrade Vigor as soon as possible. The class is very weak from the get-go so pumping in more Vigor will increase its survivability.
- Buy and experiment with all the spells. This way you know which ones work the best with your playstyle.
- Bring Scrolls you find in the world to sorcery dealers like Sorceress Sellen to increase the number and types of spells they sell.
- Be on the lookout for Memory Stones. These items will increase the number of slots you can equip spells to. You can buy one from the Roundtable Hold early on.
Sorcery magic is one of the most hard-hitting damage types in all of Elden Ring and the Astrologer class capitalizes on this fully. You can sit back and cast spells and watch as those pesky enemies turn to dust. Let your spells do all the work!