Wits is the best-supported starting recommendation for a first run through the standalone demo. Independent hands-on coverage and multiple June 2026 players identify it as the recommended option. Strength suits a melee-focused approach, while Physique emphasizes mutations and corpse consumption. This recommendation concerns learning the documented demo, rather than an untested Early Access damage ranking.
Why Wits is the recommended first choice
The collected February 2025 preview describes Wits as the most balanced of the three starting options. Separate June 2026 player observations also identify the middle, Wits option as recommended. That agreement supports choosing it when you want the suggested introduction to the game. It does not mean the other classes are mistakes or that Wits wins every encounter.
The distinction between a recommended introduction and the strongest build matters here. Players in the June comparison disagree about which class is most powerful. Their agreement concerns the recommended start, while their balance judgments remain personal experience. Use Wits as the supported first-run answer without treating those opinions as a tested tier list.
What Strength changes about your start
Low Vibration is the Strength-oriented starting route. Its June 22, 2026 rework made basic melee attacks central and allowed power punches to be charged separately. The developer also fixed block-based Retaliation Attack buildup and enabled this class's melee attacks in Duels. Read the revised instructions if an older video tells you that complicated combinations are mandatory.
The same patch changed the sustain rules that can influence your choice. Kill healing increased from 30 to 50 according to the developer's notes, and toxin and radiation cleansing on kill were removed. A June player independently described the additional healing but still reported difficulty sustaining against larger enemies. That supports understanding the tradeoff, rather than assuming a melee start guarantees effortless recovery.
What the Physique option offers
The collected class comparison associates Physique with mutations and corpse consumption. It provides a different style from the recommended Wits introduction or the Strength melee approach. The developer's discussion also mentions mutation abilities and balancing as work in progress. Those development comments should not be read as a list of abilities already available in every build.
The position of each option on the selection screen is not a verified easy, normal, and hard scale. The materials do not establish that Physique is universally the hardest choice. They also do not contain numerical starting-stat comparisons that would support a precise efficiency ranking. Choose based on the documented style rather than an invented difficulty label.
Starting archetypes and later development
The official store describes three primary archetypes and says players can commit to one or mix their development. That means the starting choice and the broader character system should be considered separately. The store confirms the possibility of mixed development but does not rank a universally optimal combination. There is no supported allocation chart that turns a class recommendation into an endgame build.
A September 28 developer reply also separates leveling, weapon modifications, weapon-channeled psi abilities, and dialogue upgrades. The spendable leveling loop is described as starting after boarding the train in Early Access and the full game. Its absence in the demo is therefore not proof that you chose the wrong starting archetype. See the Strength progression explanation if the missing upgrade loop is your concern.
Make your choice for the version you are playing
For a first standalone-demo run, Wits is the clearest supported recommendation. For melee-focused play, compare the June changes in the Strength build guide before relying on older advice. For mutations, understand the Physique description without assuming announced abilities have all shipped. These choices reflect the documented styles, rather than promises about outcomes.
This page's evidence was collected on October 25, 2026. The substantial Strength rework shows why advice from 2024 can conflict with a later demo. Keep the build date visible when comparing player experiences or footage. The research does not establish an objective Early Access best-class ranking.
Sources
Official screenshots · Steam media gallery · © Abraxaes and respective rights holders. Material statement.