Elden Ring's first paid add-on since Shadow of the Erdtree is almost here — and it costs less than a coffee. The Tarnished Pack launches August 28, 2026 on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox for $4.99, bringing two new starting classes, four armor sets, and the first official Torrent customization options in the game's history.
FromSoftware has now published the final stat sheets for both classes — the Heavy Knight and the Idus Knight — and the numbers tell a more interesting story than the marketing does. One of these classes isn't what the name suggests. Here's everything you need to decide which one to roll, and whether the pack deserves your five dollars.
What's Actually in the Tarnished Pack
Let's set expectations first, because some players are still confused about this: the Tarnished Pack contains no new region, no new bosses, and no new questline. It's a starting-class and cosmetics pack:
| Content | Details | |---------|---------| | Heavy Knight class | New curved greatsword + heavy armor set | | Idus Knight class | Milady light greatsword + shield + light armor | | 4 armor sets | Includes Dark Souls callbacks (Lucatiel of Mirrah tribute) | | 3 Torrent skins | First-ever official steed customization, incl. Night's Cavalry look | | New lore | "Idus" — a nation never before mentioned in Elden Ring |
The pack was built for the Nintendo Switch 2's Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition ($79.99, bundling the base game plus Shadow of the Erdtree), but Bandai Namco is selling all of its content as standalone DLC on every platform on the same day. Switch 2 pre-orders also get two bonus gestures: Ring Pose and Miquella's Ring.
The Final Stats: Heavy Knight
The Heavy Knight starts at level 10 — and that's already the story. In last year's playtest build, the class started at level 8. FromSoftware raised it by two, dropping the extra points into Faith and Mind. The community immediately called it a nerf, and technically they're right: in Elden Ring, a lower starting level is valuable because every wasted stat point is one your final build can't reclaim.
| Stat | Heavy Knight (Lv 10) | |------|---------------------| | Vigor | 14 | | Mind | 8 | | Endurance | 17 | | Strength | 15 | | Dexterity | 11 | | Intelligence | 7 | | Faith | 8 | | Arcane | 9 |
Here's the counterintuitive part: the Heavy Knight is not the best pure Strength opener. The base-game Hero still starts with 16 Strength at level 7 — cheaper and stronger for a straightforward colossal-weapon bruiser. What the Heavy Knight actually sells you is that Endurance number. Seventeen clears the previous class record (Samurai's 13) by four points. That's equip-load budget for real heavy armor from the first Site of Grace, plus a stamina pool big enough to swing a slow weapon more than twice.
The catch is Mind 8 — the lowest of any origin. FromSoftware is quietly telling you not to spam Ashes of War on this class. Swing the sword; don't cast.
The Final Stats: Idus Knight
The Idus Knight starts at level 7 and plays like a direct rival to the fan-favorite Samurai — on paper, a slight upgrade, trading a little Vigor, Intelligence, and Arcane for more Faith and Strength while starting one level lower.
| Stat | Idus Knight (Lv 7) | |------|-------------------| | Vigor | 10 | | Mind | 12 | | Endurance | 11 | | Strength | 13 | | Dexterity | 15 | | Intelligence | 8 | | Faith | 11 | | Arcane | 6 |
The real draw is the starting kit: the Milady, the light greatsword introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree, where it took hours of play to obtain. Getting it at character creation — alongside a shield and a fresh lightweight armor set — is, for many players, the entire argument for buying the pack. The 11 Faith also leaves the door open to sprinkle in buffs and incantations later without respec.
There's a lore hook too: the class is described as "a knight of the land of Idus, famed for their lightweight attire." Idus has never been mentioned anywhere in Elden Ring before. Don't expect a new area — the nation will almost certainly live entirely in item descriptions, which is peak FromSoftware.
Is It Pay-to-Win? No — Here's the Math
Before anyone sharpens the pitchforks: every origin in Elden Ring converges on the same total. By level 10, all classes sit at 89 attribute points. The Heavy Knight hits 89 at level 10; the Idus Knight's 86 at level 7 puts it on exactly the same curve. The new classes don't give you more stats — they arrange the same stats with fewer points wasted on attributes your build will never touch.
Elden Ring grants one stat point per level, and each level costs progressively more runes. A class that starts at level 7 with zero "junk" stats for your build is effectively richer than a level 10 class carrying points in attributes you'll never raise. This is why min-maxers obsess over starting spreads — and why the Heavy Knight's two extra levels were received as a nerf.
Which Class Should You Pick?
Pick the Heavy Knight if: you want heavy armor from minute one, hate fat-rolling, and plan a quality or Strength build that doesn't rely on skills. That 17 Endurance means you can wear real poise armor while other classes are still choosing between a helmet and a chest piece.
Pick the Idus Knight if: you liked the Samurai but wanted a lower level, a better starting weapon, and Faith flex. The Milady is genuinely one of the smoothest weapons in the game — fast, elegant, and strong with a quality spread. This is the class for a first full playthrough of the Tarnished Edition on Switch 2, or a stylish NG+ run anywhere else.
Skip both if: you already have a high-level character and no interest in rerolling. The armor sets and Torrent skins might still tempt you, but classes only matter at character creation.
Customizing your steed has been a community request since 2022. The three skins are cosmetic-only — no stat changes — but the Night's Cavalry look is the first time Torrent has matched the game's field-boss aesthetic. Fashion-conscious Tarnished, this is your moment.
Verdict: Worth $4.99?
If you're planning a new run between late August and the holidays — absolutely. Two well-designed starting kits, a fan-service armor haul including Lucatiel of Mirrah's set, and steed cosmetics for the price of a latte is an easy yes. If you're done with the Lands Between until the next real expansion, the pack won't pull you back on its own; there's no new content to fight through.
For more build planning, see our Elden Ring best builds tier list and our early-game weapons guide — both pair naturally with a fresh Tarnished Pack run. One note on naming while you search: Bandai Namco officially calls the class "Idus Knight," but some outlets write "Knight of Idus" or even "Knight of Ides" — try all three when hunting stat sheets.
Craving another soulslike expansion a week earlier? Team NINJA's Nioh 3 Hell Rising DLC guide covers the new Hoko & Shield weapon class and Enlightened One's Journey difficulty landing August 18 at 9:00 PM PT.
The Tarnished Pack drops August 28, 2026 on PC, PS4/PS5, and Xbox One/Series X|S, day-and-date with the Switch 2 Tarnished Edition. May the Erdtree guide your re-roll.
