How to unlock the Dark Crusader class in Lords of the Fallen

The Dark Crusader is Lords of the Fallen's equivalent of the Paladin class. Here's how to unlock it.

The Dark Crusader class in Lords of the Fallen clad in black armor and a greatsword
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Dark Crusader is one of Lords of the Fallen’s 10 playable classes and it’s undoubtedly one of the best, but it’s not available to everyone by default.

Recommended Videos

Clad in dark steel armor and wielding a hard-hitting greatsword, choosing the Dark Crusader sets you off to a great start on your journey in Lords of the Fallen. But how do you unlock it? If you’re wondering, look no further than this guide.

What does the Dark Crusader do in Lords of the Fallen?

You start with good stats and excellent gear—what’s not to love? Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Dark Crusader is effectively a dark paladin. You start with good Endurance, Vitality, and Strength stats, with decent Radiance and below-average Agility and Inferno. This stat allocation makes it easy to pivot or splash into holy magic if you choose to do so, or even Umbral magic if you spend stats leveling your Inferno.

Paladin Isaac’s Sword is an excellent starting weapon and arguably trumps those of every other class. It can easily stagger most small to medium-sized enemies and frequently staggered the first boss, Pieta, when I made a Dark Crusader to try it out for this guide.

The best part of the Dark Crusader for me is their throwing weapon. They come equipped with Radiantburst Parchment, which is effectively a holy hand grenade that consumes ammo (restorable with ammo pouches and at Vestiges) per use. It’s great for finishing off enemies at range, pulling creatures just out of reach, and especially getting treasure on hanging corpses suspended above the ground. It also solidifies the Dark Crusader’s theme as a holy warrior, which is nice.

How to unlock Lords of the Fallen’s Dark Crusader class

En garde! Screenshot by Dot Esports

The easiest way to get the Dark Crusader is by purchasing the Deluxe Edition of Lords of the Fallen. The Dark Crusader has a unique armor set, weapon, and pendant that, as far as I’m aware, can’t be found during the main game. It’s a striking ensemble that nails the “dark paladin” vibe.

You can also get the Dark Crusader by completing Dark Crusader Isaac’s questline. We’ll have more information on how to complete this quest soon. You can unlock three further starting classes by beating the game, one for each of Lords of the Fallen’s three endings, incentivizing another playthrough if they don’t feel like continuing with your existing character on New Game Plus.

Author
Image of Tom Foley
Tom Foley
Tom is the UK Associate Editor for Dot Esports. He's the former TCG Editor for CBR and holds a Master's degree in Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh. Tom spent six years as a Science Editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, and AstraZeneca before leaving science to pursue his dream career in games journalism at the start of 2023. He loves MMOs, RPGs, TCGs, and pretty much every game by FromSoftware—especially Dark Souls.