Version note: This guide reflects Soulframe Open Preludes Alpha — Preludes 16, open to all PC players since November 6, 2026. Preludes 17: "Verse of the Veilands" is expected later in November 2026 and will add a new Pact and mounts, which may change the "best starter" math. Values marked
[to verify]are community-sourced and should be re-checked in-game.
Your starting build is decided by three linked choices — Pact, Prism, and weapon — and they should all point at the same Virtue. Get the three aligned and your first hours are dramatically smoother; mismatch them and you'll fight with one hand tied behind your back.
Step 1 — Pick Your Starter Pact
Your Pact is Soulframe's class. The three starters each map to a Virtue, and your choice also sets your starting Enclave and talisman:
| Pact | Virtue | Role | Signature abilities | Starting Enclave / talisman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tethren | Courage | Melee bruiser / tank | Fellust, Call of the Ancients, Clash | Kith of Kings / Medallion of Mora |
| Oscelda | Spirit | Caster / support | Bestone, Elderbloom, Phantom Flock | Alca's Children / Sproutfolk Seed |
| Sirin | Grace | Rogue / stealth | Picktrix Powder, Trick of the Light, Glamour | Silent Rose / Rose's Bodkin |
What each kit does:
- Tethren — melee damage ramping, a taunt that buffs you, and a group stagger/stun. Strong, straightforward, high survivability from Courage.
- Oscelda — petrify an enemy, drop an AoE heal, summon phantom birds that damage and slow. The safest "control + sustain" kit; often recommended for brand-new players.
- Sirin — blinding flash, an exploding decoy, and invisibility. Highest skill ceiling; the least forgiving for a first run.
Recommendation: If you want a comfortable, forgiving start, pick Oscelda (control + heal) or Tethren (tanky melee). Pick Sirin only if you specifically want stealth/bows. Ability names marked
[to verify]— confirm exact spellings in-game.
Step 2 — Match Your Prism to Your Pact
Since the Preludes 13 rework, you don't allocate points manually — your Virtue Prism auto-distributes them as you level. Use the starter Prism that matches your Pact:
| Pact | Matching starter Prism | Virtue lean |
|---|---|---|
| Tethren | Warrior of Mora | Courage |
| Oscelda | Iridis' Shaman | Spirit |
| Sirin | Rogue to Saphene | Grace |
Prism names are community-sourced [to verify]. Later you can swap to stronger Prisms (e.g. a "Mora's Beast" for extreme Courage, "Druid of Iridis" for strong Spirit, or "Saphene's Shadow" for strong Grace) [to verify].
Step 3 — Pick Your Starting Weapons
Aim for no-gate or low-gate weapons (a fresh character has ~16 Virtue points [to verify]), and keep one melee + one ranged option:
| Build | Melee pick | Ranged / utility pick |
|---|---|---|
| Courage (Tethren) | Wulder (Long Blade, no gate) → later Falx / Ilverac (Courage 12) | Thistle (Bow, no gate) for puzzles |
| Spirit (Oscelda) | A magick/Spirit weapon or Rook (Polearm, Spirit 11) as you build | Thistle or another Bow |
| Grace (Sirin) | Nettle (Short Blade, no gate) or Precklies (Flyblade, no gate) | The Starling (Bow, Grace 7) |
Match weapon family to your Pact's passives — a Courage Pact wants Courage-scaling melee, not a Spirit staff.
Step 4 — Armor & Talisman
- Heavy armor → Courage (Tethren), Light → Spirit (Oscelda), Medium → Grace (Sirin). Armor scales off its matching Virtue, so wear your own class.
- For talismans: use a Triune Talisman or Paragon Periapt for balanced spreads, or an Enclave talisman (e.g. Molten Mora, Sproutfolk Shoot, Bloomin' Bodkin) for a single-Virtue focus
[to verify].
Three Sample Starting Loadouts
Courage bruiser (Tethren)
- Pact: Tethren · Prism: Warrior of Mora · Armor: Heavy
- Weapon: Wulder (Long Blade) → Falx/Ilverac · Ranged: Thistle
- Why: high Life, melee sustain, forgiving front-line play.
Spirit caster (Oscelda)
- Pact: Oscelda · Prism: Iridis' Shaman / Druid of Iridis · Armor: Light
- Weapon: a Spirit/magick weapon, build toward Rook (Spirit 11)
- Why: petrify + AoE heal + summons control the fight while you learn.
Grace assassin (Sirin)
- Pact: Sirin · Prism: Rogue to Saphene / Saphene's Shadow · Armor: Medium
- Weapon: Nettle or Precklies · Ranged: The Starling (Grace 7)
- Why: ambush, finishers and headshots; highest ceiling, lowest forgiveness.
Long-Term Note
All three starters are viable, and you can switch Pacts later. If you want the endgame Ode Tempest Pact (a high-rank Tuvalkane craft) [to verify], starting as Oscelda or Sirin gives a more direct path to its recipe than Tethren. Don't optimize for this on your first character — any starter gets you through the early game comfortably.
Values to Verify In-Game
- Exact ability names/spellings for Tethren, Oscelda, Sirin kits
- Prism names and their distribution profiles
- Talisman names and bonuses
- Ode Tempest unlock conditions and recipe