Why your faction choice defines the whole game
In ELEX, picking a faction is not a side activity — it is the spine of your playthrough. Your faction determines which weapons and abilities you can train, which armour you can wear, which companions will trust you, and how huge portions of the story unfold. Because there is no easy way to switch later, this is a decision worth making deliberately, ideally after you have explored enough to understand how each group plays.
The good news is that none of the three joinable factions is a trap. Each is fully viable to the end, and each expresses a distinct fantasy: the anti-technology nature warriors, the high-tech psychic zealots, and the do-what-works desert survivors. The "best" faction is the one whose playstyle you actually enjoy, but they do differ in raw power curves and how forgiving they are early, which is what this tier list captures.
A fourth group, the Albs, is the faction Jax defected from at the start. They embody total Elex consumption and emotionless "Cold," and they function as the game's primary antagonists rather than a standard joinable home, so this guide focuses on the three you can actually pledge to.
The faction tier list
This ranking weighs three things: how strong the faction's build becomes, how well it fits a clear playstyle, and how forgiving it is for newcomers. Treat it as guidance for a first playthrough, not gospel — a player who loves gunplay will get more from a "lower" pick than from a "higher" one that bores them.
Berserkers — the safe, rounded warrior path
The Berserkers reject advanced technology, instead converting Elex into mana to power nature magic. They fight primarily with melee weapons backed by spells, and they call the forest region of Edan home, with their capital at Goliet. For a first playthrough they are the easiest faction to commit to: Goliet is reachable early and safely, the surrounding quests are forgiving, and a Strength-and-Constitution build is intuitive. If you want the classic "warrior who also slings a few spells" fantasy, this is your home.
The trade-off is that melee is ELEX's clunkiest combat mode, so even the friendliest faction asks you to tolerate stiff swordplay. Lean on mana abilities and a backup ranged weapon to smooth out the rough edges.
Clerics — high ceiling, high patience
The Clerics are a religious, high-technology order who worship the god Calaan, wield energy weapons, and develop PSI — psychic powers fuelled by Elex. They hail from the volcanic region of Ignadon. Their build is one of the strongest in the late game: energy weapons hit hard at range and PSI opens up crowd control and burst options that trivialise fights the Berserkers slog through. The catch is the early game. You need Intelligence investment before energy weapons and PSI come online, so the opening hours can feel underpowered. Patience pays off enormously here.
Outlaws — freedom and firepower
The Outlaws are pragmatic survivors in the desert region of Tavar who care about what works, not what is righteous. They favour firearms, chemical concoctions and stims, and their build is the most flexible of the three — you can mix guns, melee and consumables to suit the situation. They suit players who want a looser, more improvisational style and who like the morally grey, anything-goes flavour. Their early ramp is a touch harsher than the Berserkers', mostly because reliable firearms and ammo take some setup, but the payoff is a versatile, self-sufficient fighter.
| Faction | Core attributes | Signature tools | Early difficulty | Late-game power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berserkers | Strength, Constitution | Melee weapons, mana spells | Lowest | High |
| Clerics | Intelligence | Energy weapons, PSI powers | Highest | Highest |
| Outlaws | Cunning, Dexterity | Firearms, chems, stims | Medium | High |
How to join, and when to commit
You do not pick a faction from a menu. You travel to a faction's home region, build standing by completing its quests, and eventually speak to its leadership to formally pledge. Each faction gates entry behind a questline and reputation, so the natural rhythm is to explore, take on early jobs, and feel out which group's people and philosophy you actually like before committing. There is no harm in delaying the decision while you scout — in fact, sampling quests from more than one faction early is the best way to make an informed choice.
A practical tip: align your attribute spending with your intended faction from the start, because there is no free respec. If you are set on Clerics, raise Intelligence early even before you join; if you want Berserkers, bank Strength and Constitution. For the detailed build math behind each path, see our ELEX builds guide, and to make the combat itself less punishing on any faction, read the ELEX combat guide.
Whichever faction you choose, the early survival rules still apply — flee bad fights and grab safe quests first. Our ELEX beginner guide covers the opening hours that get you to a faction town in one piece.
