The Ultimate Elden Ring Guide for First-Time Players: So You Don't Get COMPLETELY Wrecked

Before You Even Start: The Mindset

Creating Your Tarnished: Don't Stress, But a Little Thought Helps

Picking Your Starting Class

• Vagabond: This is probably the top recommendation for new players. You start with the highest health (Vigor), good armor, & a solid sword & shield. That 100% physical block shield will be your best friend early on.
• Samurai: An AMAZING starter class. You get a fantastic weapon, the Uchigatana, which causes bleed damage (super powerful), & a longbow for ranged attacks. High dexterity makes this a great foundation for a fast, damage-focused build.
• Astrologer: If you like the idea of slinging spells from a distance, this is your go-to. You start with a staff & two offensive sorceries. It can make a lot of early encounters easier since you can kill things before they even reach you.
• Confessor: A cool hybrid class that mixes melee combat with Faith-based incantations, which include a healing spell & a stealth buff. Very versatile.

The Best Keepsake

• Golden Seed: This is the best choice, hands down. It gives you an extra charge for your healing flask (your Flask of Crimson Tears) right from the start. You'll find more of these later, but having an extra heal from the get-go is a massive advantage.
• Stonesword Key: These keys are used to open special locked areas that often contain good loot. They are consumable, though. You can find them in the world, but starting with one lets you get a cool item early.
• Lands Between Rune: This gives you 3,000 runes (the game's currency for leveling up & buying stuff) right away. It's a nice little boost to get your first few levels quickly.

Your First Hour in Limgrave: A Gentle Nudge in the Right Direction

1. Find Varre & The First Step Site of Grace: Right where you emerge, you'll see a Site of Grace (your checkpoints) & a guy in a white mask named Varre. Talk to him. He'll give you some cryptic advice. Sites of Grace are where you'll level up, manage your spells, & replenish your flasks. Resting at one also respawns most enemies in the world.
2. Head to the Church of Elleh: Follow the golden light from the Site of Grace. It subtly guides you toward main story points. You'll find a church with a merchant named Kalé. BUY THE CRAFTING KIT from him. This unlocks the ability to craft items, which is super useful. Also, grab a Torch. Trust me, you'll need it for dark caves.
3. Get Your Horse, Torrent: Head towards the big ruined gate camp north of the church, the Gatefront Ruins. There's another Site of Grace there. When you rest at it (or a few others in the overworld), a cutscene will trigger where a woman named Melina appears. Accept her accord. She'll give you the Spectral Steed Whistle, which lets you summon your horse, Torrent. Torrent is your best friend. He lets you travel fast, escape danger, & even double jump. Melina also gives you the ability to level up at Sites of Grace.
4. Grab the Map & Whetstone Knife: In the Gatefront Ruins, look for a stone pillar with a glowing item on it. This is a Map Fragment. Picking it up will fill in that part of your world map. Also in the ruins, there's an underground passage. Go down there to find a chest with the Whetstone Knife. This item is CRUCIAL. It lets you change the Ashes of War on your weapons at any Site of Grace.

Understanding the Core Mechanics

Combat: More Than Just Hacking & Slashing

• Stamina is Everything: That green bar under your health is your stamina. Every action—attacking, dodging, blocking, sprinting—uses it. If you run out, you're a sitting duck. ALWAYS leave a little bit of stamina to dodge away.
• Rolling is Better Than Blocking: Dodging (rolling) gives you "invincibility frames" or "i-frames" where you can't be hit. Rolling through an attack is often safer than trying to block it, especially against big enemies. Your equip load affects your roll; a light load gives you a fast, long roll, while a heavy load gives you a slow, clumsy one (a "fat roll"). Keep an eye on your equip load in your stats screen & try to stay at "Medium Load" or "Light Load."
• Guard Counters are Your Friend: This is a new mechanic in Elden Ring & it's amazing for beginners. After blocking an attack with your shield, immediately press the heavy attack button. You'll do a powerful counter-attack that can often break an enemy's stance, leaving them open for a critical hit (a "riposte"). It's much safer than trying to parry.
• Jumping Attacks & Stance Breaking: Jumping has an offensive purpose! A jumping heavy attack does a lot of damage & is great for breaking an enemy's stance (or "poise"). Most enemies, including bosses, have an invisible poise meter. Hit them with enough heavy attacks, jumping attacks, & guard counters, & you'll hear a loud CLANG. They'll slump over, letting you get in close for a devastating critical hit.

Runes, Leveling Up, & Upgrading

1. Leveling Up Your Stats: Talk to Melina at any Site of Grace to turn runes into levels. For beginners, the most important stat BY FAR is Vigor. Vigor increases your HP. Having a big health bar gives you more room for error. Seriously, get your Vigor to 20-25 before you start pumping a lot of points into damage stats. It makes the game so much more forgiving. After that, focus on the stats that help your chosen playstyle (Strength for big heavy weapons, Dexterity for faster weapons, Intelligence for sorcery, Faith for incantations, etc.). Don't spread your points out too much; try to focus on a specific build.
2. Upgrading Your Weapons: This is arguably MORE important than leveling up, especially early on. You upgrade weapons using Smithing Stones at a blacksmith anvil (there's one at the Church of Elleh). Upgrading your weapon gives you a much bigger damage boost than putting one point into Strength or Dexterity. Always prioritize upgrading your main weapon.

Exploration & Your Map

• Golden Seeds & Sacred Tears: Look for small, glowing golden saplings to find Golden Seeds, which increase your number of flask uses. You can find Sacred Tears in churches, usually at the foot of a big statue. These increase the amount of HP/FP your flasks restore.
• Spirit Ashes: Early on, after getting Torrent, go back to the Church of Elleh at night. You should meet a witch named Renna who will give you the Spirit Calling Bell. This lets you summon spirits to help you in battle. These summons are a HUGE help, especially against bosses. They can draw the boss's attention, giving you time to heal or attack. Don't listen to anyone who says using them is "cheating." They are a tool the game gives you, so use them!
• Dungeons, Caves, & Catacombs: The world is full of small dungeons with bosses at the end that drop valuable items, Ashes of War, or new Spirit Ashes. Keep an eye out for their entrances along cliff walls. Sometimes you'll see statues pointing the way to them.

Let's Talk About Automation & Engagement for a Sec

Final Tips from a Fellow Tarnished

• Two-Hand Your Weapon: By pressing Y (or Triangle) & your right bumper (R1/RB), you can two-hand your right-hand weapon. This increases your strength for that weapon by 50% & boosts your damage. It's great when you know you have an opening for a big hit.
• Read Item Descriptions: Seriously. The lore of Elden Ring is hidden in the descriptions of items, weapons, & armor. It's how you piece together the story.
• Don't Be Afraid to Use a Guide (Sometimes): While going in blind is amazing, some of the NPC questlines are incredibly obscure & easy to mess up. If you're really invested in a character's story, don't feel bad about looking up where to find them next.
• Experiment! You'll find dozens of weapons. Try them all out! You can respec your stats later in the game, so don't worry about committing to the "wrong" build forever.
• Have Fun: This is the most important one. Elden Ring is a game. If you're getting frustrated, take a break. Go for a walk. Come back when you're refreshed. The Lands Between will be waiting for you.