Elden Ring Beginner's Guide: Conquer Early Game Frustration with Key Tips

FromSoftware's masterpiece action RPG, Elden Ring, won Game of the Year in 2022 and captivated gamers worldwide. Many Tarnished newcomers have surely descended upon the Lands Between, drawn by its vast and beautiful world and challenging combat. However, with an open world of immense freedom and formidable foes, are you feeling overwhelmed and frustrated in the early game? Where should you go? Which weapons should you use? The first boss is unbeatable... these are common struggles for many players. This article is a comprehensive beginner's guide based on specific steps and data, designed to help such Tarnished overcome early game obstacles and fully enjoy the adventure.

Crucial Choices! Get the Best Start with Recommended Starting Classes and Keepsakes

Character creation is the first step in your long journey through the Lands Between. What you choose here can significantly alter the difficulty of the early game. The selection of your "starting class" and "keepsake" is especially important.

Recommended Starting Class ①: Samurai

For beginners who want to focus on melee combat, the "Samurai" is highly recommended. Its initial stats are excellent in Dexterity and Endurance, offering a good balance of offense and defense. Most notably, its starting equipment, the "Uchigatana" and "Longbow," are very powerful. The Uchigatana has fast attack animations and inflicts hemorrhage, making it effective even against stronger enemies. Its Ash of War, "Unsheathe," makes it easy to break enemy stances and will be reliable from early to late game. The Longbow, capable of ranged attacks, is also extremely useful for luring enemies or sniping from a safe distance, greatly aiding progression.

Recommended Starting Class ②: Astrologer

If you're interested in a "mage" playstyle, safely defeating enemies from a distance, the "Astrologer" is ideal. Its initial Intelligence stat is the highest, allowing you to use powerful sorceries early on. Starting with the easy-to-use offensive sorcery "Glintstone Pebble," it's easy to establish a combat style that keeps enemies at bay. While fragile in the early game, acquiring the powerful sorceries and staves mentioned later will significantly ease your progression.

Keepsake: Golden Seed is the Only Choice

For your keepsake, choose the "Golden Seed," which increases the number of uses for your "Flask of Crimson Tears" healing item. Especially in the early game where healing options are limited, having one extra Flask use dramatically increases your survival rate. While other keepsakes are useful, none can compare to the Golden Seed for early game stability.

Limgrave Early Game Essential Route and Item Collection

Once the game begins, first explore Limgrave and establish your adventure's foundation. Instead of blindly pushing forward, efficiently collect essential items by following these steps:

Step 1: Obtain Your Spirit Steed and Unlock Leveling Up

After completing the tutorial and arriving in Limgrave, aim to activate three Sites of Grace (checkpoints). The recommended path is to head northeast from "The First Step," then to "Church of Elleh," and finally to "Gatefront." Resting at the Gatefront Site of Grace will trigger NPC Melina to appear, allowing you to level up by spending Runes and granting you the "Spectral Steed Whistle" for fast travel across the vast map.

Step 2: Obtain the "Spirit Calling Bell" and "Lone Wolf Ashes"

Once you have your Spirit Steed, fast travel to the "Church of Elleh" at night. The witch Ranni will appear and give you the "Spirit Calling Bell," a crucial item for summoning spirits, and the "Lone Wolf Ashes," which allow you to summon three wolves. Spirits are incredibly reliable allies in boss fights and other encounters, so be sure to obtain them. If Ranni doesn't appear, you can progress the story a bit and purchase them from the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold.

Step 3: Map Fragments and Whetstone Knife

Pick up "Map Fragment: Limgrave, West" from the monument located right next to the "Gatefront" Site of Grace to reveal the surrounding map information. Additionally, obtaining the "Whetstone Knife" from a treasure chest beneath the Gatefront Ruins will allow you to change a weapon's Ash of War (special skill) at a Site of Grace. This greatly expands your tactical options.

Recommended for Beginners! Powerful Early Game Builds (Weapons & Sorceries)

To progress easily in the early game, obtaining powerful equipment early on is key. Here, we introduce recommended weapons and their acquisition methods for each build.

For Dexterity Builds: "Bloodhound's Fang"

If you started as a Samurai, upgrading the Uchigatana is powerful enough, but for even more firepower, the Great Curved Sword "Bloodhound's Fang" is recommended. In addition to high physical attack power and bleed effect, its unique Ash of War, "Bloodhound's Finesse," boasts excellent performance, combining attack and evasion. It can be found in the "Forlorn Hound Evergaol," south of "Agheel Lake South" in southern Limgrave. You obtain it by defeating the boss inside, "Bloodhound Knight Darriwil." It requires 18 Strength and 17 Dexterity to equip, so adjust your levels accordingly.

For Strength Builds: "Greatsword"

If you're aiming for a Strength build that emphasizes heavy-hitting attacks, the Colossal Sword "Greatsword" is recommended. Its overwhelming reach and attack power are appealing, allowing you to experience the satisfaction of crushing enemies. It can be found in a carriage chest near the "Caelem Ruins" in Caelid, northeast of Limgrave. Although it's an area with strong enemies, you can safely obtain it early on by riding through on your Spirit Steed. It requires 31 Strength to equip, but you can wield it with 21 Strength if two-handing.

For Sorcery Builds: "Meteorite Staff" and "Rock Sling"

The lifeline for an Astrologer-started sorcerer playthrough is the combination of the "Meteorite Staff" and the "Rock Sling" sorcery. The Meteorite Staff, despite being obtainable early, has an S-rank Intelligence scaling, making it so powerful that it requires no upgrades. Furthermore, it boosts the power of Gravity Sorceries, making it an excellent match for "Rock Sling," a physical-attribute sorcery. Both of these can be acquired in the "Street of Sages Ruins" in Caelid. You don't need to defeat any enemies, so explore with your Spirit Steed to pick them up. Rock Sling is also effective against enemies with high magic resistance and will prove invaluable in many boss battles.

Specific Steps to Overcome the First Wall: Margit

As you progress through Limgrave, the first major boss, "Margit, the Fell Omen," awaits at the entrance to Stormveil Castle. Many beginners get stuck here, but with proper preparation, you can definitely overcome him.

Recommended Level and Weapon Upgrades

The recommended level for challenging Margit is around 20-30. First, earn Runes by exploring dungeons in Limgrave or by defeating the giant white dragon, "Greyoll," near "Fort Faroth" in Caelid (Greyoll won't attack you; you can safely defeat it for approximately 50,000 Runes by continuously attacking it with a bleed weapon). For leveling up, it's recommended to first raise Vigor to around 20. Weapon upgrades are also very important. Upgrade your main weapon to +3 at the smithing table in the Church of Elleh.

Maximize Use of Cooperator NPCs and Spirit Ashes

Before the boss room, there's a golden summon sign where you can call upon "Sorcerer Rogier" as a cooperator. Simply summoning him will draw Margit's attention, making the fight significantly easier. Furthermore, summon the "Lone Wolf Ashes" you obtained earlier, or the tougher "Spirit Jellyfish Ashes" (received from Roderika at the Stormhill Shack), to create a numerical advantage. Challenging Margit as a 3-on-1 — yourself, Rogier, and your spirits — will greatly increase your opportunities to attack.

Conclusion

The early game of Elden Ring can certainly feel challenging. However, by choosing the right starting class, exploring efficiently, obtaining powerful equipment, and making the most of all available elements in boss battles, you can definitely overcome it. The steps outlined in this article should serve as a solid foundation for your adventure. When you break through the first wall, Margit, you will realize the true vastness of the Lands Between, the sense of accomplishment from overcoming difficulties, and the profound charm of this game. So, Tarnished, do not falter. With this guide in hand, step forward once more into the grand journey to become the Elden Lord.