ELDEN RING: Don't Give Up, Tarnished! Early Game Builds & Survival Guide

FromSoftware's masterpiece, "ELDEN RING," has captivated and tormented Tarnished worldwide since its release in 2022. Despite its vast and beautiful world, high-difficulty enemies await players from the very beginning, ready to crush their spirits. This article is a survival strategy guide for new Tarnished who lament, "I can't beat the first boss" or "I don't know where to go." We will specifically explain recommended starting classes, builds, and exploration routes, providing thorough support until you defeat the early-game wall, "Margit, the Fell Omen."

Preparing to Overcome the First Major Wall: Margit

Many beginners encounter "Margit, the Fell Omen," the boss standing before Stormveil Castle, as their first major hurdle. However, challenging him head-on right after starting the game would be reckless. First, thoroughly explore Limgrave and strengthen your character; this is the key to victory.

Recommended Starting Classes and Keepsakes

The choice of your "starting class" and "keepsake" is crucial during character creation. While it's possible to reallocate stats later, these choices directly impact your ease of progression in the early game.

• Samurai: The starting weapon, "Uchigatana," is exceptionally good. It inflicts blood loss, has a balanced attack range and speed, making it viable from early to late game. The armor performance is also decent, so if you're unsure, choosing Samurai is a safe bet.
• Vagabond: High Vigor and Strength, making it ideal if you're aiming for a physical attack build. The starting weapon, "Longsword," is easy to use, and having a shield provides stable defense.

For keepsakes, it's almost undeniable that "Golden Seed," which increases Sacred Flask uses, is the only choice. Having more healing opportunities is a significant advantage in both exploration and boss battles.

Powerful Weapons and Spirit Ashes to Acquire Early

To gain an advantage in the Margit fight, it's crucial to equip stronger gear. Here, we introduce highly recommended weapons and "Spirit Ashes" that will significantly ease combat.

• Bloodhound's Fang: A great curved sword obtained by defeating the boss in the "Forlorn Hound Evergaol" in Southern Limgrave. In addition to high physical attack power and blood loss effect, its unique weapon skill, "Bloodhound's Step," combines both evasion and attack, making it extremely powerful.
• Greatsword: An ultra greatsword obtainable early in the game, boasting overwhelming firepower. It can be found in a treasure chest on a carriage between the "Rotview Balcony" and "Caelem Ruins" in the Caelid region. It requires 31 Strength (21 if two-handed), but it's well worth the investment.
• Lone Wolf Ashes: Obtained from Sorceress Renna along with the "Spirit Calling Bell" when you visit the "Church of Elleh" at night after making a pact with Melina. You can summon three wolves that distract enemies, creating opportunities for safe attacks. They will be especially useful in boss battles.

Leveling Guidelines and Efficient Rune Farming

Leveling up (allocating stats) is the most fundamental way to strengthen your character for progression. First, aim to raise your Vigor to 20-25 to increase your survival rate. After that, it's recommended to meet the requirements for your desired weapon and then raise your main offensive stats (like Strength or Dexterity).

For efficient rune farming in the early game, the area "North of Fort Gael" in Caelid is well-known. By defeating the giant "Flaming Chariot" that appears near the Site of Grace with a single plunge attack from above a cliff, you can safely earn approximately 2,500-3,000 runes. Repeating this process will significantly ease early-game leveling.

Recommended for Beginners! A Thorough Guide to the Ironclad "Strength Build"

A "Strength build" is a simple combat style that primarily focuses on enhancing the "Strength" stat and crushing enemies with heavy, large weapons. It's relatively straightforward to play and easily staggers enemies, making it highly recommended for beginners who might struggle with action games.

Why is a Strength Build Recommended?

The biggest advantages of a Strength build are its high damage per hit and its excellent "poise-breaking" capability, which easily staggers enemies. When you land hits with large weapons, enemies are more likely to flinch, creating opportunities for follow-up attacks or critical strikes. There's no need for complex combos or magic management; the appeal lies in its straightforward combat style of observing enemy movements and landing powerful blows.

Stat Allocation Priority

When leveling up with a Strength build, the stat allocation priority is as follows:

1. Vigor: The highest priority stat to raise. Aim for 25 first, then ultimately 40-50.
2. Strength: Once you meet the requirements for your desired weapon, continue raising this to increase your damage output. Make good use of the mechanic where Strength is multiplied by 1.5 when two-handing a weapon.
3. Endurance: Necessary for equipping heavy weapons and armor. Since exceeding 70% equipment load results in slower rolls ("fat rolling"), allocate enough points to maintain medium roll. It also increases stamina, affecting the number of attacks and evasions you can perform.
4. Mind: If you plan to frequently use Ashes of War, it's convenient to put some points here. Generally, it can be prioritized later.

Recommended Weapons and Armor

The ideal companions for a Strength build are large weapons like ultra greatswords and great axes. The aforementioned "Greatsword" is a reliable choice from early to late game. Additionally, the "Large Club," found in the forest south of Limgrave, is also easily obtainable and recommended.

For armor, choose pieces with high damage negation (defense) and poise (the stat that reduces staggering from enemy attacks). However, this needs to be balanced with weight, so choose the best-performing armor that allows you to maintain a medium roll, considering your Endurance stat.

No More Getting Lost! Early Game Progression Route and Exploration Tips

While "ELDEN RING" offers great freedom, it's not uncommon to feel lost about where to go first. Here, we introduce a recommended early game progression route to efficiently strengthen your character.

Postpone Stormveil Castle! Head to the Weeping Peninsula First

South of Limgrave, past the "Bridge of Sacrifice," lies the "Weeping Peninsula." This area has slightly weaker enemies than mainland Limgrave, making it easier to explore. It's dotted with dungeons and bosses, perfect for leveling up and collecting items. Crucially, you can obtain three "Sacred Tears" here, which enhance the healing power of your Sacred Flasks, significantly stabilizing your progression.

Collect Sacred Tears and Golden Seeds

Strengthening your Sacred Flasks is your lifeline for progression. Here are a few locations for "Golden Seeds" and "Sacred Tears" obtainable in the early game. Collecting these alone will provide you with a significant surplus of healing resources.

• Golden Seeds: Found along the roads near the "Warmaster's Shack" in Limgrave, or along the road leading to "Castle Morne" in the Weeping Peninsula, among other places. If you chose one as your keepsake, collecting these will significantly increase your Sacred Flask uses in the early game.
• Sacred Tears: Primarily found in ruined churches. You can obtain them in the "Pilgrim's Church," "Fourth Church of Marika," and "Ailing Village" in the Weeping Peninsula, for example.

If you thoroughly collect these upgrade items, raise your level to around 25-30, and upgrade your weapon to approximately +3, you'll be well-prepared to challenge Margit.

Conclusion

The early game of "ELDEN RING" can certainly be a tough journey. However, if you explore the world at your own pace without rushing and diligently strengthen your character, a path will surely open. The progression routes and builds introduced in this article are merely guidelines. The most important thing is to enjoy the adventure itself in this vast Lands Between. Beyond numerous deaths awaits great accomplishment and wonderful experiences. Tarnished, may the grace guide thee.