Newcomers to the Souls games might find Elden Ring a bit challenging, but with skill, luck, and patience, they can succeed. It is the most accessible Souls-like game available, making it the perfect way to gain an understanding of the genre. Below is a guide to help newcomers with combat, survival, and exploration tips.

Deaths are Only the Beginning

It’s a given that Souls/Souls-like games are generally challenging, and that is perfectly fine. Elden Ring adheres to this idea, though there are quite a few things that can help those new to the genre. You may find yourself dying on a regular basis, but that’s just part of the experience. Don’t get disheartened, and if you’re struggling to beat a difficult boss, it’s always a good idea to go and explore other areas or increase your level more.

The Cave of Knowledge

Once you die for the first time, you will spawn in a murky cave. You will have the option to jump into a gap which will take you to the Cave of Knowledge. This is a tutorial section of the game that will give you a few helpful hints which will appear as signs or messages. Additionally, you will have to fight a mini-boss to see if you have understood the fundamentals.

Gathering and Losing Runes

In Elden Ring, Runes act as the prime currency which is equal to gold or souls. Every enemy you defeat will drop a few runes. You can come across glowing eyes skulls, breaking these skulls will provide you with Golden Rune items which can be used through your inventory to gain runes. Runes are used to purchase gear, upgrade weapons and abilities, and even to level up. However, be cautious as you will lose all your runes if you die. You have an opportunity to recover runes from the place where you died. But, if you get killed in between, those runes will be gone forever. Thus, it is sometimes sensible to accumulate a few extra runes in a low-level region if you need a further level up or spend them on useful items, instead of losing them completely in dangerous zones. 

Sites of Grace and Fast Travel

Areas in Elden Ring known as Sites of Grace serve multiple purposes. These “bonfires” act as fast travel points, allowing players to quickly move from one area to the next, as long as they have already discovered the Site of Grace. Additionally, when players rest in these special locations, their HP and MP will be replenished, as will the charges of any potions they may have. It should be noted, however, that enemies will also respawn when one rests at a Site of Grace. Fortunately, some crafting materials, such as ores and herbs, will reappear, allowing players to gather a good amount of them quickly.

Furthermore, these areas are typically situated at the start of dungeons or before boss arenas, which means players won’t have to battle their way through a crowd of enemies just to reach a certain objective. When a character dies, they will respawn either at a Site of Grace or a nearby Stake of Marika (checkpoint). In addition to these, Sites of Grace have other functions such as leveling up, assigning flask charges, memorizing/equipping spells, and more.

Note: The Site of Grace that you’ll visit in an area known as Gatefront is where you’ll meet an important character named Melina. She’ll allow you to use Sites of Grace to level up by spending runes.

Picking the Right Character for your Playstyle and Learning about Stats

All the classes in Elden Ring will work in a similar way if you develop them in the same way throughout the game. The main distinctions lie in the beginning weapons/protection and stat spread. With regards to stats, the following applies: 

1.Vigor (HP), Mind (FP/mana), and Endurance (stamina and load limit) are all inactive capacities with bars at the upper left corner of your screen.

2.If you prefer to focus on physical harm, you can opt for strength-based weapons that are slower yet more powerful or dexterity-based weapons that are faster yet not as powerful, and spellcasting time would be slightly increased. Those who favor Strength may want to check out the Vagabond or Hero and those who favor Dexterity should look into the Samurai or Warrior as they have the highest base stats.

3.When it comes to casting spells, there are three stats that must be taken into account. Intelligence is mainly used with Sorcery-type magic (such as destructive elemental powers), while Faith is necessary for Incantation-type spells (which includes some damaging holy powers as well as a selection of curative/assistance abilities). Additionally, Arcane is required for both varieties of magic, and it is also the stat that governs the frequency of item discovery and item drops. Classes that are specialized in spellcasting include the Astrologer (Intelligence), Prophet (Faith), and Confessor (Faith).

4.Certain categories of classes are designated as hybrid due to their greater emphasis on two particular characteristics compared to the other qualities. For example, the Bandit has higher levels of Dexterity and Arcane, and the Prisoner has higher Dexterity and Intelligence. The Wretch is intended for more proficient players.

Aside from the three passive functions, there are some equipment or spells that necessitate certain stat values before they can be employed (e.g., STR 14, DEX 16, and FAI 8). Thus, the idea of leveling up in Elden Ring is basically about deciding which offensive characteristic to prioritize. You will only allocate points to other stats if you plan to use or wear a specific item or spell. It goes without saying that putting points into Vigor (HP) is a must in order to stay alive, while those who cast magic will also need more Mind (FP/mana).

Mounting up on Torrent

When Melina gives you permission to access a Site of Grace, she will also hand over an object that will call forth Torrent, your reliable steed. Torrent enables you to move around the landscape more quickly, but he cannot be summoned in enclosed places or dungeons.

Use Map Markers and Beacons

Elden Ring’s Lands Between is so large that it’s simple to become distracted and disoriented while you’re exploring its various regions. There are such a lot of areas of interest that you can become overwhelmed. However, you have the option to open the game’s map and hit “R” to add markers. These symbols will help you if you observed something interesting and would like to come back to it. You may also set up a signal on the map by hitting “E,” which will insert a miniature symbol on your compass, but only when you are relatively close to that spot.

Be on the Lookout for Statues that Point toward Something

While travelling the expanse of Elden Ring, one might notice peculiar statues that are looking towards the horizon. If an individual interacts with them, a faint path will be unveiled pointing towards a dungeon. If the dungeon is distant, one can use the trail’s bearing to locate it, which can also be seen on the map.

Dung Beetles Refill Bottles and they might Provide other Awards as well

Players should be on the lookout for Dung Beetles that are carrying their “prizes”. If they have a red and blue aura, they will refill your HP and MP respectively. Some Dung Beetles are particularly special and may give you an Ash of War skill, spells for reciting incantations, or Smithing Stones to upgrade your weapons.

Blocking, Parrying, Dodging, and Guard Countering

When you fight opponents in Elden Ring, there is a wide range of techniques you can use. These are mainly focused on evading and countering attacks.

1.Employing a shield is the most straightforward approach to deflecting attacks, however, the cost of stamina for each successful block may be high. Additionally, there are cases where the shield might not provide complete protection, meaning that only a portion of the damage will be absorbed.

2.Protecting Counters mandate blocking and then executing a powerful attack right after. If correctly initiated at the conclusion of an enemy’s series of combos, the results can be catastrophic.

3.The ability to dodge correctly is essential to remain unscathed while playing video games. If you manage to dodge an attack correctly, you will not take any damage and can even seize the opportunity to attack the opponent. However, if you make a wrong move, you risk getting hit hard, which could be fatal.

4.To conclude, parrying is a technique in Ash of War which is included in some shields, but can be assigned to other shields after you learn how to do it. This technique is similar to executing a perfect block, which involves deflecting an assault and stunning the enemy at the same time.

Poise/Super Armor, Stuns, Criticals, and Stealth

As we’re still on the topic, we should also consider further aspects of the fighting in Elden Ring.

1.Poise is a characteristic shown on the player’s character page that is determined by the sort of armor they are wearing and its weight. It reflects how susceptible a person is to being interrupted when attacked by foes (which is a short animation that causes the character to be pushed back when they are struck).

2.When engaging with elites or bosses, Super Armor is in effect, although it cannot be viewed. If one utilizes charged/heavy attacks, dash attacks, jumping attacks, and guard counters, it will eventually cause the enemy to be stunned. Following this, a critical hit can be implemented, thereby rendering the player invulnerable while the animation is taking place.

3.When navigating lethal territories, the ability to be stealthy is an important element. You can move along the ground in a crouch or take cover in dense foliage. If you can get close to a foe without being noticed, you can deliver a decisive strike.

Ash Summons and NPC Helpers

Once you’ve gotten hold of the Torrent, you can return to the Church of Elleh and the Site of Grace that you’ve previously visited. There, a witch named Renna will provide you with the Spirit Calling Bell and the Lone Wolf Ashes. From this moment on, you will have the capacity to call forth spectral beasts and mobs in certain areas throughout the campaign including boss battles.

In addition to this, there will be some fights where you are able to summon NPC helpers. They will fight and create a diversion to help you when you’re up against more powerful enemies.

Multiplayer and Solo online: Learn from Others

In regards to Elden Ring, I’m not going to discuss the Player vs Player aspect (since I find it to be an irritating part of Souls games). I urge players to play online even if they are playing alone. This will enable them to receive tips from other gamers.

1.Notations written in white can include clues or silly remarks.

2.On occasion, you may notice translucent white figures running around. This can be useful in determining what other gamers could potentially be doing in the same spot.

3.When you come across blood on the ground, you can see exactly what happened to the character who left it there by interacting with it.

4.You can purchase objects that will enable you to either host a cooperative multiplayer session or join one that is already in search of a player. However, be aware that taking part in co-op could make you vulnerable to player versus player invasions.

When in Doubt, Cheese with a Ranged Weapon

To finish up, I would recommend that you obtain a long-range weapon in Elden Ring. This is because of how the Artificial Intelligence that controls the bosses functions. The bosses in the open world have an area of interest and they won’t recover their health unless you perish or rest at one of the Places of Grace. Therefore, you can shoot them from a distance, taking advantage of them as long as you have enough ammunition.