It wouldn't be unfair to say that Elden Ring is FromSoftware's crowning achievement and one of the only games in recent memory that has actually managed to live up to the hype surrounding the title prerelease.
Elden Ring: Best Starting Classes For Beginners
Every playable class has been revealed for Elden Ring, and some seem to be much more suited for first-timers than others.
This widespread praise and attention have put a lot of eyes on the game, encouraging many people to try their first Soulsborne game. As anyone who has played a Soulsborne game knows, the first experience with the series can be grueling. The games are notoriously unforgiving, and Elden Ring is no different. To give new players a helping hand, here are some Elden Ring beginner tips.
Updated January 12, 2025, by Hamza Haq: All FromSoftware games are infamous for not holding the player's hands as they venture through the in-game world looking for purpose and direction, but Elden Ring, perhaps more so than any other because of how it incorporates the Soulslike formula in an open-world setting. Complete beginners to the Lands Between will find themselves lost and confused on what to do and where to go, which is by design. Still, some tips to get started on the right foot can go a long way to not make the game harder than it needs to be.
18 Follow the Statues' Fingers
A Guide to the Catacombs
Keen-eyed adventurers in the Lands Between may notice that Elden Ring's open world is dotted with quite a few large stone statues of hunched-over crones and creepy old men facing a clear direction with their entire bodies, often with a wisp of light drifting off in the same direction. These statues are not just here for their aesthetic value; they have a purpose.
Each statue is meant to hint at the nearest catacomb's whereabouts. Following the light will lead players to these dungeons. Often, however, the cave entrances leading into the depths of these catacombs are hidden along sheer cliff walls or tucked away in a corner somewhere that's not immediately apparent. The statues are meant to serve as hints of these entrances. If players are exploring a new area and come across one, it is always a good idea to follow the clues to find a new catacomb.
17 Obtain And Use The Flask Of Wondrous Physick
A Customizable Tonic
Elden Ring's version of the life-healing Estus Flask from the Dark Souls series is known as the Flask of Crimson Tears. Players can choose to split the number of flasks between the healing red and magic-imbuing blue versions based on their gameplay approach. Those aren't the only refillable flasks at the player's disposal, though. At the Third Church of Marika on the eastern outskirts of Limgrave, players can find the Flask of Wondrous Physick.
Elden Ring: Which Remembrances To Duplicate (& How to Duplicate Them)
Players who have questions about the Remembrance duplication mechanic in Elden Ring can find the answers that they seek in this guide.
This tonic can be customized with the use of crystal tears players can find throughout The Lands Between with each granting their own bonus. Once consumed players obtain these bonuses for a set amount of time. Some choose to use it as a more potent and extra-healing potion, while others opt for it as a combat or magic buff. Either way, no one should be playing through Elden Ring with The Flask Of Wondrous Physick in their possession.
16 Exhaust NPC Dialogue
To Uncover Hidden Quests
The core of what Elden Ring provides narratively is through environmental storytelling and item descriptions, but FromSoftware also adds plenty of details in the words and phrases non-playable characters express throughout the game. When talking to characters make sure to exhaust all dialogue.
Sure, some will only have a sentence or two, but often there are backstories and mystery-laden re-callings that breathe life into The Lands Between. It's better to accidentally hear the same line and button mash past it, than just hearing an initial thought and moving on to the next thing that catches one's attention.
15 Buy The Crafting Kit
Perfumes, Pots, and Raisins
FromSoftware is known for releasing high-quality games in their Soulslike genre, but that doesn't mean they're free of criticism in regards to their development process. Onboarding for series newcomers can be a bit obtuse at times, and one key point in which this is apparent in Elden Ring has to do with the 
Crafting Kit. This can be bought very early in the game from the Santa Claus-resembling merchant known as 
Merchant Kalé.
This item allows players to craft on the go, so it's of the utmost importance that one snag this as soon as possible. Otherwise, most players assume that crafting isn't a part of the Elden Ring experience and miss out on the ability to make items and sustain a bit of confidence and/or understanding as they traverse The Lands Between.
14 Experiment With Weapons
There are Dozens of Unique Playstyles
Most gamers can fall victim to settling for the familiar thing. If one has used straight swords in previous FromSoftware titles then they'll likely feel a pull towards that same weapon class in Elden Ring. The truth is that it's hard to know what feels fun and satisfying to use if it's never tried at least once.
Elden Ring: How To Farm Runes & Best Rune Farm
Elden Ring players looking to farm levels quickly, safely, and easily can check out this brief guide to acquire millions of runes.
Between magic-wielding, bows, and other types of swords there are dozens of weapons each bringing something new and/or unique to the table. In the earlier parts of the game feel free to equip any and every new toy found or purchased from a merchant, so when the difficulty starts to ramp up the arsenal of usable weapons is customized to one's own preferences.
13 Obtain Margit's Shackles
Force the Boss to Stagger
Margit, the Fell Omen, is the first main boss of the game. The boss is a prime example of "gating," as his significant difficulty is in place to ensure that players have a character that is sufficiently built and leveled for the challenges that are to follow. Unfortunately, some beginners are still struggling with Margit, even after taking the time to level up.
For such people, it's worth seeking out Margit's Shackles, which will pin Marigt down, allowing the player to get a few easy hits in. To obtain the item, head to Murkwater Cave and fight Patches, who will be a familiar face to soulsborne veterans. During the fight, Patches will ask for forgiveness -- agree to forgive him, and he will sell the shackles for 5,000 runes.
12 Keep An Eye On Equip Load
Avoid Fat Rolling
One of the many features of Elden Ring that some players love and others hate is its hands-off "show don't tell" approach. Equip Load is a good example of this, as some people go through the entire soulsborne game "fat rolling" - which is the term given to painfully slow roll animations - without realizing that it isn't the default animation.
The speed of the player's roll animation depends on their Equip Load stat. For those wanting to utilize quick rolls and movement, be sure to wear light armor and level Endurance.
11 Make Smart Use Of Spirit Ashes
Make Boss Fights Easier
One of the many new gameplay mechanics that Elden Ring introduces to the soulsborne series is Spirit Ashes, which are summonable NPCs that will help players fight tough bosses and enemies.
The majority of Spirit Ashes cost FP to summon - meaning only magic builds can summon some of the best ones - while a handful cost HP to use. To put it bluntly, all new players should take the time to find and collect Spirit Ashes, regardless of their build type, before trying to challenge tough bosses. Even if players cannot summon some of the game's best Spirit Ashes that can almost take on a boss by themselves, they should still consider using one whenever possible as they provide excellent distractions to let the player get a few extra hits in.
10 Always Carry Rainbow Stones
To Judge Fall Distance
Rainbow Stone s are a great item that even some experienced players don't fully utilize. The item's description initially says that they're "useful markers when placed on the ground," which makes them seem rather pointless given that Elden Ring has map markers. However, their best function is detailed in the next line "can also be dropped to gauge the distance of a fall."
Not only does Elden Ring's open world have a ton of hidden drops and fatal falls, but it's also hard to gauge whether some falls are far enough to kill the player. This is why it's always handy to carry Rainbow Stones, as players can chuck one off any ledge and see whether it breaks; if it breaks, it means that the fall is fatal.
9 Focus On A Specific Build
Master of One
Due to the action-RPG genre's rise in prominence in recent years, many mainstream games now have leveling systems. However, some of these leveling systems have very little depth, causing players to be haphazard with their leveling choices.
Elden Ring: How to Get Unlimited Smithing Stones 1 & 2
It is possible for players to buy an unlimited number of Smithing Stone [1] and [2] in Elden Ring, and this guide details how that is done.
This is a fatal error in Elden Ring, however, as every leveling choice is significant and needs careful thought. Moreover, simply leveling every stat evenly is a terrible idea in the game, as they cover a range of different playstyles. Instead, players should have a particular build in mind from the very start of the game and ensure that their class, weaponry, armor, and leveling choices all complement that particular playstyle.