This is a beginner's guide to Elden Ring. Read on to learn valuable information before getting started, including tips for beginners and advanced players!

Beginner's Guide: What to Do First

Getting Started
Choose a Starting Class Put Points into Vigor Rest at Sites of Grace Collect Map Fragments Get the Mount Early from Melina Use Spirit Summons When Possible Collect Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears Use Flask of Wondrous Physick for Buffs Explore Before Fighting Bosses

Choose a Starting Class

Elden Ring features 10 starting classes. These classes do not determine your build for your entire playthrough. Instead, they simply provide you with specific weapons and starting stats which give you an idea for related builds.

Starting Classes Explained
Wretch	The Wretch is a low-level class that has equal stats that give you the freedom to branch out to any build you like.
Vagabond	The Vagabond has the highest Vigor stat which gives this it the highest HP at the start. This is a melee-focused class equipped with a sword, shield, and halberd.
Bandit	The Bandit has the highest Arcane stat that allows you to find items more often in corpses. This class specializes in stealth and backstabbing enemies.
Hero	The Hero specializes in Strength which improves its proficiency with weapons that scale with Strength, allowing you to deal more damage.
Warrior	The Warrior has high Mind and Dexterity stats, allowing you to move faster and use Ashes of War more frequently.
Astrologer	The Astrologer specializes in Intelligence and Mind, making this a great starting class for Spellcasting builds using magic spells.
Prophet	The Prophet is a Faith-based spellcaster that allows you to use Incantations for damage and support.
Prisoner	The Prisoner utilizes Intelligence and Dexterity, which makes it a good starting class for hybrid builds that dabble on melee and spellcasting.
Confessor	The Confessor is a proficient Faith spellcaster that has well-rounded physical stats that allow it to use weapons better than the Prophet.
Samurai	The Samurai has high Dexterity and decent physical stats with equipment that can work as an early bleed build.

All Starting Classes

Make Sure to Put Points Into Vigor

Stats will dictate your playstyle in Elden Ring as it determines your survivability, build, and combat effectiveness. That being said, the most important stat for beginners will be Vigor as it increases your maximum HP.

Remember, all the damage in the world will not matter if enemies and bosses can one-shot you. If you find yourself hitting a wall in progression, consider pumping points into Vigor. You'd be surprised how much mileage tanking an extra hit can get you in Elden Ring.

All Stats and Effects Explained

Use Sites of Grace to Heal and Level Up

Notable Sites of Grace
Gatefront	This site of grace in Limgrave is where you first meet Melina. She will allow you to level up and unlock Torrent, your mount.
Church of Elleh	This site of grace is where you meet Ranni the Witch after meeting Melina. Fast travel back here at night to gain access to Spirit Summons.

Rest at Sites of Grace to refill your HP, FP, and healing flasks. Any status ailments you had before will also be cured upon resting. Use these rest points to catch a breather, heal, and use runes to level up before continuing on your way.

However, do note that resting at a Site of Grace respawns enemies you've killed in the area. Keep this in mind before you return to areas you've previously cleared of enemies.

How to Use A Site of Grace and Save the Game

Collect Map Fragments

When you first start the game, you will notice that the in-game map is greyed out. To reveal the map, you will need to collect Map Fragments indicated by the little orange icons displayed on the hidden map.

In the overworld, these orange icons look like vertical stones with writings on them. Most of these stones can be found by following the main paths of the region.

Get the Mount Early from Melina

Obtain the Spectral Steed Whistle from Melina. She will give you the whistle during your first meeting at either the Gatefront or Agheel Lake North Sites of Grace. With the Spectral Steed Whistle, you will be able to summon your mount Torrent.

How to Get Spectral Steed Whistle

Use Spirit Summons When Possible

Spirit Summoning Controls
・Summoning Spirits consumes FP. ・Only 1 Spirit can be summoned in between rests at Sites of Grace. ・Summoning is only possible when near Rebirth Monuments. ・Spirits cannot be summoned during online play.
Spirit De-Summoning Conditions
・When the Spirit's HP is reduced to zero. ・If the area's boss is defeated. ・If you move too far away from a Rebirth Monument. ・When the same Spirit Ashes are used again.

Summon spirits to make fights easier. Look for the Rebirth Monument icon indicating that Spirits can be summoned will appear on the left when in range.

To summon a Spirit, you need items called Spirit Ashes and the Spirit Calling Bell. These items can be found throughout the world of Elden Ring and can be used to summon a spirit.

The Spirit Calling Bell can be obtained from Renna in the Church of Elleh. Renna will only appear at night, after you've obtained Torrent from Melina.

Spirit Ashes Guide | How to Summon Spirits

Collect Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears to Upgrade Flasks

Be on the lookout for Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears to increase the number of flasks you hold and strengthen their potency respectively. There are 6 Golden Seeds and 4 Sacred Tears found in Limgrave to help you with Margit.

Both items look like loot drops. While Golden Seeds are found at the base of golden plants in the lands between, Sacred Tears are mostly found in curches, or church ruins. Keep in mind that Sacred Tears do not increase the potency of your Flask of Wondrous Physick.

There are 6 Golden Seeds and 4 Sacred Tears found in Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula to help you before fighting Margit.

How to Get Golden Seeds

Use Flask of Wondrous Physick for Buffs

Use your Flask of Wondrous Physick to obtain temporary buffs that can help you during boss fights. The Flask is found at the Third Church of Marika in Limgrave and requires Crystal Tears that need to be mixed in the Flask to be used.

Two Crystal Tears can be mixed in your Flask and can even have unique combinations. These Crystal Tears are found at the base of Minor Erdtrees.

How to Get Flask of Wondrous Physick

Explore Before Fighting Bosses

Consider exploring and leveling up if you're struggling against bosses. A key feature in Elden Ring is its open-world exploration, allowing you to farm runes and level up before fighting bosses.

It's highly recommended for beginners to explore the Limgrave as it is an easy place to farm for runes and smithing stones. Alternatively, players can skip to Liurnia of the Lakes for further exploration, simply head to the broken bridge beside Stormveil Castle and follow the path.

Unlike other soulsgames that force you to get good and memorize movesets, Elden Ring allows you to out level bosses and fight with ease.

Tips for Beginners

Tips for Beginners
Use Runes to Level Up or Purchase Items You Drop All Runes When You Die Use Stakes of Marika for Checkpoints Unique Bosses Spawn at Night Change Appearance at the Roundtable Hold

Use Runes to Level Up or Purchase Items

Runes are used to level up your character or purchase items from Merchants. At the start of the game, it'll be better to use runes to increase your stats, especially if you want to equip and use better weapons later in the game.

You can always respec your stats after beating Rennala of the Full Moon, so spending your Runes on stats early on is not a bad thing.

How to Get Runes Fast

You Drop All Runes When You Die

If you die, you will drop all your currently held runes before respawning at the nearest Site of Grace or Stake of Marika. To get your runes back, you'll need to return to where you died and pick them up. If you die before you get to retrieve your runes, you lose them forever.

Death Penalty: What Happens When You Die?

Use Stakes of Marika for Checkpoints

Choose to respawn at nearby Stakes of Marika if there is one before you died. This is often a better option as these stakes are nearer to boss rooms compared to Sites of Grace.

Stakes of Marika are checkpoints similar to Sites of Grace where players can respawn after dying.

How to Use Stakes of Marika

Unique Bosses Spawn at Night

Night Cycle Differences
・Improved stealth at night ・Unique enemies appear ・Enemy spawn locations change

Elden Ring will feature an in-game clock that changes from day to night. At Night, enemies have a harder time detecting you, and enemies may have different spawn locations.

Remember to rest until Night if you wish to fight certain bosses like Night's Cavalry, Death Rite Birds, and Bell Bearing Hunters.

All Day and Night Cycle Differences

You Can Change Appearance Later at the Roundtable Hold

Players who want to change their appearance after already starting the game may do so by interacting with the Clouded Mirror in the Roundtable Hold.

The Roundtable Hold can be reached by resting at a Site of Grace outside of Limgrave, or by resting at the Site of Grace where you beat Margit. Resting at these sites will spawn Melina, who will offer you passage to the Roundtable.

Character Creation Guide and Features

Elden Ring Advanced Tips

Combat Tips
Use Ashes of War Two-Hand Weapons to Deal More Damage Backstab Enemies for Critical Damage Use the Lantern instead of Torches Utilize Glowstones for Exploration

Use Ashes of War

Controls
PS4/PS5	L2
XBOX Series X/S	LT

Ashes of War or Weapon Arts are specialized attacks or moves that can be performed with various weapons. Each skill has a unique moveset that will depend on which Ashes of War you have equipped to your weapon.

Note that unique weapons have innate Weapon Arts, these weapon arts cannot be changed or imprinted on other weapons.

All Ashes of War Skills

Two-Hand Weapons to Deal More Damage

Platform	Button Combination
PlayStation	(Hold) ▲ + L1 / R1 Hold the UP Button + L1 or R1
Xbox	(Hold) Y + LB / RB Hold Y + LB or RB

Two-handing weapons allow you to deal more damage and in some cases, use unique combos on a weapon. Two-handing can also bypass the disparity between your current strength stat and your desired weapon's required strength stats.

Backstab Enemies for Critical Damage

You need to make sure you are aligned directly behind the enemy to perform a backstab. If done correctly, this will play a different animation than a basic attack and will either kill the enemy outright or down them.

Keep in mind that backstabs cannot be performed with your left hand.

How to Backstab

Use the Lantern instead of Torches

Using Lanterns will allow you to use both hands when trying to fight and navigate darker areas; this feature immediately puts it at an advantage over torches as they require you to use one hand even when in combat.

The lantern can be bought for 1800 Runes from the Isolated Merchant in the Isolated Merchant's shack which is found at the bottom left of the Weeping Peninsula.

How to Get Lantern

Utilize Glowstones for Exploration

Glowstones are extremely useful items when exploring. Its uses make it easier to navigate and backtrack to darker areas.

A key use for Glowstones is its ability to check death from fall damage. When you throw a glowstone over a cliff or edge and it breaks, that means you'll die from fall damage.

How to Get Glowstones

All Tips and Tricks

Tips for Beginners
Character Creation Guide	Best Starting Keepsakes
How to Level Up	Rune Farming Guide
Stats Explained	What is Dexterity?
What is Arcane?	How to Increase Your Health
How to Heal	How to Upgrade Flasks
All Status Effects	All Buffs and Debuffs
What Happens When You Die?	-
General Tips and Tricks
How to Leave a Boss Fight	How to Pause the Game
How to Get to The Roundtable Hold	How to Respec
How to Increase Memory Slots	How to Alter Garments
How to Make Hostile NPCs Friendly	All Walking Mausoleum Locations
How to Write Messages	What To Do When You Can't Summon (Co-Op)
All Weather Effects	-
Exploration Tips
How to Use Sites of Grace	How to Use Stakes of Marika
How to Fast Travel	How to Use Summon Pool Stakes
Day and Night Cycle Differences	How to Change Time
All Illusory Wall Locations	All Painting Locations and Rewards
How to Get Into the Academy of Raya Lucaria	How to Get to Nokron
All Portals and Teleport Locations	All Imp Statue Locations and Rewards
Movement and Combat Tips
How to Sprint	How to Parry
How to Guard Counter	How to Backstab
Hidden Combat Mechanics	-

Elden Ring Related Guides

Elden Ring Wiki Top

Elden Ring Guides
DLC	Story Walkthrough
Maps and Locations	NPCs
Tips and Tricks	Talismans
Spirit Ashes	Bell Bearings
Great Runes	Whetblades
Items	Endings
Bosses	Weapons
Magic Spells	Armor
Builds	Starting Classes
Ashes of War	Divine Towers
Smithing Stones	Scrolls
News and Game Info	Patch Notes
Message Boards	Dungeons

Recommended Guides

Popular Guides
How to Two-Hand Weapons	How to Dual Wield Weapons
All Achievements and Trophies	All Whetblade Locations
Larval Tears	How to Unlock the Map
How to Get the Horse	New Game Plus Guide
Game Length	Best Equipment
Best Armor Sets	Best Spirit Ashes
Best Sorceries	Best Incantations