Best Keepsake: Which Keepsake Should You Choose?

At the start of Elden Ring, you will be able to choose a unique item known as a Keepsake. Choosing your starting Keepsake is crucial in the early game of Elden Ring. Learn about the starting Keepsakes, their effects, and which Keepsake to choose!

Best Keepsake

Recommended Keepsakes for beginners

Golden Seed (increases number of Sacred Flask uses) Crimson Amber Medallion (increases maximum HP) Fanged Imp Ashes (summons familiars)

These are the recommended Keepsakes for players who are new to the series. These starting Keepsakes will help increase survivability during the early parts of the game.

Golden Seed

The Golden Seed is a material that can be used to increase the maximum charges that you can allocate to your flasks. Each charge adds to the number of times you can use a flask, so adding more charges to the Flask of Crimson Tears, or the HP Flask, will help keep your character healthy while you're still getting used to the combat techniques.

While there are more Golden Seeds that can be found in the overworld, having one as a starting keepsake means that you have the advantage of having more flasks for healing.

How to Get Golden Seeds: Effects and Locations

Crimson Amber Medallion

The Crimson Amber Medallion is a Talisman that increases your maximum health. Being able to tank more hits also allows you to master the combat basics such as dodging and parrying.

There are other Talismans that has similar and stronger effects out in the overworld, but this will definitely be helpful until then.

Parry Guide: How to Parry and Perform Critical Strikes

Fanged Imp Ashes

The Fanged Imp Ashes Keepsake lets you summon a familiar to assist you in battles. These allies can help draw aggro from enemies and give you more space to strike.

This Spirit Ash is especially useful against Bosses because their attack cause blood loss buildup, which will take out a percentage of their max HP when triggered.

Spirit Ashes Guide: How to Summon Spirits

Recommended Keepsakes for experienced players

Stonesword Key (opens an Imp Gargoyle Lock) Lands Between Rune (grants Runes for levelling up) Boiled Prawn (negates damage) Cracked Pot (used to craft throwing pots) None (start without a keepsake)

These Keepsakes are for players who played a couple of Souls games in the past and are familiar to the gameplay, especially in combat. However, the Keepsakes recommended for new players are still viable if you want to progress smoothly through the early game.

Stonesword Key

The Stonesword Key is a safe pick for more experienced players, since choosing this Keepsake won't insantly give you benefits for the early game but will still be useful later on.

Stonesword Keys are quite rare and are kept away on hidden areas, so you might want to have extras just in case you run into an Imp Gargoyle Lock while exploring.

How to Get Stonesword Keys: Effects and Locations

Lands Between Rune

You can also pick the Lands Between Rune for fast Runes, which are equivalent to "Souls" in the Souls series. Runes are used for leveling up, enhancing gear, or buying items from merchants, so having more Runes at the start allows you to push through the early game easier. Runes are lost upon dying, so be careful after consuming it.

This Keepsake is best for experienced players who have already planned which stats or equipment to upgrade.

What Are Runes and How to Use Them

Boiled Prawn

The Boiled Prawn is a consumable item that can be used to negate damage. It is effective against strong enemies, such as bosses, in the early stages, but being a one-time use with a limited effect duration, it may be difficult to utilize.

This is a Keepsake for more experienced players who can assess the odds of a battle and choose the best time to consume the buff. This can also be bought later on in the game from Blackguard Big Boggart.

Blackguard Big Boggart (Boilprawn Man) Questline and Location

Cracked Pot

The Cracked Pot is a crafting material that you can use to craft throwing pots like Fire Pots. These throwing pots can have huge effects on certain enemies and turn the tide of the battle. This is best for players with specific builds in mind.

You can hold up to 20 Cracked Pots for use and there are more to be found in the overworld.

How to Get Cracked Pots: Effects and Locations

None

Players can also choose not to bring any Keepsake. This option is best for players looking for additional challenge.

Best Starting Keepsakes Video Guide

List of All Keepsakes

Keepsake	Effect
None	Start the game without a Keepsake
Crimson Amber Medallion	Increases Maximum HP
Lands Between Rune	Can be consumed to acquire Runes
Golden Seed	Can be used to upgrade your Flask
Fanged Imp	Spirit Ash
Cracked Pot	Crafting item used to craft throwing pots
Stonesword Key	Opens an Imp Gargoyle Lock
Bewitching Branch	Uses FP to charm pierced enemy.
Boiled Prawn	Negates damage
Shabriri's Woe	Attracts enemies' aggression.

What are Keepsakes?

Starting items similar to Gifts

Keepsakes are starting items—similar to Gifts from Dark Souls—that you can choose after character creation. Although you can only pick one Keepsake at the start of the game, you can obtain the other Keepsakes later on, so choose the Keepsake that fits your early game build.

Best Starting Class

Elden Ring Related Guides

All Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks Articles

Tips for Beginners
Character Creation Guide	How to Increase Your Health
Stats Explained	What is Dexterity?
All Status Effects	How to Heal
How to Level Up	Rune Farming Guide
What Happens When You Die?	How to Upgrade Flasks
What is Arcane?	Where to Find Melina
How to Remove Skills	-
Best Guides
Best Starting Keepsakes	Best Starting Classes
Best Early Game Weapons	Best Spirit Ashes
Best Builds	Best PvP Builds
Best Equipment	Best Ashes of War
Best Talismans	Best Sorceries
Best Incantations	Best Weapons
Exploration Tips
Rest at Sites of Grace	Day and Night Cyle Differences
How to Change Time	How to Get the Mount and Use It
Fast Travel	Summon Pool Stakes
Illusory Wall Guide	All Scarab Locations
How to Use Stakes of Marika	How to Sprint
How to Get Into the Academy of Raya Lucaria	How to Get to Nokron
All Painting Locations and Rewards	-
Combat Tips
How to Parry	How to Use Ashes of War (Weapon Arts)
How to Summon Spirits	How to Guard Counter
How to Backstab	How to Two-Hand
Power Stance Guide	How to Upgrade Weapons
Hidden Combat Mechanics	Stat Scaling Explained
General Tips and Tricks
All Boss Remembrances	Trophies and Achievements List
Gestures and How to Unlock	How Long to Beat Elden Ring
How to Unlock New Game Plus	How to Increase Memory Slots
How to Get to The Roundtable Hold	How to Alter Garments
How to Strengthen Spirits	How to Respec
How to Equip Great Runes	All Whetblades Locations
All Walking Mausoleum Locations	All Buffs and Debuffs
How to Write Messages	What To Do When You Can't Summon (Co-Op)
List of Weather Effects	How to Leave a Boss Fight
How to Pause the Game	All Bell Bearings and How to Get Them
How to Make Hostile NPCs Friendly	Elden Ring Lore
Farming Guides
Sacred Tears	Golden Seeds
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone	Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone
Somber Smithing Stones	Smithing Stones
Ghost Gloveworts	Grave Gloveworts
Elden Ring Endings
How to Get All Endings	Elden Lord
Age of the Stars	Lord of Frenzied Flame