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  • Writer's pictureEygló Karlsdóttir

10 Elden Ring Tips for Complete Beginners (Spoiler free)

Are you having issues with Elden Ring? New to From Software games? I’m delighted to have friends come to me, people who have never picked up a From Software game before, asking me for advice. I'm keeping this as spoiler free as I can. If you want more detailed examples of what to do let me know and I'll write that entry too. Bear in mind though, I'm still early on in the game. I'm taking my time with this one.


So, here are some more tips & tricks to get you settled in The Land Between.

(You might want to start by reading my 6 tips for beginners...)




First of all let’s talk about the difficulty of the game.

Though this is probably From Software’s easiest game (depending on how you look at it) it is far from easy. But the fact is that the difficulty is what makes these games great. Following a marker on a HUD (the way other games often do things) telling you constantly what you should be doing and how? That’s not interesting. Elden Ring doesn’t hold your hand, instead it sets you free. Do what you want. Play YOUR version of the game and do what YOU enjoy. And let me tell you, when you DO beat that boss, or you GET through the area – the thrill is enormous, and addictive. So, it’s worth your time finding how this game actually becomes a lot easier.


1. RUN!

I said this in my previous entry and I can’t stress this enough. Your horse can outrun almost anything (play the game until you get the horse at least!). If you don’t WANT to try to beat this enemy early on, RUN, come back later. They’re not going anywhere (well most of them aren’t at least). Go explore that shiny thing in the distance. Find new things. Come back later. RUN!


2. Read item descriptions!

Read all descriptions. These little snippets of text can be a big part of the puzzle. It’s the only way this game holds your hand and you have to let it. The descriptions aren't just a key to the story, but a key to what you should be focusing on or where THAT thing is. When Elden Ring wants to hold your hand and lead you - LET IT. You don’t have to do the thing right away, but it's good to know that it’s there to do. (And if the information comes from a dialogue, an NPC, write it down. Keep NOTES! Real time NOTES. With pen and paper!)


3. Don’t skip the tutorial.

Yes, it’s there. It’s easy to run past it. Kudos to you if you did. But if you’re struggling it could be useful to go through it just to get your bearing.


4. Go between their legs!

You heard me right. That big monster you’re fighting? Go between it’s hind legs and bash away. Keep close, unless it does that thing with area damage – then learn the queue for that and RUN when it starts, then return between their legs. It’s gotten me through some tough fights. Keep your friends close, but your enemies WAY too close for comfort!


5. EXPLORE!

One of the most pleasurable thing about Elden Ring is the amount of exploration you can do. Just riding through the landscape, not knowing if the area you’re walking/running through is just some cliffs and trees or if you’re about to discover something amazing (it’s usually the latter!) Not knowing what’s beyond the horizon, or if this part of the map is important or not, is so satisfying and you NEVER know what you’re going to find. Run. Jump. Double jump with your horse, beautiful No Name (as in “I’ve been through a desert on a horse with No Name”). And if it looks like it could be done - try it! What's the worst that can happen?


6. That new thing the game threw at you? Learn it! Use it!

It doesn’t matter that you started off your build as a brute warrior, pure strength. You can always decide to level up your magic game. The “classes” at the start are just guides. They do not define you or your character. So go wild. And later in the game you can even respec if you feel you made the wrong choices. Experiment. Test out the new weapons you get – find that cool headgear and the right armor. I love messing with From Software fashion. You’ll get that unique character, headless maybe wearing a beautiful dress? You can of course decide to always use the BEST gear, but I find less fun in that. And that item you found? Learn what it does and know that even if you don’t want to use it now, it could come in handy later. Don’t ever sell an item for runes unless you’re ABSOLUTELY sure you don’t want it or if you have too many of it.


7. Find YOUR combat style.


You can’t win the game by smashing one button. You have to learn how to fight one way or the other, so find your style. I am a fighter. I use a sword, and I never block. I learned (after a long while) to block in Bloodborne, but I gave up on Sekiro because it required blocking and I just don’t LIKE it. I rarely block. But I do well in Elden Ring combat even so. Find your style and go with it. A lot of bosses require new take on that style you have, but you can develop your own style. Mix magic with close combat. Find a bow and learn how to handle that (I find bows a bit clunky to use in From Software games, but I’ve seen people learn how to use them REALLY effectively.)


8. TALK!

When you find an NPC that’s chatty, chat with them. Be social. In fact be so chatty that they’ll get so bored of you they start saying the same thing over and over again just to be rid of you. Take in what they’re telling you – remember it. (Take notes if you need them!) Exhaust all options.


9. Level your stamina!

Each action in combat eats into your stamina bar and you want all the action. Watch for that bar when you’re fighting. If you’re like me, a complete newbie when it comes to “builds” and such, pay attention to what goes up when you level each attribute. Vigor, stamina, strength, and Dexterity have been my priority because I haven’t done any magic yet. Decide what you want and level up accordingly. But never forget the stamina! Endurance is essential. And watch your equip load. There’s such a thing as fat-rolling, and you don’t want to fat-role (though through my first playthrough of Dark Souls 3 I fat-rolled through all of it).


10. Just do it!

It can be overwhelming at first, but it gets easier and the more you know the more fun it gets. And that moment when you realize that you GOT THIS is amazing, that combined with amazing environments this game has to offer and you have a game that’s better than anything you’ve ever played. I promise!


At least that’s how it was for me.




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