Getting Started in Elden Ring: A Guide for New Players
Elden Ring is one of the most rewarding open-world RPGs ever made — but its difficulty can be brutal for newcomers. This guide cuts through the confusion and gives you a clear path forward, from picking your starting class to surviving your first boss encounter.
Choosing Your Starting Class
Your starting class determines your initial stats and equipment. Here are the best options depending on your playstyle:
| Class | Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Vagabond | Melee Tank | Beginners — high HP, strong starting armor and longsword |
| Astrologer | Magic (Intelligence) | Players who want to use sorceries from the start |
| Samurai | Dex/Melee | Intermediate players — fast, agile, great bow for range |
| Prophet | Faith/Incantations | Players who want healing and elemental spells |
| Wretch | Blank Slate | Experienced players who want full control over stat allocation |
Recommendation for most beginners: Start as the Vagabond. The extra Vigor and solid melee kit will carry you through the opening areas while you learn the mechanics.
The Most Important Stats Explained
- Vigor: Increases your HP. This is the single most important stat for survival — always keep it leveled.
- Endurance: Increases stamina and equip load. More stamina = more attacks and dodges in a row.
- Strength / Dexterity: Scaling stats for physical weapons. Check your weapon's letter grade for each.
- Intelligence / Faith / Arcane: Magic stats — only invest if you're using spells or scaling weapons.
- Mind: Increases your FP (mana) pool. Only prioritize if you're casting spells frequently.
Essential Early Game Tips
- Visit the Church of Elleh immediately. There's a merchant here who sells the Crafting Kit — buy it. Crafting consumables is vital.
- Talk to Melina at a Site of Grace. She gives you Torrent, your spectral steed. Torrent changes everything — use him constantly.
- Don't fight Margit right away. Explore Limgrave first. The open world has plenty of easier enemies to farm runes and level up before your first major boss.
- Use Ashes of War. These are weapon skills you can apply to most weapons. Experiment to find a style that clicks.
- Summon Spirit Ashes for boss fights. Find the Lone Wolf Ashes early — summoning wolves during a boss fight divides its attention and makes fights much more manageable.
- Don't hoard Runes. Spend them. Dying with a huge pile of unspent Runes and failing to recover them is one of the most painful experiences in the game.
Where to Go First
After the tutorial cave, head to Limgrave. Here's a suggested order:
- Explore the Stranded Graveyard and collect the Flask of Wondrous Physick
- Reach Church of Elleh → buy Crafting Kit
- Progress to Gatefront Ruins to find the map fragment for Limgrave
- Head to Stormhill Shack and talk to Roderika to start her quest
- Farm Stormfoot Catacombs for runes and a Spirit Ash
- Fight Margit, the Fell Omen once you're level 20–25
One Golden Rule
If something kills you more than five times, go somewhere else. Elden Ring is designed to let you leave, come back stronger, and then conquer what once felt impossible. The open world is your greatest advantage — use it.