Starting Elden Ring for the first time can be intimidating.

You leave the tutorial area, step into the massive world of the Lands Between, and suddenly you are surrounded by enormous enemies, mysterious locations, strange characters, hidden paths, and bosses that can destroy you in seconds.

The game does not give you a traditional list of objectives telling you exactly where to go.

And that’s intentional.

Elden Ring is built around exploration and discovery. You are expected to get lost, experiment, fail, learn, and eventually become stronger.

However, there are some things every new player should know.

This Elden Ring beginner’s guide explains what to do first, which class to choose, how to spend your Runes, what equipment to prioritize, how combat works, when to explore, and which common mistakes can make the beginning unnecessarily difficult.

Don’t Rush to Fight Everything

The first and most important lesson in Elden Ring is simple:

You do not have to fight everything you see.

This is one of the biggest differences between Elden Ring and many traditional action RPGs.

If you encounter a powerful enemy and it destroys you repeatedly, that does not necessarily mean you are supposed to defeat it immediately.

Sometimes the correct answer is:

Walk away.

Explore somewhere else.

Find better equipment.

Increase your level.

Return later.

This mentality will make the entire game much less frustrating.

Choose Your Starting Class Carefully

At the beginning of Elden Ring, you must choose a starting class.

The classes include:

• Vagabond
• Warrior
• Hero
• Bandit
• Astrologer
• Prophet
• Samurai
• Prisoner
• Confessor
• Wretch

Your starting class affects your initial attributes, equipment, and overall starting playstyle.

However, it does not permanently lock you into one build.

As you progress, you can develop your character in different directions.

Vagabond

Vagabond is a strong option for players who want a straightforward melee character.

It starts with useful defensive equipment and good physical attributes.

If you are completely new to Souls-style games, Vagabond can be an excellent choice.

Samurai

Samurai is another very beginner-friendly option.

It starts with a strong weapon and provides access to both melee and ranged combat.

Its starting equipment gives you several useful options early in the game.

Astrologer

Astrologer is designed around Intelligence and sorcery.

It can be a good choice if you want to experience ranged magic and spellcasting.

However, playing a magic-focused character requires learning how to manage distance, FP, and positioning.

Wretch

Wretch starts with very low equipment and balanced attributes.

It is generally better suited to experienced players who want complete freedom when building their character.

For a first playthrough, there is usually no reason to choose it unless you specifically want the challenge.

Which Starting Class Is Best?

There is no single objectively best class.

For beginners who want straightforward melee combat, Vagabond or Samurai are excellent choices.

If you specifically want to use magic, Astrologer is a natural starting point.

The most important thing is choosing a class that matches how you want to play.

And don’t worry too much.

Your starting class does not determine your entire character forever.

Explore Before Fighting Major Bosses

After reaching the open world, one of the worst things you can do is assume that the enormous castle visible in the distance is where you must immediately go.

Elden Ring is constantly tempting you with things that you are not necessarily ready to handle.

Instead, explore the surrounding areas.

Look for:

• Sites of Grace
• Churches
• Caves
• Mines
• Small dungeons
• Map fragments
• Merchants
• Useful weapons
• Golden Seeds
• Sacred Tears
• Optional bosses

Exploration is one of the best ways to become stronger.

Find the Map Fragments

The Lands Between is enormous.

Your map starts incomplete, making navigation more difficult.

Whenever you enter a new region, look for the map fragment associated with that area.

The map fragments reveal much more of the surrounding terrain and make exploration significantly easier.

Do not underestimate them.

A better understanding of the world can save you a huge amount of time.

Activate Sites of Grace

Sites of Grace are extremely important.

They function as safe points throughout the world and allow you to:

• Restore health
• Restore FP
• Refill certain resources
• Level up once the feature becomes available
• Manage certain character options
• Fast travel to discovered locations

Whenever you see one, activate it.

Even if you are only passing through an area, activating a Site of Grace can save you from having to travel back through the same area later.

Get Torrent as Soon as Possible

One of the biggest early-game upgrades is your spectral steed, Torrent.

Once unlocked, Torrent dramatically changes exploration.

You can travel across large distances much faster and use the mount to navigate difficult terrain.

Torrent is also extremely useful for escaping dangerous enemies.

Learn how to use your mount effectively.

You do not need to fight every enemy while riding.

Sometimes speed is your best defense.

Learn How Stamina Works

Stamina is one of the most important mechanics in Elden Ring.

Your stamina is used for actions such as:

• Attacking
• Blocking
• Dodging
• Sprinting

One of the biggest beginner mistakes is attacking repeatedly until the stamina bar is empty.

If you have no stamina left, you may be unable to dodge when the enemy attacks.

A better strategy is to attack, observe the enemy, and leave enough stamina available to react.

Never Forget Your Dodge

Your dodge is one of your most important defensive tools.

Learning when to dodge is often more valuable than simply increasing your damage.

Do not panic-roll every time an enemy moves.

Watch the attack.

Learn its timing.

Then dodge.

Learn Enemy Patterns

Elden Ring’s combat is heavily based on learning patterns.

When fighting a difficult enemy, don’t immediately think:

“I need more damage.”

Instead ask:

“What is killing me?”

Maybe you are dodging too early.

Maybe you are attacking too many times.

Maybe you are staying too close.

Maybe you are not recognizing a delayed attack.

Every death can provide information.

Once you understand the enemy’s moveset, the fight becomes much easier.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use Shields

Some players avoid shields because they believe dodging is always better.

That is not true.

A shield can be extremely useful for beginners.

Blocking certain attacks can give you more opportunities to survive while you learn an enemy’s moves.

However, blocking consumes stamina.

You should still learn when to lower your shield and recover stamina.

Learn About Guard Counters

Guard counters can be extremely effective against many enemies.

After blocking an attack, you can perform a powerful counterattack that can help break an enemy’s stance.

This is particularly useful for players using shields and physical melee weapons.

Learning this mechanic early can make regular enemies much easier to handle.

Don’t Ignore Jump Attacks

Jump attacks are another useful part of Elden Ring’s combat system.

They can deal significant stance damage and are especially useful against certain enemies.

If an enemy seems vulnerable to repeated heavy attacks or jump attacks, experiment with them.

Elden Ring rewards players who understand the different attack types instead of relying on a single button.

Understand Weapon Scaling

Your weapon is not just about its base damage.

Weapons can also scale with different attributes.

Common attributes include:

• Strength
• Dexterity
• Intelligence
• Faith
• Arcane

This means that two characters using the same weapon can potentially deal very different amounts of damage depending on their attributes.

Before investing heavily into a build, understand which attributes your preferred weapons benefit from.

Don’t Spread Your Attributes Everywhere

This is one of the most important beginner tips.

You have several attributes available to increase, including:

• Vigor
• Mind
• Endurance
• Strength
• Dexterity
• Intelligence
• Faith
• Arcane

It can be tempting to increase everything.

Don’t.

A character that invests points randomly can become much less effective than a focused build.

If you primarily use physical melee weapons, for example, you will generally want to prioritize attributes that support your chosen weapons and survivability.

Vigor Is Extremely Important

New players often make the same mistake:

They want to deal more damage, so they invest almost everything into offensive attributes.

Then a boss kills them in one or two hits.

Vigor increases your maximum HP and can make a huge difference in survivability.

Early in the game, having more health can be more valuable than gaining a small amount of additional damage.

If you are dying constantly, consider increasing Vigor.

Upgrade Your Weapons

Weapon upgrades are incredibly important.

A common beginner mistake is focusing only on character level.

Your weapon level can have a huge impact on your damage.

If you find a weapon you really like, look for the resources required to upgrade it.

A properly upgraded weapon can make early enemies and bosses considerably easier to deal with.

Don’t Spend Every Rune Immediately

Runes are used for leveling up and purchasing items.

They are also lost when you die.

If you die, you normally have an opportunity to return to the location of your death and recover your lost Runes.

But if you die again before recovering them, they are gone.

Because of this, carrying a massive number of Runes while exploring an unknown area is risky.

Have Enough Runes to Level Up?

If you have enough Runes for an important level, consider returning to a Site of Grace and spending them.

There is no benefit to carrying a fortune around while taking unnecessary risks.

What Should You Buy First?

Early in the game, prioritize useful items over cosmetic purchases.

Good investments can include:

• Crafting materials
• Arrows
• Bolts
• Useful consumables
• Upgrade materials
• Important tools
• Equipment that complements your build

You don’t need to buy everything from every merchant.

Read item descriptions and think about whether the item actually helps your playstyle.

Explore Caves and Mines

The open world contains many smaller locations that are easy to miss.

Caves and mines are particularly valuable for new players.

They can contain:

• Upgrade materials
• Weapons
• Armor
• Talismans
• Runes
• Bosses
• Other useful items

Mines are especially useful when you are trying to improve your weapons.

If you are struggling against major enemies, exploring smaller locations can be a great way to become stronger.

Use Summons If You Want

Elden Ring gives players several ways to make difficult encounters more manageable.

Spirit Ashes can summon allies to assist you in certain situations.

Using them is completely valid.

There is no rule saying that you have to defeat every boss alone.

If a boss is overwhelming you, experiment with your available tools.

Spirit Ashes can distract enemies, create openings, and give you more time to attack.

Don’t Ignore NPCs

Elden Ring’s characters are often mysterious.

Some NPCs provide quests, information, items, or access to new parts of the world.

When you encounter a character, talk to them.

If they repeat their dialogue, consider talking to them again.

Some NPC questlines progress only after certain events occur.

You do not need to memorize every detail, but don’t completely ignore the characters you encounter.

Read Item Descriptions

This might sound boring.

It isn’t.

Elden Ring hides a lot of its worldbuilding and information inside item descriptions.

Items can explain:

• Characters
• Locations
• History
• Factions
• Events
• Mechanics
• Mysteries

If you want to understand the story, reading descriptions can reveal information that the game does not explain directly.

Don’t Worry About Understanding the Entire Story

Elden Ring’s narrative is intentionally mysterious.

You may encounter characters and events that make absolutely no sense at first.

That’s normal.

You are not expected to understand everything immediately.

Pay attention to dialogue, locations, item descriptions, and environmental details.

The story gradually becomes clearer as you explore.

What Should You Do If You Are Stuck?

If you reach a boss that feels impossible, don’t keep throwing yourself against it for hours.

Take a break.

Go somewhere else.

Explore another region.

Find a new weapon.

Upgrade your equipment.

Increase your level.

Then come back.

This is one of the biggest lessons Elden Ring teaches.

The world is open specifically so you can leave a difficult encounter and return later.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Fighting Everything

You don’t need to defeat every enemy.

Ignoring Vigor

More health can dramatically improve your survivability.

Leveling Random Attributes

Build around your preferred playstyle.

Never Upgrading Weapons

Weapon upgrades are extremely important.

Carrying Too Many Runes

Spend them when you can.

Refusing to Use Summons

Use the tools the game gives you.

Rushing Through Areas

Exploration often rewards patience.

Ignoring Smaller Dungeons

They contain valuable equipment and upgrade materials.

Treating Death as Failure

Death is part of the learning process.

A Good Early-Game Routine

If you want a simple routine to follow after entering the open world, try this:

Activate nearby Sites of Grace.

↓

Explore the surrounding area.

↓

Find the local map fragment.

↓

Collect useful materials.

↓

Find caves and smaller dungeons.

↓

Upgrade your weapon.

↓

Increase your Vigor and important build attributes.

↓

Explore until you feel stronger.

↓

Return to difficult areas and bosses.

This approach lets you progress without constantly hitting a wall.

When Should You Fight the First Major Boss?

You don’t have to rush.

If you feel confident, challenge the boss.

If you are struggling badly, explore.

There is no shame in leaving and returning later.

One of Elden Ring’s greatest strengths is that difficulty is often something you can manage through exploration.

You don’t necessarily need perfect reflexes.

You can become stronger, find better equipment, learn the boss, use summons, or approach the encounter differently.

The Most Important Elden Ring Tip

There is one rule that will make your first playthrough much better:

Pay attention to what the game is teaching you.

When an enemy kills you repeatedly, observe its attacks.

When a weapon feels powerful, understand why.

When an area seems too difficult, explore somewhere else.

When you discover a new mechanic, experiment with it.

Elden Ring gives you an enormous number of tools.

Your job is not to play the game in one specific way.

Your job is to discover which tools work for you.

Final Thoughts

The best way to start Elden Ring is to slow down.

Explore the Lands Between.

Activate Sites of Grace.

Find map fragments.

Unlock Torrent.

Experiment with weapons.

Upgrade your equipment.

Invest in Vigor.

Learn enemy patterns.

And most importantly, don’t be afraid to walk away from a fight.

Elden Ring is designed around discovery.

You will die.

You will get lost.

You will encounter enemies that seem ridiculously powerful.

And eventually, you will return stronger and defeat something that previously seemed impossible.

That feeling of progression is one of the biggest reasons Elden Ring is so rewarding.

You don’t need to know everything when you start.

You just need to be willing to learn.