Want to know how to play Elden Ring? The ambitious and long-awaited new Soulslike game is nearly here. Elden Ring marks a departure from the well-trodden Dark Souls series, but keeps the taxing difficulty that players expect. We’ve seen plenty of glowing praise for the latest FromSoftware game, including in our Elden Ring review.
It’s pretty safe to say that Elden Ring is a toughgame. Frequent ambushes and enemies that can kill you with a single hit can make the first few hours very difficult. To help you get upto speed, we have some tips to help beginnersbeat even the hardest of Elden Ring bosses, and everything new players need to know about Elden Ring’s mechanics. Some of these mechanics require more in-depth explanations, such as the Elden Ring map fragments and how to play Elden Ring multiplayer.
Before we begin, one way you can save yourself a massive headache is to have a notepad to hand from the very start of the game.The game won’t hold your hand when it comes to keeping track of Elden Ring quests or if there’s an item that you can use at a specific place to uncover valuable items or powerful weapons. With that said, here are our top Elden Ring tips:
How to find the Elden Ring tutorial
Previous FromSoftware games have a mandatory tutorial area that allows new players to learn the new mechanics. Elden Ring bucks this trend slightly by putting the entrance to the tutorial area in an optional path that’s easily missed.
Who to choose? Here are the best Elden Ring classes
To find the Elden Ring tutorial area, head for the glowing tree straight ahead of you as you revive at the Stranded Graveyard. There is a small white light and a ledge to the right as you approach the tree. You need to drop from this ledge to access the tutorial, which teaches you how all of the basic moves work, what Sites of Grace look like, and how to perform Guard Counters.
Watch your stamina bar
Stamina management is key to surviving any encounter in Soulslike games, especially so in Elden Ring. When in combat, it’s easy to get complacent and attack constantly, but you should back off to recover stamina whenever you can. Doing so gives you the option to roll or run away from danger if the enemy suddenly attacks mid-combo.
It’s also worth noting that holding the guard button slows your stamina recovery, so let go of this button to quickly fill the stamina bar if you’re sure it’s safe.
Memorising spells
To use magic and spells, you need to find the corresponding scroll to learn its magic, then allocate that magic to an available slot at any Site of Grace, and finally meet the stat requirements to use the spell. Every use of the spell expends force points (FP), which you can recover using the Cerulean flask.
However, one change from the previous Souls games is that you now get them from Memory Stones instead of gaining additional spell slots with levels. You can find these stones after defeating major bosses or clearing a legacy dungeon.
Use the compass to find landmarks
Learning to navigate between landmarks is a vital part of this open-world game. Every time you discover one of the Elden Ring dungeon locations by getting close to its entrance, it shows up on your compass at the top of the HUD.
If you’re stuck trying to find a specific location or only have a vague idea of where you want to go, head into the map screen and place a beacon on your desired destination. You have the option to set multiple beacons to guide you if the path to get there requires travelling through other areas first.
Pay attention to status ailments
As enemy attacks or traps hit you, you may see a small bar appear at the bottom of the screen. This gauge behaves differently depending on the attack, but generally, it increases in chunks after each hit and then slowly drains away. If it fills up completely, you will get a status ailment. Here are all of the Elden Ring status ailments we know of so far:
- Poison – you constantly take damage until you cure its effects
- Red Rot – you continuously take lots of damage until you heal its effects
- Haemorrhage – you take a large amount of damage based on your maximum health, and the gauge also resets to zero
- Frostbite – you will take damage and get the frostbitten status ailment which increases damage you take from any source
- Sleep – you become drowsy or fall asleep if you are too weak
- Madness – you go mad, losing a large amount of HP and FP (force points)
- Death – you instantly perish
You can use items, some of which you can craft, to heal yourself completely and gain some resistance to that status ailment, but it’s better to avoid the potential damage in the first place.
How to use Elden Ring weapon art skills
Elden Ring Ashes of War are the most obvious ways to use powerful skills against your foes, but equipping these special moves isn’t the only way to get unique attack options. Hidden throughout the game are several weapons, armour, and gadgets that can give you the edge in combat via their Elden Ring weapon art skills.
Weapon art skills are unique abilities tied to specific weapons. You must meet the requirements of the weapon to equip it with no drawbacks. If you don’t have the minimum stats to wield it, you’ll get a prompt warning that you don’t meet the minimum requirements to use the weapon fully.
Some of the best Elden Ring weapons have unique weapon skills you can use by switching to two-handed mode. The default buttons for how to do this are below:
- Xbox pad: Hold Y, then press LB/LT for left-hand armament or RB/RT for right-hand armament
- PlayStation pad: Hold triangle, then press L1/L2 for left-hand armament or R1/R2 for right-hand armament
Early in the game, the Reduvia – a bloody knife that flings swirling crimson daggers a short distance away – is a fantastic weapon you should pick up when you can. If you can position yourself a short distance away from an enemy, you can trivialise even some difficult Elden Ring bosses by repeatedly lobbing bloody knives at them.
How to use Elden Ring ash summons
Ash summons are not the same thing as Ashes of War. Instead, ash summons are special items that give adventurers playing on their own some backup in the form of spirits. These are especially helpful for fighting against more brutal bosses as they can also distract the boss long enough for you to get a few hits in.
To perform a summon, you need to get the Wraith Calling Bell from Renna the Witch at the Church of Elleh. Once you have it, ring the bell at the Rebirth Monument or when the monument icon is on the left side of the screen to summon a spectral ally. Note that if you are playing Elden Ring multiplayer, you can’t also summon these allies to join you.
Don’t rely too much on horseback combat
Elden Ring gives you a horse that makes travelling across each region significantly quicker than doing so on foot. While riding a horse, you can pick up items you need to craft recipes from the Elden Ring cookbooks. You can also fight enemies while on horseback, and most foes you encounter won’t know how to handle your attacks.
That said, there are at least a couple of foes who, while not too challenging on foot, create extra problems for you while in the saddle. For example, the bandits roaming the farms near the Gatefront Ruins will attempt to dismount you from your noble steed before stabbing your now prone body. So if you find that they kill your horse without so much as breaking a sweat, consider fighting them on foot instead.
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Those are all the Elden Ring tips and tricks we have for you now. We’ll be sure to update this guide with more tips to help you get started.
FAQs
Is Elden Ring to hard for beginners? ›
Elden Ring is an absolute behemoth that can feel impenetrable for new players. If you're new to Elden Ring, or FromSoftware games as a whole, and are jumping into the Lands Between, you might want a few tips and tricks to help you get started.
What should a beginner do on Elden Ring? ›Here is what you should do first in Elden Ring: Visit the Church of Elleh just north of where you begin (be sure to avoid the powerful Tree Sentinel on the way!) to find a merchant, Kale, who can sell you a Crafting Kit and Cookbooks, and if you want to explore some nearby cave dungeons, a torch.
How long does it take to beat Elden Ring for beginners? ›When focusing on the main objectives, Elden Ring is about 55 Hours in length. If you're a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 133 Hours to obtain 100% completion.
What is the easiest beginner build for Elden Ring? ›Best Elden Ring starting class for beginners: Vagabond
The Vagabond starting class is essential for Strength, Vigor and Endurance build, but you can tailor them to your liking, adding a few points spells to your arsenal or anything else you fancy.
We've seen plenty of glowing praise for the latest FromSoftware game, including in our Elden Ring review. It's pretty safe to say that Elden Ring is a tough game. Frequent ambushes and enemies that can kill you with a single hit can make the first few hours very difficult.
Is Elden Ring frustrating? ›Elden Ring, however, will never achieve that status—the gameplay is just too grueling to appeal to every player. FromSoftware, the developer behind Elden Ring, is responsible for notoriously difficult games, namely the Dark Souls franchise.
What is the most beginner friendly class in Elden Ring? ›- For melee, the basic starter is the Vagabond. ...
- For magic, beginners should start with the Astrologer. ...
- If you want a beginner-friendly hybrid class, look no further than the Prisoner.
The best dexterity weapon is the Bloodhound's Fang, a curved greatsword that can be found near the start of the game in Limgrave, although you'll need to overcome a pretty tough boss fight to get it.
What percentage of players have beaten Elden Ring? ›Less than 50% of players have even beaten the final boss.
Will Elden Ring be the easiest Souls game? ›Elden Ring is potentially easier than Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne, but it isn't a surefire thing anymore. What remains is the various other Soulslikes, most of which are designed to be more forgiving.
Which is the longest game in the world? ›
Average playtime for Breath of the Wild's main story and side content totals 97.5 hours, despite there being unresolved plot threads left for BOTW 2. Completionists can expect to put 189 hours into this game.
Is Elden Ring too hard for a casual gamer? ›It's hard, but it's not too hard. I enjoy a challenge, but I don't enjoy extreme challenge. This game hits the spot for me. The most battle-scarred veteran of FromSoftware games might say the game is or is not hard (I've seen both claims).
Is Elden Ring good for new players? ›Since the game launched last week, most of them agree that it's beautiful, detailed, and absorbing, but intimidating for newcomers. While critics seem to concur that it will stand as one of the best video games of the year, we'd also suggest that Elden Ring isn't for everyone, exactly.
What is the hardest video game of all time? ›- Contra. Konami Be prepared to die, die, and die again.
- Sekiro. ...
- Elden Ring, Dark Souls (1-3), Demon's Souls, Bloodborne. ...
- Super Meat Boy. ...
- Ghosts 'n Goblins. ...
- Cuphead. ...
- Sifu. ...
- Ninja Gaiden (Series) ...
The Samurai does objectively have a lot going for it as a starting class, with good armor, a light shield, and a very powerful starting weapon: a katana. Balanced in speed and strength and with the aforementioned Unsheathe skill, plus a starting longbow, there's a lot to love.
What is the hardest class in Elden Ring? ›In terms of just the early-game experience, there is no questioning that the Wretch is by far the hardest. It continues the tradition of the 'Deprived' class from Dark Souls: a half-naked warrior with low, balanced stats wielding a club. With a low level, low stats, and poor equipment, the Wretch is a rough experience.
Where is the best loot early in Elden Ring? ›- Twinblade location at Dragon-Burnt Ruins.
- Reduvia location near Murkwater Cave.
- Kalé sells a Longsword at the Church of Elleh.
- Flail location at the Gateside Ruins.
- The carriage carrying the Greataxe.
The recommended level for this area is between 50 to 60. The recommended weapon level is +4 to +5. Just like the areas, you can take on the bosses in any order you feel like as well.
Who beat Elden Ring the fastest? ›Before LilAggy could bask in the glory of their victory, speedrunner Distortion2 managed beat their record by more than ten minutes, completing Elden Ring in an unbelievable 49 minutes and 29 seconds. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
What is the most completed game? ›As spotted by Kotaku, Elden Ring is logged as the most-completed game over at HowLongToBeat.com, with nearly 6,000 users on the site claiming they have both played and beaten the punishing RPG.
Is Elden Ring harder then Dark Souls? ›
The answer: It's the hardest FromSoftware game so far, harder than Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro – if you play it legit without abusing exploits/cheese methods. There are bigger level-jumps between main bosses so it will require a lot more grinding for level-ups between areas.
Which game is harder Elden Ring or Dark Souls 3? ›Is DS3 harder than ER? I'm playing both games as a heavily armored melee character. FWIW, I just finished the Cathedral of the Deep and Farron Keep areas in DS3. Coming in as a noob to FromSoft games, my answer (and I'm not saying this as either a good thing or a bad thing) is that DS3 is definitely harder.
Should I get Elden Ring if I don't like Dark Souls? ›Well, I'm here to tell you that if you have no or negative Souls experiences, that should not affect your decision to play Elden Ring, a game that I would without question, recommend to more or less everyone so they can experience easily one of the best games of the last ten years, and arguably the best conceived and ...
What is the shortest game ever played? ›The shortest game ever registered between two grand masters, was in four moves. Lazard defeated Gibaud in a chess cafè in Paris in 1924.
Does Elden Ring have the biggest map? ›While Elden Ring has an impressive open world for players, there are other games that have a bigger map for players to explore. Elden Ring is packed with enough content to keep players coming back for well upwards of 50 hours.
What is the longest single player game? ›Completing Fallout: New Vegas under the completionist method will take players over 100 hours. The main story is about 27.5 hours, but those who take their leisurely time may beat all the game's content in over 300 hours.
Is Elden Ring good for newcomers? ›Since the game launched last week, most of them agree that it's beautiful, detailed, and absorbing, but intimidating for newcomers. While critics seem to concur that it will stand as one of the best video games of the year, we'd also suggest that Elden Ring isn't for everyone, exactly.
Is Elden Ring a good beginner Souls game? ›Some may think it wise to play one of the first handful of games in the genre first, if not a couple of Soulslikes, but Elden Ring is truly where any newcomer should begin.
How many hours is Elden Ring? ›The average Elden Ring playthrough is around 50-70 hours.
Is Elden Ring as hard as Dark Souls 1? ›Elden Ring is a More Advanced Form of Soulslike
The difficulty discussion pertaining to Elden Ring is as complex as the game's many mechanics. The game takes after the enemy speed and complexity present in Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro, so one would assume it is more difficult than the oldest Souls titles.
Should I get Elden Ring if I don't like Souls games? ›
Well, I'm here to tell you that if you have no or negative Souls experiences, that should not affect your decision to play Elden Ring, a game that I would without question, recommend to more or less everyone so they can experience easily one of the best games of the last ten years, and arguably the best conceived and ...
Why is everyone so obsessed with Elden Ring? ›Described as an open-world title from Dark Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki, Elden Ring immediately caught the attention of that franchise's fanbase. What really stood out, though,was the involvement of Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin, who we later learned helped craft the game's lore and mythology.
What is the easiest level to beat Elden Ring? ›The recommended level for this area is between 50 to 60. The recommended weapon level is +4 to +5. Just like the areas, you can take on the bosses in any order you feel like as well.