Ever felt like the Lands Between are actively trying to crush you? You’re not alone! Elden Ring is notorious for its difficulty, but fear not, Tarnished.
This guide provides tips for Elden Ring to survive and conquer, transforming you from a struggling wanderer into a true Elden Lord. We’ll cover everything from early game strategies to late-game boss battles, ensuring you’re well-equipped for the challenges ahead.
Understanding the Fundamentals: Essential Tips for Elden Ring
Elden Ring throws you into a vast world with minimal hand-holding. Mastering the basics is crucial for survival.
Choosing Your Starting Class Wisely
Your starting class determines your initial stats, equipment, and playstyle.
Consider these factors when making your choice:
- Melee Builds: Vagabond and Warrior are excellent choices for strength and dexterity builds.
- Magic Builds: Astrologer and Prophet are well-suited for intelligence and faith builds, respectively.
- Hybrid Builds: Confessor offers a balanced approach with faith and strength.
Leveling Up and Stats
Leveling up is essential for increasing your character’s stats. Vitality, Mind, Endurance, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane each influence different aspects of your character.
Focus on stats that complement your chosen build. For example, a melee character should prioritize Strength, Vitality, and Endurance.
Mastering Combat Basics
Elden Ring’s combat is challenging but rewarding. Practice these fundamental techniques:
- Dodging: Timing your dodges is crucial for avoiding enemy attacks.
- Blocking: Use your shield to block incoming attacks, but be mindful of your stamina.
- Parrying: Parrying requires precise timing but can stagger enemies, leaving them open to critical attacks.
- Backstabbing: Position yourself behind an enemy to perform a powerful backstab.
- Jump Attacks: Jump attacks deal increased damage and can break an enemy’s stance.
Exploring the Open World: Tips for Elden Ring’s Vast Landscape
The Lands Between are massive and filled with secrets. Effective exploration is key to finding valuable resources and equipment.
Using the Map Effectively
The map is your best friend in Elden Ring. Use it to:
- Mark Points of Interest: Mark locations of interest, such as dungeons, merchants, and resource nodes.
- Track Your Progress: Keep track of areas you’ve explored and bosses you’ve defeated.
- Plan Your Route: Plan your route to avoid dangerous areas or to reach specific destinations.
Discovering Sites of Grace
Sites of Grace serve as checkpoints and allow you to level up, rest, and replenish your flasks.
Activating Sites of Grace also reveals portions of the map.
Gathering Resources
The world is filled with resources that can be used for crafting.
Collect herbs, plants, and minerals to craft consumables and upgrade your equipment.
Riding Torrent, Your Spectral Steed
Torrent is your trusty spectral steed, allowing you to traverse the Lands Between quickly.
Use Torrent to:
- Explore vast distances quickly.
- Reach high places with double jumps.
- Engage in mounted combat.
Gear and Equipment: Essential Tips for Elden Ring
Choosing the right gear is crucial for maximizing your character’s potential.
Understanding Weapon Scaling
Weapons scale with different stats, meaning their attack power increases based on your character’s stats.
Choose weapons that scale well with your primary stats. Check the weapon’s scaling grades (S, A, B, C, D, E) to determine its scaling potential.
Upgrading Your Weapons
Upgrading your weapons at the blacksmith increases their attack power.
Use Smithing Stones to upgrade standard weapons and Somber Smithing Stones to upgrade unique weapons.
Armor and Protection
Armor provides protection against physical and magical damage.
Choose armor that offers a balance of protection and weight. Heavier armor provides more protection but reduces your mobility.
Talismans and Their Effects
Talismans are accessories that provide various buffs and effects.
Experiment with different talismans to find combinations that suit your playstyle.
Combat Strategies: Tips for Elden Ring’s Challenging Encounters
Elden Ring’s combat is demanding, requiring strategic thinking and skillful execution.
Learning Enemy Attack Patterns
Observing and learning enemy attack patterns is crucial for dodging, blocking, and parrying effectively.
Pay attention to enemy tells and animations to anticipate their attacks.
Utilizing Ashes of War
Ashes of War are special skills that can be applied to your weapons.
Experiment with different Ashes of War to find skills that complement your playstyle.
Summons and Spirit Ashes
Summoning spirits can provide valuable assistance in combat.
Use Spirit Ashes to summon creatures that can distract enemies, deal damage, or provide support.
Exploiting Enemy Weaknesses
Many enemies have specific weaknesses that can be exploited.
Experiment with different damage types (e.g., fire, lightning, holy) to find weaknesses.
Early Game Tips for Elden Ring
The early game in Elden Ring can be particularly challenging.
Focus on Exploration and Leveling
Prioritize exploring the starting area (Limgrave) and leveling up your character.
Avoid challenging areas until you’ve gained some levels and acquired better gear.
Completing Early Game Dungeons
Explore the early game dungeons, such as Stormfoot Catacombs and Murkwater Cave, to find valuable items and equipment.
Defeating Early Game Bosses
Defeating early game bosses, such as Margit the Fell Omen, will grant you valuable rewards and progress the story.
Finding Useful Items and Equipment
Search for useful items and equipment in the early game, such as the Flask of Wondrous Physick and the Spirit Calling Bell.
Late Game Tips for Elden Ring
The late game presents even greater challenges, requiring advanced strategies and optimized builds.
Optimizing Your Build
Optimize your build for your chosen playstyle.
Respec your stats at Raya Lucarian Academy if necessary.
Upgrading Your Equipment to Max Level
Upgrade your weapons and armor to their maximum level to maximize their effectiveness.
Exploring Late Game Areas
Explore the late game areas, such as the Mountaintops of the Giants and the Consecrated Snowfield, to find powerful items and equipment.
Defeating Late Game Bosses
Defeating late game bosses, such as Malenia, Blade of Miquella, and Radagon of the Golden Order, requires mastering combat and exploiting their weaknesses.
Advanced Combat Tips for Elden Ring
For those seeking to truly master Elden Ring’s combat, consider these advanced techniques.
Perfecting Dodge Timing
Mastering perfect dodge timing allows you to evade attacks with pinpoint accuracy, opening up opportunities for counterattacks.
Mastering Parry Timing
Parrying requires precise timing but can stagger enemies, leaving them vulnerable to critical attacks.
Utilizing Jump Attacks Effectively
Jump attacks deal increased damage and can break an enemy’s stance.
Combining Ashes of War with Combat Techniques
Experiment with combining Ashes of War with different combat techniques to create powerful combos.
Conclusion
Elden Ring is a challenging but rewarding game. By understanding the fundamentals, exploring the open world, choosing the right gear, mastering combat strategies, and optimizing your build, you can overcome the challenges and conquer the Lands Between. Remember to explore, experiment, and most importantly, don’t give up! Share your own tips for Elden Ring to survive and conquer in the comments below.
FAQ
Q: What is the best starting class for beginners in Elden Ring?
A: The Vagabond is often recommended for beginners due to its balanced stats and strong starting equipment.
Q: How do I level up in Elden Ring?
A: You can level up at Sites of Grace by spending Runes.
Q: Where can I find Smithing Stones to upgrade my weapons?
A: Smithing Stones can be found throughout the world, in dungeons, and purchased from merchants.
