You just stepped out of those big double doors into Limgrave. You see a golden guy on a massive horse. Naturally, you think, "I should fight him."
Don't. Seriously, just walk around him. Most people think Elden Ring is a linear gauntlet where you have to smash your head against every wall until it breaks. It isn't. It's a massive, terrifying playground where the smartest thing you can do is run away from something that looks like it can flatten you in one hit.
Elden Ring Beginner Tips for Staying Alive
The biggest hurdle for anyone starting out isn't the bosses. It's the ego. You've probably played games where the first enemy you see is "Level 1" and perfectly balanced for your starting gear. FromSoftware doesn't care about that. The Tree Sentinel—that gold-armored jerk on the horse—is there specifically to teach you that you can, and should, leave.
Honestly, the best thing you can do is head north. Look for the Gatefront Ruins.
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Rest at the Site of Grace there. A lady named Melina will appear and finally give you your horse, Torrent. Without Torrent, you’re basically a slow-moving snack for the local wildlife. Once you have him, the game actually opens up. You can double-jump over pits and, more importantly, you can gallop past enemies that are way out of your league.
Level Vigor and Nothing Else (Mostly)
Everyone wants to dump points into Strength or Intelligence because they want to do "big damage." This is a trap. Early on, your weapon’s damage comes from its upgrade level, not your stats.
Scaling—that letter grade you see on weapons—doesn't really kick in until the weapon is highly upgraded.
Basically, putting 5 points into Strength might give you 3 extra damage. Putting 5 points into Vigor might be the reason you survive a dragon’s fire breath with a sliver of health left. Aim for 30 Vigor as fast as you can. Eventually, you'll want 40, and by the end of the game, 60 is the gold standard.
Don't Hoard Your Smithing Stones
You might be worried about "wasting" upgrade materials on a sword you’ll replace later. Don't be.
By the mid-game, you can literally buy Smithing Stones from a shop. If you find a weapon you like, get it to +3 immediately. The jump in power is way more significant than any level-up will ever be. If you're struggling with a boss, check your weapon level before you start blaming your skill.
The Secret World of Flasks and Seeds
You start with a few sips of your healing flask. It’s never enough.
Keep an eye out for small, glowing golden trees. These drop Golden Seeds, which let you add more charges to your flask at any Site of Grace. Also, look for crumbling churches. Inside, you’ll usually find a Sacred Tear. These don't give you more sips, but they make each sip heal for more.
Pro Tip: If you see a glowing skull on the ground, ride over it with your horse. It breaks and gives you a tiny rune consumable. It’s not much, but it adds up when you're just a few hundred runes short of a level.
Understanding the "Fat Roll"
This is the one that kills new players more than anything else.
Open your equipment menu. Look at your Equip Load on the right. If it says "Heavy Load," you are in trouble. Your dodge roll will be slow, clunky, and have fewer "invincibility frames." You want to stay at "Medium Load" or lower.
If you have to strip off your pants to stay at a medium load, do it. Being naked and fast is 100% better than being armored and slow in this game.
Exploration Is Your Actual Job
If you hit a wall—like the infamous Margit the Fell Omen at the entrance to Stormveil Castle—just go south.
The Weeping Peninsula (the landmass south of Limgrave) is basically a secret "level up" zone for beginners. It’s packed with easy bosses, upgrade materials, and extra flask upgrades. Most people who complain about the game being too hard simply ignored the bottom half of the map.
Talk to Everyone
If an NPC doesn't try to kill you immediately, they probably have a quest. Talk to them until they start repeating themselves.
One of the most important ones is Renna the Witch. After you get Torrent, warp back to the Church of Elleh (the first ruin with the merchant) at night. She’ll be sitting on a wall. Talk to her to get the Spirit Calling Bell.
This lets you summon "Spirit Ashes," like the Lone Wolves. These aren't "cheating." The game is balanced around you using them. Having three ghost wolves distract a boss while you poke it in the butt is a valid, and often necessary, strategy.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're just starting your journey in the Lands Between, follow this checklist to get through the first few hours without losing your mind:
- Get Torrent ASAP: Go to the Gatefront Ruins and rest. Do not try to fight the entire camp of soldiers yet.
- Head South: Cross the Bridge of Sacrifice into the Weeping Peninsula to find easy upgrades.
- Prioritize Vigor: Don't worry about damage stats until your health bar is long enough to actually see.
- Find the Spirit Bell: Return to the Church of Elleh at night to talk to Renna.
- Use Your Map: Look for the small, brown "telescope" icons on the grayed-out map areas. Those mark where the Map Fragments are located.
Elden Ring is a game about patience and curiosity. If you treat every death as a lesson rather than a failure, you'll be the Elden Lord before you know it.