So, you’ve just stepped into Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition and you’re probably wondering where you’re even supposed to begin. The Lands Between are enormous, there are enemies waiting around practically every corner, and the game is not exactly known for holding your hand.
Don’t worry about having everything figured out immediately. The best part of Elden Ring is that you’re given a huge world and a ridiculous amount of freedom to decide how you want to play.
Whether you want to swing an enormous sword, throw spells from a distance, sneak around enemies, or build a character that mixes several different styles together, you can make the journey your own.
Here’s what you should know before setting off as a Tarnished.
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Guide – All New weapons, Torrent
At its heart, your journey is about exploring the Lands Between, discovering what happened to the shattered Elden Ring, and ultimately working your way toward becoming the Elden Lord.
The world doesn’t force you down one straightforward road. You’ll see ruins in the distance, enormous castles on the horizon, mysterious locations tucked away in the wilderness, and plenty of places that look like they probably shouldn’t be explored yet.
And honestly, that’s part of the fun.
If something catches your attention while you’re traveling, go investigate it. You never really know what you’ll find.
Creating Your Tarnished
Before you get too far into the adventure, you’ll have the chance to create your character.
This isn’t just about choosing how your character looks. Your choices can also help shape how you approach combat and exploration.
Want to play as a heavily armed knight who relies on a powerful sword? Go for it.
Prefer magic and want to keep your distance? That’s completely viable too.
You could even combine the two and build a warrior who mixes melee combat with magic.
There’s no single “correct” character build, so don’t feel like you need to copy somebody else’s setup just because it’s considered strong. Experiment and figure out what feels good in your hands.
Exploring the Lands Between
Once you’re out in the world, the game really opens up.
You might spot an interesting ruin while riding through an open area, notice a huge castle towering over the landscape, or stumble across something completely unexpected while taking a random path.
That’s one of the things I’d recommend to new players: don’t be afraid to wander.
You don’t have to follow the most obvious route every second. Exploring can lead you to useful equipment, new enemies, hidden locations, merchants, and plenty of other discoveries.
And when you’re covering long distances, you don’t have to make the journey entirely on foot.
How to Use Torrent
You’ll eventually gain access to Torrent, your spectral steed.
Torrent is incredibly useful for getting around the massive world much faster. You can summon your spirit steed while traveling and use it to cover long distances without having to slowly walk everywhere.
It’s also particularly useful when you’re exploring the open areas of the Lands Between. If something looks interesting in the distance, hop on Torrent and go check it out.
Just remember that being on horseback doesn’t mean you’re completely safe.
Be Careful Around Enemies
This is probably the most important piece of advice for anyone starting Elden Ring:
Don’t underestimate enemies.
A tiny-looking enemy can still ruin your day if you get careless, and larger enemies can destroy you incredibly quickly.
Pay attention to how your opponent moves instead of simply mashing attacks. Watch for their attack patterns, learn when they’re vulnerable, and wait for the right opportunity to strike.
Sometimes the smartest move isn’t attacking at all.
If an enemy is clearly too strong for you right now, leave and come back later. There’s no shame in retreating. The world is huge, and there’s usually something else you can explore while you become stronger.
Learn to Block, Parry, and Counterattack
Your defensive options are just as important as your attacks.
If you can successfully parry an enemy’s attack, you can create an opening for a powerful counterattack.
You can also block incoming attacks and immediately follow up with a counterattack when the opportunity presents itself.
These mechanics are worth practicing early because eventually you’ll run into enemies whose attacks are too dangerous to simply trade with.
The important thing is to stop thinking about combat as “attack until something dies.” Watch your opponent, react to what they’re doing, and choose your response.
Don’t Forget About Stealth
You don’t always have to fight every enemy head-on.
If you prefer a quieter approach, you can sneak behind enemies and perform surprise attacks.
Stealth is especially useful when you’re dealing with groups of enemies. Instead of attracting everyone’s attention at once, you can sometimes pick enemies off individually and make an otherwise dangerous area much easier to handle.
So if charging straight into a group isn’t working, try slowing down and looking for another approach.
Runes: How You Become Stronger
Defeating enemies rewards you with runes.
These are extremely important because you can spend them to level up your character and increase your stats.
That means every fight can potentially contribute toward making your Tarnished stronger.
Just remember that carrying a large number of runes also gives you something to lose. If you die, you’ll have an opportunity to recover the runes you dropped—but dying again before recovering them can cause you to lose them permanently.
So don’t get too greedy when you’re carrying a huge pile of runes.
Finding the Right Weapons and Armor
The Lands Between are packed with equipment.
You’ll come across everything from huge greatswords and long-reaching spears to heavy hammers, bows, and magical staves.
And that’s before you even start experimenting with all the different weapons and equipment combinations available.
You can obtain gear in several ways:
- Find it inside treasure chests
- Loot it from defeated enemies
- Purchase it from merchants
- Discover equipment while exploring the world
The important thing is to find something that matches the way you want to play.
If you love getting up close and smashing enemies with a giant weapon, build around that. If you’d rather stay back and use ranged attacks or magic, there’s nothing wrong with that either.
Understanding Ashes of War
Weapons can also have special skills known as Ashes of War.
These abilities can dramatically change how you approach combat.
For example, Thunderbolt allows you to call down lightning on enemies, while Assassin’s Gambit temporarily makes you harder for enemies to detect.
There are many different Ashes of War, and they aren’t all designed for the same situation.
Some give you powerful offensive attacks, while others provide utility or temporary effects.
So don’t just equip one and forget about it. Experiment with different skills and see which ones complement your weapon and playstyle.
Using the right skill at the right moment can turn a difficult encounter into a much more manageable one.
Summoning Spirits for Help
At some point during your journey, you’ll obtain the Spirit Calling Bell.
This allows you to summon spirits that can help you during certain battles.
There are more than 50 different types of spirits, and each has its own characteristics and strengths.
This gives you another way to approach difficult encounters.
If you’re struggling with a boss or a group of enemies, consider whether one of your available spirits could give you the opening you need.
You don’t necessarily have to fight every difficult encounter completely by yourself.
Bosses Are Waiting
Of course, no Elden Ring adventure would be complete without bosses.
The Lands Between are filled with formidable opponents, and some of them will make it very clear that you’re not ready for them yet.
That’s okay.
A boss killing you repeatedly doesn’t necessarily mean you’re playing badly. Sometimes you simply need to learn its attacks, change your equipment, level up, or come back later.
Pay attention to what killed you and use that information on the next attempt.
Eventually, you’ll recognize the attack patterns that seemed impossible the first time around.
You Don’t Have to Travel Alone
The world is also filled with characters who can offer guidance, information, assistance, and sometimes even help you in combat.
Pay attention to the people you meet. Conversations can give you clues about where to go or what you might want to investigate next.
But don’t automatically trust everyone.
The Lands Between isn’t exactly packed with saints, and some characters have their own agendas. Keep your eyes open and think carefully about who you’re dealing with.
Playing With Other Players
Elden Ring also has online features that can make the journey feel a little less lonely.
When connected to the internet, you can encounter messages left by other players. These can provide useful hints, warnings, or sometimes… questionable advice.
You’ll also have the option to play alongside other people.
Cooperating with another player can be extremely useful when you’re dealing with a particularly difficult enemy. Having another person around can give you more opportunities to attack while the enemy’s attention is elsewhere.
You can play with friends or even join up with players you don’t know.
There isn’t one single way you’re expected to experience the game.