Elden Ring Guide: Walkthrough, Tips and Tricks, and Boss Strategies Guide 1

Elden Ring is the latest RPG developed by FromSoftware for PlayStation 5, PS4, and various other platforms. Following on from popular titles like Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, it builds on the formula with a fully open world setting. These sorts of games are known for their hard difficulty, and Elden Ring is no different. In our Elden Ring PS5 review, we awarded the game a 9/10, calling it an "utterly essential PS5 title".

In this Elden Ring guide, which includes an Elden Ring walkthrough, we're going to share our tips and tricks for beginners to help you survive the Lands Between. We've included boss fight strategies, like Margit, the Fell Omen and Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. Our Elden Ring walkthrough will guide you through the main areas in the game like Stormveil Castle and the Academy of Raya Lucaria, and some optional locations, such as Stormfoot Catacombs.

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This page will also offer useful tips and trick for beginners like how to replenish flasks and how multiplayer works. Finally, we will explain the best starting class for all playstyles and what the very best starting Keepsake is. Please be aware this guide contains Elden Ring spoilers, so browse carefully if you wish to keep the game's surprises a mystery.

Elden Ring Guide: Boss Fight Strategies

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Elden Ring has a huge number of boss fights, some of which are tied to story progress and others that are optional. For the first part of our Elden Ring guide, we'll share tips, tricks, and strategies for overcoming many of these encounters. We've broken them down into regions, so all you need to do is work out where you are on the map, and check to see if we have a guide covering the boss fight strategies for the battle you're stuck on.

Limgrave: Boss Fight Strategies

Stormveil Castle: Boss Fight Strategies

Liurnia of the Lakes: Boss Fight Strategies

Academy of Raya Lucaria: Boss Fight Strategies

Altus Plateau: Boss Fight Strategies

Volcano Manor: Boss Fight Strategies

Leyndell, Royal Capital: Boss Strategies

First Visit:

Second Visit:

Caelid: Boss Fight Strategies

Mountaintops of the Giants: Boss Fight Strategies

Miquella's Haligtree: Boss Fight Strategies

Ainsel River: Boss Fight Strategies

Siofra River: Boss Fight Strategies

Crumbling Farum Azula: Boss Fight Strategies

Reocurring: Boss Fight Strategies

Elden Ring Guide: Walkthrough

In the next section of our Elden Ring guide, for our Elden Ring walkthrough, we'll provide a walkthrough of the game's main locations and challenges, including quests and side content, like dungeons and caves.

Walkthrough

Quests

Optional Locations

Dungeons

Catacombs

Caves

Tunnels

Hideaways

Graves

Grottos

Tombs

Elden Ring Guide: Upgrades, Weapons, Armour, and More

For this section of our Elden Ring guide, we'll be focusing on key gameplay concepts like upgrades, levelling, and equipment, like weapons and armour. We'll also include crafting recipes, explain summons, and outline all starting classes.

Upgrades and Collectibles

Weapons and Armour

Crafting, Items, and Talismans

Classes and Keepsakes

Multiplayer and Summons

Locations and Points of Interest

Statistics

FAQs

Elden Ring Guide: Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Without any difficulty settings and a long-standing reputation as one of the hardest genres in the industry, Elden Ring is not exactly the most welcoming of games for beginners. As such, we have some universal Elden Ring tips and tricks for beginners to share that should give you a headstart. Read through this final section of our Elden Ring guide to make sure you're prepared to venture into the Lands Between.

Look Out for Glowing Skulls on the Ground

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Elden Ring may have replaced Souls with Runes, but that doesn't mean those bundles of the currency that go in your inventory have been removed. The likes of the Soul of a Lost Soldier and Soul of a Proud Knight are now numbered as Golden Runes, which you can pop at any point for a quick injection of the crucial levelling currency.

These bundles are found at random on the ground inside the skulls of defeated humans and animals. You'll notice them due to their bright glow, indicating some Runes are inside. Smash the skull either with your weapon or by running over them with Torrent. Then you can pick them up and store the Runes for another time. The higher the number next to the name, the more Runes it'll grant you upon activation.

Try Combat Encounters at Different Times of the Day

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One more new feature FromSoftware has implemented is a day/night cycle that has a small impact on enemy routines and positioning. You can simply wait for the sun to go down or change the time of day at a Site of Grace, and you might notice changes to enemy fortresses. For example, there may be fewer guards patrolling, making it easier to get inside or take them out quietly.

This doesn't always happen, but if you're having trouble in a particular area, consider changing the time of day to see how it affects the game. It could just be your saving grace.

Learn What Enemies Should Be Fought on Horseback

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With Torrent by your side, you have the option to engage enemies on horseback. You'll deal more damage to enemies when riding Torrent, but you'll need to work out when it's best to dismount. If the combatant is also riding a horse, then common sense would dictate you should also be battling using a horse. The same goes for bigger enemies like the giants. However, sometimes it's best to be on the ground so you can utilise backstabs, combos, and Ashes of War. It'll be something you pick up on the fly, but learning what each situation requires gives you a better chance of survival.

Enter Combat without a Full Healing Flask

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This may sound like a strange suggestion, but hear us out. Alongside replenishing your flask in the usual fashion at a Site of Grace, Elden Ring includes a new way of getting heals back. Once you've killed an entire group of enemies, clearing the nearby area, you'll be rewarded with another use of your Flask of Crimson Tears. This is indicated by your character absorbing a sort of red mist along with a sound cue.

The problem is that extra flask use doesn't benefit you if you're already at maximum capacity. It's just gone. Therefore, if you know you're about to get another healing opportunity out of the last enemy in front of you, maybe just heal there and then to make sure you get the benefit. Even if it was just some chip damage, you'll be back to full capacity soon after.

Summon NPCs or Other Players for Boss Fights

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The bosses of Elden Ring are by far the most challenging element of Elden Ring, so if you really feel you can't beat a particular one on your own, consider summoning an NPC if they're available or searching for an online player to team up with. If an NPC is offering their help, you'll notice a golden summoning sign on the floor next to the fog gate. To get an online player into your game, press the Options button and scroll down to the Multiplayer tab. From there, you can select whether you want to summon someone into your game or join someone else's. You can find out more information on the following pages: How Multiplayer and Summons Work and How to Summon Spirits and Use Ashes Summons.


And that brings our Elden Ring guide to its conclusion. We hope our extensive coverage has helped you out in your own playthrough. If you have any further tips, strategies, or general information to share, feel free to post it in the comments below.