Elden Ring Guide: Classes, Bosses, Great Runes and Tips

Elden Ring guide: the essentials to start and progress

To get ahead in Elden Ring you need to level up at a steady pace, explore Limgrave before going after bosses, use Torrent and spirit summons, and defeat seven demigods to gather their Great Runes. This Elden Ring guide explains which class to pick, what to do in the first hours, how to move through the main regions and how to avoid the most common mistakes.

Elden Ring is an open-world action RPG by FromSoftware and Bandai Namco, directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, with worldbuilding by George R. R. Martin. It launched on February 25, 2022 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC, and its expansion Shadow of the Erdtree arrived in June 2024. It has only one difficulty level, so the key is not playing "on easy" but learning its tools.

Key facts about the game

Fact	Detail
Genre	Open-world action RPG, 1 to 4 players
Development	FromSoftware (published by Bandai Namco)
Difficulty	Single level; no selector
Main areas	Six large regions ruled by demigods
Goal	Gather Great Runes and reach the Erdtree to become Elden Lord (there are six endings)
Expansion	Shadow of the Erdtree (June 2024)

Which class to pick in Elden Ring

Your class only sets your starting stats and gear: it does not lock you into a playstyle, because you can spend your points however you like later. The differences between classes come down to a few points, so choose the one closest to how you want to play. These are the ten classes of the base game:

Class	Level	Starting weapons	Profile
Vagabond	9	Longsword, halberd, shield	High Vigor and Strength; very balanced
Warrior	8	Two scimitars, shield	Dexterity 16, fast attacks
Hero	7	Battle axe, large shield	Strength 16, heavy hits
Bandit	5	Great Knife, Shortbow, Buckler	Arcane 14, bleed and stealth
Astrologer	6	Short sword, staff	Intelligence 16, sorceries
Prisoner	9	Estoc, staff, shield	Dexterity and Intelligence 14, hybrid
Confessor	10	Broadsword, seal, shield	Faith 14, incantations
Prophet	7	Short spear, seal	Faith 16, incantations
Samurai	9	Uchigatana, longbow, round shield	Dexterity 15, bleed
Wretch	1	Club	All stats at 10; only for those who want to allocate everything

Recommendation for beginners: the Vagabond is the safest choice thanks to its high health and solid weapons, and the Samurai is a great option if you prefer attacking from a distance with the longbow. If magic appeals to you, the Astrologer starts with a useful spell from the very beginning. Avoid the Wretch until you know the game.

First hours: how to start in Limgrave

1. Finish the tutorial and head out into the world. The opening takes you to the Stranded Graveyard and, from there, to Limgrave.
2. Activate Sites of Grace. They are your checkpoints: resting at them restores health and flask charges, but enemies respawn. With the Guidance of Grace (the golden beam) you can see where the story continues, although you are not forced to follow it.
3. Talk to Melina at the Gatefront Ruins. If you accept her offer, she gives you the Spectral Steed Whistle to summon Torrent. It is your mount for crossing the map and you can double jump on it. It cannot be used inside dungeons.
4. Go back to the Church of Elleh and rest. After you get Torrent, Renna gives you the Spirit Calling Bell to summon spirits.
5. Level up with Melina at a Site of Grace. Runes are both your currency and your experience: spend them on attributes and do not hoard them.
6. Explore the caves, catacombs and tunnels of Limgrave before going after Margit. They give you gear, Smithing Stones and upgrades.

Combat and survival

Stamina, dodging and blocking

The green stamina bar drains when you attack, block, run and roll. Rolling is usually better than blocking because you save stamina to counterattack. If you carry too much weight (over 70% of your equip load) your roll becomes sluggish, and if you exceed the maximum you cannot roll at all. With shields you can block and, after a perfect parry, return the blow with a riposte that deals a lot of damage.

Enemy poise and backstabs

Heavy attacks and parries reduce the enemy's poise; once it breaks, the enemy is stunned and you can land a critical hit. Attacking from behind also deals heavy damage, so stealth works well against groups.

Summoning spirits

With Renna's bell and the right Spirit Ashes you can call an AI-controlled ally in many boss fights. It costs FP (the blue bar), only one can be active at a time, and you can only summon where there is a nearby Martyr Effigy. Lone Wolf Ashes are a classic for distracting the boss and sneaking in free hits.

Runes and what happens if you die

When you die you drop all the runes you are carrying at the exact spot of your death. If you go back and pick them up, you recover them; if you die again before getting there, they are lost forever. That is why it pays to spend them often. Items such as Golden Runes, which turn into runes when used, are not lost on death.

Upgrades you should not forget

Item	What it does
Golden Seeds	Increase the charges of your Flasks of Crimson and Cerulean Tears
Sacred Tears	Boost the potency of your flasks up to +12; there are 12 scattered across churches
Smithing Stones	Upgrade regular weapons up to +25 at the blacksmith (Hewg)
Ashes of War	Give your weapons special skills, which you swap at a Site of Grace
Flask of Wondrous Physick	Mixed with two Crystal Tears to create custom effects

Smithing Stones are split into tiers: the tier 1 stone covers +1 to +3, tier 2 covers +4 to +6, and so on up to tier 8 (+22 to +24). The final step (+25) requires the rare Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. To get unlimited stones you have to find the four Smithing-Stone Miner's Bell Bearings and hand them to the Twin Maidens at Roundtable Hold.

Recommended route through the base game

Elden Ring lets you explore almost at will, but this sequence avoids roadblocks and keeps you at the right level:

1. Limgrave and Weeping Peninsula: level up, get Torrent and basic gear, and try optional caves and dungeons.
2. Stormveil Castle: defeat Margit, the Fell Omen, to get in and, after that, Godrick the Grafted, the first demigod, who gives you Godrick's Great Rune.
3. Liurnia and Raya Lucaria Academy: Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, drops the Great Rune of the Unborn, which unlocks the option to respec your attributes.
4. Caelid and other regions: Radahn (Redmane Castle) and Rykard (Volcano Manor, Mt. Gelmir) are the next demigods; Mohg (Mohgwyn Palace) and Malenia (Elphael) are more hidden.
5. Leyndell, Royal Capital: you need two Great Runes and a talk with Enia, the Finger Reader, to enter. Morgott, the Omen King, awaits you there.
6. Mountaintops of the Giants: after beating Morgott, Melina gives you the Rold Medallion, which activates the Grand Lift of Rold.
7. Finale: Godfrey and, at the Elden Throne, Radagon and the Elden Beast.

The demigods and their Great Runes

Boss	Location	Great Rune
Godrick the Grafted	Stormveil Castle	Godrick's Great Rune (+5 to all attributes)
Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon	Raya Lucaria Academy	Great Rune of the Unborn (respec)
Starscourge Radahn	Wailing Dunes (near Redmane Castle)	Radahn's Great Rune
Morgott, the Omen King	Leyndell, Royal Capital	Morgott's Great Rune
Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy	Mt. Gelmir	Rykard's Great Rune
Mohg, Lord of Blood	Siofra River / Mohgwyn Palace	Mohg's Great Rune
Malenia, Blade of Miquella	Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree	Malenia's Great Rune

For a Great Rune to take effect, you first have to defeat the demigod, then restore its power at the matching Divine Tower, equip it at a Site of Grace and, finally, consume a Rune Arc. The blessing lasts until you die.

How to beat Margit, the first big obstacle

Margit has around 4,174 HP, is weak to slash damage and enters his second phase below 65% health, when he adds hammer attacks. To beat him:

• Dodge most of his attacks by rolling instead of blocking, and counterattack after his combos.
• Summon Lone Wolf Ashes to distract him; they work very well.
• If you use magic, keep your distance and watch out for his thrown daggers.
• Margit's Shackle, sold by Patches for 5,000 runes, stuns him, but only in the first phase and only twice.
• If you are stuck, level up in Limgrave and come back stronger: that is perfectly normal.

Common mistakes and tips

• Hoarding runes without spending them. A double death wipes them out; level up as soon as you can.
• Selling almost everything. You get few runes and many items turn out to be useful later.
• Facing bosses at the wrong level. If an area overwhelms you, leave it for later and explore another.
• Forgetting to talk to NPCs. They give items and quests with real consequences.
• Carrying too much gear. Going over 70% equip load makes dodging worse.
• Betting on a single weapon. Try different weapons and Ashes of War before spending Smithing Stones.

Elden Ring FAQ

Is Elden Ring very hard for a beginner?

It is demanding and has only one difficulty, but it makes up for it with an open world where you can back away from a hard area and return stronger, plus you can summon spirits or other players for the bosses.

What is the best class to start with?

The Vagabond is usually considered the most balanced for almost any playstyle. Since classes do not limit your build, the difference from the others is small.

How many Great Runes do I need?

Two to enter Leyndell, Royal Capital. There are seven in the base game, and collecting all of them is not required to reach the ending.

Can lost runes be recovered?

Yes, if you reach the exact spot where you died before dying again. If you die again before picking them up, they are lost.

How do I get Torrent?

Talk to Melina at the Gatefront Ruins and agree to become her maiden: she will give you the Spectral Steed Whistle.

Free games similar to Elden Ring

If you like Elden Ring, on LudoRex you can play RPG and role-playing games with no downloads, such as Epic Hero Quest, where you upgrade a hero and their gear, or Dragon Awaken, with character progression and battles. For that demanding challenge, try the hard games online, and if you prefer sword duels, Samurai Shodown is a fighting classic.