For many of the connoisseurs of frustration that roam the plains of Elden Ring, having a terrifyingly difficult time is all just part of the experience.
This is especially true for newbies delving into the Lands Between for the first time, who might receive a few helpful messages etched into the landscape from those who’ve gone before them in between all of the memes, but can otherwise be left to struggle alone.
Thankfully, for those in need of a few pointers to help them get started, a recent Reddit thread should have you covered.
What do you wish you’d known already when you loaded into Elden Ring for the first time?
The thread in question on the subreddit r/eldenring began with a post from user HedleyLamarrrr, who opened the can of worms by asking: “You can only give one tip to a new Elden Ring player. What is it?”
Their fellow Elden ringers were quick to throw in a barrage of suggestions, some of which emphasised curbing your bloodlust, with user Narrow-Definition-21 advising: “You don’t need to fight everything you see” and QuanticWizard adding: “If something is standing there calmly do not attack it, it is a friend. (The) easy way to tell is if they don't have a lock-on health bar.”
Others suggested good ways to get out and explore, with user CaptT60 simply declaring: “Go south.”, while WoodlandPatternM-81 thankfully provided some context by adding: “Seriously, the weeping peninsula is too easy to miss.”
Some had combat tips instead, with user Vel-Crow musing: “Use (a) big sword until you get (a) big hammer.”, Sister-Friedes-Feet proclaiming: “Roll forward. It works.” and Solomon_Rahkriid asserting: “Hesitation is death. Bosses are fast and relentless, they will outlast you if you are not aggressive enough.”
Meanwhile, user jroc5140 shared possibly the most important tip for those who can’t help hesitating, saying: “Get comfortable dying as soon as possible and nothing will be impossible.” and prompting 28smalls to attest: “Dying twice without getting your runes back is such a freeing experience.”
Regardless of whether you’ve made peace with the idea of being repeatedly pulverised by Malenia or Godfrey, make sure to follow us for coverage of some mods that might help you make it through the likes of Elden Ring using only one hand.