Mori Chu wrote: ↑Mon Jan 19, 2026 10:03 am
AmareIsGod wrote: ↑Mon Jan 19, 2026 8:06 am
Been playing a ton of Elden Ring finally. I can see why people love it.
Any advice about how to ... get started? I have tried to play Elden Ring a few times, and I always get hung up on stuff like the following:
- What character class should I pick? Does it matter? I just want an easier simpler experience.
- Once I get out of the initial cave or whatever, where should I go? I come out into the open world, I see a big tree in the distance, I go down a hill, and there's just a giant knight on a horse and he rides up and brutally murders me. If I sneak around him, there's kind of a little ruin area with a guy selling some merchandise. But I don't really know where to go. What should I do? I just end up walking in some random direction, encountering some skull or monster that Fs me up, and dying. I have no idea where to go or what to do or how to get stronger or anything. So I just turn it off. Am I missing something?
The learning curve is real, but once you get into the intended loop, it’s incredible.
Class: Pick the Samurai. You start with the Uchigatana, which is one of the best weapons in the game. It has a skill called 'Unsheathe' that hits like a truck and breaks enemy posture, plus it causes 'Bleed' damage which chunks boss health. It’s the closest thing to an 'Easy Mode' starter.
The Big Horse Guy: That’s the Tree Sentinel. He’s a classic FromSoftware 'knowledge check.' The game puts him there specifically to teach you that you don't have to fight everything you see. Just crouch, sneak around him to the left, and head to that ruined church (Church of Elleh) you mentioned.
The 'GPS': Sit at the campfire (Site of Grace) in that church. Look at the map; you’ll see a little golden trail of light pointing you in a specific direction. That’s your 'Guidance of Grace.' Follow it.
The Most Important Step: Follow the road north from the church to the 'Gatefront' ruins. Rest at the Site of Grace there. A character will appear and finally give you the ability to Level Up and a Horse. The game doesn't truly start until you have those two things.
Early Priority: Put every single point into Vigor (Health) until it’s at least 20. It sounds boring, but in this game, your health bar is essentially the difficulty slider.
Don't feel bad about using a map or a guide. The game is designed for 'community knowledge'—it's almost impossible to find everything organically. Give it one more shot until you get the horse, and it’ll probably click.
I use Gemini when I get stuck (I will take a screenshot of where I am in the game and the map). YouTube videos. I only use that stuff when I'm stuck but it's awe inspiring exploring. And I avoid big bosses where possible.
It wasn't until my 3rd try playing (each time maybe 2 to 3 hours tops before) before I became totally hooked.
