If you were wondering how to play Elden Ring, what you should do first when starting the game, or what you should know even before, this beginner’s guide is for you!
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Manual in English (actually big part of what was released yesterday in Japanese, it's missing the multiplayer chapter)
Game Interface
When the HUD display setting is set to Auto, the HUD will automatically be hidden, except for the compass. Press the [△/Y] button to temporarily display and check the HUD.
HP Gauge
Current HP (life force). It decreases as you take damage, and you die when it reaches 0.
HP can regenerate by resting at a site of grace, using the flask of crimson tears, or reading incantations.
FP Gauge
The power to stay focused in order to use skills and sorcery. It decreases as you use skills and sorcery, and it becomes ineffective when it reaches zero.
FP can regenerate by resting at a site of grace or using the flask of cerulean tears.
Stamina Gauge
This is your current stamina. When it reaches zero, you won’t be able to perform any further actions that consume stamina. Stamina automatically regenerates as time passes. Stamina is not consumed while in a non-combat state.
Status Icons
When a special effect is active, such as an ability boost, the corresponding status icon will be displayed.
Compass
Displays the direction. The location of runes that are dropped when you die and landmarks will also be displayed.
Enemy HP
The enemy’s HP (life force).
Lock-on Marker
Press the [R3/R] button to lock onto a nearby enemy as a target. You can change targets using the right stick.
Currently Available Skills
This displays the currently available skills.
Equipment Slot
The icon of the currently equipped weapon, sorcery, or item will be displayed.
Currently Selected Sorcery
This is the currently selected sorcery. It cannot be used unless a catalyst has been equipped.
Currently Selected Left-Hand Weapon
This is the weapon that is currently equipped in the left hand.
Currently Selected Item
This is the currently selected item and the next item to be displayed.
Currently Selected Right-Hand Weapon
This is the weapon that is currently equipped in the right hand.
Action Dialog
The corresponding action will be displayed here.
It indicates how long it will take for you to change to and from an abnormal state. A list of abnormal states can be found below
Player’s State Gauge
- Poison: If you are in a poisoned state, you will take continuous damage.
- Red Rot: If you are in a state of red rot, you will take continuous damage.
- Hemorrhage: If you are in hemorrhaging, you will take a large amount of damage relative to your maximum HP.
- Frostbite: If you are in a state of frostbite, you will take damage and become frostbitten for a while. While frostbitten, you will take increased damage from other sources.
- Sleep: If you are in a state of sleep, you will become drowsy. Weaker characters will fall asleep entirely.
- Madness: If you are in a state of madness, you will go mad and lose a great deal of both HP and FP.
- Death: If you are in a state of death, you will be struck down instantly.
Possessed Runes
The number of runes you currently have.
Game Environment
Runes
Runes can be obtained by defeating enemies or using items. Runes are used to level up your character, buy items, and strengthen weapons and armor.
Site of Grace
In this world, there are a rest points called sites of grace
Resting at a site of grace will restore your HP, FP, and heal any status ailments. It will also refill all of your sacred flasks. Most of the enemies you've defeated will be revived when you rest at a site of grace.
- How to Use a site of Grace
Approach the site of grace and press the [△/Y] button to activate it.
From here, pressing the [△/Y] button will bring up the menu and let you rest.
Sites of grace that you haven't reached yet emit rays of light.
- Site of Grace Menu
The site of grace menu is available while resting.
The selections available will change as the story progresses.
- Pass Time: Move time forward in the game
- Level Up: Enhance your character’s stats
- Add Charge to Flask: Increase the number of times you can use the flask
- Increase Amount Replenished by Flasks: Enhance the flask’s restorative effect
- Distribute Flask Charges: Allocate the number of charges for your sacred flasks
- Memorize Spell: Equip magic you have learned in the memory slots to use it in the game. The number of slots available depends on your character’s status
- Mix Wondrous Physick: Mix acquired crystal tears to customize the effects of Flask of Wondrous Physick
- Sort Chest: Store items in or remove items from the chest
Sites of grace that you already discovered will be saved on the map. Select the site of grace you want to travel to on the map, and you will move to that location. You cannot travel while in some dungeons.
Guidance of Grace
The light emanating from some sites of grace gives a hint as to where you may want to go next.
The guidance of grace can also be found in the map menu.
Summoning
When a rebirth monument is nearby and a monument icon is shown on the left side of the screen, you can use ashes to summon a spirit.
The summoned spirit will leave when its HP reaches zero, when a boss is defeated, when the spirit moves a certain distance away from the monument, or when the same ashes are used again.
Only one type of spirit can be summoned at a time, and spirits cannot be summoned during multiplayer.
Stakes of Marika
Upon dying, you will be revived at the last site of grace at which you rested. However, if you died near a Stake of Marika, you can choose to be revived there instead.
You can confirm if you are in the area of effect of a stake of Marika by checking if the status icon (bow and arrow icon) appears.
Spectral Steed
Use the Spectral Steed Whistle to summon a spectral steed to ride.
If the spectral steed dies it can be summoned again, but it will consume a flask of crimson tears.
Map
You can see your current location, terrain, buildings, and other information. Markers and landmarks can be placed on the map.
You can also go to a site of grace that you have discovered from the map menu.
You can’t open the map when you are engaged in battle.
Birdseye Telescope
Use the birdseye telescopes in each area to see into the distance like a bird and get a better view of your destination..
Death
A character dies when their HP reaches zero.
When you die, all the runes you are carrying will be dropped. You can retrieve them by going back to the location of your death. If you die again before retrieving them, they will be lost.
Basic Actions
Movement
The player moves in the direction you tilt the left stick. Tilt it slightly to walk, or tilt it fully to run.
Hold down the [⭘/B] button and tilt the left stick to dash. This consumes the stamina gauge.
Pressing the [R1/RB] button while dashing will turn it into a dash attack.
If you press the [⭘/B] button while tilting the left stick, the player will roll in that direction.
Rolling is also useful when you want to avoid enemy attacks.
Press the [✖/A] button to jump. If you jump while dashing, you can jump farther.
Pressing the [⭘/B] button while the left stick is neutral will cause you to step back quickly. Pressing the [R1] button after stepping back will turn it into a dash attack.
Press the [L3/L] button to crouch and hide. It is more effective if you crouch in the grass.
When your enemy is unaware, your first attack will cause more damage.
Approach a ladder and press the [△/Y] button to get on it and use the left stick to go up or down. Pressing the [⭘/B] button while going up or down will let you climb/descend quickly, and pressing the [⭘/B] button twice quickly will make you let go of the ladder and fall.
Battling Enemies: Attack/Defense Basics
When you encounter an enemy in the game, the enemy will attack you.
Pressing the [R3/R] button will lock the target onto a nearby enemy. While a target is locked on, you can change targets using the right stick.
When a target is locked, the target will always remain in front of you.
Press the [R1/RB] / [R2/RT] buttons to attack with the weapon equipped in your right hand.
Press the [L1/LB] / [L2/LT] buttons to attack with the weapon equipped in your left hand.
You can equip a shield in your left hand and press [L1/LB] to guard with it.
You can also use your weapon’s skill by pressing the [L2/LT] button when the weapon is two-handed or a shield with a skill is equipped.
- Switch Between One-Handed and Two-Handed
While holding down the [△/Y] button, press the [R1/RB] / [R2/RT] buttons to switch the right-hand weapon and the [L1/LB] / [L2/LT] buttons to switch the left-hand weapon to two-handed. If you hold the weapon with both hands, you won’t be able to use the weapon you were holding in the other hand, but the attack will be more powerful and it will be easier to break the opponent’s guard.
Use Your Skills
Press [L2/LT] while holding a two-handed weapon to activate the skill set for that weapon.
Depending on the skill, you can perform various derivative attacks by pressing the [R1/RB] / [R2/RT] / [L2/LT] buttons, as well.
If your left hand is empty (or if certain special weapons are equipped) you may not need to switch to a two-handed grip to activate the skill of the weapon in your right hand.
A portion of the FP gauge is consumed each time a skill is used. When the FP gauge reaches zero, you cannot use any more skills.
Skills can be changed by changing ashes. The type of ashes you can carry is determined by the weapon type.
Parry
Equip a shield in your left hand with the parry skill and press the [L2/LT] button to repel enemy melee attacks.
You can create critical hit opportunities by parrying.
Some enemies won’t have their stance broken with a single parry.
Situational Options
You can use the equipment menu to switch equipment. Use the ← key to change the left-hand armament, the → key to change the right-hand armament, the ↑ key to change sorcery/incantation, and the ↓ key to switch items.
Items (or magic) will jump to the first slot by holding down the ↑ (or ↓) directional button.
Press the [☐/X] button to use an equipped item.
Advanced Guide: Special Attacks
Special Attacks
While jumping, press [R1/RB] / [R2/RT] to perform a jump attack. The jump attack can easily break the enemy’s stance, and you can also aim to make a mounted enemy fall.
While falling, press [R1/RB] / [R2/RT] to attack enemies from above.
While going up or down a ladder, press [R1/RB] to attack the enemies above you, and [R2/RT] to attack the enemies below you.
Pressing the [R2/RT] button immediately after guarding against an enemy attack will create a guard counterattack that can easily break the enemy’s stance.
Pressing the [L1/LB] button when both hands are equipped with a weapon of the same category will trigger a special attack.
A critical hit is an attack that causes massive damage to the enemy. Pressing the [R1/RB] button after parrying, when behind an enemy, or against a fallen enemy will cause a critical hit. Some enemies can’t be parried, and some enemies can’t be struck with a critical hit even if you are behind them.
- Using Magic and Incantations
If you want to use magic or incantations, you need to equip the corresponding catalyst (staff or seal). You will also need to have FP to use them. After selecting the magic or incantation you want to use by pressing the ↑ key, press the [R1/RB] button (right-hand equipped) or [L1/LB] button (left-hand equipped) to use it.
The magic/incantations you obtain can be used by memorizing them at a site of grace via the Memorize Spell option.
Attacking with a Bow Weapon
Bow weapons can be used when equipped with arrows and bolts. There are two types of bow weapons — bows and crossbows — and each has a specific type of arrow that can be used.
When two types of arrows or bolts are equipped, press [R1/RB] to shoot the arrow equipped to the first slot, and [R2/RT] to shoot the arrow equipped to the second one.
Press the [L1/LB] button while holding the bow to enter precision aiming mode. While in precision aiming mode, use the ↑ key to zoom in and the down ↓ key to zoom out.
Mounting Action
You can use the spectral steed whistle to summon a spectral steed. You cannot summon it in some areas or dungeons.
If the spectral steed dies, it can be summoned again by consuming a flask of crimson tears.
You can get down from a mount using the [L3/L] button or the spectral steed whistle while riding. If you do this while moving, you’ll be able to jump off.
The player moves in the direction you tilt the left stick. Tilt it slightly to walk, or tilt it fully to run.
Hold down the [⭘/B] button and tilt the left stick to dash.
Press the [✖/A] button to jump. Press the [✖/A] button twice to double jump.
oWhen on horseback near a spirit spring, press the [✖/A] button to ride its current high into the air.
You won't take damage from jumping into a spirit spring while on horseback, even from a great height.
That’s all for now! With these tips, you should now be able to make a great start in the game and enjoy the basics of the combat system.
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I ain’t playing this at 1080p this deserves to be played in 4K.
