Elden Ring is FromSoftware's open-world action RPG created in collaboration with George R.R. Martin, set in the sprawling Lands Between. Unlike previous Souls games, it gives you complete freedom to explore six major regions, tackle legacy dungeons in any order, and over 150 boss encounters. The game received its massive Shadow of the Erdtree DLC adding an entirely new map region. With its blend of punishing combat, deep build variety, and cryptic lore, Elden Ring redefined what an open-world RPG can be.
New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Area | Focus | Build |
|---|---|---|
| Limgrave | open world exploration basics | Samurai |
| Liurnia of the Lakes | stance breaking mastery | Samurai |
| Caelid | spirit ash summoning + gear | Vagabond or Samurai |
| Altus Plateau | Build optimization | Vagabond |
| Mountaintops of the Giants | Min-max | Vagabond or Wretch |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Limgrave)
The starting region and your tutorial zone. It contains Stormveil Castle (the first legacy dungeon), the Church of Elleh with the first merchant, and several catacombs and caves with useful early loot. Explore thoroughly before fighting Margit.
Level/Difficulty: Level 1-30 Key Rewards: Smithing Stones, Lordsworn weapons, Whetstone Knife, Spirit Calling Bell
What to Do in Limgrave
- Learn open world exploration. The Lands Between is a seamless open world divided into six major regions plus underground areas.
- Pick Samurai as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Moonveil or whatever's available.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand open world exploration fundamentals
- Samurai selected and functional
- Limgrave main content cleared
- Ready for Liurnia of the Lakes
Phase 2: Early Game (Liurnia of the Lakes)
A vast watery region accessed after Stormveil Castle or via a side path. Home to Raya Lucaria Academy (the second legacy dungeon), Carian Manor, and numerous sorcery-related items. The northern section leads to important NPC questlines.
Level/Difficulty: Level 30-50 Key Rewards: Larval Tears for respec, Glintstone Keys, Academy sorceries, Carian spells
What to Do in Liurnia of the Lakes
- Work on stance breaking. Every enemy has a hidden poise meter that fills when you hit them with heavy attacks, guard counters, or jumping attacks.
- Farm for Moonveil if you haven't already.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Caelid.
- Consider whether Vagabond might suit your playstyle better than Samurai.
Phase 2 Checklist
- stance breaking integrated into gameplay
- Moonveil acquired
- Liurnia of the Lakes fully cleared
- Ready for Caelid
Phase 3: Mid Game (Caelid)
A rotting nightmare region to Limgrave's east, infamous for being extremely dangerous early. Features Redmane Castle and the Radahn boss fight. Contains the Gael Tunnel (Moonveil) and multiple high-reward dungeons. You can access it early via a teleport trap in Limgrave.
Level/Difficulty: Level 50-70 Key Rewards: Moonveil, Radahn's Remembrance, Meteorite Staff, Rock Sling spell
What to Do in Caelid
- Master spirit ash summoning. Spirit Ashes are summonable AI companions usable in most boss fights and open-world areas where a rebirth monument is present.
- Start working toward Rivers of Blood. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Start investing in weapon arts for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- spirit ash summoning mastered
- Rivers of Blood acquired or in progress
- Caelid fully cleared
- Ready for Altus Plateau
Phase 4: Late Game (Altus Plateau)
The elevated central region reached via the Grand Lift of Dectus or a cave shortcut. Contains the capital city Leyndell, Volcano Manor, and Mt. Gelmir. This is where the game's difficulty spikes significantly and build optimization becomes important.
Level/Difficulty: Level 70-90 Key Rewards: Bolt of Gransax, Erdtree's Favor +1, Godskin Stitcher, Rykard's Remembrance
What to Do in Altus Plateau
- Finalize your build. You should be running Vagabond or Samurai with optimized gear.
- Rivers of Blood should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- flask of wondrous physick optimization starts here.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Mountaintops of the Giants.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Rivers of Blood upgraded to max
- Altus Plateau fully cleared
- Ready for Mountaintops of the Giants
Phase 5: Endgame (Mountaintops of the Giants)
A snow-covered endgame region accessed after reaching the capital. Contains the Fire Giant boss, the path to the Forge of the Giants, and the hidden Consecrated Snowfield that leads to Miquella's Haligtree. The hardest area in the base game.
Level/Difficulty: Level 100-130 Key Rewards: Rivers of Blood, Giant-Crusher, Malenia's Remembrance (Haligtree)
What to Do in Mountaintops of the Giants
- Mountaintops of the Giants tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- The endgame loop: run Mountaintops of the Giants, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Wretch for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where flask of wondrous physick mastery separates good players from great ones. ### Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Mountaintops of the Giants fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Fighting Margit at level 1 with a base weapon. Explore Limgrave first, get to level 25 with a +3 weapon, and buy Margit's Shackle from Patches for 5000 runes.
- Ignoring Vigor and pumping damage stats early. You'll get one-shot constantly after Liurnia. Vigor to 40 is non-negotiable.
- Selling or discarding Larval Tears. These let you respec at Rennala and are limited per playthrough. Never waste them.
- Using the Teleporter Chest in Limgrave's Dragon-Burnt Ruins without preparation. It sends you to the Sellia Crystal Tunnel in Caelid where enemies can kill you in one hit.
- Neglecting to upgrade Spirit Ashes. An unupgraded Mimic Tear dies in seconds, but a +10 Mimic Tear can solo some bosses.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Level Vigor to 40 before investing heavily in damage stats. The soft cap gives enormous survivability and most deaths early are from being one-shot.
- Use Torrent to explore open areas and collect Smithing Stones from mines. Upgrading weapons from +0 to +6 roughly doubles your damage output.
- Margit the Fell Omen can be completely skipped by going around Stormveil Castle via a cliffside path. Come back at level 25+ with a +3 weapon.
- Guard counters (block then heavy attack) deal massive stance damage and work on almost every enemy. Pair with a 100% physical shield for safe play.
- Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears increase your flask count and healing amount. Prioritize grabbing these from Minor Erdtree bosses and churches.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
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