Elden Ring is the latest game made by FromSoftware Inc. It features some of the best combat seen in any action game, as well as some of the best character building in any RPG! If this is your first time playing Elden Ring (or any FromSoftware game to speak of), then you might be a little confused about which build you should go for on your first run. That is why we’re here to tell you everything you need to know about the best build for beginners in Elden Ring.
We’ll cover which class you should choose when making your character, as well as how you should level up, and what gear you should go for.
Let’s jump right into it!
Choosing Your Class
When firing up the game for the first time, one of the very first things you’ll need to do is pick your class. There are many different classes to choose from — Bandit, Astrologer, Prisoner, etc. — but the one we’re focusing on today is the Vagabond.
The Vagabond is a melee-based class that starts out its journey at Level 9. Vagabonds also begin the game with higher vigor, strength, and dexterity. High vigor is important in Elden Ring, as this stat governs your overall health. As a beginner, you’re bound to make mistakes in combat, and having high health will make those mistakes less lethal.
I prefer to play as a tank, and I recommend this build for any first-time players. Strength increases your physical damage with heavier melee weapons with lower attack speed, while Dexterity increases damage with lighter melee weapons with faster attack speeds. Don’t pay much attention to other stats like Faith and Intelligence, as those are reserved for magic builds.
Leveling Up
Now that we’ve gone over which class you should choose for the best beginner’s build in Elden Ring, let’s talk a bit about leveling up. Early on in the game, you’re going to want to focus on increasing your vigor. As previously mentioned, it’s crucial to have as much health as possible while you’re still getting used to combat.
I also recommend increasing your endurance if you find yourself using shields a lot. Every time you absorb damage with your shield, your stamina bar goes down. Increasing your endurance (thereby giving you more stamina) will improve your defensive capabilities. It also allows you to attack more often, as every swing of your sword also lowers your stamina.
As for the more offensive stats, let’s talk about Strength and Dexterity. Choosing one over the other is really down to personal preference, but it’s best to level both equally. Strength weapons do more damage but are more punishing if you miss, as they tend to swing slower than Dexterity weapons.
Because of this, I recommend focusing on Dexterity, at least at first. Using these types of weapons is less punishing if you happen to miss a few swings.
Choosing Your Gear
Finally, let’s briefly talk about your gear. Due to the Vagabond’s starting stats, it’s best to use melee weapons as your primary mode of attack. You start out the game with a halberd, which is a great melee weapon for hitting targets at longer ranges.
If you want to get a great sword early on, you can head east from spawn and then turn south, towards the Weeping Peninsula. Then just go to Castle Morne, shown in the image above. Here, once you defeat the boss Leonine Misbegotten, you can acquire the Grafted Blade Greatsword!
Ranged weapons can make a good sidearm. If you went with higher Strength, go for crossbows and ballista. If you chose to level up Dexterity more, you’ll want to get your hands on bows. Alternatively, you could double down on melee weapons and keep a lance at your side instead. Lances have better range than your typical sword.
As for your armor, heavy armor is best suited for the Vagabond’s playstyle. You’ll want to play him as a tank, and using heavier sets of armor will protect you the most. I wouldn’t stress too much about armor early on, as you’ll want to put all your focus on leveling up your attributes and getting better weapons.
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Elden Ring Navigation
- Elden Ring: How to Defeat Rellana, Twin Moon Knight
- Elden Ring: How to Defeat Bayle the Dread
- Elden Ring: How to Defeat Messmer the Impaler
- All Dragon Bosses in Elden Ring, Ranked
- Elden Ring: All Remembrance Bosses Ranked and Item Rewards
- How to Beat Mad Pumpkin Head Enemies in Elden Ring
- How to Easily Beat Godrick the Grafted in Elden Ring
- Best Early Game Bosses in Elden Ring
- Elden Ring: How to Beat Preceptor Miriam
- Elden Ring: How to Beat The Ancient Hero of Zamor
- Elden Ring: How to Beat the Erdtree Avatar
- Elden Ring: How to Beat The Tree Sentinel
- Elden Ring: How to Beat The Guardian Golem
- Elden Ring: How to Beat Margit, The Fell Omen
- Elden Ring: How to Beat The Black Knife Assassin
- Elden Ring: How to Beat Mad Tongue Alberich
- Elden Ring: What Are Stonesword Keys?
- Elden Ring: Best Armor in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
- Elden Ring: 10 Best New Weapons in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
- The 8 Best Astrologer Armor Sets in Elden Ring
- The Best Great Runes in Elden Ring
- The Best Sacred Seals in Elden Ring
- How to Use the Lone Wolf Ashes in Elden Ring
- How to Two-Hand Weapons in Elden Ring
- 3 Best Rune Farming Methods in Elden Ring
- 10 Best and Worst Enemies in Elden Ring
- Elden Ring: Spectral Steed Explained
- Elden Ring: Berserker Build Guide
- Elden Ring: Hardest Achievements and How to Get Them
- Elden Ring: All Locations in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Ranked
- How to Get to the Rold Route in Elden Ring
- What Does the Arcane Stat Do in Elden Ring?
- Elden Ring: The Erdtree Explained
- Elden Ring: Land Octopus Explained
- Is Elden Ring Connected to Dark Souls?
- All Endings in Elden Ring (Spoiler Alert!)
- How Big is Elden Ring’s Map?
- Elden Ring: What Are Spirit Ashes & How Do You Use Them?
- Elden Ring: How to Get The Grafted Blade Greatsword & Beat Leonine Misbegotten
- Elden Ring: What Are Golden Seeds?
- Elden Ring: All Locations in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Ranked
- Elden Ring: Best Armor in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
- Elden Ring: 10 Best New Weapons in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
- The Best Arrows and Bolts in Elden Ring, Ranked
- The 8 Best AoE Weapons in Elden Ring
- Best Arcane Weapons in Elden Ring
- All Light Bows in Elden Ring, Ranked Worst to Best
- The Best Shields in Elden Ring, Ranked
- The Best Crossbows in Elden Ring
- The Best Fist Weapons in Elden Ring
- 5 Best Whips in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Great Spears in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Great Hammers in Elden Ring
- The Best Flails in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Thrusting Swords in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Twinblades in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Halberds in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Spears in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Hammers in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Curved Swords in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Colossal Weapons in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Greataxes in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Daggers in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Axes in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Katanas in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Colossal Swords in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Curved Greatswords in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Straight Swords in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Glintstone Staffs in Elden Ring, Ranked
- 5 Best Greatswords in Elden Ring, Ranked
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