For newcomers and veterans alike, Elden Ring continues to surprise players with its depth, secrets, and rewarding sense of discovery. Whether you’re hunting runes, experimenting with builds, or simply trying to survive the Lands Between, there are countless mechanics that can make your journey smoother—if you know where to look. Below is a breakdown of 15 essential tips every player should learn early on, gathered from extensive play experience and smart community insights.
1. Understand Your Buffs and Debuffs
Underneath your stamina bar, you’ll see small icons showing your active buffs and debuffs. Their shape tells you more than you might think:
- A square border means it’s a permanent effect, like a talisman bonus.
- A diamond border means it’s temporary, such as the attack buff from Exalted Flesh.
- No border means it’s situational—like when you’re near a Stake of Marika.
Learning to read these icons helps you adjust your combat style, whether to play aggressively or defensively.
2. Unlock Hidden Items Efficiently
Those glowing statues scattered across the world hide valuable items inside. Lure a large enemy toward them—one good smash, and the statue breaks open. Similarly, items trapped behind small wooden structures can be collected by saving and reloading your game near them. This quick reload trick causes the structure to vanish, granting easy access to the loot.
3. Spot Item Drops Instantly
If you notice faint white particles floating from a defeated enemy, that means an item has dropped. Keep your eyes open for these subtle effects—they’re your key to gathering rare loot.
4. Watch for Erdtree Leaves
When golden leaves begin to fall across your screen, take advantage—this environmental cue means a rune gain boost is active. Every enemy you defeat during this time yields extra runes, making it the perfect opportunity for farming.
5. Boost Your Rune Gain the Smart Way
Equip the Gold Scarab Talisman, found in the Abandoned Cave of Caelid, to permanently increase rune acquisition by 20%. Combine it with a Gold Pickled Fowl Foot for an additional temporary boost, and you’ll enjoy up to a 56% rune increase. Always keep these active when farming or before finishing bosses.
6. Quick Talisman Swaps for Bonus Runes
Before a boss dies, quickly switch your current talisman to the Gold Scarab to gain extra runes without sacrificing your preferred combat talisman during the fight. Combine this trick with the Gold Pickled Fowl Foot for maximum returns.
7. Increase Item Discovery
If you’re after rare drops, equip the Silver Scarab Talisman, which boosts item discovery by 75 points. Pair it with the Silver Pickled Fowl Foot to further raise your chances. Farming rare weapons, armor, and upgrade materials becomes much easier with these two items.
8. Early Game Rune Farming
Want a huge rune boost early on? Seek out the massive sleeping dragon called Greyoll in northeast Caelid. Attacking it repeatedly yields hundreds of thousands of runes. Remember to equip the Gold Scarab and consume a Gold Pickled Fowl Foot before the final blow to maximize your earnings.
9. Unlock Smithing Stones for Purchase
If you’re short on smithing stones, grab Miner’s Bell Bearings and give them to the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold. This unlocks the option to buy Elden Ring items like smithing stones directly, saving hours of farming time. For players wanting to buy Elden Ring items cheap, this method offers a more reliable and consistent way to upgrade weapons.
10. Access Powerful Early Spells
Even a melee-focused build can benefit from a few key incantations. With just 15 Faith and a basic Finger Seal, you can cast lifesaving spells like Bestial Vitality, Flame, Cleanse Me, and Flame, Grant Me Strength. These spells add healing, cleansing, and attack boosts to your kit—ideal for both solo adventurers and co-op players.
11. Listen for Hidden Scarabs
That faint windchime-like sound you sometimes hear? It’s a Teardrop Scarab nearby. Hunt them down for valuable rewards like Ashes of War, smithing stones, or flask refills. Don’t let them escape—they vanish if ignored too long.
12. Don’t Fear Respecs
Don’t worry about perfecting your build too early. After defeating Rennala at the Academy of Raya Lucaria, you’ll unlock the ability to respec your character using a Larval Tear. This allows complete flexibility to adapt your stats to new weapons or playstyles later in the game.
13. Use Stealth to Your Advantage
Crouching (by pressing the left thumbstick) drastically reduces enemy detection range, especially at night. Combine crouch-running with distractions—like firing arrows into walls—to mislead enemies. This opens up easy opportunities for backstabs or safe traversal through dangerous areas.
14. Duplicate Boss Remembrances
Boss Remembrances can be traded to Enia at the Roundtable Hold for powerful weapons or spells—but you can only choose one reward. To get both, duplicate your Remembrance at a Walking Mausoleum. Those with bells can duplicate any boss Remembrance, while those without are limited to demigods like Godrick or Radahn.
15. Reset NPC Aggression
Accidentally attacked an NPC? Don’t panic. Visit the Church of Vows in Liurnia of the Lakes with a Celestial Dew and perform an Absolution to reset all NPC hostility. This restores normal interactions and prevents you from losing valuable questlines.
Elden Ring rewards knowledge and preparation as much as skill. From maximizing rune gain to managing your build and understanding world mechanics, each of these tips can make your journey through the Lands Between far more rewarding. Whether you’re experimenting with magic or hunting for upgrade materials, learning when to farm, when to explore, and when to buy Elden Ring items can dramatically improve your experience. Stay patient, stay curious, and most importantly—enjoy the adventure.
