What to do and where to go first in Elden Ring

Elden Ring is a massive game. When you enter the open-world area of the game, it can feel incredibly overwhelming of what you should do first. There’s almost no guide outside of the small guiding light pointing you in the direction you should go to work on the primary quest of the game. However, it’s not required. In this guide, we will offer some recommendations about what to do and where to go first in Elden Ring.

What to do first in Elden Ring

The first thing almost every player will want to do is seek out the Church of Elleh. You can find it directly north of your starting position, where you’ll meet the merchant Kalé. They provide you with a crafting kit and offer you a variety of supplies you can purchase.

After speaking with Kalé, the next thing you’ll want to do is head to the northeast and visit the Gatefront Ruins. There, you’ll be able to grab your first map fragment to light up your Elden Ring map, and you can find the Whetstone and your first Ash of War, an ability that will enhance your weapons.

Once those two things are done, you’ve gotten your feet decently wet in the game. Now, you can choose to proceed north to go through the Stormgate, or you can backtrack to visit the coast on the west side of the map. There, you can complete a dungeon in the Coastal Cave that has you battling against a pair of bosses.

Alternatively, you can head to the east and visit the Mistwood Outskirts. There, you’ll find a handful of supplies that will help get you to start, such as the Physick flask at the Third Church of Marika, or you can visit the Minor Erdtree to investigate it. You might also want to check out, and clear, Fort Haight.

Finally, you can also check out the Weeping Peninsula to the south, across the Bridge of Sacrifice. While this area is a bit tougher, this is also in the direction of some primary quest stuff, which means mapping out this area is a worthwhile endeavor.

Eventually, though, we do recommend storming Stormveil Castle and battling against the boss guarding the bridge, Margit, the Fell Omen, and testing your skills.

Elden Ring is an open-world game. Do not be afraid to adventure off the beaten path, explore in locations you typically wouldn’t investigate and take some time checking out the optional dungeons and bosses.