Elden Ring | Complete Game Wiki, Guides & Strategy

1. Elden Ring Game Overview

The Lands Between, the setting of Elden Ring, features a massive open world

Elden Ring is a 2022 action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki with worldbuilding contributions from fantasy novelist George R. R. Martin, Elden Ring is considered one of the greatest video games ever made, winning numerous Game of the Year awards.

Set in the Lands Between, players control a Tarnished—an exile returning to a broken realm after the shattering of the Elden Ring, a powerful force that once maintained the world's order. The game features an expansive open world, deep combat mechanics, challenging enemies, and the signature difficulty that FromSoftware's "Soulsborne" games are known for.

Key Information

Developer: FromSoftware

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment

Director: Hidetaka Miyazaki

Worldbuilding: George R. R. Martin

Release Date: February 25, 2022

Platforms: PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, Windows

Genre: Action role-playing

Mode: Single-player, multiplayer

Development & Background

Development of Elden Ring began in early 2017 following the release of The Ringed City, the final DLC for Dark Souls III. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki wanted to create a new dark fantasy epic that evolved the Soulsborne formula. The collaboration with George R. R. Martin began when Miyazaki, an admirer of Martin's work, reached out to him to help create the world's mythos and history.

Martin wrote the overarching mythos for the Lands Between—the world's creation, its major families and conflicts, and the demigod children of Queen Marika the Eternal. This "worldbuilding draft" served as the foundation for Miyazaki and his team to develop the actual game narrative, characters, and locations.

Elden Ring represents the culmination of FromSoftware's game design philosophy, combining the intricate level design of Dark Souls with the verticality of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and the open-world exploration not possible in their previous titles.

2. Gameplay Mechanics & Features

Elden Ring builds upon the foundation established by the Souls series while introducing several major innovations that redefine the action-RPG genre. The game's mechanics are deep and nuanced, offering players unprecedented freedom in how they approach challenges.

Combat System

Elden Ring's combat is methodical and strategic, requiring careful observation, timing, and resource management. The combat system includes:

Weapon Arts & Ashes of War

Weapon Arts (now called Ashes of War) are special abilities that can be equipped to weapons. They consume FP (Focus Points) and offer unique attacks or buffs. Players can swap Ashes of War between compatible weapons, allowing for extensive customization.

Guard Counters & Posture

A new Guard Counter mechanic allows players to follow up a block with a powerful counterattack. Similar to Sekiro, enemies have a hidden posture meter that, when broken, opens them up for a critical hit.

Open World Exploration

Elden Ring player riding Torrent through open world

The Spirit Steed Torrent allows for fast traversal of the massive open world

Elden Ring features the first truly open world in a FromSoftware game. The Lands Between is divided into six major areas, each with distinct environments, enemies, and challenges. Key exploration features include:

Spirit Steed Torrent: A spectral horse that allows for fast traversal and double jumps
Stakes of Marika: Checkpoints placed near challenging encounters, reducing backtracking
Grace Sites: Equivalent to Dark Souls bonfires, used for leveling up and resting
Dungeons & Catacombs: Over 100 mini-dungeons scattered throughout the world
Day-Night Cycle: Certain enemies and events only appear at specific times

Character Progression

Players begin by choosing one of ten starting classes, each with different stat distributions and starting equipment. As they progress, they level up by spending Runes (the game's currency) at Sites of Grace to increase one of eight attributes:

Attribute	Primary Effect	Secondary Benefits
Vigor	Increases HP	Fire resistance, immunity
Mind	Increases FP	Focus for spellcasting
Endurance	Increases stamina	Equip load, robustness
Strength	Physical attack power	Allows wielding heavy weapons
Dexterity	Physical attack power	Reduces casting time, fall damage
Intelligence	Sorcery scaling	Magic resistance
Faith	Incantation scaling	Holy resistance
Arcane	Discovery stat	Certain spell scaling, status effect buildup

Magic System

Elden Ring features two main types of magic: Sorceries and Incantations. Sorceries (glintstone magic) are typically offensive spells that scale with Intelligence, while Incantations (faith-based magic) include healing, buffs, and elemental attacks that scale with Faith.

Exclusive Gameplay Tips

1. Jump Attacks: Jumping heavy attacks deal significant posture damage and can stagger enemies quickly. Use them against shield-bearing foes.

2. Spirit Ashes: Don't overlook Spirit Ashes summons. They can completely change difficult encounters, especially for solo players.

3. Crafting System: The new crafting system allows creation of valuable items like arrows, throwing knives, and status effect consumables. Always gather materials.

4. Guard Counters: After blocking an attack, immediately press R2 for a Guard Counter. This is especially effective against humanoid enemies.

3. Character Classes & Builds

Elden Ring offers ten starting classes, though unlike previous Souls games, any class can be developed into any build through stat allocation. The starting class primarily determines initial stats, equipment, and playstyle in the early game.

Vagabond

Starting Level: 9

A knight exiled from their homeland. Well-rounded with high Vigor, Strength and Dexterity. Excellent for quality builds.

Greatshield Longsword Halberd

Best for: New players, Strength builds, tanky playstyles

Astrologer

Starting Level: 6

A scholar who reads fate in the stars. Highest starting Intelligence, perfect for pure sorcery builds.

Glintstone Staff Short Sword Sorcery Spells

Best for: Magic users, long-range combat, intelligence builds

Samurai

Starting Level: 9

A capable fighter from the Land of Reeds. Starts with high Dexterity and the powerful Unsheathe skill.

Uchigatana Longbow Fire Arrows

Best for: Dexterity builds, bleed builds, versatile combat

Advanced Character Builds

Once you progress beyond the starting class, you can develop specialized builds optimized for different playstyles. Here are some of the most effective endgame builds:

Strength/Faith Paladin

A tanky build that combines heavy armor and weapons with powerful incantations for healing and buffs. Perfect for players who want survivability while dealing massive damage.

Key Stats: Vigor 50, Strength 50, Faith 40

Recommended Weapons: Greatsword, Golden Halberd, Blasphemous Blade

Essential Spells: Golden Vow, Blessing's Boon, Lightning Spear

Dexterity/Intelligence Spellblade

A fast, agile build that combines quick weapons with powerful sorceries. Excels at both melee and ranged combat with high burst damage potential.

Key Stats: Dexterity 50, Intelligence 60, Mind 30

Recommended Weapons: Moonveil Katana, Wing of Astel, Rapier with Glintblade Phalanx

Essential Spells: Comet Azur, Loretta's Greatbow, Carian Slicer

Arcane Bleed Build

Focuses on causing hemorrhage buildup to deal percentage-based damage to enemies, including bosses. Exceptionally powerful against most enemies in the game.

Key Stats: Arcane 60, Dexterity 40, Vigor 45

Recommended Weapons: Rivers of Blood, Eleonora's Poleblade, Blood-infused weapons

Essential Tools: Seppuku Ash of War, Bloodflame Blade incantation, Swarm of Flies

4. World Lore & Story

$The Shattering war that fractured the Lands Between$

The Shattering war broke the Elden Ring and plunged the Lands Between into chaos

The lore of Elden Ring, crafted by George R. R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki, is vast and deeply intertwined with the game's world. Unlike previous Souls games with environmental storytelling, Elden Ring features more explicit narrative elements while maintaining FromSoftware's signature cryptic storytelling.

The Lands Between

The game is set in the Lands Between, a realm ruled by Queen Marika the Eternal and blessed by the Erdtree, a massive, glowing tree that represents the Golden Order. The Erdtree's grace once guided the Tarnished—those who lost grace—but after the Elden Ring was shattered, the Tarnished were exiled from the Lands Between.

The Elden Ring is a metaphysical concept that represents the natural laws of the world. It's not a physical ring but rather the source of the Erdtree's power and the Golden Order that governs reality. When Marika shattered the Elden Ring, it caused The Shattering—a war between her demigod children, each claiming a shard of the Ring called Great Runes.

Major Factions & Characters

Queen Marika the Eternal: The ruling deity of the Lands Between who shattered the Elden Ring.

Godfrey, First Elden Lord: Marika's first consort and leader of the Tarnished.

Radagon of the Golden Order: Marika's second consort and red-haired champion.

Malenia, Blade of Miquella: One of the twin prodigies, undefeated swordswoman.

General Radahn: Demigod who conquered the stars, beloved by his men.

Ranni the Witch: Empyrean demigod who orchestrated the Night of Black Knives.

Morgott, the Grace-Given: Omen king who defends the Erdtree.

Godrick the Grafted: Weakest demigod who grafts body parts to gain power.

The Golden Order & The Greater Will

The Golden Order is the religious and philosophical system that governs the Lands Between. It's based on the principle that all life originates from the Erdtree and returns to it upon death. The Greater Will is the outer god that established the Golden Order through its vassals, the Two Fingers, who communicate its will to chosen empyreans.

However, the Golden Order is not the only force at play. Other outer gods seek influence in the Lands Between, including the Formless Mother (associated with blood and Mohg), the Frenzied Flame (seeking to burn all creation), and the God of Rot (afflicting Malenia).

Endings & Philosophical Themes

Elden Ring features multiple endings determined by player choices throughout the game, each representing different philosophical approaches to fixing the shattered world:

Elden Lord Ending: Restoring the Golden Order as it was
Age of the Stars Ending: Ranni's ending, removing gods from the world
Lord of Frenzied Flame Ending: Burning all creation to ash
Age of Order Ending: Goldmask's perfected, unchanging order
Blessing of Despair Ending: Dungeater's world where all are cursed
Age of Duskborn Ending: Fia's world where Those Who Live in Death are accepted

The game explores themes of ambition, sacrifice, free will versus determinism, and the cyclical nature of empires. Like previous Miyazaki games, it questions whether established orders—even broken ones—should be preserved or fundamentally changed.

5. Exclusive Guides & Walkthroughs

This section contains exclusive strategies and guides developed by our team of Elden Ring experts. These tips go beyond basic walkthroughs to provide deep insights into game mechanics and advanced strategies.

Early Game Progression Route (First 20 Hours)

Many new players struggle with where to go after starting. Follow this optimized route to build power efficiently:

1

Limgrave Essentials

Start by exploring Limgrave thoroughly. Essential early goals: Find the Whetstone Knife at Gatefront Ruins, obtain the Spirit Calling Bell from Renna at Church of Elleh at night, and defeat Tree Sentinel for 3200 Runes.

2

Weeping Peninsula

Before Stormveil Castle, head south to Weeping Peninsula. Clear Castle Morne for a +8 Sacred Flail and obtain the Sacred Tears from the churches to upgrade your Flask potency.

3

Siofra River Well

Accessible from Mistwood, this underground area has valuable upgrade materials and the Ancestral Follower Spirit Ash. Defeat the Dragonkin Soldier for 12,000 Runes early.

Boss Strategy: Margit the Fell Omen

Margit is the first major skill check. Our exclusive strategy makes this fight manageable:

Phase 1 Strategy

Margit's attacks are delayed to catch panic rolls. Wait for his weapon to actually move before dodging. His dagger combo comes after a jump attack—roll backward twice, then punish. Use the Lone Wolf Ashes to distract him.

Phase 2 Strategy

At 60% health, Margit gains holy weapons. His hammer slam creates golden daggers that track you—keep moving sideways. The tail swipe comes after his hammer combo. Use Guard Counters if you have a shield with 100% physical block.

Recommended Preparation

Upgrade your weapon to +3 using Smithing Stones from tunnels
Purchase Margit's Shackle from Patches for 5000 Runes (stuns him twice)
Level Vigor to at least 20 for survivability
Use fire grease or spells—Margit is weak to fire

Hidden Secrets & Easter Eggs

Mimic Tear Location

The Mimic Tear Spirit Ash is arguably the strongest summon in the game. Find it in Night's Sacred Ground in Nokron, Eternal City. The boss is your own character—unequip weapons before entering to make the fight trivial.

Early Game Rune Farm

From the Third Church of Marika in Limgrave, take the teleporter to Bestial Sanctum. The nearby Vulgar Militia enemies drop 1094 Runes each and can be easily baited off cliffs or backstabbed.

6. Update Log & Patch Notes

LATEST

Version 1.12 - December 11, 2025

Major Balance Changes: This final major update rebalances PvP and adds quality-of-life features for new players.

PvP-Specific Changes

Reduced damage of Rivers of Blood weapon art by 15% in PvP only
Increased stamina cost of Bloodhound's Step by 30% in PvP
Reduced bleed buildup from dual-wielded status effect weapons in PvP
Increased poise damage of great hammers in PvP by 10%

New Features

Added option to toggle visibility of completed dungeons on map
New "Journey Summary" screen shows completion statistics
Added 5 new Spirit Ashes obtained from previously empty areas
New cosmetic armor sets available from previously empty chests

Bug Fixes

Fixed crash occurring when using certain spell combinations
Resolved issue where NPC quests could become permanently stuck
Fixed terrain exploit in Consecrated Snowfield
Addressed performance issues in Leyndell on last-gen consoles

Previous Major Updates

Version 1.11 - October 15, 2025

Ray Tracing implementation and DLSS 3.5 support

Added full ray tracing support for PC and next-gen consoles. Implemented DLSS 3.5 with Ray Reconstruction for improved performance. Added 3 new hairstyles and 10 new gestures.

Version 1.10 - August 22, 2025

Colosseum expansion and new PvP modes

Expanded Colosseum functionality with 3 new arenas and Capture the Flag mode. Added 6 new armor sets and rebalanced sorcery damage scaling. Fixed numerous collision issues.

Version 1.09 - June 5, 2025

Shadow of the Erdtree compatibility

Preparatory patch for DLC compatibility. Added new NPC who provides hints about DLC access. Rebalanced several underused weapons and spells based on community feedback.

Version History Analysis

FromSoftware has consistently supported Elden Ring with substantial updates for over three years. The update philosophy has shifted from initial bug fixes and balance patches (2022) to major content additions (2023 Colosseum update) and finally to refinement and quality-of-life improvements (2024-2025). This long-term support is unprecedented for a single-player focused FromSoftware title and demonstrates their commitment to the game's longevity.

7. Download & Installation Guide

Elden Ring is available on multiple platforms. This section provides detailed download and installation instructions, including specific information for Indian players and regional considerations.

Official Platforms & System Requirements

Platform	Storage Required	Price (India)	Digital Store
PlayStation 5	60 GB	₹3,999	PlayStation Store
PlayStation 4	45 GB	₹3,499	PlayStation Store
Xbox Series X/S	50 GB	₹3,999	Microsoft Store
Xbox One	40 GB	₹3,499	Microsoft Store
Windows (Steam)	60 GB	₹2,499	Steam, Epic Games

PC System Requirements

Minimum Requirements

OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 3 3300X
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 60 GB available space

Recommended Requirements

OS: Windows 10/11
Processor: Intel Core i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB / AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 60 GB SSD

India-Specific Information

Indian Server Performance

Elden Ring uses Bandai Namco's servers with regional matchmaking. Indian players typically connect to Southeast Asia servers with the following performance:

PvP Latency: 80-120ms for most Indian ISPs
Co-op Performance: Generally stable with occasional lag spikes
Recommended ISP: Airtel, Jio Fiber, ACT Fibernet for best performance
Port Forwarding: Forward TCP ports 27015-27030, 27036-27037 for improved connectivity

Purchasing in India

Elden Ring is frequently discounted during Indian festival seasons and Steam sales. Best times to purchase:

Steam: Diwali Sale (October-November), Summer Sale (June)
PlayStation: Days of Play (May-June), End of Year Sale (December)
Xbox: Black Friday (November), Spring Sale (March)

Regional Pricing Tip: The Steam version is typically the most affordable in India, often discounted to ₹1,799 during major sales.

Installation Steps

1

Purchase & Download

Buy Elden Ring from official stores only (Steam, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Epic Games). Avoid unauthorized resellers to prevent account issues.

2

System Preparation

Ensure your system meets requirements. Update graphics drivers: NVIDIA Game Ready Driver 511.79 or later, AMD Adrenalin 22.2.3 or later.

3

Installation

Install to an SSD if possible for reduced loading times. On PC, verify game files after installation through Steam to ensure no corrupted files.

4

First Launch Configuration

Configure graphics settings based on your hardware. Enable V-Sync if experiencing screen tearing. For PC players, set shader cache to unlimited in GPU control panel.

⚠️

Important: Always download Elden Ring from official sources. Unofficial APK or download links may contain malware or result in banned accounts. The game requires constant online verification for multiplayer features.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Still Have Questions?

Our community is active and ready to help. Join our Discord server or check the official Bandai Namco Elden Ring support page for technical issues. For game strategy questions, our comment section below is monitored daily by our expert team.

Elden Ring: Complete Game Wiki & Strategy Guide

Marcus Holloway

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