Beginner's Guide: Getting Started & First Steps

Elden Ring: Nightreign beginner guide — quick primer to pick your first Nightfarer, understand core systems, and get a smooth start.

This guide covers what Nightfarers are, how they differ, core early-game priorities, recommended starters for newcomers, key mechanics you should know immediately, and simple day‑one pathing and equipment notes.

What a Nightfarer is and why it matters

• Nightfarers are the eight pre-designed playable characters. Each has unique starting equipment, a Character Skill, an Ultimate Art, preferred weapon types, base stat growths, and Relic slots that shape long-term builds.
• Your chosen Nightfarer determines your playstyle, available utility (grapples, buffs, summons, defensive stances, etc.), and what relic combinations will be effective. Team composition in multiplayer benefits from complementary roles.

Basic early-game priorities

• Level up early: the jump from Level 1→2 gives the largest stat boost; killing the starting camp to reach Level 2 should be your first goal.
• Prioritize survivability and a functioning damage source: invest in Vigor/Endurance for melee survivability or the casting tool and Mind/Int for casters.
• Grab nearby Forts (for sorceries) or Great Churches (for incantations) early if you plan to use spells—these are reliable locations for staves/seals and spell loot.
• Clear nearby camps and the castle basement (if accessible) for purple-rarity weapons and talismans that upgrade your early power.

Choosing a beginner-friendly Nightfarer

The following Nightfarers are particularly friendly to new players:

• Wylder

  • Role: Generalist / balanced starter.
  • Why pick: Balanced defense, offense, and speed—good for learning core systems without punishing weaknesses.
  • Starting gear: Wylder's Greatsword (Greatsword, Stamp/Upward Cut, 80 Physical) and Wylder's Small Shield (Buckler Parry, 40 Guard Boost).

• Raider

  • Role: Tanky bruiser.
  • Why pick: Straightforward melee with high survivability, a forgiving skill that rewards taking hits to power Retaliate, and party utility via Totem Stela.
  • Starting gear: Raider's Greataxe (Colossal Weapon, Endure, 100 Physical).

• Guardian

  • Role: Defensive frontliner.
  • Why pick: Starts with a halberd and a greatshield; has a passive defensive stance (Steel Guard) that improves guarding in exchange for stamina drain.
  • Starting gear: Guardian's Halberd (Charge Forth, 78 Physical) and Guardian's Greatshield (60 Guard Boost).

• Executor

  • Role: Duelist / high-skill melee.
  • Why pick: Fast attack animations, strong deflection options, powerful Ultimate transformation for area damage—good if you prefer solo carry potential.
  • Starting gear: Executor's Blade (Katana, Unsheath, 62 Physical + 30 Blood Loss). Executor favors Katanas.

• Wylder, Raider, and Guardian are especially recommended for new players due to straightforward roles and forgiving tools.

Caster and hybrid options

• Recluse

  • Role: Sorcery caster.
  • Starting gear: Recluse's Staff with Glintstone Pebble and Glintstone Arc. Staves and seals come with two preloaded spells and can be cast by any Nightfarer; spells have no stat requirements.
  • Early path: Prioritize Forts and Sorcerer Rises to find better staves/spells.

• Ironeye

  • Role: Ranged (bows).
  • Starting gear: Ironeye's Bow. Good for players who want to learn spacing and kiting.

• Undertaker and Duchess / Revenant are more niche but offer powerful unique mechanics (see Character Skills/Ultimate sections below). Revenant and Duchess unlock require story steps—the Revenant requires first unlocking the Duchess and buying a Besmirched Frame then defeating the Revenant fight.

Character Skills and Ultimates — what to know at the start

• Character Skills are strong, class-defining abilities with cooldowns. Learn each Nightfarer’s skill and its cooldown timing (for example, Claw Shot has a 10s cooldown).
• Ultimate Arts are powerful abilities with game-changing effects (area damage multipliers, transformations, replication effects). They can often be used to break stalemates or swing fights.
• Example skills:
  • Claw Shot (Wylder): Grappling claw that ropes foes or propels you; hold to aim; 10s cooldown. Can break guard and enable long-range leap when combined with a jump.
  • Trance (Undertaker, described for the Undertaker class): Instant self-buff with 8s duration (extends when empowered); fully replenishes Stamina, increases damage negation and attack power, boosts poise, removes stamina cost for sprinting, and changes dodge behavior. Empowered version (consumes Ultimate Art Gauge) extends to 15s and adds automatic dodge and significantly more attack power.
• Many skills have no startup or can be activated mid-animation—mastering timing is crucial.

Starting equipment and rarities

• Armaments come in rarities: Common (white), Rare (blue), Epic (purple), Legendary (gold). Purple and gold gear substantially improve performance.
• Every Nightfarer starts with signature weapons tailored to their role (examples above). Use those while seeking purple weapons from boss drops or chest rewards.
• Staves and Sacred Seals: each comes with two random spells; you can equip two casting tools at once for up to four spells without swapping.

Relics and long-term progression

• Nightfarers have Relic slots managed through Relic Rites at the Roundtable Hold. Vessel layouts restrict Relic combinations; more vessels unlock over time.
• Relics are permanent upgrades—tailor them to your Nightfarer and playstyle.

Simple day-one pathing (practical route)

• Kill your spawn camp to reach Level 2 quickly.
• If playing a sorcerer, prioritize Forts / Sorcerer Rises and check rooms for staves.
• If playing an incantation user, visit Great Churches for seals.
• When you hit Level 4–6 and feel comfortable, clear the castle basement boss for a purple weapon and a talisman upstairs, then clear surrounding enemies before the circle closes.

Team tips and role synergies

• Build around complementary roles: tank (Guardian/Raider) to hold aggro, damage dealers (Executor/Raider/Wylder), caster/support (Recluse/Ironeye/Duchess for utility).
• Some Nightfarer Ultimates have specific team utilities (e.g., Scholar’s Ultimate replicates damage to Standard‑Bearers; Executor’s transformation has wide area hits and can stun; Duchess can break aggro with her Ultimate).
• Coordination and timing of Ultimates and Character Skills enable easier handling of Standard‑Bearers, bosses, and difficult camps.

Controls and mechanical hints

• Learn to use Guard + Dash (Guardian’s Steel Guard) and stamina management—shield guarding can be improved by specific stances at the cost of stamina.
• Parry-friendly starting shields (Wylder’s Small Shield, Guardian’s Greatshield) help new players learn timing for parries and block windows.
• Many techniques allow movement options: Claw Shot’s jump extension becomes a long-range leap followed by surge sprint; combining skills with jumps or rolls opens advanced mobility plays.

Final quick checklist for your first run

• Kill the starting camp to hit Level 2.
• Decide melee vs spell early and follow the Fort/Church advice.
• Equip and get comfortable with your Nightfarer’s Character Skill and preferred weapon class.
• Hunt for purple weapons and talismans (castle basements are good targets).
• Start building Relic strategy after unlocking the Roundtable Hold options.

This guide gives the essentials to get started and pick a Nightfarer that fits your preferred playstyle. Focus first on learning one character, their skill timing, and basic resource management (HP/FP/Stamina) — Nightreign’s challenge becomes far more manageable once those are second nature.