When you leave the Stranded Graveyard in Elden Ring, you’ll only have a vague goal and a vague direction to go on. The world is a big place, and you can very easily get lost chasing shadows in areas that absolutely aren’t meant for you to explore just yet. While you’re free to do anything you like, if you’re looking for a good clue pointing you on the “main” path the game intends you to follow, we’re here to provide a no-frills straightforward walkthrough.
This is a “low spoiler” walkthrough, so instead of detailing every dungeon and demon, we’re only going to explain the very basics. There’s so much mystery in Elden Ring that you’ll want to discover it all for yourself. This guide can point you in the right direction, but that’s all — beating the bosses? That’s all on you.
As an agent of the Golden Order, your task is to destroy the Shardbearers — demigods and great foes that populate the world of Elden Ring. There are no quest markers to explain where to find them. Even the NPCs are vague about some of the details. And certain areas are incredibly dangerous for starting players. Let’s find the first Shardbearer you should be fighting. This is the first step in your long, long adventure.
More Elden Ring guides:
10 Tips You Need Early | Unlock Raya Lucaria | Walkthrought Pt. 2 | Great Lift of Dectus | Walkthrough Pt. 3 | Margit, The Fell Omen Boss Guide | Godrick, The Grafted Boss Guide | Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon Boss Guide | Starscourge Radahn Boss Guide | Godfrey, First Elden Lord Boss Guide | Morgott, Omen King Boss Guide | How To Find Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy | How To Find Malenia, Blade of Miquella | How To Find Mohg, Lord of Blood | Frenzied Flame Ending Guide | Age of the Stars Ending Guide
The First Shardbearer | Reaching Stormveil Castle
The Limgrave region is where you’ll start your adventure. Leaving the Stranded Graveyard, you’ll most likely go north and reach the Stormgate. The Stormgate is the most straightforward path to Stormveil Castle in the west. The gate is heavily defended and difficulty to bypass.
- For an easier path to Stormveil Castle, bypass Stormgate.
- Travel north and east to the Third Church of Marika. Continue north to Summonwater Village.
- From Summonwater Village, follow the road west to Saintsbridge, which is a far easier path toward Stormveil.
- Stop at Stormhill Shack and use the Site of Grace. Stormveil Castle is very close.
Continue on northwest into Stormveil Castle — you’ll encounter Margit, The Fell Omen at the entrance. This boss is extremely difficult. I recommend exploring, finding more Sites of Grace, unlocking chapels, gaining Gold Seeds / Sacred Tears, and powering up. You can also use a trick to make the boss easier.
- How To Make Margit, The Fell Omen Easier: Travel to Murkwater Cave east of Gatefront Ruins. Go down to the water below to find the cave entrance. Inside the cave, defeat Patches — then return later. He’ll sell you an item that binds Margit for a few seconds, allowing you to hit him hard. Save this for Phase 2 to deal easy damage.
Defeat Margit, The Fell Omen and you’ll unlock the first major dungeon Stormveil Castle. This is a very large location to explore. Continue through until you reach the graveyard in the far west. This is where you’ll encounter Godrick The Grafted. This is the first of the Shardbearers. Defeat him to gain a Great Rune and a Remembrance.
- Use the Great Rune at the divine tower attached to the castle. To the east, there’s a giant bridge — run past the golems and use the portal to reach the tower. Go up and you’ll acquire a Great Rune.
- Remembrance can be broken for runes or used to craft powerful boss weapons in the Roundtable Hold. Return to the hold and a new door will be open where you can access the Finger Reader.
You’ll also get clues for the other five Shardbearers in the cursed lands. The game world is much more open now. But, like always, some locations are a little easier to tackle now. Prepare yourself for a very, very long adventure.
More Elden Ring guides:
How To Find Ancestor Spirit | How To Enter Nokron, Eternal City | How To Enter Lake Of Rot | How To Find Lichdragon Fortissax | How To Duplicate Remembrance | Stonesword Keys Locations | Regenerating HP Talisman Location | How To Customize Your Character | How To Respec | How To Unlock Ash Spirit Attunement | How To Transmogrify Into Objects | How To Reset NPC Aggression | How To Get The Clawmark Seal Talisman Early | How To Begin The Black Knife Secret Quest | How To Join Volcano Manor Covenant | How To Return To The Chapel of Anticipation | How To Get The Moonlight Greatsword | How To Farm Runes Fast
