Elden Ring drops you into a vast open-world with very little direction and barely any resources. As a lowly Tarnished, you’ll have to explore to find everything you need to take on the challenges ahead — and even if you explore for 25+ hours, you’re likely to miss some of the best gear in the game. Right from the start, you have access to amazing talismans, powerful swords, and handy features. You’ll want all of them ASAP.
To help make your starting hours a little less frustrating, here are some of the best items we’ve found right in the start of the game. All of the items listed here can be acquired before defeating the first major boss or before entering Stormveil Castle. These tools will make future battles easier, increase your survivability, or just give you access to a cool sword that’ll keep crushing enemies even at the very end of the game. Strap on your best armor fit and let’s go hunting for great gear.
More Elden Ring guides:
10 Tips You Need Early | First Shardbearer | Walkthrought Pt. 1 | 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
Erdtree’s Favor
Found in the Fringefolk Hero’s Grave dungeon. The entrance is at the Stranded Graveyard, right at the first Site of Grace after leaving the tutorial area. You’ll need a Stonesword Key to get inside — come back or select a Stonesword Key as your starting item. The Erdtree’s Favor is a useful talisman that increases HP, Stamina and Equip Load. Incredibly good as your very first piece of gear.
The dungeon is a tricky one — ignore the enemies and just try to make it to the end. Sprint through the poison and you can just barely escape without getting poisoned. Use the alcoves to avoid the trap chariot and reach the third alcove down the ramp. Drop down (look out for the ghost warriors) hide in an alcove. Move toward the bridge and drop down (with full health) from the ledge instead of running across. Get by the imps, and sprint across the bridge to collect the talisman. Don’t stop!
Spirit Calling Bell
Given in the Church of Elleh by Renna. Return after your first visit and talk to Renna to gain this incredibly useful item. This item allows you to summon Spirit Ashes — basically AI companions you can summon at will. The bell can be used at any time, and most often costs FP. Spirit Ash can be summoned once and will recharge after resting at a site of grace. These companions can be summoned anywhere with the blue cage-like symbol on the left side of the screen.
Let’s get our first great NPCs next.
Godrick Soldier Ashes
Travel to the graveyard to the west of Stormhill Shack — in the cemetery, check the large gravestones surrounded by spirit jellyfish. The Godrick Soldier Ashes summon a pair of soldiers to help you. One wields a sword, and one wields a crossbow. This pair can provide damage support or a handy distraction, and because there are two of them, they’ll live much longer in larger battles. Very, very useful for exploring the many dungeons of Limgrave.
- NOTE: You can also earn an easy Spirit Jellyfish Ashes by talking to Roderika at the Stormhill Shack.
Later, you’ll be able to upgrade Spirit Ashes by completing Roderika’s quest. Before completing Stormveil Castle, try to finish that quest.
Grafted Blade Greatsword
Found in Castle Morne, located in the south of the Weeping Peninsula. Defeat the Leonine Misbegotten to acquire the Grafted Blade Greatsword — the boss is a great first boss to fight. He’s not too difficult, and summoning your Godrick Soldiers will help distract him. The sword itself is extremely heavy, so you’re not likely to use it this early in the game. Boost your stats enough, and this thing can be a powerhouse even up to the late-game. Very good for strength builds.
Lantern
Sold by Isolated Merchant in the west of the Weeping Peninsula. The Lantern costs 1800 runes, and the Isolated Merchant can be found in the southwest of the peninsula, in the large field with the walking mausoleum. Torches and lanterns light up dark areas and they’re required to explore dark areas. The lantern is the most useful tool seeing in the dark.
You can also purchase a Torch from Merchant Kale, the very first Merchant you’ll meet as you leave Stranded Graveyard. The Church of Elleh is an important spot — but you have to carry the torch. The lantern clips to your belt.
Crepu’s Black-Key Crossbow
Found in the Roundtable Hold, through the Stonesword Door in the lower floor. You can purchase a Stonesword Key from the Twin Maiden Husks in the Roundtable Hold for 4,000 runes. Or you can find one at Stormhill Shack — either way, you can get your hands on a very good early-game crossbow. Equip it with both hands and you can use sniper aim to carefully pick off or aggro enemies at range. Incredibly useful for the entire game.
Bloodhound’s Fang
Dropped by Bloodhound Knight Darriwil, an Evergaol boss. The boss is located at the Forlorn Hound Evergaol, just south of Agheel Lake South site of grace. He’s a tricky boss that deals bleed damage, so I recommend waiting until after you’ve got some experience under your belt before attempting to take him on. Set your equipment load so you’re fast on your feet and you’ll be able to take this monster down and claim his special sword.
The Bloodhound’s Fang is a Str/Dex Curved Greatsword that causes bleed buildup, and has a useful airborne skill called Bloodhound’s Finesse. You’ll attack then immediately somersault backwards, giving yourself instance distance. A very useful sword that remains powerful far into the game.
Clawmark Seal
Given by the Beastial Clergyman in the Beastial Sanctuary. Use the portal found in the water north of the Third Church of Marika to reach the late-game location, then enter the Sanctum. To get this item, you’ll need to gain a Deathroot. Deathroots are dropped by Tibia Mariners — these undead sub-bosses are usually found near the water. You’ll find one in the northeast of Limgrave the flooded Summonwater Village. Bring the Beast Clergyman the Deathroot, and you’ll be rewarded with the Clawmark Seal.
This special Seal allows you to cast magic, and the magic scales with the Strength stat. That means the Clawmark Seal can make your magic attacks as a melee warrior much, much more powerful.
Blessed Dew Talisman
Found in Lleyndel, Royal Capitol in a chest on the Divine Bridge. Access this area from the Weeping Peninsula — travel to the tower on the southern coast. The portal at the top of the Tower of Return. Use the treasure chest at the top of the tower, and you’ll appear in Leyndell, Royal Capitol.
Use the nearby site of grace, then enter the courtyard where a giant golem sentinel is sleeping. Sprint to the chest in the back-right corner to grab this treasure. This talisman heals you over time — great for when you’re exploring dungeons and don’t want to waste valuable healing.
Margit’s Shackle
Sold by Patches for 5,000 runes. Patches is located in the Murkwater Cave, in the stream ravine directly east of the Agheel Lake North site of grace. From the bridge, ride north and you can’t miss it. Inside the cave, you’ll have to fight Patches — when he gives up, agree to a truce. You’ll be able to by the Margit’s Shackle, which briefly stuns the Margit boss. The boss is a very difficult opponent waiting for players at the entrance to Stormveil Castle. Anything you can do to make that battle easier is worth it.
Sword of St. Trina
From Rotview Balcony, one of the earliest spots you’ll enter Caelid, there’s a ruin just to the east, below the balcony. Find the tunnel entrance in the Forsaken Ruins — its right below the giant crow. You’ll need a Stonesword Key to access the area. Inside, you’ll find a chest that contains the Sword of St. Trina.
This absurd sword is one of the best in the early game. You can rush through Caelid and ignore all the enemies to get this sword right away — this straight sword causes Sleep Buildup. You’ll put enemies to sleep after a few hits! That makes this one of the best swords for crushing early game enemies. Who doesn’t like a nice slice of cheese?
Sewing Needle & Tailoring Tools
To acquire these tools that allow you to customize your armor, removing capes or adjusting scarves, you can travel to the beach west of The First Step site of grace — literally the first one you’ll find in the open world. Enter the Coastal Cave and navigate the underground tunnel to reach the southwest island.
Bring the Godrick Soldiers, because you’ll have to defeat the pair of Demi-Human Chiefs. You’ll also find a Gold Summon Sign here naturally — even if you’re playing offline. Defeat the boss to gain the tools, then you can customize your garb at any site of grace. If you continue through the tunnel, you’ll also reach the Dragon Communion Shrine.
Those are our picks for 12 easily missed but unforgettable items you’ll need to get.
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
