Elden Ring gives you nearly complete freedom as soon as you leave the tutorial dungeon, Stranded Graveyard, and it’s more than a little overwhelming for Souls fans and newcomers alike. Sites of Grace point you toward Stormgate and Stormveil Castle immediately, but there’s much more you should be doing first in West Limgrave, the starting area. Here's our guide on what to do first in Elden Ring, so you can enjoy the optimal path to success and survival.

Visit the Church of Elleh

The floating gold dust at your first Site of Grace pushes you this way anyway, but make sure to visit the Church of Elleh as soon as you can. It’s a convenient base for most of your West Limgrave activities and the hub for a number of important events. Just make sure to give the Tree Sentinel a wide berth unless you’re feeling lucky. This boss is better tackled after you’ve upgraded your weapon once or twice.

Find The First Map

Elden Ring is happy to let you wander aimlessly without even telling you how to find maps, but the West Limgrave map fragment is near the Church. Head north until you see a set of ruined stone buildings (the barracks), and make sure you’re at full health. We recommend stealth to deal with the soldiers inside, as it’s easy to get overwhelmed quickly.