First playthrough - Should i JUST follow guidance of grace or go off the beaten track?

[Reo REbOrn]

Its my first play through and im trying to avoid spoilers which is why i havent looked up guides etc but ive seen a few things that suggest you should only follow guidance of grace. The reason that was given was if you visit somewhere too early it can somehow ruin later in the game when you're asked to backtrack?

Is that true?

If not is it okay just to go anywhere you want without spoilers/ruining the game?

[matija123123]

Follow guidance of grace and you will quit after 3 mandatory bosses because devs are borderline trolls and they made them way to strong for your begging level. You have to find your own "path" and explore if you want to have a fair chance against a first mandatory boss.

Also you will miss 90% of optional content no matter what you do because nothing is explained to you and nothing is marked on your map so doing side quests without guides is basically impossible on the first playthrough.

[Tunguska]

I don't think it really ruins the game if you just go wherever?
Not like most people will even understand what's going on for the most part in any given Fromsoft game, and Elden Ring honestly isn't that story-oriented anyway. Don't worry that much about missing things on your first playthrough if you're going in blind, just explore.

You're actually screwing yourself over pretty hard if you just follow the Guidance of Grace™, you'll barely get any upgrades, and will miss a bunch of weapons and other stuff. Gonna end up being underleveled too, unless you grind.

You'll probably be fine if you're a Souls veteran or have le epic gamer skillz, but otherwise your ass is getting kicked for playing that way.

Автор сообщения: matija123123

doing side quests without guides is basically impossible on the first playthrough.

I managed Ranni's and Fia's blind on the first playthrough, and reached the Haligtree and Moghwyn Palace too. Not really impossible, just rather difficult. Also they made it easier by updating NPCs to show up on your map ages ago.

[matija123123]

Автор сообщения: Tunguska

I don't think it really ruins the game if you just go wherever?
Not like most people will even understand what's going on for the most part in any given Fromsoft game, and Elden Ring honestly isn't that story-oriented anyway. Don't worry that much about missing things on your first playthrough if you're going in blind, just explore.

You're actually screwing yourself over pretty hard if you just follow the Guidance of Grace™, you'll barely get any upgrades, and will miss a bunch of weapons and other stuff. Gonna end up being underleveled too, unless you grind.

You'll probably be fine if you're a Souls veteran or have le epic gamer skillz, but otherwise your ass is getting kicked for playing that way.

Автор сообщения: matija123123

doing side quests without guides is basically impossible on the first playthrough.

I managed Ranni's and Fia's blind on the first playthrough, and reached the Haligtree and Moghwyn Palace too. Not really impossible, just rather difficult. Also they made it easier by updating NPCs to show up on your map ages ago.

I didn't even know fia had a questline because I learned early on that being near a woman is a debuf so I never talked to her again. I was doing ranni's questline but at certain points progression just becomes really weird and luck dependent because how are you supposed to know that you have to talk to mini version of her 3 times I was basically exploring for a good amount of time trying to figure out what to do next and only was able to progress because I finally gave in and looked at a guide and certain npcs don't appear on the map at least not until you find them. Only quest I completed was roderika one if that even was a questline.

[Silent Warrior]

I recommend to take your time for exploring the first area. That is Limgrave, and also the Weeping Peninsula belongs to it ( go to the south direction to find it.) Limgrave has 2 parts, east and west, find the map pieces, the peninsula has it's own map.

When you stay your first 20 hours only in this early area, you won't break any questline. But you'll find many different weapon types, merchants, crafting recipes, NPCs with questlines and dialogues....

Ignore the guidance of grace for now, just explore every corner. In case you arrive in a later area, turn back. Leave Limgrave only when everything is done there.

For NPC questlines it is important to exhaust their dialogues. Also talk to them several times, and especially after some progress in your game, return to this NPCs and talk again.
When you find new graces, locations, churches, rest one time at this grace, sometimes this can trigger a NPC.
Some bosses and NPCs appear only at night.

[Van Silke]

A lot of upgrade materials and additional tools to your arsenal require exploration, not to mention you will naturally level up by gathering much more runes. The game's design intent is to let the player get lost, and explore.

The guidance of Grace usually sets your predominant goal, but you should not run to it immediately.

[megareader5000]

Автор сообщения: Tunguska

I don't think it really ruins the game if you just go wherever?
Not like most people will even understand what's going on for the most part in any given Fromsoft game, and Elden Ring honestly isn't that story-oriented anyway. Don't worry that much about missing things on your first playthrough if you're going in blind, just explore.

You're actually screwing yourself over pretty hard if you just follow the Guidance of Grace™, you'll barely get any upgrades, and will miss a bunch of weapons and other stuff. Gonna end up being underleveled too, unless you grind.

You'll probably be fine if you're a Souls veteran or have le epic gamer skillz, but otherwise your ass is getting kicked for playing that way.

Автор сообщения: matija123123

doing side quests without guides is basically impossible on the first playthrough.

I managed Ranni's and Fia's blind on the first playthrough, and reached the Haligtree and Moghwyn Palace too. Not really impossible, just rather difficult. Also they made it easier by updating NPCs to show up on your map ages ago.

"without spoilers" I know you're not replying to them directly, but c'mon man

[Reo REbOrn]

Автор сообщения: megareader5000

Автор сообщения: Tunguska

I don't think it really ruins the game if you just go wherever?
Not like most people will even understand what's going on for the most part in any given Fromsoft game, and Elden Ring honestly isn't that story-oriented anyway. Don't worry that much about missing things on your first playthrough if you're going in blind, just explore.

You're actually screwing yourself over pretty hard if you just follow the Guidance of Grace™, you'll barely get any upgrades, and will miss a bunch of weapons and other stuff. Gonna end up being underleveled too, unless you grind.

You'll probably be fine if you're a Souls veteran or have le epic gamer skillz, but otherwise your ass is getting kicked for playing that way.


I managed Ranni's and Fia's blind on the first playthrough, and reached the Haligtree and Moghwyn Palace too. Not really impossible, just rather difficult. Also they made it easier by updating NPCs to show up on your map ages ago.

"without spoilers" I know you're not replying to them directly, but c'mon man

I took one look at it and mentally skipped it lol Ty. All i saw was somthing about Ranni. No idea who that is at mo

[Ironwu]

Ignore the Grace Guidance. Fully explore and exhaust all the content in Limgrave proper and Weeping Peninsula *before* you begin Stormveil Castle. Gather gear, levels, items, skill. You won't regret it.

Good Luck
Have Fun!

[Gamerzilla]

I usually clear out all of limgrave, weeping peninsula, and large parts of Caelid (The red area with poison everywhere) before I do Stormveil just because there are so many upgrades to flasks and gear in those areas.

[LuckyCheshire]

Explore everywhere, and turn back or go a different direction if enemies suddenly get a big kick up in difficulty that you can't handle. If you get choice paralysis from having too many places to go, that's when the guidance of grace comes in handy.

[mpcgannon]

You should do whatever you enjoy more. If you play the game the way someone else thinks, but isn't fun for you, you'll drop the game and miss an amazing experience.