I highly recommend a bonk/pure-strength build. I have one with the “Guts” sword (Greatsword | Elden Ring Wiki) and OMG is it fun! So different from my mage and bleed builds.
I had to do a suicide run into Caelid (seriously, fcuk Caelid, ugh, it’s like Ravenholme for me), but it was worth it! My character (Bridgett) is a beast! (but sporting very light armor lol)
Is there no “pausing” action?!🫨 Actually like this, very “fuck around n find out” of them.lmao
But, what’s with all the touch blood stain messages. That’s kinda dumb considering the character doesn’t do it and so far seems like it isn’t relevant to the gameplay. I was thinking perhaps it was some sort of investigative function like Batman games but it appears it’s just a pointless dialogue prompt.
*awww hell naw. Just left the cave and immediately got killed by the guide who gave me some game about being Maidenless. I attacked him and he said I mistook his kindness for weakness n subsequently whooped my ass twice now I have no runes 
!!!lmao
Should I start over so I have some runes or press forward. He won’t stop whooping me every time I respawn tho.lol
Dude. wtf did I get into?
It is the ghosts of other players around the world and how they have died. Some of them can be really funny.
My first run was a pure strength build dual wielding massive weapons and liberally using jump attacks which are kinda silly lol
Yup! I love it. I can’t wait to dual wield great big swords. 
… you certainly don’t mess around, do you? 
In this rare instance, I would advise starting over, and I hardly ever give that advice.
Advice taken.lol.
This is gonna be a long painful road.
Are we all Masochists for liking this type of shit?
Rhetorical 
No.
We are players that like challenges and games that actually build a world where your character is NOT the center of attention. You get the feeling that the Lands Between would keep on keeping on regardless of whether you were there or not, and that is refreshing and unique. (At least it was for me).
Zero handholding felt like a breath of fresh air.
Indeed.
It already seems like the type of game I didnt know I needed.
I’ve enjoyed other open world games but this really puts the open in open world lmao
Before an hour ago, I would have described myself as a somewhat expert level gamer.
Now, not so much and I’ve only just left the cave 
*perhaps watch a guide or two isn’t such a horrible idea smh.
It’s just a different ruleset to learn mate. Elden Ring is filled with different tools that can make the game much easier, as well as things that can make it even harder, it’s just up to you to figure it out.
If you find a weapon you like and level it up, don’t wear too much armour and end up fat rolling, and follow the mantra of ‘run around and hit him in the butt’ you’ll do alright.
What you’ve gotten yourself into is the 2nd best game by FromSoft. I didn’t have the patience to not use some sort of guide for Elden Ring but am jealous you do.
He’s just out out of the cave…give him time to reach out to the internet for help 
Well, the whole not watching a guide thing was before I left the brief training cave. Now, I’m second guessing that pledge but still gonna drudge on for now.
I like experiencing things without Spoiler Alerts but man…this might be too brutal yet lol. We’ll see
If you don’t want to use a guide but want “something” i highly recommend Elden Ring Map Genie it shows EVERYTHING but you can use the legend to tailor what you want to see and not want to see. Also it does show the entire world so be weary of that if you go to the website.
You know you’re in some shit when I game doesn’t have difficulty settings lol.
Or did I miss that?
If it is one size fits all it means this game is just flat out hard until you figure it out or OP your build making it “easy”.
That’s pretty damn great game development if that’s the case or is that the whole core of the “From” games experience I’ve been missing?
yep, if you can’t tell…I’m procrastinating. First time a game has made me do that.lol.
Starting over since I didn’t know dying twice in a row permanently cancels runes.
Thinking of going mage build this time beginning with Astronomer or Prisoner. If it’s anything like Skyrim or Hogwarts magic will provide distance leveraging range attacks. Seems the safer route for total “From” noobs at the cost of perhaps slightly funner/challenging mele-centric builds.
You’re gonna lose runes, there are ways to mitigate that but most often not really worth it. I’d say just kind figure out what you want to do there are many paths to choose as far as fighting styles if you want a direct route then go STR Onga Bunga Caveman. I like DEX and specifically Bloodhound Fang (you can get it pretty early). But just find the right build and have fun.
Mage was fine I did mage on my second build.
You can always have help by either using spirits or summoning NPC allies or if you have friends that play.
enjoy the game!
So if I’m assuming correctly, I’ll have plenty of time to adapt whatever build I choose to a play style I like organically? Not locked in to a particular skill tree like other games?
That’s refreshing because I like mages (a la Hogwarts) but I also like tanking, archery, etc. depending on the game/situation.
I guess I’ll literally have to fuck around and find out
Nah you’re not locked in you will find an item in game i think there is like 8 or 9 of them where you can turn in to a certain NPC to reconfigure your levels.
Argh…I finished my initial run through probably a year and a half ago and I started the NG+ and never continued playing not really knowing the consequence of that action in terms of DLC. I should have just left my old game open as I’m locked in to starting over or running through ng+ with even harder fights to get to the new map/dlc. Oh well.
Also, I absolutely loved Elden Ring, but grinding it out at a certain murder hill filled with sleeping dudes was the only way I was able to finish the main campaign the first time as I was a total FS newbie.