Best Starting Gifts in Elden Ring – What Items to Choose at the Beginning of Your Journey photo 4

The Best Starting Gifts in Elden Ring and What They Mean for Your Build

Beginning your journey in the massive open world of the Lands Between means making an important initial decision – which starting gift to choose at the dawn of your adventures in Elden Ring. From my experience exploring every nook and cranny of the game, these gifts can have a significant impact on how your build develops. In this article, I’ll break down the top Elden Ring starting gifts and how they may influence your playstyle.

Stonesword Key

The Stonesword Keys are puzzling trinkets that allow entry to hidden areas. As a starting gift, this key gives access to stormveil castle’s side paths, netting early smithing stones or runes. While its immediate use is slim, the key hints that exploration will pay off. For a gutsy wanderer keen on secrets, it’s a solid pick.

Flask of Crimson Tears

An extra crimson tear adds flexibility in any build. Though minor, that splash of crimson provides a cushion for mistakes in early fights. Its utility lasts all game as a foundation for future flask upgrades. While not defining a build itself, the flask eases the challenge ramp, letting you focus on finding your true style. For newcomers feeling overwhelmed, it offers breathing room to learn.

All-Knowing Flask

New adventurers seeking guidance may find the all-knowing flask handy. It’s basically a one-time map reveal for Limgrave, showing Sites of Grace and unlocking fast travel between them – a big help for orientation. The catch is its fleeting effect. Once consumed, you’re on your own nav-wise. While a cozy starter, it provides only temporary training wheels, better for supplementing other gifts that propel a build.

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Bloody Finger

Players itching for PvP action get an early start with the bloody finger. It lets you invade other realms immediately for impromptu duels. However, invaders in low-level zones basically just stir up toxic ganks. And its overall value depends entirely on staying alive in other realms. Unless bloodlust is your primary Elden Ring endgame, this aggressive gift may see little use. Consider it more of an ambitious fighter’s option after leveling up.

Lord’s Divine Fortification

Faith builds find an eager boon in Lord’s Divine Fortification. Its holy aura bolsters damage negation, offering a taste of faith’s protective utilities. The effect is modest but lets faith feel rewarding right off the bat. Coupled with early talismans and spells, it eases adapting a playstyle centered on blessings rather than brawn alone. While its effect expires, for believers seeking that holy magic groove, it’s a fitting introduction.

Arrow’s Sting

Bow fans score an early quiver-filler and status grease with Arrow’s Sting. Between fights, its pestilent arrows let you harass foes from afar, testing the ranged flow. But its negligible damage makes direct combat impractical. Better as flavoring for builds using bows secondarily – say alongside melee or stealth. Unless your heart’s set on bow maining in Lands Between, its contribution ultimately feels lackluster as a lone starting tool.

Threaded Cane

At first glance, the threaded cane underwhelms. As a basic cane, its damage pales beside dedicated weapons. However, it hints at welcome options. Upon transforming, players find themselves wielding a nimble whip – a change of pace sparking new techniques. The cane opens doors to dexterity and trick weaponry, perfect for scouting such playstyles. While weak alone, as a teaser of moveswaps and mobility, it offers beginnings of interesting builds ahead.

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Rotten Duelist Furled Finger

Beyond its unwieldy name, the Rotten Duelist Furled Finger poses a question: are you out to stir up multiplayer mayhem? This bloody summons item lets you duel other Tarnished right off the rip. But unless PvP is your sole objective, its long-term added worth is dubious. Otherwise, the time spent invading could be better spent strengthening your build through traditional adventuring. Unless devoted to arena anarchy, its distraction may hamper focused levelling.

Astrologer’s Staff

Mage starters get a head start with the Astrologer’s Staff. It accelerates casting at the flashpoint of spellslinging, immediately making magic feel meaty. Coupled with early glintstone pebbles, it lets magic missles fly freely while gaining power. Compared to melee weapons that demand levels to shine, its bonuses boost sorcery viability from minute one. For adventurers keen to sling spells from afar, it’s a perfect primer for magical mastery.

  1. Stonesword Key: For explorers seeking secrets
  2. Flask of Crimson Tears: Extra flexibility for any build
  3. All-Knowing Flask: Guidance for newcomers
  4. Bloody Finger: Early PvP for fighters itching for combat
  5. Lord’s Divine Fortification: Faith builds get immediate benefits
  6. Arrow’s Sting: Testing ranged builds but weak alone
  7. Threaded Cane: Teases trick weapons and dex playstyles
  8. Rotten Duelist Furled Finger: Only good for dedicated PvP
  9. Astrologer’s Staff: Ideal way to start slinging spells

In the end, no gift makes or breaks a successful build. Your long-term playstyle relies much more on weapon and affinity choices. These bonuses can merely accent specific routes, like subtly nudging magic or faith right off the bat. Rather than being married to any gift, staying flexible as adventures unfold ensures truly finding your destined build in Elden Ring’s expansive sandbox. Now go forth, Tarnished! Your epic journey in the Lands Between awaits.

Elden Ring Starting Gift Options

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Gift Description Recommended For
Astrologer’s Staff Starting staff for sorcery builds Players focusing on intelligence and magic
Sacred Seal Starting tool for incantation builds Players focusing on faith and incantations
Bloody Finger Covenant item for PVP/Invasion Players wanting to invade other worlds early
Crimson Amber Medallion Increases HP, Stamina and Equipment Load Players wanting extra starting stats
Craftsman’s Brand Improves item discovery and rune acquisition Players focusing on crafting and farming

FAQ

  1. What are some good starting gifts to select in Elden Ring?

    The Golden Seed is perhaps the most handy since it increases your maximum HP. The Flask of Crimson Tears also allows you to carry more healing potions at the start.

  2. “Which gift will be most useful at the beginning of the challenging Elden Ring game?”

    The tiny warrior figurine is a great choice if you’re new to difficult RPGs like Elden Ring. It starts you off with extra health and armor, giving you a bit more chance to learn enemy attacks.

  3. Is the Warrior’s Rusty Key really helpful?

    While the Warrior’s Rusty Key allows you to get into an alternate starting cave, it basically just leads to some early treasure that may kind of overlevel you. The other gifts will aid survival better in the long run.

  4. “What about the Golden Seeds? Are those actually worthwhile?”

    Golden Seeds can raise your max HP quite a bit if collected throughout the game. While one seed alone doesn’t do much at the start, the gradual HP boost is arguably better than an early weapon or cave key that loses usefulness later on.

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  5. Are any gifts not really worth getting at the beginning?

    Gift-wise, the Balloons are just a waste since they only give you one-time rune boost upon starting. You’re better off choosing something more consistently helpful, like HP or mana remedies. Oh, and the Balloons sort of creep me out too!

  6. “Is the Firekeeper Soul a valid starting Elden Ring pick?”

    The Firekeeper Soul may seem useful for leveling estus – those blue healing pots. However, you won’t find a firekeeper to trade it to for a while. By the time you do, you’ll have found many more souls. So this starting gift offers little practical aid at the start, compared to HP or FP boosts.

In the end, the Golden Seed, Crimson Flask, or Warrior figurine appear to offer the most value as Elden Ring starting gifts. But which one is “best” depends on your playstyle. As an expert RPG gamer once said, “every Tarnished’s journey is different.” Why not try different gifts and see what works for you? Report back if you find any other awesome early choices!