How Hard is Elden Ring to Learn?

Elden Ring, the sprawling open-world action RPG from FromSoftware, is undeniably a challenging game, but assessing its difficulty requires nuance. Learning Elden Ring is hard, especially for players new to the “Souls-like” genre. Expect a steep learning curve due to its opaque systems, demanding combat, and lack of hand-holding. However, its open-world design also provides avenues for circumventing challenges and progressing at your own pace. The difficulty is adjustable, not through a traditional difficulty setting, but through player choices like exploration, summoning, and build optimization. Therefore, while mastering Elden Ring demands patience and perseverance, it’s ultimately an accessible experience for players willing to adapt and learn.

Understanding the Learning Curve

The difficulty of Elden Ring isn’t just about hard enemies; it’s about the complexity of its systems and the game’s design philosophy. Here’s a breakdown:

Combat System: Elden Ring uses a deliberate combat system emphasizing timing, positioning, and resource management. Players must learn enemy attack patterns, master dodging and blocking, and understand the importance of stamina management.
Open World Exploration: The vast open world is both a blessing and a curse. While it provides freedom to explore and level up, it also means encountering powerful enemies early on, often without warning.
Character Building: Elden Ring offers a wide range of character builds, but understanding which stats to invest in and which weapons to use can be overwhelming for new players.
Opaque Story and Lore: The game’s story is deliberately fragmented, requiring players to piece together the narrative through item descriptions, NPC interactions, and environmental storytelling. This adds to the sense of mystery, but it can also be confusing.
Lack of Hand-Holding: Elden Ring provides minimal guidance. Players are expected to figure things out for themselves, which can be frustrating for those accustomed to more linear and forgiving games. The Games Learning Society explores these nuances of games as learning tools. You can find out more at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Factors Influencing Perceived Difficulty

Several factors can influence how difficult Elden Ring feels to a player:

Prior Souls-like Experience: Players familiar with Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Sekiro will have a significant advantage. They will already be familiar with the core combat mechanics and the general design philosophy of FromSoftware games.
Playstyle: Players who prefer a cautious, methodical approach are likely to find Elden Ring less frustrating than those who try to rush through the game.
Summoning: Elden Ring allows players to summon other players for co-op assistance or utilize Spirit Ashes, offering a crucial advantage in challenging encounters. This can drastically alter the difficulty.
Build Optimization: A well-optimized character build can significantly increase a player’s damage output and survivability. Understanding which weapons, armor, and talismans to use is essential.
Willingness to Learn: Perhaps the most important factor is a player’s willingness to learn from their mistakes and experiment with different strategies. Elden Ring rewards patience and persistence.

Tips for New Players

If you’re new to Elden Ring, here are some tips to make the learning process easier:

Start with the Vagabond Class: The Vagabond is a well-rounded class with high HP and good starting equipment, making it a forgiving choice for beginners.
Explore Everything: The open world is full of secrets and hidden areas. Exploring will allow you to find valuable items, gain experience, and discover new strategies.
Don’t Be Afraid to Summon: Summoning other players or using Spirit Ashes can make challenging encounters much easier.
Experiment with Different Weapons and Builds: Elden Ring offers a vast array of weapons and builds. Don’t be afraid to try different things until you find something that suits your playstyle.
Learn Enemy Attack Patterns: Paying attention to enemy attack patterns is crucial for dodging and blocking effectively.
Manage Your Stamina: Stamina is essential for attacking, dodging, and blocking. Pay attention to your stamina bar and avoid exhausting yourself.
Don’t Give Up: Elden Ring is a challenging game, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Don’t be discouraged by early setbacks. Keep practicing, keep learning, and you’ll eventually overcome any obstacle.

Elden Ring FAQs

Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding Elden Ring’s difficulty:

Is Elden Ring too hard for casual players?

Not necessarily. While challenging, Elden Ring’s open world allows casual players to explore, level up, and summon help, mitigating the difficulty and allowing progression at their own pace.

How long does it take to understand Elden Ring?

Basic mechanics can be grasped within a few hours, but truly understanding the game’s systems, lore, and optimal strategies takes dozens, if not hundreds, of hours.

Is Elden Ring the hardest game ever?

No, it is not. While demanding, Elden Ring is generally considered easier than some other FromSoftware titles due to its open-world design and summoning mechanics.

Why is Elden Ring so ridiculously hard?

Elden Ring requires focus, endurance, and strategic thinking. Multiple enemies and complex attack patterns can overwhelm unprepared players.

Is Elden Ring annoyingly hard?

This is subjective. It can be perceived as annoyingly hard if the player isn’t willing to learn and adapt. Summoning and exploration options can significantly reduce the frustration.

Is level 400 too high in Elden Ring?

For general PvE, level 400 is exceptionally high and will trivialize most content. For PvP, it’s less common but still viable.

At what level does Elden Ring become easy?

Around level 150-200, with a well-optimized build, the game starts to become considerably easier. By level 300, the challenge is significantly reduced for most players.

Can the average person beat Elden Ring?

Absolutely. It will require patience, persistence, and a willingness to learn, but the average person can certainly complete Elden Ring.

Can beginners enjoy Elden Ring?

Yes. Beginners can enjoy Elden Ring by exploring, summoning, and focusing on building a strong character before tackling major bosses.

Should a non-Souls player play Elden Ring?

Yes. Elden Ring is a great entry point to the “Souls-like” genre due to its open-world design, providing more flexibility than previous titles.

What is the most noob-friendly class in Elden Ring?

The Vagabond class is the most beginner-friendly due to its high HP, good starting equipment, and focus on melee combat.

What I wish I knew before playing Elden Ring?

Prioritize exploring the open world, don’t fight the Tree Sentinel at the start, and understand the importance of Guard Counters and Legacy Dungeons.

How do beginners get better at Elden Ring?

Exploration is key. Exploring areas, collecting runes, and leveling up is crucial to become stronger and better at Elden Ring.

How many runes does it take to get to level 713?

Reaching level 713 from level 1 requires a staggering 1,692,566,842 runes.

Is Bloodborne harder than Elden Ring?

Generally, yes. Bloodborne is considered more difficult than Elden Ring due to its faster combat, lack of shields, and more linear progression.

Conclusion

Elden Ring presents a significant challenge, especially to newcomers of the Souls-like genre. However, its open-world design, build diversity, and summoning options offer avenues for mitigation and progression, making it an ultimately rewarding experience for those willing to learn and adapt. Don’t be afraid to explore, experiment, and seek help when needed. The Lands Between await your arrival, Tarnished.

How hard is Elden Ring to learn?