Elden Ring - Get. Overpowered. At The Very Start
Intro
Well, I've optimized a route from the very start of the game that only takes about 15 to 20 minutes and requires killing zero enemies. This will net you a powerful plus-4 weapon, improved armor, double the healing effects, a strong spirit companion, a ton of runes, and access to some really important features.
Section 1
Head inside Pick up the smithing stone right next to Santa and light the lost grace site, then head north-east on the road with the torch wandering around on it. That will lead you right to the gate of the ruins. Run or sneak in and grab the area's map on the big stone monolith. Head southeast out of there and rest at the nearby lost gray site. After a brief chit chat, you will receive the spectral steed whistle, letting you call forth your horse mount.
Section 2
And now here is the next section you'll be heading towards. Head southeast along the road and you'll come across the big stone bridge. Grab the smithing stone hanging off the side of it.
Then head southeast a bit more where you'll see the big wagon thing and then look out for the pointed triangle top section of a building right behind that area. You'll find a collection of tombs. Grab all the runes off of each of those, but don't actually use any of the runes in your inventory just yet.
Section 3
From here, open the map and fast travel back to that lost grace site you just came from. From here, you're going to be heading north-west and this is the next section of the route. Head directly through the big gate northwest and then look out for the big boy who's going to try to squash you from above.
Along that path, you'll enter Storm Hill and grab the golden seed off the glowy tree thing. Head directly north, watch out for the wolf ambush and then rest at the lost grace site there, then go into the flasks menu and use the golden seed. You've just got to add another charge to your healing slash focus points.
Now you have five, then at that same spot, jump up these platforms. Grab yourself a stone's word key and then go chat with Rodrika in the little shack. Talk to her three times and she'll give you a summonable jellyfish, which you'll be able to use a bit later. Then you're going to head into the little forest to the southwest and curve around the large stone wall until you see this little tucked away area.
Up there, near a gravestone, you'll find yourself another smithing stone.
Section 4
Head out of there and back to the stormhill shack site you just left.
Section 4
The next section has a lot of goodies, and here is that route. Head southeast behind the shack and you'll find one stack of three smithing stones by a lonely chair. Then head north from there until you see the start of a cliff incline.
Up there, watch out for another big boy and then snag the crystal tear, which I'll explain later. Head south from there until you find another collection of tombs. Do a little bit more grave robbing for some free runes. Head southeast from there, where a large group of big boys are, and you'll see a statue with a glowing center.
You will need to bait one of them into smashing the thing for you. That'll give you five smithing stones and a very important rank of two smithing stones. Then you're heading northeast for a pretty good distance. Pass through the enemy camp down a hill and you'll find yourself at a lost grace site near a bridge.
Section 5
You're going to be heading into some uncharted territory for this next part. Head east and grab that smithing stone on the bridge. Pass by the nearby merchant and start heading directly southeast. You'll need to make your way downward, so keep dropping down these cliffs as you travel. Eventually, you'll run into another grave site, and at this point, you know the drill.
Then head northeast and you'll come up to a tall edge of a cliff. It's easier to do this on foot, so get off your horse and drop down each section of this slab sticking out. You'll see a fight breaking out between some wolves and a bear, but you have no corals with them, so grab the rank 2 smithing stone and get the fudge out of there.
Head southeast and you'll run directly into an abandoned church. There are two very important things: grab the sacred tier and then the crystal tier in the new flask type. At the lost grace site, use that sacred tier, which increases the potency of your healing or FP flasks. Now you have five at a plus one.
Go into the new mixing tab and you'll add both of the crystal tiers you found onto that flask with the effects we just put on it. It will heal you for half your health and give you a buff for three minutes, adding 10 points to your strength stat. That new flask you just got replenishes each time you rest at a lost gray site so you can keep using it. Now fast travel back to the storm hill shack site.
Section 6
From here, you're almost done, and this is the final, very important section of the route. Then head north on the main path to where it banks to the left, taking you to the nearby castle. However, we're taking the dirt road off to the side instead.
Through a little forest, you'll then come out onto another bridge. Past the creepy lady, you'll need to head downwards and then head into this little hidden pathway. Follow that northwest, avoiding wolves as you go. That will lead you right to a new lost grace site. And wait, just activate it. Don't actually rest on it just yet.
Head over to that nearby church in front of you first. In there you'll find another sacred tier, and there's also a guy selling some spells if you need them now. Head back to that lost gray site, and now you can rest there. Your lady friend will show up and whisk you away to your character's main hub area, The Round Table.
Many of the NPCs you meet will actually show up here as well. Use the nearby table and consume that sacred tier you just got. Now you have five plus two flasks. Those will now fully top off your health at this point in the game, no matter how low it is.
Improving weapon
Then look around this area until you find the blacksmith. Talk to the blacksmith and use all the smithing stones you picked up to get your main weapon up to tier four, improving its damage and also likely increasing its stat scaling as well.
Now your weapon is beefy.
Buffs and spirits
Then, still in round table hold, go talk with these weirdos, buy all four of the items they sell, head into your inventory and use the white cipher ring. This gives you a constant buff which will automatically try to summon real people to your aid if you get invaded by other online players.
You also just bought a really strong spirit in the bell to summon them anytime you see this little white symbol on the left side of the screen. You can call forth any of your spirits now in battle. This pack of wolves is really aggressive and quite helpful. Also, in round table hold, there's an incantation spell vendor if you need any of that.
