While you’re near the site of grace at the Gatefront Ruins, make sure to pick up the Whetstone Knife. You’ll also want to simply keep Melina around and keep chatting with her - she’s necessary in reaching Roundtable Hold, where merchants and NPCs can help you. The horse, who is named Torrent, makes traveling easier, allows for high-speed horseback battles, and opens up access to new areas that only Torrent can jump high enough to reach.
When you first meet her, Melina will also give you a special whistle that can be used to summon your ghost horse.
Once you meet Melina, you’ll be able to give her runes at these sites in order to get more powerful. Most players’ third site of grace appears to be at the Gatefront Ruins, but Melina will show up at whatever your third site is in Elden Ring’s open world. If, for some reason, you’ve only been visiting two of them over and over, find a third one! Sites of grace are helpful because they’re checkpoints and fast travel locations, but also, meeting Melina transforms them into places where you can level up. Melina is a character you’ll meet after visiting and resting at three different sites of grace in Elden Ring. Talk to Melina Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon It’s nice because you can use it without it needing to be held in one of your hands, which could otherwise be holding a weapon or shield. Later in the game, players may find a lantern that attaches to the body, which has the same function as the torch. You’ll be able to play the game without using a torch, of course, but do you want to? Probably not! Plus, your torch can be used as a weapon.Įlden Ring guide and walkthrough - Polygon There are some really dark caves and areas to explore in Elden Ring, and they’ll be a pain in the ass if you don’t have a torch. While you’re visiting the Church of Elleh, buy a torch from Kalé as well. He’s got a few, and there are others you’ll find around the Elden Ring world, whether from other merchants or on enemy bodies. Kalé also sells Cookbooks, which are collections of recipes for crafting items. Perhaps he should, though, because this item is essential: It’s the only way you can craft items in Elden Ring. Kalé mentions the Crafting Kit when you first meet, but he doesn’t exactly force it on you. He’s very noticeable once you get to that area he’s dressed like Santa. If you haven’t explored the Church of Elleh north of where you started Elden Ring, you will have missed a merchant named Kalé. The good news is, even if you’ve somehow missed any of these items or events, there’s nothing stopping you from heading back to Elden Ring’s starting area, Limgrave, to poke around. We’ve rounded up eight specific tasks you’ll want to check off your list in the first 10 or so hours of Elden Ring, both big and small. Whether you’re an experienced player or someone trying out their first FromSoft game, there are some crucial items and events in Elden Ring’s opening area that are unfortunately easy to miss. This, of course, can lead to some players missing some important elements - even the tutorial. Elden Ring is a big, mysterious game that trusts players to make their own way.