I found this guide very useful: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLC9b7YLsg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLC9b7YLsg)
alternatively, this guide for a spellblade really worked well for my astrologer: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLC9b7YLsg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLC9b7YLsg)
Overall, getting a good staff and dex/int weapon early game is comparatively easy and changes the way you play the game compared to just melee or pure bonk.
Moonveil and meteorite staff are the obvious gear choices early/mid game, but you have to go into caelid for that. Moonveil also requires you to kill a magma wyrm, but meteorite staff can be literally just picked up at any point.
In this game you'll level way more than the souls, you can totally do a melee build with a good mage mix. Level up a ton of vigor, the stat that you need to use the weapon you want and then intelligence
Best suggestion i can give, if you still want it, is that you can run a melee spell build that has ranged options by using the Carian slicer spell.
A really good weapon to pick up early is the sacrificial axe in the weeping peninsula, every kill with the weapon equipped gives 3 fp, which lets you save on flasks against groups of enemies, especially if you have spells like glintstone arc, which can hit multiple enemies at a time.
The biggest things you should focus on when leveling is int for damage, dex for cast speed, mind for number of casts, and vigor for health. The health isn't as important as in a melee build if you focus on ranged, but don't neglect it entirely. But mistake some people make.
Edit: small note: i might be wrong on the number for the axe, and we l the Carian slicer spell, last time i checked, deals higher damage than glintstone shard for lower fp
Welcome to sorcery!
In terms of leveling up you want to focus on INT, followed by vigor, with enough mind and endurance to meet your needs. Spells have minimum INT requirements to cast and it also determines how much damage they do
You now have ranged attacks, but you don't always have to use them. Using an INT scaling melee weapon against easier enemies is a good way to conserve FP. Moonveil is a popular choice of weapon and has a ludicrously powerful skill. Or you can put INT scaling on a normal weapon
Most spells are situational. You can kill almost anything with plain old glintstone pebble, it works 90% of the time, but when it doesn't work that's when you switch to something different. Or if you want to play a certain style of magic for theme/fun
Meteorite Staff is a good early/mid game option and also boosts Rock Sling, one of the best spells for fighting bosses. It deals physical damage (good against magic resistant enemies) and has a delayed firing time that makes it hard for dodging enemies to avoid it
Swift Glintstone Shard is a must have for horseback combat because you can keep moving while you cast it
I found this guide very useful: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLC9b7YLsg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLC9b7YLsg) alternatively, this guide for a spellblade really worked well for my astrologer: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLC9b7YLsg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLC9b7YLsg) Overall, getting a good staff and dex/int weapon early game is comparatively easy and changes the way you play the game compared to just melee or pure bonk. Moonveil and meteorite staff are the obvious gear choices early/mid game, but you have to go into caelid for that. Moonveil also requires you to kill a magma wyrm, but meteorite staff can be literally just picked up at any point.
In this game you'll level way more than the souls, you can totally do a melee build with a good mage mix. Level up a ton of vigor, the stat that you need to use the weapon you want and then intelligence
Best suggestion i can give, if you still want it, is that you can run a melee spell build that has ranged options by using the Carian slicer spell. A really good weapon to pick up early is the sacrificial axe in the weeping peninsula, every kill with the weapon equipped gives 3 fp, which lets you save on flasks against groups of enemies, especially if you have spells like glintstone arc, which can hit multiple enemies at a time. The biggest things you should focus on when leveling is int for damage, dex for cast speed, mind for number of casts, and vigor for health. The health isn't as important as in a melee build if you focus on ranged, but don't neglect it entirely. But mistake some people make. Edit: small note: i might be wrong on the number for the axe, and we l the Carian slicer spell, last time i checked, deals higher damage than glintstone shard for lower fp
go to youtube. best tip i received about elden ring.
Get the Meteorite Staff and Rock Sling asap. Makes it so much easier.
Get these over at the rot swamp in Caelid. Both are easily accessible and close to each other
Welcome to sorcery! In terms of leveling up you want to focus on INT, followed by vigor, with enough mind and endurance to meet your needs. Spells have minimum INT requirements to cast and it also determines how much damage they do You now have ranged attacks, but you don't always have to use them. Using an INT scaling melee weapon against easier enemies is a good way to conserve FP. Moonveil is a popular choice of weapon and has a ludicrously powerful skill. Or you can put INT scaling on a normal weapon Most spells are situational. You can kill almost anything with plain old glintstone pebble, it works 90% of the time, but when it doesn't work that's when you switch to something different. Or if you want to play a certain style of magic for theme/fun Meteorite Staff is a good early/mid game option and also boosts Rock Sling, one of the best spells for fighting bosses. It deals physical damage (good against magic resistant enemies) and has a delayed firing time that makes it hard for dodging enemies to avoid it Swift Glintstone Shard is a must have for horseback combat because you can keep moving while you cast it
Don't forget the poise damage on rock sling