Elden Ring, Sekiro, DS1 Remaster: Starter Play Order

New to FromSoftware games? This guide walks through the recommended play order for Elden Ring, Sekiro, and Dark Souls 1 Remastered, with concrete build tips for each game, difficulty progression, and the mistakes that make new players quit.

GamesElden Ring + Sekiro + DS1 Remastered GenreFromSoftware Action RPG AudienceNew / Returning Players

Core Goal

New or returning FromSoftware fans (often starting with Elden Ring) want a sensible starter play order for Elden Ring, Sekiro, and Dark Souls 1 Remastered. The goal is to ease the learning curve, avoid frustration from older mechanics, build skills progressively, and appreciate callbacks and lore without major spoilers or difficulty spikes.

Recommended Play Order

1 Elden Ring

→

2 Dark Souls 1 Remastered

→

3 Sekiro

This order starts with the most accessible modern game, then moves to the classic that builds appreciation for the series roots, and finishes with the most mechanically demanding title. Each game teaches skills that carry into the next.

Game-by-Game Build Guide

Elden Ring Start Here

Why first: Most beginner-friendly with open world freedom, spirit ashes for help, abundant healing, and flexible builds. Teaches core combat (dodge, stamina management, exploration) without punishing backtracking as harshly as older titles.

Pick Vagabond or Samurai starting class

Vagabond gives solid early stats and a reliable straight sword. Samurai starts with the Uchigatana, one of the best early weapons. Both are forgiving for new players.
Rush a good weapon and upgrade it

Grab the Lordsworn's Straight Sword or use your starting Uchigatana. Upgrade at the Church of Elleh using Smithing Stones found in Limgrave. A +3 weapon early makes a huge difference.
Level Vigor first (aim 20-30 early)

Vigor is the most important stat for beginners. More HP means more mistakes you can survive. Aim for 20 Vigor before investing in damage stats, then push toward 30 as you enter harder areas.
Explore Limgrave and Weeping Peninsula before Stormveil

Do not rush into Stormveil Castle. Explore the open world, find upgrade materials, collect Golden Runes, and fight minor bosses. This builds your character and teaches the combat system in a low-pressure environment.
Use spirit ashes liberally

Spirit ashes are not a crutch. They are a core mechanic designed to help you. Use them in tough fights to split aggro and create openings. The Lone Wolf ashes found early in Limgrave are solid for most of the early game.

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When to move on: Play until you beat the game or feel confident with the combat. If you can beat a few bosses without spirit ashes, you are ready for DS1. Do not over-level before moving to the next game, or the older titles will feel too slow.

Dark Souls 1 Remastered

Why second: Builds appreciation for the series roots. Slower, more methodical combat and interconnected level design reward patience and observation learned from Elden Ring. Many say DS1 feels fresh after ER's scale, but warn about its age (no fast travel early, tougher navigation).

Start as Knight or Bandit

Knight gives solid starting armor, a reliable shield, and balanced stats. Bandit starts with a good weapon and higher vitality. Both are forgiving choices for DS1's slower pace.
Prioritize Vigor and Endurance early

DS1 combat is about stamina management. You need enough Endurance to block, attack, and still have stamina to back off. Vigor keeps you alive through the slower attack animations. Aim for 20 Vigor and 20 Endurance before heavy damage investment.
Get the Drake Sword or upgrade your starting weapon quickly

The Drake Sword is obtainable early by shooting the Red Dragon's tail from the Undead Burg tower. It carries you through the first few areas. Alternatively, upgrade your starting weapon at Andre the Blacksmith in the Undead Parish.
Follow the natural progression path

Undead Asylum to Firelink Shrine to Undead Burg to Undead Parish to the Depths to Blighttown. Ring the two bells, then proceed to Sen's Fortress and Anor Londo. Use the Master Key as a starting gift for shortcuts if you want flexibility.
Embrace the interconnected world

Shortcuts and elevators matter a lot in DS1. Opening a door that leads back to Firelink Shrine is a core experience. Do not expect fast travel until after the Lordvessel. Learn the map by walking it.

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Blighttown warning: Blighttown is notorious for frame drops, poison, and difficult navigation. Bring Purple Moss Clumps to cure poison, take it slow, and use the Valley of the Drakes shortcut if you have the Master Key to skip part of the Depths.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Why last: Very different from the other two. No traditional builds or RPG stats. Focus on posture and deflect timing. Best saved for after you have internalized Souls combat rhythm, because Sekiro requires you to unlearn dodging and learn to deflect instead. It is more linear and rhythm-based, like a rhythm game with swords.

Play aggressively, master deflects over dodging

Sekiro rewards aggression. Keep pressure on enemies to build their posture gauge. Deflect their attacks instead of dodging. Dodging in Sekiro is mostly for specific grab attacks and sweeps, not general defense.
Use prosthetic tools for specific bosses

Each prosthetic tool has a purpose. Firecrackers stun most beasts and humanoids. The loaded umbrella blocks heavy attacks. Learn which tool counters which boss rather than trying to brute-force everything with the sword.
There are no builds. Upgrade skills and prayer beads instead

Sekiro has no stat allocation or weapon swaps. Progression comes from skill trees (attack skills, latent skills, prosthetic upgrades) and prayer beads (HP and posture increases from boss memories). Focus on learning attack patterns and improving your timing.
Start in Ashina Outskirts and focus on posture breaks

The early game teaches you the deflect system through mini-bosses. Each mini-boss requires removing their "posture vitality" shield first (often by dodging to the side or jumping), then building posture for the deathblow. Learn this rhythm early.

Key Decision Points

If you love open exploration and variety: Prioritize Elden Ring first. It is the most common entry point and gives you the most freedom to explore at your own pace.
If you want pure combat rhythm and deflects: Sekiro can be played anytime after one Souls game, but it is best saved for last so you do not carry dodge habits into it.
If you care about lore and world-building: Play DS1 earlier for foundational story context. It has the most interconnected lore, but also the most mechanical jank.
Skill check: Beat a few Elden Ring bosses without spirit ashes? You are ready for DS1. Comfortable with timing-based combat? Jump to Sekiro after DS1.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Jumping straight to DS1 or Sekiro as your first game. Many players report frustration and quitting after starting with older or harder titles. Elden Ring's accessibility is the best gateway.
Expecting identical mechanics across all three. Heavy reliance on dodging fails in Sekiro. DS1 punishes running past enemies more than ER. Each game has its own combat language.
Rushing without exploring or upgrading. All three games reward patience and resource use. Skipping exploration in ER or weapon upgrades in DS1 leads to hitting difficulty walls.
Over-leveling in Elden Ring before moving on. If you grind to level 150 in ER before playing DS1 or Sekiro, the slower pace of DS1 and the skill-based combat of Sekiro will feel jarring. Keep your ER playthrough natural.
Ignoring community warnings about Blighttown or early Sekiro bosses. Blighttown in DS1 and the first few Sekiro mini-bosses are common wall points. Prepare mentally and bring the right items.