In this Elden Ring Closed Network Test, 10 Things You Should Know article, I’ll be giving you some tips if you’ll be playing the Closed Network Test this weekend. This will remain as spoiler free as possible for you, since the goal with this Guide is to help make your Test more enjoyable, not less so, but there will be some spoilers so bear that in mind. You can see the Dates and Times below if you need a refresher on just when these tests are.
- Session 1 – November 12th (Fri) from 3:00am to 6:00am PT
- Session 2 – November 12th (Fri) from 7:00pm to 10:00pm PT
- Session 3 – November 13th (Sat) from 11:00am to 2:00pm PT
- Session 4 – November 14th (Sun) from 3:00pm to 6:00pm PT
- Session 5 – November 14th (Sun) from 7:00pm to 10:00pm PT
Elden Ring Closed Network Test | 10 Things You Should Know
To make things easy I’m going to do this in chronological order, so that you can just follow along as you play if you want. Again this will be as spoiler free as it can be, but there will be some since it’s not possible to give advice with out showing some things.
1. Choose Your Class Wisely
You will only be able to use Incantations
The Enchanted Knight is the only Class that can use Sorceries, so if you want to play as a Mage then you must choose this Class. It also, coincidentally has the best Shield in the Network Test, so if you like Blocking you may want to select this Class even if you don’t intend to use Sorceries.
The Prophet is one of two Classes that can use Incantations, so if you want to use these Spells, then you will either select this Class or Champion. Coincidentally, it comes with one of the strongest Spells in the Test, called Beast Claw. This one Incantation makes nearly every encounter a breeze, so if you’re having trouble I suggest trying this Class.
The Champion is the other Class that can use Incantations, and it’s the only Class that can use the Dragonfire Incantation, which is amazing. It doesn’t have access to Beast Claw until finishing the demo, but if you like burning things to a crisp in a wide AoE, whether on horseback or on foot, then this Class is for you.
Bloody Wolf is your Strength-based Class, and it can wear Heavy Armor and mid-roll, making it have solid damage, protection and mobility. The Bloody Wolf’s playstyle is most similar to past Souls games, and is very new player friendly because of its high health and protection.
The Warrior is arguably the most difficult Class to learn to play. Getting use to Dual-wielding can be challenging, but it can be done with a bit of practice. Make sure to use its Skill when you need some ranged attacks, as it makes this Build much more easy to play.
2. Head to the Church of Elleh
The Church of Elleh is located straight ahead as you step into the Lands Between and it should be your very first destination. There you will find a merchant who can sell you kits for Crafting, and a Smithing Table where you can upgrade your Weapons. He also sells an assortment of Weapons so if you want to try something different, this is a good place to early on.
3. Buy A Leather Shield
The merchant at the Church of Elleh sells Weapons, as I mentioned, but he also sells a Leather Shield, which has 95% Physical Damage mitigation, which is the best you can get in the Closed Network Test, unless you chose the Enchanted Knight Class. If you plan to use a Shield in your playthrough to Block, Parry or both, then you’ll want this Shield. It’s only 200 Runes, so get it as soon as you can.
4. Buy A Torch
There are many dark locations in Elden Ring, and some that are near impossible to navigate properly without a light source. I highly recommend you buy one while at the Church of Elleh, because you might m iss out on some secrets without one. The Torch
5. Buy The Lone Wolf Ashes
Another item you should purchase while at the Church of Elleh is the Lone Wolf Ashes. This is one of the new Summoning Spirits, and it’s a pretty effective one, as it summons 3 wolves at once. You can use this in difficult places, and you should, particularly if you’re having a tough time. It’s one of the better ones in the Closed Network Test, and you can get it right away. It also costs 200 Runes.
6. Get the Map Fragment for Limgrave
When you first begin Elden Ring the Map shows a very limited area, and if you go off the beaten path you won’t find this item until much later, which can hinder your exploration. For this reason, I highly recommend you go grab this item immediately after the Church of Elleh.
In order to get there you need only follow the road north east to the Gatefront Ruins. There you will find an encampment full of enemies, but you can sneak up and interact with the tall obelisk there to acquire this Map Fragment. Once you have this you’ll see the entire Map that’s available in the Network Test, and even a little more. Use this to help you explore during your play sessions.
7. Farm Smithing Stone Shards
Smithing Stone Shards are what you use to upgrade your Weapons and Shields in Elden Ring, much like Titanite in Dark Souls. However, they are rather hard to come by unless you know where to look, which can be frustrating.
The best way to acquire these upgrade materials is by defeating Trolls in Stormhill. They have a 100% drop rate, so you can kill them over and over, allowing you to upgrade every weapon you want, if you have the time to farm them. The Trolls are located north east of the Gatefront Ruins, and you need to use your Spirit Steed
8. Head to the Sorcery Trainer
For those of you playing Enchanted Knight, or you finished the demo and want to try Sorceries, you’ll want to head to the Sorceries Trainer as soon as you can to expand your arsenal. She is located in the Post Town Remains on the right-hand side of the Map along the road. The sooner you get to her, the sooner you can really start playing like a Mage.
9. Get the Northern Mercenary Ashes
The Northern Mercenary Ashes are the best in the Closed Network Test as this Summons is both tanky and deals pretty damn good damage. It excels at distracting Bosses while you range them down with Magic, or hit them in the back with melee attacks. If you are having a hard time defeating Bosses, I highly recommend getting this one. It’s located in the Murkwater Catacombs on the north east side of the map in the ravine.
10. Split Your Flasks Evenly if You Play Multiplayer
The last tip applies to those of you who plan to play Multiplayer, whether in co-operative or competitive play. When you are summoned or you invade, your Flasks are cut in half rounded down, so if you have 3 health flasks for example, you’ll end up with 1. And if you have 1 magic flask, then you’ll end up with zero.
For this reason, make sure that you always split your Flasks evenly by going 2-2, 4-0 or 0-4 if you plan to PvP or Co-Op. This will ensure you don’t lose out on Flasks, and you can help or raise hell more easily.
That’s it for our Guide to the Network Test, explaining a few things you can do to make your experience more enjoyable. I’ve tried to keep it as spoiler free as possible, just to let you know the locations of a few things that can save you time, which is extremely limited in this Test. And don’t for get the you can two-hand by holding Triangle and pressing R1 or L1!
For those of you who can’t play, we have a video covering exactly what is in the Network Test, including Spells, Weapons, Armor, Skills, Summons and Bosses. I’m also trying to procure some codes from Bandai Namco to giveway, so make sure to drop by Twitch and see. Also, don’t forget to bookmark the Wiki as all this information has already been added there.
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