The Relic First Guardian beginner guide — combat, relics and growth

Full systems and growth guide

This is the complete systems-and-growth guide: it explains combat, weapons, relics, gear and boss-led progression across the first hours. It does not cover purchase, installation or controller setup — use the launch guide — and it is not the short first-session checklist; use quick start when you only need the next four actions.

Read this before your first session

The Windows PC version is now live on Steam. This guide still separates facts from official material and a published hands-on preview from details that have not yet been verified in the release build. Preview details are flagged and may differ from the current version. For dates and editions, see release date and platforms.

The one rule that changes how you play: stamina

Most souls-likes train you to budget stamina across attacks and dodges. This game deliberately breaks that habit. The official description is explicit: stamina is never depleted when attacking; it is reserved for defense and dodging. Skills cost no resources at all and run on cooldowns.

What that means for your first hours:

1. Do not “save” stamina before committing to a combo — your attack string costs nothing.
2. Treat your stamina bar as a survival bar. If it is low, you cannot dodge or defend, which is the only time you are truly exposed.
3. Rotate cooldown skills into every fight. There is no mana or focus resource to hoard.

The developers describe the intent as pure offensive flow: aggression is the default, and vulnerability comes from misjudging defensive windows, not from running out of gas mid-combo.

Patch 14 dodge remap and Sealing Stones (official)

If you play on a gamepad, Patch 14 relocated Dodge from Gamepad Bottom Button (Face Button Down) to Gamepad Right Button (Face Button Right). Treat on-screen prompts on the current client as the binding source. Setup steps stay on the launch guide.

The same patch grants Sealing Stone of Gratitude and Sealing Stone of the First Oath on start or load. Official Patch 13 notes say they are key items for future dungeons, not playable today. See relics, runes and progression.

Your first weapon choice matters, but is not permanent progress

You choose from five weapon types, and official material pairs them with twelve exclusive skill trees that can be mixed into hybrid builds. The hands-on preview build started with a sword and shield loadout, with more weapons coming from loot and a blacksmith NPC. Every weapon and armor piece is one-of-a-kind in the world — there are no “slightly better” duplicate swords.

Because no one outside the studio has tested all five types in the release build, we do not recommend a starting weapon. What is safe to say: pick for rhythm, not numbers, since each type is built around a distinct combat tempo. The full breakdown of what is confirmed per weapon lives in the weapons guide.

Magic and healing exist earlier than you might expect

From the hands-on preview (preview build, not yet verified at launch):

• Relic Magic is available early, with fire as the first element and more unlocking later. There is no heavy attack; magic fills that damage niche if you accept the risk of casting mid-fight.
• A healing spell is part of the early relic magic kit.
• Relic Stones — equippable, enhanceable buff items — unlock after an early boss via an NPC named Elisa, and the preview calls them essential for later bosses.
• Checkpoints are Tibelle’s Stones, the bonfire equivalent.

Treat the specifics (unlock order, NPC names) as preview-build information until we can verify them in the release version.

Progression without levels: route around bosses

There is no XP bar and nothing souls-like to lose on death in the preview build. Officially, your character grows through relics (runes) carrying one of 70+ passive effects, plus items, gear and crafting. The preview adds that more relics come from defeating bosses, and that boss order allows some player choice.

So the beginner loop is: explore the semi-open world, pick a boss, win, and convert that victory into relics and unique gear. Deep-dive on how the pieces connect in relics, runes and progression, and see who you will be fighting in the bosses overview.

What this guide deliberately does not tell you

The following do not exist in any official source yet, so we will not invent them: damage numbers, drop locations, best builds, boss weaknesses, map routes or crafting recipes. Any uncited claim about those details should be treated as unverified. This page will be updated as first-hand release-build testing becomes available.