Elden Ring Build Guide For Beginners Struggling With First Boss

For many players, stepping into the Lands Between for the first time is overwhelming — especially when the first major roadblock is Margit, the Fell Omen. Unlike traditional RPGs, Elden Ring doesn’t hold your hand, and early progression can feel punishing if you’re unprepared. The good news: you don’t need perfect reflexes or advanced knowledge to overcome him. With the right build, gear, and strategy, even complete newcomers can stand their ground and emerge victorious.

This guide focuses on creating a beginner-friendly character optimized for survivability, consistent damage, and manageable learning curves. We’ll walk through stat allocation, weapon selection, spell support, and combat tactics tailored specifically to defeating Margit and surviving beyond him.

Understanding Why Margit Feels So Difficult

Margit’s reputation isn’t unfounded. He hits hard, has long-range attacks, and uses unpredictable lunges and area-of-effect slams that catch new players off guard. His moveset includes:

• Fast thrust attacks that cover large distances quickly.
• Two-phase fight structure — he becomes more aggressive after losing half his health.
• Spirit summon mechanic — halfway through the fight, he calls upon a spectral ally that distracts and damages you.
• Low margin for error — one or two missteps often mean death for under-leveled or poorly equipped characters.

The challenge isn’t just his strength; it’s the lack of preparation most beginners have. Many rush into Stormveil Castle without healing upgrades, proper armor, or reliable damage output. Success starts not with dodging perfectly, but with building a character capable of absorbing mistakes.

“Most players fail Margit not because they’re bad at the game, but because they haven’t built a character resilient enough to learn as they go.” — Daniel Reyes, Soulsborne Community Moderator

Recommended Beginner Build: The Balanced Knight

Rather than focusing on extreme min-maxing, this build prioritizes balance: solid defense, steady stamina management, and enough damage to pressure Margit without relying on critical hits or frame-perfect timing.

Starting Class: Prisoner

The **Prisoner** class is ideal for beginners facing Margit. It begins with:

• High Intelligence (14) – useful for future incantation scaling.
• Good Faith (10) – opens access to early healing spells.
• Decent Vigor (12) and Mind (10) – better survivability and FP pool than most starting classes.
• Free armament skill: Seal of Bloodlust – increases bleed buildup (useful against Margit).

Tip: If you didn’t start as a Prisoner, don’t worry. Respec mechanics exist later in the game. Focus on upgrading stats using Larval Tears found throughout the world.

Core Stats to Prioritize (Up to Level 50)

Stat	Target Value	Purpose
Vigor	30	Increases HP; essential for surviving multiple hits.
Endurance	20	Boosts stamina and equip load; aim for light load (below 70%) for easy rolling.
Mind	14	Unlocks Glintstone Air Talisman and improves FP for healing.
Strength	16	Meets basic weapon requirements like the Broadsword or Twinblade.
Dexterity	14	Supports faster weapons and bleed buildup.
Faith	20	Enables use of Heal (Incantation) and boosts its effectiveness.

This setup allows you to wear medium armor, roll frequently, heal reliably, and deal consistent damage — all crucial for surviving Margit’s onslaught.

Essential Gear and Equipment

Your gear should complement your build by enhancing durability, improving healing efficiency, and increasing damage output.

Weapons

Choose a weapon with good range and stagger potential. Avoid ultra-slow hammers or daggers until you’re more comfortable with timing.

• Twinblade: Fast attacks, decent reach, scales well with Strength/Dex. Found near the Church of Elleh.
• Broadsword: Reliable mid-speed sword with solid damage. Available from Nomadic Merchant southwest of Gatefront Ruins.
• Club or Mace: Great for interrupting Margit’s combos. Can cause blunts which help destabilize him slightly.

If you're using bleed (highly recommended), upgrade your weapon with Lordran’s Great Rune (grants +20% bleed buildup) once obtained — though this comes post-Margit.

Armor

Don’t chase aesthetics early. Prioritize defense and weight.

• Perfumer’s Set: Lightweight, high poise, easily found near Mistwood Outskirts.
• Chain Armor: Upgradeable piece available from merchants. Wear chest only if needed to stay under 70% load.

Aim for total physical damage negation above 60%. Use Smithing Stones to upgrade your main weapon and armor to +6 before the fight.

Spells & Talismans

These make a dramatic difference in survivability.

• Heal (Faith-based Incantation): Purchase from Brother Corhyn in Stormhill. Restores HP mid-combat.
• Glintstone Air Talisman: Increases speed of sorceries and incantations. Lets you heal faster during openings.
• Flame Grant Me Strength: Boosts melee damage. Useful during second phase when Margit speeds up.
• Talismans:
  • Crimson Amber Medallion (+1 or +2): Increases max HP.
  • Radagon Icon: Reduces stamina cost of blocks — invaluable when using a shield.

Tip: Cast Heal immediately after rolling behind Margit post-lunge. There's a safe ~3-second window where he repositions.

Step-by-Step Preparation Timeline

Follow this sequence before challenging Margit again:

1. Reach Level 25–30 by exploring Limgrave. Kill wolves, explore caves, and defeat mini-bosses like Patches’ boss room.
2. Upgrade Weapon to +6 using Smithing Stones gathered from fields and enemies.
3. Buy Heal Incantation from Brother Corhyn at Stormhill Shack.
4. Obtain Glintstone Air Talisman from Renna in the Church of Vows (after giving her a Somber Stone).
5. Equip Healing Flask +1 via Alexander in Fort Haight after rescuing him.
6. Practice Rolling against weaker foes to master dodge timing — focus on lateral rolls away from linear attacks.
7. Enter Stormveil Castle and activate the checkpoint just before the bridge leading to Margit.

This timeline ensures you aren't underpowered, underhealed, or under-equipped.

Combat Strategy: How to Beat Margit Without Perfect Execution

You don’t need flawless dodges. Instead, rely on spacing, patience, and recovery.

Phase 1 Tactics

• Stay at mid-range. Let Margit initiate.
• When he performs a fast lunge or overhead slam, roll sideways or backward.
• After any missed attack, rush in for 2–3 hits, then retreat.
• If you have bleed buildup, apply pressure consistently — Margit is moderately susceptible.
• Use Heal whenever you land 3–4 safe hits and are out of danger.

Dealing With the Spirit Summon (Half Health)

At approximately 50% HP, Margit stops fighting and summons a spirit. Do not attack him during this animation.

• Back away completely.
• Prepare your heal spell or check stamina.
• Once the spirit appears, ignore Margit temporarily.
• Focus all attacks on the spirit — it dies in 6–8 weapon swings.
• After it dies, Margit staggers briefly — this is your chance to heal or deal heavy damage.

Phase 2 Adjustments

Margit gains faster attacks and new combos. Stay calm.

• His vertical two-hit combo leaves a long recovery — punish heavily after the second hit whiffs.
• He may now use a spinning slash followed by a lunge. Roll through the spin, then back away from the lunge.
• Continue using the same rhythm: wait → dodge → strike → retreat → heal.

Never panic-spam attacks. One extra hit won’t make up for taking avoidable damage.

Mini Case Study: From Repeated Failure to Victory

Lena, a first-time Souls player, died 17 times to Margit within her first play session. She was using a dagger she found early, had no healing spells, and was wearing cloth armor. After reading community advice, she took a step back.

She spent two hours exploring Limgrave, reaching level 28, upgraded her Twinblade to +6, bought Heal, and equipped the Glintstone Air Talisman. She practiced rolling against Wolves and Soldiers until she could consistently avoid attacks without depleting stamina.

On her next attempt, she survived both phases of the fight. Though she died twice during Phase 2, she adapted quickly. By her fourth try with the new build, she defeated Margit with over half her health remaining.

Her turning point wasn’t improved reflexes — it was realizing that Elden Ring rewards preparation over reaction.

Beginner Checklist: Before You Fight Margit Again

1. ✅ Character level at least 25
2. ✅ Weapon upgraded to +6
3. ✅ Equipped a healing method (Heal Incantation or increased Flask potency)
4. ✅ Have Glintstone Air Talisman or similar FP-speed talisman
<5>✅ Armor provides at least 60% physical damage negation
5. ✅ Total equip load under 70%
6. ✅ Learned Margit’s lunge and spirit summon patterns (via YouTube or practice)
7. ✅ Saved and rested at the Site of Grace before the bridge

Skipping even one of these steps drastically reduces your odds of success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I beat Margit with a pure magic build as a beginner?

Technically yes, but it’s not recommended. Magic users lack the close-range survivability needed when Margit closes distance rapidly. Spellcasting interruptions and low poise make this route riskier without extensive preparation.

Is there an easy way to avoid the spirit summon?

No. The summon is scripted and unavoidable. However, you can prepare for it by backing off early and conserving stamina so you can burst down the spirit quickly.

What happens if I keep dying? Is there a mercy mechanic?

Elden Ring does not scale enemy difficulty downward based on deaths. However, you can summon help. Using a Stalwart Horn Charm (obtained from Rya) allows you to bring an NPC ally. Alternatively, place a summon sign using a Wraith Calling Bell to invite other players.

Final Thoughts: Build Smart, Learn Patiently

Defeating Margit isn’t about mastering every dodge or memorizing every animation on the first try. It’s about creating a foundation that gives you room to grow. A well-rounded build absorbs mistakes, heals efficiently, and deals enough damage to make progress tangible.

The Lands Between reward persistence and smart decisions far more than raw skill. Equip the right tools, invest in your stats, and approach the fight with calm precision. Each death teaches something — but only if you return stronger.

💬 Have your own tips for beating Margit? Share your build choices and strategies with others in the community. Your experience might be exactly what a new Tarnished needs to rise.