Beginner Guide — Getting Started in Arsilthus
Complete beginner guide for The Relic: First Guardian. First hours tips, best starting weapon, stamina and relic basics, and the early progression path — with confirmed mechanics and honest unconfirmed notes.
The ruined world of Arsilthus is unforgiving. As the last Guardian, you wake with fragmented memories, collect relic fragments imbued with the dead's emotions, and fight to seal the Void. The Relic: First Guardian is a soulslike with one crucial difference from the classics: no XP and no levels — your growth comes from relics, skills, and unique gear. This guide covers what is confirmed about the opening hours and the systems you need to master.
Choosing Your First Weapon
The game has five weapon families, each with its own playstyle and skill trees:
| Family | Playstyle (confirmed by official/preview material) |
|---|---|
| Sword & Shield | Defensive, parry-focused; the only family with a native block |
| Longsword | Balanced; the versatile middle ground |
| Dagger (dual blades) | Fast, aggressive; quick attacks and status play |
| Two-Handed | Heavy damage; slow but hits hard |
| Battle Staff (combat staff) | Mage-like; skill-spamming and ranged options |
The Combat Economy You Must Learn
This is the game's signature twist, confirmed across official material and reviews:
- Attacks cost ZERO stamina — swing freely; offense is unlimited.
- Stamina is reserved for defense — dodging, blocking, and parrying spend it.
- Skills run on cooldown timers — no mana, no resource bar; use them whenever they are up.
| Action | Stamina Cost (Confirmed) |
|---|---|
| Light / heavy attacks | 0 (confirmed) |
| Dodge / block / parry | Costs stamina (exact values unconfirmed) |
- Never let your stamina hit empty near a boss — empty stamina means no dodge.
- Attack constantly when safe — it costs nothing and pressure wins fights.
- Learn parry timing early — the window is generous, and parry chains stagger bosses (reviews report chains of up to 15 parries vs some Brutals).
The Relic System — Your Real "Leveling"
There are no levels. Your power comes from:
- Relics (Runes / Memory Fragments) — over 70 unique passive fragments scattered across the world. Equip them, swap them freely, and adapt them to each boss.
- Relic slots — unlock more via Shards of Awakening, brought to Elisa at any camp.
- Relic Energy — earned from defeating Brutals (bosses) and Ancient Relic Blessings; spent on skill trees (12 total, two per weapon family). Buy HP and stamina nodes first — they are the cheapest survivability in the game.
- Unique equipment — every weapon and armor piece appears once; some carry Drawbacks (e.g., stamina loss or a weakness) that you must weigh.
- Potion capacity — find Shards of Esser on temple altars (e.g., in the Faded Mist Forest) to raise your health potion count above the starting 3.
Full details: Upgrade System guide.
Your First Hours — What to Expect
The game is semi-open: six large, connected regions (burning villages, ruined castles, void swamps, frozen mountains, underground catacombs, relic temples). Official material confirms minimal guidance — you are expected to explore, read letters and murals, and find things yourself.
Confirmed loop for the opening hours:
- Learn the tutorial's unique mechanics — stamina-for-defense, cooldown skills, and relic equipping are not retaught.
- Explore your starting region thoroughly — hidden paths hold relics, gear, and secret bosses; the game's difficulty assumes you loot.
- Bring Shards of Awakening to Elisa at camps as you find them — every slot matters.
- Clear "Events" (the game's side quests, from NPCs or the environment) — they reward valuable gear.
- Fight your first Brutals — bosses gate progress and drop special items, upgrades, and Relic Energy.
What is NOT confirmed about the opening:
- The starting area's name, the identity of the first boss, and the exact order of the opening regions are unconfirmed at launch. Guides that name a "tutorial boss" or chapter areas are speculative.
Early Priorities Checklist
- [ ] Pick Sword & Shield to learn defense first (or a weapon you love — all families are viable)
- [ ] Learn to parry — the window is generous, and parries stagger enemies
- [ ] Buy HP/stamina nodes in your weapon's skill tree with Relic Energy
- [ ] Collect Shards of Esser for more potions (start with 3)
- [ ] Unlock relic slots via Shards of Awakening + Elisa at camps
- [ ] Explore everything — uniques are hand-placed and never drop twice
- [ ] Swap relics before each boss — it is the game's intended prep loop
- [ ] Read letters, murals, and item text — that is the story
Common First-Hour Mistakes
- Holding attacks back — attacks cost zero stamina; passivity loses fights. Be aggressive.
- Panic-dodging — stamina is your defense pool; every wasted dodge is a future death.
- Ignoring exploration — the world is semi-open and difficulty assumes you looted it.
- Selling or discarding unique gear — items never re-drop; every piece is one-of-a-kind.
- Skipping Events — side quests carry gear the critical path does not offer.
- Trusting "level"-based guides — there are no levels; such guides are fabricated.
What's Next?
Once you have the combat economy down and a few relics equipped, you have beaten the "tutorial" in practice. From here:
- Weapons Guide — pick your family and learn the 12 skill trees
- Combat Guide — parry timing and stamina management in depth
- Upgrade System — slots, shards, and forging
- Boss Strategies — how to fight the 70-80 Brutals
Related Guides
- Weapons Guide — Deep dive into all 5 weapon families
- Combat Guide — Stamina management, parry timing, advanced techniques
- Runes & Relics Guide — The over-70-fragment collection system