Elden Ring’s open-world structure gives you incredible freedom—but that also means it’s easy to miss important gear, talismans, and upgrade materials early in your journey. Some of these items drastically improve your survivability, build potential, or rune farming efficiency. The worst part? By the time you realize you need them, they might be much harder to get.

Here are 15 items in Elden Ring you’ll definitely regret not picking up early.

1. Spirit Calling Bell
Given by Renna at the Church of Elleh after unlocking Torrent, this item lets you summon Spirit Ashes. It’s essential for solo play and makes boss fights far more manageable.

2. Lone Wolf Ashes
Received alongside the Spirit Calling Bell, these wolves are solid early-game allies. They distract enemies and give you time to heal or reposition.

3. Whetstone Knife
Found in the Gatefront Ruins, this tool lets you apply Ashes of War to weapons. Missing this means you can’t fully customize your gear early on.

4. Flask of Wondrous Physick
Located at the Third Church of Marika, this unique flask allows for customizable buffs. It can be tailored to suit almost any build.

5. Green Turtle Talisman
Found in Summonwater Village, this talisman boosts stamina recovery—a must for melee players who rely on dodging and aggressive combos.

6. Radagon’s Scarseal
Boosts Strength at the cost of taking more damage. Found in Fort Faroth, it's great for early strength builds looking for a power spike.

7. Stonesword Keys
Scattered throughout Limgrave and beyond, these unlock Imp Statues that guard treasure and shortcuts. Always grab them when you see them.

8. Crimson Amber Medallion
Available from a merchant at the Nomadic Merchant in the Weeping Peninsula. It raises max HP and provides a valuable survivability boost early on.

9. Golden Vow (Incantation)
Found at Mt. Gelmir’s Corpse-Stench Shack, this buffs both offense and defense. It’s incredibly helpful for summon or co-op builds.

10. Meteorite Staff
A top-tier staff for Intelligence builds, found in Caelid’s Street of Sages Ruins. It scales well early and boosts gravity sorceries.

11. Rock Sling (Sorcery)
Found near the Meteorite Staff in Caelid, Rock Sling is one of the best early sorceries due to high damage and stagger potential.

12. Gloveworts (Grave and Ghost)
Upgrade materials for Spirit Ashes found in catacombs. Don’t ignore them if you're relying on summons throughout your playthrough.

13. Margit’s Shackle
A consumable item that can stun Margit (and later Morgott). You can buy it from Patches if you don’t kill him. It makes those fights much easier.

14. Uchigatana
A reliable bleed weapon found in the Deathtouched Catacombs. Fantastic for early dex builds or anyone looking to trigger bleed quickly.

15. Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot
Boosts rune gain temporarily. These can be crafted early if you gather the recipe and materials, which helps you level faster from the start.

If you're trying to get a head start, some players choose to buy Elden Ring runes PS4 or buy Elden Ring items Xbox to streamline early progression and experiment with more powerful builds right away. While not necessary, it’s an option if you want to skip the grind.

Picking up these items early ensures smoother progression, better survivability, and more satisfying combat. Don’t wait until midgame to realize what you’ve missed—explore thoroughly and take the time to prepare properly. You’ll thank yourself later.