Keepsake is a FromSoftware Inc. concept originally introduced in the Dark Souls series. Keepsakes are special starting game gifts you can take into the world when selecting a character. These items are not pre-defined for each class, and you can choose from the nine options regardless of which character class you select.
All items give you something extra depending on the class and your play style. However, unless you have a clear roadmap before playing Elden Ring, these Keepsakes can be a little confusing for newcomers.
The Keepsakes are useful gifts that can grant you HP restoration, extra consumable flasks, free upgrades, and even keys to secret locations. However, some items are more common than others, and you can easily find them in the Lands Between.
Therefore, it is important to choose the best Keepsake in Elden Ring for your class that you think will help improve your character. This article provides a complete guide about all Keepsakes in Elden Ring and the best ones for every class.
All Keepsakes in Elden Ring
Keepsakes aren’t precious items you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Instead, these gifts give you a head start rather than leaving you on your own. Beware, the Lands Between is a dangerous place with deadly enemies and challenging bosses waiting for you at every corner. Furthermore, the Keepsakes can also polish your character’s backstory.
Similarly, you can choose to have no Keepsakes to create a character who forgets about his past. Lastly, the Keepsakes are universally available for all character classes. So, you can choose any of them that you consider worthy of your playthrough.
In short, if you really want to get all the items from the Keepsakes list, you can get them by exploring the secret areas. Here is a list of all 9 Keepsakes offered at the class screen of Elden Ring:
Bewitching Branch
The Bewitching Branches seem like an item from the magical labs of Hogwarts. They seem useful in the descriptive theory but aren’t as useful unless you plan on using them frequently. This Keepsake gives you five Bewitching Branches that you can use to turn any enemy into an ally temporarily.
It’s a good idea to have one less opponent in the first few fights. When you use this branch, it charms the enemy so that he stops attacking, sheathes his weapon, and goes on with his day. The opponent will start fighting again if you attack him, even with the charm.
However, there are a few drawbacks to choosing this Keepsake over others. Firstly, the game only gives you five branches that will run out quickly. However, you can still purchase and loot these branches during the game. Secondly, if you can just find and purchase the branches from the game, then why waste your chance to get something unique? Lastly, the Bewitching Branch isn’t really useful for killing enemies and winning battles.
Boiled Prawn
Who doesn’t like Prawns, right? The Boiled Prawns aren’t really appealing, especially for a Keepsake. These prawns seem like they are prepared by Batman. Choosing this Keepsake gives you five Boiled Prawns that you can use to increase your resistance against physical damage.
However, the effect is rather short-lived, and you will quickly run out of prawns in the first two or three battles. When you consume a Boiled Prawn, your physical damage negation is increased. In other words, you won’t lose as much HP when an opponent hits you with a sword.
Again, there are many better options than choosing this humble gift. The Prawns are common items that you can easily purchase from various merchants in the Lands Between. However, if you feel like you need a little practice before jumping onto the battlefield, these prawns can take you to the first few Sites of Grace. Apart from this, I suggest that you should look for a better Keepsake or start the game without any of them.
Cracked Pot
The Cracked Pot doesn’t have anything to do with crack or pot. These are literally breakable pots that you can use to craft throwable items. So, this Keepsake is more useful for the DIY lovers. You will get three of these Cracked Pots by selecting this Keepsake.
At first, there is no real use for them, but they can be used to create Fire bombs or Smoke Bombs. You can easily find different varieties of Cracked Pots in the Lands Between. However, getting a few of them early on in the game can greatly help you get used to the crafting mechanism.
Still, this Keepsake doesn’t seem appealing if you are a warrior or someone who just likes to jump into battles. So, unless you are a mastermind of strategies, the Cracked Pots aren’t really useful for you.
Crimson Amber Medallion
The Crimson Amber Medallion is perhaps the most popular Keepsake in the game. Elden Ring means challenging enemies, difficult terrains, and a non-regenerating health bar. So, it is natural to keep an eye on your HP even when fighting your first opponent in the Lands Between. In this regard, having a little extra health can greatly affect your confidence.
The Crimson Amber Medallion is a talisman that grants you +26% HP when equipped in the main slot. It also means that your HP bar will gradually increase when you invest more Rune points in Vigor.
There isn’t any flaw in choosing the Crimson Amber Medallion as your Keepsake. The extra HP would be a little less in the start, but it can greatly boost your confidence and turn the tide of any battle. Moreover, it is a far better option than the Prawns and the Cracked Pot. So, if you are looking for a useful Keepsake for any character class, I suggest that you choose the Crimson Amber Medallion.
Fanged Imp Ashes
The Lands Between is a dangerous place right from the First Step Site of Grace. So, it is a good idea to bring a few friends with you in the first few battles. In this regard, the Spirit Summons offer a great way to distract your enemy or attack him from behind. Usually, you will get the Spirit Calling Bell, and you first Ashes Spirit in the first few minutes.
The Lone Wolf is often the go-to option for most players. However, the Fanged Imp Ashes is also a suitable choice for your initial encounters. When you summon the Spirit, two deadly beasts will appear for your help. These imps will not only distract the enemy but also drain some HP from the opponent.
The Fanged Imp Ashes aren’t really the strongest summons in the game. However, it can prove to be a useful ally for distracting your enemies or getting out of the corner. Moreover, it costs slightly less FP than the Lone Wolf summons, making it a suitable choice for non-magical character classes. Still, you can choose to go for some other Keepsake as the Fanged Imp Ashes have the same effect as the Lone Wolf Spirit Ashes.
Golden Seed
Flasks are a big part of any Elden Ring gameplay experience. The flasks store Crimson Tears and Cerulean Tears, which can restore your HP and FP bar. However, you are limited to only using four flask charges at the start of the game. You can increase this number by consuming Golden Seeds found at the base of illusory trees. However, being able to use a Golden Seed right at the beginning of the story can give you a head start.
The Golden Seed is perhaps one of the most wished items in the Elden Ring. The illusory trees are rare and hard to find in the Lands Between. So, using this Keepsake can greatly affect the outcome of your first few battles. In short, if you are looking for a useful Keepsake that can serve you till the very end of the story, the Golden Seed isn’t really a bad option.
Lands Between Rune
Runes are the dollars in the Lands Between. You can use the runes to purchase items from the merchants, upgrade your gear, and even improve your character stats. However, earning runes in Elden Ring requires defeating fierce enemies in the game.
Killing the enemies right after finishing the tutorial seems a bit challenging for most players. So, the Lands Between Rune is a great way of getting a head start in the game. Choosing this Keepsake gives you 3,000 Runes to spend without doing anything. So, it is a better option than choosing nothing at all from the menu.
The Lands Between Rune can have several long-term effects if you spend your bonus Runes wisely. You can use them to further polish your character, increase the HP, buy powerful weapons, or make your character look handsome.
However, most players who spend the Runes without any plan regret it in the end. In any case, this Keepsake can give you a real head start if you know what you want to achieve before starting a new game.
Shabriri’s Woe
The concept of Shabriri’s Woe is a little hard to understand unless you have played GTA. According to the description, this talisman acts like a cheat code to attract your enemy’s aggression. In other words, when you equip this item, all nearby enemies will be drawn to attack you.
You must be thinking, why would you want the challenging foes to attack you right? Well, the Shabriri’s Woe is a useful item to practice your skills, gather loot, prove your might, or help your friend out of danger.
The list of drawbacks of Shabriri’s Woe can be as huge as the whole article. Some players have even got to the point of calling it a joke by FromSoftware Inc. However, other players have found some uses for this unusual Keepsake.
Firstly, you can use it to attract attention, try out new strategies, or gather loot from dead foes. Similarly, when playing Elden Ring Online in co-op mode, you can use this talisman to distract the enemies while your friend heals himself. Lastly, you can use it to call all nearby enemies for your aid in case someone invades your world. In short, you can find a few uses for Shabriri’s Woe Keepsake, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are playing NG+1.
Stonesword Key
Stonesword Keys are special items that unlock the secret doors behind the mysterious Imp statues in the Lands Between. There are numerous locations blocked by a magical fog that you can only access by using one or two Stonesword keys. Generally, you can purchase these keys from various merchants in the game.
However, the merchants are only available after you beat the first two bosses. So, if you are really into exploration, having a few keys at the very beginning can give you a head start. The Stonesword Key Keepsake gives you two keys that you can use anywhere you like.
The most useful place to use the Stonesword Key Keepsake is the nearest Imp statue near the First Step Site of Grace. It hides a pathway to one of the most challenging dungeons in Limgrave, the Fringefolk Hero’s Grave dungeon.
Moreover, you will also face an optional deadly boss in the dungeon. However, you will get a Golden Seed, several Runes, and the Oleg Spirt Ashes after clearing the dungeon. So, suppose you are brave enough to explore the hidden areas of Elden Ring. In that case, this Keepsake can really reward you generously.
What Are the Best Keepsake in Elden Ring for Every Class
By now, you have learned all about the Keepsakes in Elden Ring and how they can help you in your first experience. However, the main question still remains unanswered, i.e., what is the best Keepsake in Elden Ring for you? To answer this question, you must first understand how you want to play the game. In any case, here are the best Keepsake in Elden Ring that I think will go well with every character class:
- Bewitching Branch: Grants you the ability to calm any enemy and turn him into an ally. However, its effect is temporary, and the enemy will retaliate if you attack him again.
- Crimson Amber Medallion: This talisman grants you +26% HP when you equip it. The increase in HP depends on your Vigor stat and will increase as you progress in the game.
- Golden Seed: Increases the charge of your flask by +1. For example, if you start with 4 flasks, you can increase it to 5 by consuming a Golden Seed.
- Stonesword Key: Special keys that unlock the hidden doors behind Imp Statues. These doors often hide treasures, quests, and weapons.
This list is only based on my personal opinion, and you can choose any of the Keepsakes that you consider useful. Some players keep asking why didn’t I include the Fanged Imp Ashes in the list; the main reason is that you will eventually get a similar Spirt to summon after a few minutes in the game. So, choosing this Keepsake over all others might keep you away from other benefits.
FAQs
What is the best Keepsake in Elden Ring for the Samurai class?
The Samurai class in Elden Ring belongs to the family of Strength characters. So, your main goal should be gathering precious loot and powerful items and upgrading your abilities. In this regard, I suggest starting the Samurai character with either the Stonesword key or the Crimson Amber Medallion.
What are Keepsakes in Elden Ring?
Keepsakes are starting game gifts offered by FromSoftware Inc. in the game. You can choose one from a list of nine items to start with. Each item offers a unique benefit that can greatly affect your first few enemy encounters. In short, the Keepsakes are useful gifts that can grant you HP restoration, extra consumable flasks, free upgrades, and even keys to secret locations.
Can I play Elden Ring without Keepsakes?
The Keepsakes are useful gifts that can grant you HP restoration, extra consumable flasks, free upgrades, and even keys to hidden treasure. Moreover, the Keepsake that you choose explains the backstory behind your character. Alternatively, you can also start without taking any Keepsakes. In that case, the game considers your character as a Tarnished who has forgotten everything about his past.
Conclusion
Elden Ring is a challenging game right from the First Step Site of Grace. Fortunately, the game offers you to choose from nine gifts or Keepsakes when choosing your character class. The Keepsakes are useful gifts that can grant you HP restoration, extra consumable flasks, free upgrades, and even keys to hidden treasure.
So, choosing the right Keepsake according to your play style can greatly affect how you start the game. Therefore, this article explains the best Keepsake in Elden Ring for every class.
