Last Updated on Jul 31, 2026 @ 15:54:58 PM.
The Relic: First Guardian is the latest in a long line of Souslikes that attempt to reinvent the wheel. With it offering a unique take on the genre, with it removing stamina reductions from attacking, the Korean folklore it bases its stories on, and the sheer amount of bosses, there’s no surprise that some of the genre’s more regular mechanics do appear in one form or another; and that includes the improvement of your health.
It’s VERY easy to miss the ways of making yourself better in the game, whether it’s expanding and improving your Relic, the main way of getting stronger, or, the reason for this guide, increasing your health and giving you more of a chance to tank some hits. There are a few ways of doing this, and we’ll run you through each one.
Buying Skills
As you progress in your adventure, you’ll no doubt beat Brutals, and find Ancient Relic Blessings, all of which give you Relic Energy. The main purpose of this energy is to purchase skills with. The game has five unique weapon types, and each weapon has two separate skill trees to play with. In some of these, you can purchase skills which outright improve Health Points or Stamina, or in some cases, even buff the level of certain Relics.
By the end of my first playthrough, I had maximum skills in the Sword and Shield skill tree, which buffed the Robust Vitality relic to maximum along with it. Alongside the nodes that were bought to increase my health on their own, I ended up with quite the health reserve.
Expanding Your Relic
As mentioned above, you can expand your Relic in The Relic: First Guardian. Unlike buying skills though, this is much more of a longer term solution, as you’ll have to explore the huge lands of Arsilthus to find a Shard of Awakening. Take this to Elisa – the mysterious woman who awoke you at the beginning of the story – at any of the camps you find littered across the lands. She’ll take the Shard and open a new slot in your Relic, allowing you to equip those fragments you find upon your travels.
Not only can you equip a Relic like the Robust Vitality one mentioned above, you can equip plenty of others too. From Relics that’ll buff your attack, to ones that’ll passively heal you as you play, or others that’ll give you health back for every bit of damage you dole out, there’s a lot of options. And of course, you can directly upgrade these Relic fragments to make them every more potent.
Armor and Weapons
It’s not a Soulslike if the armor and weapons you’re wearing and using aren’t helping you in some way, and it’s more of the same in The Relic: First Guardian. Each item you pick up, from a Brutal’s own weapon to a well-hidden armor set hidden away in a corner, has a unique set of benefits. Some buff your stamina, others a specific elemental defense, and in some cases, they’ll directly give you more health.
Be careful though, as some of the rarer, stronger weapons and armors also come with Drawbacks, which directly take away something. Sometimes this is as simple as losing some stamina, other times it’s a particular weakness. You have to take the time to think if it’s worth the risk.
Finding Shards of Esser
In The Relic: First Guardian, you’ll come across temples with an item sat on an alter (see the image above), this is a Shard of Esser. Finding these will directly increase the amount of health potions you can carry on your person. You’ll start off with three, which at the beginning, with a smaller health bar, is plenty.
However, as you improve your health via buffs, Relics, Armor and the like, three won’t be enough when faced with some of the bigger, badder Brutals. The more Shards of Esser you find, the more potions you’ll get, and the more health you have. As we say in our tips and tricks article, always explore, and you’ll be (mostly) glad of what you find.
Below are just some of the locations in the Faded Mist Forest that you can find some of the Shards of Esser. By no means is this all of them, nor a full guide, but it’s a good start to get some extra health potions to make your life more simple.
What other tips do you have for increasing your health in The Relic: First Guardian? How far have you gotten so far? Let us know in the comments!
For your next read, check out our review, or how to beat Branko, the first boss you’ll encounter in the game.
Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
