The Relic First Guardian Controls & Input Guide
Map your hands to defense-first stamina combat before the first Brutal wall.
Clean inputs win more fights than raw reaction time in The Relic: First Guardian. The developers have said they want basic controls and skill usage to feel intuitive so your brain can focus on judgment: when to enter, when to stop, when to dodge, and when to parry. This page organizes PC and PlayStation 5 control expectations, accessibility habits, and practice drills tied to the game’s unique stamina rules.
For system context, see Getting Started. For the why behind each button, keep the combat guide open in another tab.
Shared control pillars
Regardless of platform, you will constantly use:
- Move / camera — semi-open spaces and cliff edges punish tunnel vision
- Light attack strings — free from stamina cost, still commitment-bound by animation
- Guard / parry timing — the road into Groggy
- Dodge / evade — your answer to unblockables
- Skill / magic buttons — cooldown tools, not infinite spam
- Item / heal — Breath of Esser management
- Lock-on / target swap — essential in camps with mixed threats
- Interact — notes, Tibelle’s Blessing, blacksmith, ladders, doors
Exact glyphs can vary by layout and accessibility remaps after launch. Treat the lists below as functional maps, then confirm in the in-game options menu on day one.
PlayStation 5 (DualSense) mindset
On console, bind muscle memory around a defense cluster: guard on a shoulder you can hold while adjusting the right stick, dodge on a face or shoulder button you can hit without releasing camera control, and skills on inputs you will not confuse with heal. Because stamina is defensive, accidental skill presses are less about emptying a bar and more about wasting a cooldown you needed for the boss punish.
Recommended practice on DualSense:
- In a safe area, hold guard and practice micro camera adjustments.
- Alternate perfect-guard attempts with dodge rolls on the same enemy pattern.
- Map heal to a button you can reach while locked on.
- Test adaptive trigger comfort settings if heavy triggers delay your parry.
Physical edition players should also note the September 4, 2026 PS5 disc date on the release page — digital day-one still launches July 31 with PC.
PC keyboard and mouse mindset
Keyboard players should separate movement keys from defense keys so that a panic strafing pattern does not eat the finger you need for dodge. Many soulslike veterans put dodge on Space and heal on a side mouse button; that still works here, but consider whether your skill keys sit too close to heal.
Mouse camera speed matters more than raw DPI. Brutals with high mobility punish low sensitivity that cannot track a circling overhead. Start medium-high, then lower until your parry timing stabilizes.
Controller on PC is fully valid — if you prefer DualSense or Xbox pads on Steam Input, use them. The combat system is built around timing, not around proving you can claw-grip a keyboard.
Menus and quality-of-life binds
Prioritize remaps for:
- Quick heal
- Skill 1 / Skill 2
- Lock-on toggle vs hold (pick one philosophy and stick to it)
- Interact separate from attack (misclicks on notes mid-fight are painful)
After launch, check the updates hub for any patch notes about input buffering or camera options.
Accessibility and comfort
If you struggle with tight parry windows, lean on builds that emphasize dodge and spacing — dagger or staff archetypes in the weapons tier list — while you train. Vibration cues can help telegraph heavy hits; turn them down if they numb your timing. Color-blind and subtitle settings matter because story notes and Brutal intros carry mechanical hints.
Drill schedule (20 minutes)
- Five minutes movement + camera only in a cleared camp
- Five minutes guard timing on a single enemy
- Five minutes dodge-only against the same enemy’s overheads
- Five minutes skill cooldown discipline: one skill per pack, then evaluate
Then take the same habits into a named fight from the Brutals guide.
Platform checklist before launch night
- Confirm your purchase platform via official links
- Wishlist or pre-load where available
- Decide controller vs keyboard now, not during the first Brutal
- Read system and tools if you are on PC and still waiting for final Steam specs (listed TBC on the store page)
Related reading
Controls are not trivia. In a game that asks for instant judgment, the best tip is boring: make the correct input the easy input, then spend your attention on the Brutal’s shoulders — not on hunting for the dodge key.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions.
Does The Relic: First Guardian support controller on PC?
Yes — play with keyboard and mouse or a controller via Steam Input. Choose one scheme and practice parry timing on that scheme.
What inputs matter most for beginners?
Guard/parry, dodge, heal, and one reliable skill. Master those before complex hybrid rotations.
Where do I rebind keys?
Use the in-game options menu after launch. Recheck binds after patches listed on the [updates](/updates/) page.
Should console and PC players follow different combat guides?
The systems are shared. Only glyphs differ — the [combat guide](/guides/combat-and-parry/) applies to both.