Tips for RTD?

I've never actually been further than 20 minutes through this game, but I really want to revisit it for Return to Drangleic, anyone got any tips or helpful information that'll help me along my first play through? Thanks! (Extra Info: I've completed DS3 up to NG+4 and Bloodborne once, so I'm not that big of a noob. I'm also playing through on PC this time instead of PS4.)