You do not need mods. Elden Ring can be made quite easier than other From Software games out of the box. It’s an open world, if you’re blocked at some point, you can go somewhere else to level up and get better. Also, you can summon spirits to help you with bosses and in some areas. And like with previous games, you can ask other humans to help you in difficult moments. I’d recommend to check some guides for beginner friendly builds. Otherwise, you’re good to go. The difficulty in those games is real, but it has been exagerated a lot.