Get ready for a new era of Elden Ring. Well, at the very least, the latest patch was sent out earlier today. Version 1.13.2 of the game promises ??a number of issues being fixed, with developer FromSoftware thanking fans for their "support and passion."

A post on X refers to the latest hotfix as a "calibration" update, which has started rolling out for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, which was released back in June. Despite the fact that the base game is largely considered one of the greatest role-playing releases in modern times, the expansion is sitting on a recent review score of "mixed" on Steam. Go figure.

Anyway, here's ever??ything you need to know about the update, which is rolling out to all platforms.

Elden Ring 1.13.2 patch notes

Information from the Bandai Namco website.

A hotfix (1.13.2) has been released to fix a bug.
Please download and apply the l??atest update in order to play the game. We apologize for?? the inconvenience.

Targeted Platforms

PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S / S??team

Bug fixes

• Fixed a bug which caused the Death status ailment from the Skill "Death Flare" to be applied to the Skill "Deadly Poison Spray".
• Fixed a bug that caused the power of some attacks used by the NPC "Red Bear" to be higher than intended.
• Fixed a bug that prevented players from invading other players' worlds in some areas of Scadu Altus under certain circumstances.
• Fixed a bug that allowed Cooperative multiplayer in some areas of Scadu Altus with no area bosses present.
• Fixes to adjustments regarding Revered Spirit Ash Blessing and some spirits introduced in App Ver. 1.13 App Ver. 1.13/Regulation Ver. 1.13.1
• Fixed a bug where summoned spirits were not correctly receiving the attack power and damage negation increase effect from Revered Spirit Ash Blessing.
• Fixed a bug in which the amount of status increase in the following spirits was different than expected. Warhawk／Spider Scorpion／Bigmouth Imp／Gravebird／Stormhawk Deenh／Banished Knight Engval／Fire Knight, Hilde／Battlemage Hugues／Depraved Perfumer Carmaan／Blackflame Monk Amon／Demi-Human Swordsman Yosh／Cleanrot Knight Finlay／Nightmaiden & Swordstress

The version number of this update shown at the lower right corner ?of the Title Screen will be as fo?llows:

App Ver. 1.13
Regulation Ver. 1.13.2

• In PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions, Regulation files can be downloaded by logging in to the server.
• If the Regulation Ver. listed in the lower right corner of the title screen is not1.13.2, please select LOGIN and apply the latest regulation before enjoying the game. Online play requires the player to apply this update.

The post Elden Ring version 1.13.2 patch notes for ‘calibration update’ issue several bug fixes appeared first on Destructoid.

While the term "overpowered" can be subjective, some of the Ashes of War introduced in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree are undeniably powerful and can be game changers, especially for those finding the content challenging. If you're struggling with Shadow of the Erdtree or are just curious to know, here are the most formidable on?es in the bunch.

Best Ashes of War in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

The following Ashes of War are all popular choices for meta builds within Shadow of the Erdtree. While they are always subject to change (and some of them have been changed since the game's release), they remain extremely competent choices for various forms of combat in Elden Ring.

Carian Sovereignty

Carian Sovereignty is a true game-changer, with its ability to deliver a duo of powerful magical attacks that can deal significant damage to enemies. The spell’s wide area of effect and high damage output make it an excellent choice for both crowd control and dealing with tougher foes. Notably, the second hit of Carian Sovereignty stands out as one of the single largest sources of damage you can achieve in all of Elden Ring. This immense damage potential makes the spell invaluable in boss encounters, if you can get the cast off.

Flame Skewer

Flame Skewer is an evolved version of Giant Hunt, now dealing powerful Fire damage. It features a special interaction with Fire Knight weapons, amplifying its impact. Like Giant Hunt, Flame Skewer delivers massive Poise damage, often launching all but the most resilient foes into the air. Additionally, its imp??ressive range for a melee attack and its vertical attack?? capability make it an excellent choice for targeting high-reaching weak points on enemies, such as dragon heads. The combination of its fire damage, Poise damage, and extended reach ensures Flame Skewer is a formidable asset in any battle.

Rolling Sparks

Rolling Sparks was heavily nerfed from its original state, but remains a strong choice without being oppressively powerful. It requires a Perfume Bottle to use, and its explosive range for a melee Ash of War makes it highly e??ffective for dealing substantial damage at a considerable distance. Despite the nerf, its ability to impact enemies from afar continues to make it a valuable tool in combat.

Blindspot

Blindspot stands out for its unique ability to provide both offense and defense. By allowing players to avoid incoming damage while simultaneously dealing their own, it offers a strategic advantage that's hard to ignore. This Ash of War is exceptionally powerful in high-stakes battles where both evasion and damage output are crucial. Its dual functionality makes it a versatile choice for players who need to adapt quickly to changing combat scenarios. I personally used this one to utterly trounce the endboss of Shadow of the Erdtree.

Swift Slash

Despite its recent nerf, Swift Slash remains a formidable Ash of War, particularly in PvE. Its rapid and powerful strike allow players to deal signifi??cant damage quickly, making it effective in various com??bat situations. Although its effectiveness in PvP has been somewhat reduced, it’s still a strong option for players who excel in fast-paced, aggressive combat. Swift Slash’s speed and damage output ensure that it continues to be a valuable asset in the right hands.

Savage Lion's Claw

Savage Lion's Claw excels with heavy weapons due to its quick speed and immense power. This Ash of War combines the brute force ??of heavy weapons with a series of fast, aggressive, overhead attacks, making it exceptionally strong. The speed of its strikes allows players to overwhelm enemies before they have a chance to react, making it ideal for those who want to capitalize on their heavy weapon's strengths and keep the pressure on their opponents. Like the standard version of Lion's Claw, it does big Poise damage to those who are hit by it.

Palm Blast

Palm Blast is notorious for its incredible damage output and the infinite Poise it provides while charging. This Ash of War allows players to deliver a devastating attack without fear of being interrupted, making it a powerful choice for those who want to deal extreme damage while maintaining their stance. Its ability to absor?b damage while charging makes it a strong contender for players looking to dominate in combat in PvP and break through general enemy defenses with ease.

The post These are the most overpowered Ashes of War in Elden Rin??g: Shadow of the Erdtree appeared first on Destructoid.

Streamer Perrikaryal has finally beaten Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's final boss a??fter a grueling slog through the DLC and tens of hour?s facing off against this boss in particular. Of course, the most impressive part is that she did it all using only her mind.

It took Perrikaryal 20 hours and 314 attempts to beat this DLC's final boss, but that still wasn't the toughest she faced in her journey. A 3-minute gap and 100 attempts separate this boss from the one that gave her the most trouble. Perrikaryal announced her victory on Twitter with a clip of the final fight. If you don't mind spoiling the boss, then I highly recommend watching both it and the entire run on Twitch.

The mind is mightier than FromSoftware's worst

When Shadow of the Erdtree was released, Perrikaryal took on the challenge and began playing it using her incre??dibly unique EKG controller, effectively translating brainwaves into controller inputs. After beating th??e first boss in the DLC, she was clear??ly given the confidence to push through and take on everything it has to offer.

To make this possible, Perrikaryal has tuned a set of brainwaves to her EKG controller and set them as specific inputs. This allows her to trigger certain actions, such as attacking or healing, by feeling things like heat or spinning a plate. She's put together a comprehensive video on how this all works if you want to check it out for your own challenge run. Or, like me, just to g??et your head around it all so you can under?stand what's going on during this monumental run of the game.

The final boss in Elden Ring's DLC is absolutely no joke. Some people I know have taken 50+ hours to defeat it using a controller and every other advantage you can think of in terms of items, buffs, and in-game levels. When I see anyone beat it in any other way, like Miss Mikkaa annihilating two simultaneous runs across a controller and dance pad, I'm in awe.

Perrikaryal's astounding run should show anyone who has given up on the final boss, or any other boss in Elden Ring, that there's definitely a chance for them to push through. We have no word on what the streamer will be running next w??ith her EKG controller, but I can't wai??t to see her smash another game with it.

The post Mind control streamer has finally beaten Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s final boss appeared first on Destructoid.

Elden Ring's fabled expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, focused hea?vily on the Faith side of the spell-slinging spectrum, but that doesn't mean Sorcery was completely neglected. Though there weren't nearly as many Sorcery spells added, a few of the ones that were are ac??tually worth casting at a moment's notice.

Best Sorcery Spells in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

As someone who used a Strength/Intellect build for my playthrough of Shadow of the Erdtree, I was on the constant lookout for new Sorcery spells worthy of slo??tting into my spellbook. The following spells were consistently worthy of ?every FP I spent on them.

Fleeting Microcosm

One of the four Finger Sorceries you can get in the expansion, Fleeting Microcosm opens up a brief portal and spawns an orb. This orb pulses once, dealing moderate damage to enemies nearby it before exploding ??in an even larger area. The explosion's damage is immaculate, which is why you cast this spell during AoE (Area of Effect) engagements. What's better is that this this spell can be cast at a pretty long distance from your target, and still land. Charging this spell amplifies the damage, the size of the orb, and the explosion at the cost of a slightly slower payoff, but it's worth it if you can do so.

If you want to pick up this Sorcery for yourself, you must participate in the questline offered by Count Ymir, located at the Cathedral of Manus Metyr. The spell is one of the rewards you ?get for doing so.

Gravitational Missile

Arguably one of the most useful new Sorcery spells, Gravitational Missle offers a wide spectrum of useful utility depending on how you decide to cast it. When you perform a basic cast of this spell, it summons a purple orb that travels forward from you slowly, pulsing several times before exploding in a large AoE. Each of these pulses deals very minor damage, but, more importantly, each pulse also pulls enemies toward its center. The pull effect isn't very significant, but it does interrupt enemies that can be affected by it by staggering them. This opens up many opportunities for you to dish out damage while the orb is active.

Now, if you charge up Gravitational Missle, you get more of the above, just bigger, wider, and more potent. The explosion damage is m??ore powerful and often immediately lethal to enemies caught within it. This larger ?orb dishes out even more damage while it actively staggers foes within its incredibly large pull radius. This was a key strategy for me while dealing with the final invasion encounter before meeting the last boss face-to-face.

The most significant thing about Gravitational Missile is how the orb itself interacts with collision. When it touches any surface, the orb will explode, dealing its damage immediately, and knocking back or down enemies within the radius. This is useful because the direction of the orb is determined by your target or the direction your character is facing. So, if you face toward the ground, the orb will instantly explode on the cast, triggering the previously mentioned effects. Gravitational Missile can be cast extremely fast compared to ?most spells of its type, making this spell very useful for player-centered AoE and crowd-control. It is no slouch on damage either, as even an uncharged cast aimed at the ground will kill most enemies in only a few casts. I found this aim-at-the-ground casting to be the most useful application ?of this spell.

You too obtain Gravititional Missle by slaying the Fallingstar Beast in the crater located on Fingerstone Hill.

Impenetrable Thorns

When it comes to spells built for pure offensive onslaught, Impenetrable Thorns is probably the best added in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. It functions very similarly to the Blood-themed Briar spells of the base game. However, the main difference is that Impenetrable Thorns simply does significantly more damage, being able to three-shot some bosses in the DLC through powerful blood lost procs. Its improved range also?? outclasses the Br?iar spells, making it an exceptionally good opener to a majority of encounters throughout the DLC. As far as offense goes, Impenetrable Thorns easily tops the list of excelling Sorcery.

If you want to get your hands on Impenetrable Thorns, you can find it on a corpse in Shadow Keep, within the Storehouse, Seventh Floor. You'll first need to r??otate the beams so make sure the pull the lever first to reach the corpse's l?ocation.

Mass of Putrescence

If you recall the base game spell, Cannon of Halma, then this spell ??functions in a similar regard in terms of how it is cast. However, Mass of Putrescence is more closely associated with the base game spell, Rolling Magma, only better in most cases. With Rolling Magma, you always needed to cast it so that the projectile did not hit an enemy to get its full effect. This is not the case with Mass of Putresence. Direct hits with this spell will still cause ?it to properly explode for its core effect. Despite this, the ideal usage of this spell is still to cast it like Rolling Magma: Avoid direct hits.

Now, what is Mass of Putresence? When you cast this spell, you lob a foul glob of magic through the air like a mortar. When it ?hits a surface, it explodes, projecting ghostflame across a wide area. Enemies hit by the flames are subject to Frostbite build-up, which is why this spell is so excessively strong at picking off groups of enemies from a distance.

You can find Mass of Putrescence in the Stone Coffin Fissure, the furthest you can go south in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. The spell is found on a corpse near the Fissure Waypoint Site of Grace. You'll need to do some careful platforming by dropping down a nearby cli??ff, so use caution when hunting this s??pell.

Rellana's Twin Moons

The final spell on this list, Rellana's Twin Moons is a third variety of the Moon spells from the base game. Unlike the base game versions, Rellana's Twin Moons are cast at your position. You float into the air and slam two Moons into the ground, causing Moon-level AOE explosions, concluding the spell cast with a shockwave slam that also deals big damage. This spell is extremely powerful, just like all Moon spells, but it does come with the caveat of needing significant Poise if you want to use it in close combat with enemies, This is because this spell is easy to interrupt. It isn't uncommon to be thrown out of the air mid-cast by enemies hitting you with merely a stick. Nevertheless, this spell is very strong and is easily one of the best in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

To get Rellana's Twin Moons, you must first slay Rellana, Twin Moon Knight located within Castle Ensis, to earn her Remembrance. Take her Remembrance to the Finger Reader at the Roundtable and exchange it for this spell.

The post Best Sorcery ?Spells added in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree appeared first on Destructoid.

First off, yes, Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree is very difficult �?nearly as di??fficult as the Internet at large is claiming it to be.

Still, as recently caught by GamesRadar, we saw the recording of u/Gneurshk_, a player who was giving everything he had against the final boss in th??e DLC, only to witness the boss vanishing and then dying from a mysterious hit that dealt it over 32,000 damage.

Spoilers for the final boss of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree follow.

FromSoft is known for messing with players, but let me use the experience gained? from many hours trying to bring this beast down to assure? you that this is not how the fight is supposed to go down.

Did the boss fall out of bounds to meet an outrageous amount of fall damage? Did he attempt to use magic too powerful even for the gods? Did Malenia get to him without us noticing? We might never learn the answer to these questions, but this situat??ion brings about a point that I find worth discussing.

Besides this story itself, which is pretty funny for outsiders to read about when everyone is complaining about the DLC's difficulty, we should delve into how might actually suc??k a lot for many players. A large number of players would see this as a total blessing �?especially after hours of getting their asses kicked by this evil team-up between an overpowered beast and a literal god. Still, there are those, like the player in question, who'd see this event as but a cruel denial of their most glorious moment.

Many players complain about the lack of an easier difficulty mode in Souls games and, while I feel like that's a discussion worth having, I believe we should also begin asking for a boss repla??y mode.

If you're a hardcore player, the greates??t reward in these games isn’t?? the cool amulets or sets of armor you get by venturing into the most dangerous places and destroying the toughest bosses. It’s the boss fights themselves. Not getting direct access to bosses you’ve already beaten feels like a missed opportunity to many, especially if you never really got to beat them.

As of the time of this writing, there's no known way of reproducing Radahn's fatal heart attack glitch, but this is not the first known instance of a similar glitch in a game by FromSoftware. I can attest to that, as I witnessed the exact same pattern of events when I first fought the Blood-Starved Beast in Bloodborne. I was also robbed of a few victories in my first playthrough of Elden Ring, as my main character f??ell right before I got to kill the boss. More times than I'd like to admit, the last thing my character saw was their mimic avenging their death by dealing the last hit �?and effectively stealing my glory.

If you Gneurshk wants to give this boss a rematch, they’ll have to replay a large chunk of the base game, then go through the entirety of the DLC. That’s a lot of effort, an effort that can be nullified to the detriment of no one if From just adds a boss re?play option upon completion of the game.

You can now pray that god will cheese your enemies out of existence in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, an??d PC.

The post Too hard? Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree’s final boss can suddenly die in front of you appeared first on Destructoid.

Streamers have been finding creative ways to play games for years, but FromSoftware content creators seem to take things to the next level. Having already beaten the DLC with a controller, MissMikkaa is now tackling Shadow of the Erdtree using a dance pad.

At the time of writing, MissMikkaa has conquered a few bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree, including epic dance-offs with the Dancing Lion and Renalla. She's also been defeating a few l?esser-known bosses along the way, sometimes in a single encounter. However, as she continues this run, she'll almost certainly hit a wall of difficulty at the final boss, which has?? given just about everyone a good 500 deaths before finally falling.

Shadow of the Erdtree is draining enough without the dance pad

FromSoftware's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion for Elden Ring brings a few new mec?hanics to the table that make it more challenging than the base ga?me, even for veterans. A new level system makes it feel like starting fresh, and mastering each new weapon and every attack pattern from each boss is exhausting enough.

When you consider that MissMikkaa's competing with all of that and jumping around to press every button required, this run sounds crushingly difficult a??????????????????????????nd maddening to get your head around. I struggle to use a dance pad for actual dancing games, let alone a Soulsborne title.

As for how thi??s works, the dance pad is set up to take the basic inputs you'd use on a controller. Some inputs, such as double tapping a directional button, trigger running, but everything is pretty much set out as you can see it on-screen. If you watch the clips of MissMikkaa tackling these bosses, you can see how she's already learned their attack patterns, allowing her to dodge, jump, and heal when she knows she's safe before going in for her attacks.

This isn't the first time MissMikkaa's tackled a FromSoftware game with a dance pad. Her most impressive feat in Elden Ring was beating two runs of i?t simultaneously. One using a controller, and the other using a dance pad. I have no doubt that the streamer has plans to do exactly the same thing in Shadow of the Erdtree once she's successfully beate?n it on both the controller and dance pad individually.

Soulslike games are some of the best to watch anyone play. Viewers can get a sense of the player's frustration and elation when it comes to bosses so easily. Shadow of the Erdtree might be the biggest challenge when it comes to what ??the genre has to offer to date, so I'd expect someone out there to take playing it in new ways even further on stream pretty soon. That is if MissMikkaa doesn't outdo herself first.

The post Elden Ring streamer MissMikkaa is dominating Shadow of the Erdtree’s bosses using a dance pad appeared first on Destructoid.

Most of the discussion surrounding the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion for Elden Ring has been about how challenging it is, with people even making mods that tone down the difficulty. Skilled enough players, though, have de??monstrated that not only can the DLC's toughest enemies be felled, they can be defeated without taking any damage yourself. One such player has shown its possible with even the fin?al boss fight.

Reddit user jaded-dreamer5 recently shared a clip of them taking on the final boss, who we will refrain from naming since it's a spoiler. Just know it's perhaps the hardest boss fight in all of Shadow of the Erdtree, yet jaded-dreamer5 makes it look easy, beating the boss in less than two minutes. To add extra insult to injury, their character was almost completely naked and wielded a rather piddly looking swo?rd and shield, but still managed to expertly dodge and parry every attac?k.

While fellow players are almost upset with the level of skill on display, they're more impressed by jaded-dream5's incredible feat. "That was beautiful. Specially because it made the boss look so easy," said one, while another called the fight "very satisfying to watch." One player has admitted seeing the clip m?ade them angry "cause I am using every trick in the book and still can’t beat him," but still congratulated jaded-dream5 for pulling off a no-hit run.

However, jaded-dream5 has assured this wasn't as simple as it may seem, saying they apparently died over 500 times to the boss beforehand. They've also offered advice on how to beat the boss, explaining "The easiest way to deal with him is a greatshield with greatshield talisman + holy resistance and bleed antspur spear. You just need to manage your stamina." Plus, in case it wasn't obvious from the gameplay clip, parrying is super important too, and jaded-dream5 made use of the Raptor of?? the Mists skill for dodging certain attacks.

This is by no means the only example of a no-hit run against the final boss. You can find other examples on YouTube, such as these two which appear to make use of similar strategies as jaded-dream5's. It seems staying up close to the boss and parrying is a very effective method for beating them since it apparently reduces what sort of attacks the boss will use, which is another detail jaded-dream5 shared with struggling players. You'll likely still want to track down as many Scadutree Blessings as you can to make yourself stronger, though,

The post Dedicated Elden Ring player makes Shadow of the Erdtree’s final boss look like a joke in no-hit run appeared first on Destructoid.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree adds a wide variety of new weapons to tackle the DLC. Colossal Greatswords are one of the weapon classes that has seen impressive additions to its roster. One of which, the Fire Knight’s Greatsword, has a fast light attack combo which players of Dark Souls 3 might be familiar with. With impressive reach and scaling, the Fire Knight’s Greatsword is an excellent primary weapon for Strength/Faith builds. Here’s how to get the Fire Knight’s Greatsword in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

Where to find the Fire Knight’s Greatsword in Elden Ring

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Fire Knight’s Greatsword drops from Fire Knights. These enemies are primarily found in the Shadow Keep region. He?re’s the? most efficient way to farm Fire Knights:

1. Begin at the Storehouse, First Floor Site of Grace.
2. Turn around and take the lift down. There is a Fire Knight that patrols the path ahead. Save yourself some time by sending the lift back up to the Site of Grace.
3. After slaying the Fire Knight, simply fast-travel back to the Storehouse, First Floor Site of Grace, and repeat the process.

How to use the Fire Knight’s Greatsword in Elden Ring

The Fire Knight’s Greatsword comes with the Stamp skill but is commonly replaced with other fire-based Ash of War abilities. Some of the most popular are Flame Skewer and ?Flame Spear. After using either of these Ash of War abilities, the weapon will be engulfed in flames and deal additional fire damage. 

While the Fire Knight’s Greatsword has D scaling in Strength, Dexterity, and Faith, it’s recommended to only have the required Dexterity to use the weapon (18) and then focus on Strength and Faith ??to scale the Physical and Fire damage, respectively. Investing in Faith means you can utilize the Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength incantations t??????????????????????????o boost the offensive capabilities of the weapon. 

Here are t?he ??stats and requirements of the Fire Knight’s Greatsword: 

Fire Knight’s Greatsword

• Colossal Greatsword (Class)
• Standard/Pierce damage
• Skill: Stamp (Upward Cut)
• FP Cost: 5
• Weight: 16.0
• Attack Power:

  • Physical - 147
  • Fire - 44

• Attribute Scaling:

  • Strength - D
  • Dexterity - D
  • Faith - D

• Attributes Required:

  • Strength - 22
  • Dexterity - 18
  • Faith - 12

The post How to get the Fire Knight’s Greatsword in Elden Ring appeared first on Destructoid.

Fans are already touting Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree as an even bigger challenge than the?? base game, and that's naturally due to its new boss roster.

While I don't think any of the bosses in the new gallery of monstrosities reaches the heights of Malenia when it comes to sheer difficulty, I can still safely say that Shadow Of The Erdtree's hard?est bosses feature some highly challenging and inventive foes.

10. Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame

As with with all things frenzied flame, Midra requires players to worry abo??ut the yellow madness meter that builds up when they get hit by his attacks. Though madness is his most perilous threat, he has a harder time charging up the meter than the guards that inhabit the woods section players must cross to reach Midra.

Midra isn't a particularly daunting foe if you know what you'??re up against, but getting too comfortable against his rather slow move-set might prove your downfall as he still has some faster lunges with his sword, and because you might forget the buildup of the aforementioned m??adness.

Though he is a respectable foe, the most difficult part about Midra is getting to him, as he?? hides inside a secret area that's easily the least fun to?? traverse in the entire game.

9. Divine Beast Dancing Lion

The DLC's first main boss isn't as hard as Magrit, the first main boss in the main game, but he's the perfect foil for players who dare to underestimate Shadow Of The Erdtree's new trappings.

If you go head-first into the DLC's main quest, the Dancing Lion might prove a challenge, due to how the DLC's new level scaling mo?stly nullifies the advanta?ges players would expect from entering it at a high level. The Dancing Lion is a big enemy who attacks with large swings and elemental AOE abilities, but he's actually pretty accessible as a "first boss" for players engaging the DLC as FromSoft intended.

If he's giving you a hard time,?? take a step back, do your reconaissance, grab some Scadutree fragments here and there, and then give it another shot. You'll see that his thre?at will be greatly diminished.

8. Bayle, The Dread

One of the very first lessons you learn when playing the first game in the Souls series is th??at all enemies can kill you, but Drag?on-type enemies even more so.

FromSoft seems to love putting Dragons in their DLCs that are even stronger than the Dragons seen in the base games, and Bayle might just be their masterpiece. While not as strong and resilient as Darkeater Midir from the Dark Souls 3 Ringed City DLC, Bayle is still very resilient and a much more well-rounded enemy, courtesy of its ?smaller frame and?? vaster moveset. Bayle is likely the most fun Dragon-type boss to fight in the whole series.

7. Scadutree Avatar

Not all bosses need to rush players with an incessant barrage of crazy moves to provide a challenge. Scadutree avatar picks his battles, and splits his most devastating abilities into three phases �?yes, this thing is almost a Final Fantasy boss.

On top of having the unwavering discipline necessary to navigate the Scadutree Avatar's three forms, players can't just reduce its health to 0, as they'll also have to seal the deal at the end of each form by performing a Sekiro-like critical hit animation. Sleeping on that will just cause the beast to get back up and deny you the fruits of your hard ??labor.

6. Messmer

Going into the DLC, many likely expected Messmer, the most publicized new enemy in th?e DLC, to become its most challenging foe. That fear grew even stronger when we started hearing rumors that he could be Malenia's third sibling.

Though Messmer possesses two different forms and various powerful AOE at??tacks, he never poses as much as a challenge as his sister.

Messmer even has one continuous attack that seems to emulate the Waterfowl Dance, Malenia's most dangerous move, but it's still not as difficult to avoid as his sister's? nightmarish game-ender. Messmer can deal a lot of damage if left unchecked, but he doesn't prime for his resilience. I nearly did him in my first attempt, and that was before I started searching the map to stock up on ?Scadutree Fragments.

5. Putrescent Knight

One of the cool things about Elden Ring is ho??w it allows players to pick between going on foot or on horseback against most enemies. That's advantageous to us, but it would totally suck to have to face a boss who can also switch between?? the two modes on the fly. The Putrescent Knight does that, and then takes it a step further by commanding his ride to attack you while he's also striking you on foot. Expect a barrage of attacks that will only stop once either you or this thing is looking at his equivalent of the "You Died" screen.

N??ow, please don't get me wrong. I just made him look like a nightm?are, but the the Putrescent Knight is also one of the most fun challenges in the game.

4. Blackgaol Knight

Do not let the lack of lore or altogether presentation throw you off. This guy is not to? be trifled with. He resides in a crypt near the start of the game, which might lead you to believe he's a training dummy that Miyazaki nicely put there to ease you into?? the game. But he's a whole different thing.

The Blackgaol Knight is very dangerous from afar, as he can make use of his automatic crossbow to fill players with burning arrows. Things don't get much better up close, where he'll absolutely obliterate most players courtesy of his high poise-granting armor and massive sword. He's as fast as the player, can self-heal once, and is completely relentless. His moveset is rather simple, but he leaves absolutely no room for fail?ure.

Bringing a high level from the base game with no new upgrades counts for very little once you enter his arena. One mistake or one instance of getting too cocky is all that it takes for your life to immediately reach zero. I'm pretty sure FromSoft put it there just to let players know that even a straightforward enemy is all that it takes to destroy players who won't adhere?? by the DLC's rules.

3. Rellana, Twin Moon Knight

Rellana is?? the sister of Rennala from the base game, but the two boss fights are nothing alike. Rennala is a mage that will try to keep her distance from players to try to snipe them with ranged spells. Rellana is a knight who'll use her two swords to cut players from up close via an incredibly aggressive moveset �?but is also somehow capable of inflicting immense damage from afar. In fact, Rellana's most deadly spell is more powerful and harder to avoid than any of Rennala's spells.

Rellana's swords heavily resemble Pontiff Sulyvahn's weapons from Dark Souls?? 3, but this spiritual disciple of Sulyvahn's is a much, much more formidable opponent than the ??old man.

2. Commander Gaius

As soon as I gathered the courage to admit that I was getting my ass handed to me by a rando on literal piggyback, I was immediately assured by the?? Destructoid team that Commander Gaius was no joke.

Though he's not one of the most famed bosses, I'd argue that he?'s the boss that can kill you the fastest. I'm not saying FromSoft messed up when coding this one, but something about the hit detection of his ramming attacks just didn't feel right in any of the (over) ten attempts I needed to beat him �?and he rams a lot. It feels like he hits you before his character model comes in contact with your character, then there seems to be a second hit detection for the boar that he's riding. He hits fast, hard, and also moves very quickly. This is one of the very few enemies in the entire series that's hard to outrun �?even when riding Torrent.

As for his moveset, well, he feels like a mix between that Tree Sentinel known for stomping on all Elden Ring newco??mers, and the special moves of General Radahn??. He's an absolute menace.

1. Promised Consort Radahn

Ever looked at Radahn in his Elden Ring form and wondered how much of a beast he'd have been in his prime?? Well, you probably s??houldn't have done that.

Radahn's new fight is poised to be difficult simply because he'll revive the memories of the frustrations you had when going up against him in the original game, but this time he's even worse. This is not old decrepit Radahn. This is the Radahn that Malenia had to nearly sacrifice herself to beat. And, if just being so much stronger weren't enough, instead of a horse, he now has the help of a literal god o?n his shoulders.

Much like the original iteration, the new Radahn has a?? wide range of flashy moves, many of which are capable of bringing your HP bar to 0 with ease. Unlike the original iteration, however, which didn't prime for its toughness, new Radahn has a lot of HP �?even if you have your character up to date with the new Ashes and Scadutree upgrades.

This R??adahn is one for the ages, and not just because he might take ages for you to beat.

The post Elden Ring: Sha??dow Of The Erdtree hardest bosses, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Elden Ring streamers and content creators have been destroying its Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for the past week. The expansion's final boss has given everyone a hard time, but streamer MissMikkaa has discovered a glitch that makes the fight look a little more challenging and ??a little bit ridiculous.

Needless to say, spoilers ahead for those who don't know anything about Shadow of the Erdtree's final boss. In one of her recent runs against Radahn, she experienced yet another defeat at the hands? of what might be the second-hardest enemy in the base game and DLC. However, this run ended with her laughing at the boss because she somehow spawned two of them into the arena with her.

MissMikka's unfortunate Elden Ring glitch makes the final boss look funnier and more fierce

MissMikka shared the Shadow of the Erdtree glitch she experienced on Twitter, askin??g if anyone else had seen it in their game. She added, "When the boss uses a mimic tear on you�? which accurately describes the mix of emotions the video brings out in any player.

Yes, those are two Radahns you can see in the video after MissMikkaa's Tarnished fades away. This is the same boss that Kai Cen??at butted heads with for roughly?? 50 hours and 500 deaths before he completed his run in Shadow of the Erdtree, which should show you just how difficult it is to figh?t.

The first Radahn, which defeats MissMikkaa's Tarnished, is the second phase of this final boss fight, Radahn, Consort of Miquella. That appears to be the active boss MissMikkaa is encountering at the moment, while the second boss in the background looks more like an N?PC struggling to understand ??what to do because it's in a scene where it shouldn't be.

Both versions of the boss ??are Radahn, Consort of Miquella, so the second version is definitely a copy. It looks like the glitch caused the boss to spawn once the player character had been defeated. You don't see it in the arena until the Tarnished's health pool has been depleted, and the second boss doe?sn't move for a few seconds after we first see it.

Mercifully, this second Radahn didn't leap into the fight. Although MissMikkaa has beaten Elden Ring in two simultaneous runs, one with a controller and one with a dance pad, so defeating two Radahns in the same arena?? where eve?ryone else has only had to beat one is probably something she could do.

The post Streamer MissMikkaa discovers ??Shadow of the Erdtree glitch t??hat spawns two final bosses appeared first on Destructoid.

There's been no shortage of contentious discussion surrounding Shadow of the Erdtree's difficulty, particularly when it comes to the?? bosses. Relentless combo chains are probably the most-bemoaned aspect of encounter design in the DLC, but I have come to sing the praises of our friend, our granter-of-damage, our savior: the Deflecting Hardtear.

Where to get the Deflecting Hardtear

This is very easy to find, and very early in the DLC. The first Furnace Golem you see in the Land of Shadow will drop the Deflecting Hardtear when defeated. Defeating it is just a matter of walking up and whacking its tootsies until it "stance breaks"?? three times, at which point it will fall to the ground primed for a high damage punish to its face.

Just make sure you watch the feet and jump over the resulting flames?? on Torrent (or on foot if you're feeling brave). If it jumps with both feet, back away a distance to avoid the resulting AoE. Once?? it's down, mix the Deflecting Hardtear into your Flask of Wondrous Physick at the nearby Grace.

How to use the Deflecting Hardtear

The Deflecting Hardtear is deceptively simple and powerful. It completely negates damage and vastly reduces stamina drain when you block in the precise moment you would otherwise take damage (think of it working nearly the same as a parry in Sekiro). This works with shields, weapons, even your bare hands. You can tank hits that would otherwise pancake you with nothing more than a dagger if you press block when t?he blow lands.

What's more, the tear also increases your follow-up Guard Counter. This bonus lasts a few moments and also stacks up to four: if you land four perfect guards in ?a row the resulting Guard Counter will be boosted by a staggering 80% damage.

These two boons are enough to positively annihilate any humanoid-style enemy like Messmer. Yes, you'll need to learn their attack patterns to be able to land perfect guards, but if you combine the tear with a powerful shield you'll safely block any attacks you tr?y to block too early. Blocking too late will get you hit, but blocking about half of any incoming blows is still a huge damage reduction when trying to learn fights.

Now, could this have been a talisman instead of a flask buff? Yeah, probably. But rest assured: the buff lasts 5 minutes, ?which is long enough for any boss encounter in the DLC and more than enough to get you through any difficult scuffles on your way to the next site of Grace.

Deflecting Hardtear build advice

Combining the Deflecting Hardtear with the Curved Sword Talisman, which further improves Guard Counters, is a no-brainer. I'd also suggest using?? it with either a high poise-damage weapon (like a Colossal weapon) or any weapon that inflicts something like bleed and hits multiple times on Guard Counter (like Blood-infused Backhand Blades). This will let you land more stance breaks or deal consistent damaging afflictions when you do land Guard Counters.

If you'd like to play it safe, you can combine the tear with a Greatshield for additional cushioning on missed perfec??t blocks. But, if you're feeling zesty, you can simply rock a two-handed weapon with the T??wo-Handed Sword Talisman, which boosts damage when any weapon is held in both hands. If you're looking for something in-between, try a two handed weapon with a high physical block value, like the Greatsword of Solitude.

Using the Deflecting Hardtear facilitates my new favorite playstyle in Elden Ring. Taking it into the base game and countering Melania's Waterfowl Dance is positively cathartic. I do wish it were "baked in" to the game's opt??ions a little more, but the fact t??hat we got a parry at all is more than welcome.

The post How to use the Deflecting Hardtear in Shadow of the ??Erdtree appeared first on Destructoid.

The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring has undoubtedly been another success story for developer FromSoftware and publisher Bandai Namco, with it pushing five million copies in its first three d??ays. However, many pl??ayers have aired complaints with the DLC's performance, particularly on PC, and FromSoftware may have found the ?cause of it: mouse control related software.

In a June 28 Tweet (as translated by Automaton), FromSoftware explained that Elden Ring's frame rate risks becoming unstable if you're also running any sort of app that has to do with mouse control. As such, it's worth disabling it to see if that improves the performance at all, not just for the DLC but for the base game too. At least one player, Twitter user ECHIZEN_KURAGE_, has said that this does work, saying their performance issues went away after turning off a mouse gesture app they were using. At the time of writing, t??hough, it remains to be seen how widespread this solution is.

In the recent patch notes for Shadow of the Erdtree, Bandai Namco also confirmed it discovered a bug with the PC version that could be an alternative cause for the performance issues. For some reason, this bug automatically enables raytracing, which would hamper the frame rate on any PCs that aren't powerful enough to run games with raytracing. Fortunately, there's a very easy fix for this. You just have to go into Elden Ring's graph??ic settings and, if raytracing is turned on, simply turn it off.

If you've been struggling to enjoy Elden Ring on PC because of an inconsistent frame rate, hopefully either one of these solutions will be enough to resolve the problem. If not, then that's something FromSoftwar?e is ideally working on behind the scenes. The studio has already promised at least one more patch later down the line, which will include more bug fixes and balance adjustments.

The post Elden Ring’s PC performance problems may be caused by mouse control software appeared first on Destructoid.

All the Tarnished out there are getting punished on a minute-by-minute basis and loving it. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree launched on June 21, ?2024, and the official accounts are already reporting five million copies sold around the world.

According to Bandai Namco Entertainment's original press release, these numbers come after just three days of the DLC's release. The X (formerly Twitter) account for Elden Ring thanked "t??he many who tread the path left by Kindl??y Miquella."

A new accolade?s trailer also dropped along with the news:

Much has been said about the difficulty of Shadow of the Erdtree in the days since its arrival. At first it was too brutal even for seasoned vets of Elden Ring and other FromSoftware titles. Then its unique leveling system got patched and players were split on the adjustments. Regardless of where folks fall on the usual "t?oo hard/not hard enough" scale, it's clear plenty were eagerly anticipating the long-awaited expansion.

Now, how many of those five million (and counting, presumably) Tarnished were able to access the DLC as soon as it launched? Show us the hard numbers, Bandai Namco! I'd love to know how many had progressed far enough through optional areas and encounters to enter the Realm of Shadow. 

Hopefully everyone will get there eventually, because Shadow of the Erdtree is a hell of a send-off for Elden Ring as a whole. 

The post Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree welcomes 5 million Tarnished in fi??rst three days appeared first on Destructoid.

Back when Elden Ring launched in 2022, one player rose to prominence for repeatedly and single-handedly defeating the game's most difficult boss fight, Malenia, Blade of Miquella. He was fittingly named Let Me Solo Her, and with the release of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, he's back to solo what? may be the expansion's Malenia equivalent.

As demonstrated in a new YouTube video, Let Me Solo Her (or should that be Let Me Solo Him?), has set their sights on Messmer the Impaler. While there's some debate over whether Messmer is the hardest boss in the DLC (I know some would argue that honor goes to the final boss), he has definitely proved to be a roadblock for some players in an expansion many already found overly difficult. Yet Let Me Solo Her makes it look easy.

In the video above, he effortless dodges Messmer's fast and furious attacks, even the ones where he transforms into a giant snake, and successfully takes the bos?s down in roughly three minutes without taking a single hit. Fans of Let Me Solo Her's work will be pleased to know he's still wearing a jar over his head, though he's no longer almost nu??de as he's rocking a new cloak.

No doubt players will be keeping an eye out for Let Me Solo Her's summon sign right before they try taking on Messmer again. At the very least, it can be reassuring to know such a skilled player is still around to help others in bypassing Shadow of the Erdtree's toughest challenges.

Even for a FromSoftware game, the DLC's difficulty has proved contentious, and it didn't take long for mods?? to come out that try to make things a tad easier. FromSoftware also seems to have acknowledged it cooked too hard, having put out a patch that affects the sca??ling of the Shadow Realm Blessings.

The post Elden Ring icon Let Me Solo Her returns to aid players in one of Shadow of the Erdtree’s toughest boss fights appeared first on Destructoid.

Streamer Kai Cenat has beaten Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree after an intense 99-hour marathon with the DLC tha??t saw him but his head against the final boss for roughly 500 deaths and one live therapy session. Cenat promptly celebrat?ed his victory by falling to the floor and screaming in victory, before being praised by his friends.

Since Shadow of the Erdtree's initial release, Kai Cenat has focused on beating it. FromSoftware sent him a life-size Malenia statue to commemorate his 24+ hour battle with the base game's super-boss ahead of the DLC's release, and while no boss in this expansion appears to have given him quite as much trouble, he still struggled. He managed to reach the final boss, which had two tough phases to conquer, with roughly 50 hours and 500 deaths, but ended his marathon at 99 hours and a total of 1,070 deaths. (Spoilers for the identity of the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree follow.)

Now everyone can finally rest

Cenat posted his victory on Twitter with just a few words, "RADAHN IS NOW DEAD." This post was followed by a clip of the final moments in this battle from Kai Mafia Updates, and the roar the streamer lets out after he sees the boss fall is unlike anything I've ever seen on Twitch before. It would feel more at home in a TV show like Vikings.

While Cenat was stuck throwing himself at Radahn, desperately trying to beat the boss, someone enlisted the help of model and counselor Aubri Williams for a live therapy session to help him get into the right head space. You can watch the final moments of his marathon on Twitch, but it's probably worth settling in?????????????????????????? for the full 99 hours if you want to see everything the DLC has to offer and, li??ke me, aren't prepared enough to play it.

I've played a little of most of FromSoftware's games, and I can't argue with the logic that having a professional get you into the right mood and emotions before a boss battle certainly feels like it would help. It's certainly not the strangest tactic out there. That belongs to the Prepare to Try (now RKG) team putting paper on the screen to beat Prince Lorian and Prince Lothric in Dark Souls 3.

Kai Cenat has been an outstanding creator in the Elden Ring space in the lead up to and throughout Shadow of the Erdtree's launch. Before his marathon began, he took the time to shout out other creators he follows and believes are worth everyone checking out in a wholesome display that you don't see too often on Twitch.

I think everything has been building to this moment for a long time for Cenat, but he's not done. The streamer has plans to play through similar games, such as Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Bloodborne, as marathons. Despite these games also being FromSoftware titles, every fan knows just how different the gameplay is between them and Elden Ring, so all I can say is good luck.

The post After 1,070 deaths and 99 hours, Kai Cenat beats El?den Ring DLC live on stream appeared first on Destructoid.

You all know by now the big talking point surrounding the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring its its difficulty, with many a player finding it far more challenging than they'd like. While this hardly means FromSoftware'??s going to introduce an easy mode any time soon, it has put out a calibration update to try and ma??ke things more balanced.

This update, as detailed on Bandai Namco's website, primarily revises the scaling of the Shadow Realm Blessings, which is Shadow of the Erdtree's unique leveling system for boosting the attack and defence of your character and spirit summons. This is done by collecting Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spi??rit Ashes. With this calibration update, the effects of the Shadow Realm Blessings are more? effective for the first few levels and then become more gradual, and the attack and damage negation you gain from the final level up (since there's a limited number of Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes) has been slightly increased.

Glancing through fan reactions on the Elden Ring subreddit, it seems plenty of players have welcomed this patch, since it should make the early portions of Shadow of the Erdtree slightly more manageable, but keep the overall experience as challenging as a FromSoftware game should be. "Buffing the early game [Scadutree Fragments] is nice," says one fan, "Should make it less brutal but still challenging for people without trivializing the late game." Another believes the Blessings system is "golden for bal?ance updates," saying it's like "A handful of convenient levers they can fiddle with to a??djust things globally."

Once you get past these comments, though, you'll find some players who vehemently oppose the update, seeing it as nerfing the difficulty. These players argue the DLC was perfectly manageable as it was and have expressed disappointment in FromSoftware for kowtowing to the complaints. Others have argued back, saying you can make Shadow of the Erdtree more challenging for yourself by simply not collecting the Sc?adutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes since you can't strengthen your character with?out them.

The discourse surrounding Shadow of the Erdtree's difficulty will likely never go away, especially since the recent patch notes mention more balance changes are on the way. There have also been criticisms lobbied against the DLC's performance on PC, with even some of the positive user reviews on Steam complaining about frame drops.

The post Latest Elden Ring patch tunes Shadow of the Erdtree’s difficulty, and players are split on whether that’s a good thing appeared first on Destructoid.

The Elden Ring DLC is a tough piece of video game, but thankfully it isn't completely malicious. The DLC includes more ways to strengthen your character, such as new Talismans. I suggest you find the Spelldrake Talisman +3 in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree for the best magic defense.

The Spelldrake Talisman +3 is in a cave along a cliffside near the 'Castle Front' encampment Site of Grace. If you have the Site unlocked, you can start your quest for the Talisman there. If not, you'll need to travel to the Castle Front encampment located northeast from where you begin Shadow of the Erdtree. To get there??, you must cross the Ellac Greatbridge, which has a few enemies and a guy guarding the encampment with a large ballista that fires tree-sized bolts �?which explode. Right, I should have mentioned th??at this path won't be easy.

Fight your way past the enemies or run away from them a?nd go deeper into the encampment. Unlock the Castle Front Site of Grace, just in case.

Where to find Spelldrake Talisman +3 in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Once you've? captured the Site of Grace, travel toward the center of the camp and stop at the crossroad. Take? the path leading north into the woods.

Here's the path you need to take on the map:

Make a sharp right where the path branches off. You'll know when to turn once the woods ??end and you clearly see the castle and wooden structure with enemies patrolling below.

Watch out for the bats guarding the path and keep going until you reach the end where you can cross to the other side by hopping over a?n edge.

You'll see a struc??ture built into the cliff under the castle with a door at the bottom. That's where we need to go.

Leap over the chasm and enter the door. Inside is a storeroom ?with a corpse near the back that's holding the Spelldrake ??Talisman +3.

Spelldrake Talisman +3 is likely the best magic defense Talisman in Elden Ring. When equipped, it "Boosts magic damage negation by the utmost." If you're struggling with magic-casting bosses (the Dancing Lion, for example), then you should give them another go with th??e Talisman equipped.

There are plenty more Talismans to find in Shadow of the Erdtree. Check out our o??ther guides if you're looking to power u??p against the might of the DLC:

• How to get Flamedrake Talisman +3
• How to get Viridian Amber Medallion +3

Equipping these should he??lp you beat?? the DLC. Well, theoretically.

The post How to find Spelldrake Talisman +3 in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdree – Best magic defense talisman appeared first on Destructoid.