Group passwords are the backbone of Elden Ring's multiplayer scene. Whether you and our friends are playing the game's box-standard multiplayer mode or using one of the many incredible mods fans have made to trick it out, you?'ll need passwords to explore the Land Between as a? team.

Luckily, group passwords are much more than a way to join a group for cooperative multiplayer or PVP. Many Elden Ring group passwords significantly buff the number of Runes you get when you defeat one of the game's shard-bearing bosses. Some of these passwords give you a boost of up to 5%, so you and your friends?? could end up squ??eezing a few more level-ups out of the game's most epic bosses.

Specific passwords also come with other effects, including unique summon signs, varying amounts of bloodstains, and the chance to run into hostile phantoms. Here are some of the best co-op codes in Elden Ring.

How to use group passwords in Eldren Ring

After popping open the menu and selecting Multiplayer, you can press Triangle on PS4/PS5 to change your password Settings �from here, you can enter a Multiplayer Password or a Group Password. The latter is your ticket to scori?ng more Runes.

You can input up to five group ?passwords during a session, but y?ou don't have to fill every slot. Having multiple group passwords active can lead to strange results, so think carefully before you input co-op codes.

Popular Elden Ring group passwords

At the moment, I'm using these five Elden Ring group passwords:

• "SEEKERS" â€?VaatiVidya
• "straydmn" â€?r/EldenRing
• "FEXTRA" â€?Fextralife Elden Ring Wiki
• "fcb" â€?FightinCowboy
• "Koopy" â€?r/TwoBestFriendsPlay

Before I could finish filling out all five entries, my Rune buff was already active. Here's the status icon (it looks just like the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot with an up arrow):

You'll?? also notice that your character has a golden glow while the effect is active.

While gr??oup passwords only need to be typed once (and you can change or remove them whenever with no penalty or restriction), they won't automatically?? carry from one character to the next; if you've got a bunch of alt characters, you'll need to fill out the passwords again for each individual tarnished.

This is probably something I should've looked into before finishing Elden Ring, but I guess that's what subsequent playthroughs are for! I've been dominating the living room TV with this game, so I should cool it for now. (The keyword b??eing "should.")

For further Rune farming, check out this late-game guide.

The post Best Elden Ring group passwords appeared first on Destructoid.

Note that the Elden Ring Walking Mausoleums are found as quickly as the first area, but if you want to go in fresh. Skip away!

Here's a buffer for you:

[caption id="attachment_624604" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Okay, ready?

To get into the Elden Ring Walking Mausoleums, you'll need to bring them down to your level.

So, for many hours (like 30), I thought you had to run up some mountain somewhere and then jump down on it. Some will require you to do that while others are more straightforward.

How to get into every Walking Mausoleums in Elden Ring

There are a total of seven Walking Mausoleums in the base game of Elden Ring. Here they are as ??follows from their closest Site of Grace:

[caption id="attachment_624606" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Isolated Merchant's Shack (Limgrave)

Just a b??it northwest of spawning here, you'll see your first Mausoleum roaming around. Carefully remove the barnacles on its legs. They appear more like skull clusters. You will do so by attacking them. Upon cleaning up enough of them, the Mausoleum will come down, granting you entry inside the tomb.

[caption id="attachment_624605" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Gate Town North (Liurnia of the Lakes)

Go north from hear by the cliffside to find the Mausoleum with a bell. This one requires you to jump onto the grassy part of its body to bring it down. You'll need to wait until it gets close enough to the cliffs you can scale to climb aboard. You can also use the spirit spring to jump onto i?t if you're scared of falling to your death.

Once o?n top, clean up the b?arnacles on its body to bring it down and open the door.

[gallery size="full" ids="624608,624607"]

Mausoleum Compound (Liurnia of the Lakes)

There are two Mausoleums here which will require you to hit the barnacles on their legs to bring them down. It's straightforward, but they do get agitated and start jump-s?tomping. When you s??ee them do so, make sure to get back so you won't get crushed.

[caption id="attachment_624610" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Apostate Derelict (Consecrated Snowfield)

South of this Site of Grace will be the next wandering Mausoleum. Once again, hack away at the skull barnacles on its feet to bring it down. This time, it'll shoot you with ranged attacks, so be ready t?o dodge not only its feet, but magic bolts coming at you.

[caption id="attachment_624611" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Castle Sol Main Gate (Mountaintops of the Giants)

Right next ??to Castle Sol's gates will be the sixth Mausoleum. Slash away at ??the barnacles to bring it down.

[caption id="attachment_624612" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The Nameless Eternal City (Deeproot Depths)

The final one can be encountered underground. Unlike most other Mausoleums, you will have to use the roots around it to climb onto the thing while it's still in motion. The barnacle skulls will be on its?? upper body compared to the legs. Clear enough of them to bring it down.

Once you're there, the Elden Ring Walking Mausoleums can be used to duplicate remembrances.

If you've played the Souls series before, you'll be very familiar with this concept: they're boss souls. In Elden Ring, they can be used to "squash" into raw runes (souls) for leveling up for buying items, or you can transmute them into one of two items at the hub ??area (u?sually a weapon, or a spell).

Good luck! The Walking Mausoleums are sup??er easy to spot??, and now that you know the trick, you can bring them down.

The post How to get into the Elden Ring Walking Mausoleums (tur??tle towers) appeared first on Destructoid.

The Steam Deck has been something of a revelation for PC gaming. This powerful device allows you to play your PC games on a portable screen, allowing for an experience more akin to something l??ike the N??intendo Switch.

This is all well and good, but some PC games require the pinpoint ??precision of mouse-and-keyboard input. That's why we're taking a look at the 15 best Steam Deck games, so you know which titles are worth playing on your portable PC device. All of the following games are marked "Steam Deck Verified," meaning you can guarantee a solid experience with these selections.

15. Phasmophobia

Hunting ghosts with friends, what could be more fun? Despite still technically being in Early Access, Phasmophobia is arguably the best game in its genre??. You're placed on a map, which can be as small as a?? suburban house or as large as an entire prison, haunted by a ghost.

There are 24 different ghost types, each offering up three types of evidence to help you and your friends decipher what they are. You find this evidence using various types of ghost-hunting equipment, from spirit boxes to EMF readers. It's not entirely that simple, as these ghosts will drain your sanity before hunting and killing you. Phasmophobia is a blast, and we recomm??end playing with friends.

14. Diablo 4

Blizzard's long-awaited follow-up in its iconic ARPG series was worth the wait. Diablo 4 follows the same general gameplay loop as pre?vious iterations, defeating powerful enemies throughout dungeons while collecting hordes of loot to upgrade your build.

While technically an RPG, Diablo 4's quests and storyline play second fiddle to the game's unique brand of chaotic action. There's nothing quite like melting swarms of demons while finding a rare item that takes the havoc up a notch. Some might recommend a mouse and keyboard for Diablo 4, but you ca??n definitely do just fine on a Steam Deck.

13. Balatro

Balatro isn't your standard ??card game. There's almost too much complexity to sum up in a few sentences, but the gist of it is this: it's a roguelike deck-builder where you must s?core points by playing poker hands against blinds. With these points, you can upgrade your deck and buy joker cards, which affect the game in various ways. It's absurdly addictive and puts an impressive spin on a classic card game.

Given the nature of Balatro's controls, it really doesn't matter whether you play on a regular PC or on a Steam Deck. It plays very well on Valve's portable devices, so if you're looking for a more laid-back Balatro, Steam Deck is the way to go.

12. Portal 2

Portal 2 might be well over a decade old at this point, but it can still kick it with any modern release on the market. With sharp humor, challenging puzzles, and an endlessly replayable co-op mode, Portal 2 remains one of the best video games ever made.

Valve gets so much mileage out of one simple concept: you have a portal gun that you can use to open portals around the game world. You must u??se these portals to solve puzzles throughout each level, most of which are physics-based. Luckily, these puzzles don't require pinpoint mouse precision, which is why this is perfect f??or chilled-out Steam Deck play.

11. Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 had its troubles upon its 2020 release, disappointing almost everyone. In the years since, CD Projekt Red has remained committed to making it the best game it can be via countless patches and the sublime 2023 expansion, Phantom Liberty.

At long last, Cyberpunk 2077 is (almost) everything it was hyped up to be, and it runs great on the Steam Deck. With engaging characters, powerful RPG choices, and the staggeringly beautiful open world of Night City, Cyberpunk 2077 is a game? you can really sink your teeth into now??adays.

10. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

If The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth isn't the best roguelike ever, then I don't know what is. Straight from the brain of Super Meat Boy developer Edmund McMillen, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth sees you fight through procedurally-generated dungeons against some of the most terrifyingly-designed monsters you'll ever see in ??a video game.

As you progress, you collect items on each floor. This contributes to your build, but not every item complements one another. This means you're constantly making important choices about what to pick up and what to leave behind. Each run is permadeath, resetting you right to the start if you die while progressing through the floors. Because of the randomized floors and item?s, it might be one of the most replayable games ever made.

9. Dave the Diver

How many games do you know that can blend the action-adventure and restaurant simulator genres seamlessly? There's not many, let me tell you that much. Dave the Diver is one such title, and it'??s undoubtedly one of the best games on the Steam Deck.

Dave the Diver is split into two gameplay sections. During the day, you dive into the sea, collecting ingredients from the ocean floor while fighting sealife with your harpoon gun. Later in the evening, you use these ingredients to run a sushi restaurant, improving its reputation?? through good food and service. All of this is complemented by a gorgeous pixel art style, resulting in a game unlike anything you'll have played before.

8. Resident Evil 4

2023's Resident Evil 4 might be the best rema??ke in the series to date, and that's ??a high bar to clear. The game sees the return of Leon Kennedy, who is tasked with rescuing the president's daughter, Ashley. You're faced with hordes of the undead throughout your adventure, which tops the 2005 original in just about every way.

Its graphics? Stunning. Its controls? Modern. The story? It has a tighter pacing this time around. And that's before we even get to the atmosphere, which is the real star of the show in the Resident Evil 4 remake. It's absolutely dripping with tension, whic??h carries over even on the small screen of the Steam Deck.

7. Skyrim

13 years after its launch, and there's still nothing that quite evokes the same feelings as Skyrim. It's a classic RPG i??n every sense of the word, with one of the most detailed ?open worlds you'll ever explore, even after all this time. Interesting questlines and memorable characters are the tip of the iceberg in Bethesda's magnum opus.

On PC, Skyrim modding takes things to another level. Nexus Mods has almost 100,000 mods to download for the game, so the question is: can you mod Skyrim on Steam Deck? Yes! It's a bit more hassle, but it's certainly possible, meaning you can bring Skyrim up to modern standards on your handheld device.

6. RimWorld

Ludeon Studios' RimWorld is a far deeper game than it seems on the surface. At first glance, it appears to be just another construction and management simulator. Simply put, it isn't. RimWorld gives you numerous starting scenarios, where you must attempt to survive and escape fr?om a procedurally generated planet.

To make every playthrough unique, it employs the use of an AI storyteller, which can make decisions on the fly to affect proceedings. You can choose from various storytellers, each of which will change its behavior based on various parameters. Want something intense? Go with Randy Random. Want a more traditional narrative? Cassandra Classic will make that happen. The third is Phoebe Chillax, which offers a more laid-back experience. It's this storyteller feature alone that elevates RimWorld above every other game in the genre.

5. God of War

2018's God of War finally arrived on PC in 2022, br??eaking Santa Monica Studio's masterpiece fre?e from its PS4 restraints. The game tells a powerful story between Kratos and his young son, Atreus, and their journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye, at the highest peak in Jötunheim.

Its hack-and-slash gameplay is similar to previous God of War games, yet the combat still manages to feel distinctly modern. That's an achievement in itself. Just everything, from the impeccable score from Bear McCreary to the awesome world design, comes together as a full package to make God of War one of the best Steam Deck games.

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

How will CD Projekt Red ever top The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? The culmination of an epic trilogy, this title is an extraordinary RPG, with impactful choices to be made even in the smallest of moments. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt features some of the most well-written side-quests you'll ever see, as well as two fantastic expansions in Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.

For a 2015 release, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt holds up extremely wel??l from both a visual and gameplay perspective. The combat still feels very fluid, which is why it remains one of the best Steam Deck games you can play after almost a decade.

3. Stardew Valley

There's a reason life-simulation fans are still returning to Stardew Valley almost nine years after its release. ConcernedApe's?? game strips the formula back to basics but does everything it attempts just about perfectly.

There's farming, fishing, building, mining, socializing, romancing, and even combat - it's a pretty simple life in Stardew Valley. If you enjoy life-simulators, there's a good chance you've already played this game. If you haven't, there's a good chance Stardew Valley will convert you to the genre.

2. Elden Ring

Elden Ring is not for the impatient gamers out there. This open-world RPG by FromSoftware will test the limits of your patience, punishing you with sweet, sweet death over and over again. It's a classic Souls-like, defined by nigh-impossible bosses and frustratingly infrequent checkpoints, but with a bigger scale than anything the studio has ever attempted before. The satisfaction from victory in Elden Ring will have you jumping for joy.

Given that many would recommend Elden Ring with a controller anyway, I feel safe saying the game works great with the Steam Deck joysticks. Go forth and explore the Lands Between from the co??mfort of your own couch.

1. Baldur's Gate 3

Top spot was only ever going to Baldur's Gate 3. Larian's 2023 CRPG is an instant classic. With deep customization, fun combat, brilliant companions, and a gripping narrative, Baldur's Gate 3 is a game we'll all be playing for many years to come. I could wax further lyrical about its epic world, engaging quests, and a staggering level of freedom, but I reckon you get the? picture.

Baldur's Gate 3 feels made for the Steam Deck in many ways. The turn-based combat lends itse??lf well to the joystick controls, and the slow-paced gameplay in general makes it perfect for kicking back on the couc?h and playing at your own pace.

The post 15 Best Steam Deck Games appeared first on Destructoid.

Since its release in 2022, Elden Ring has continued to top the charts across PC and consoles, and you can now pick it up at? a discount if you're on Xbox or PlayStation.

Ahead of the festive season, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware's mercurial hit is having a handy discount on the?? Amazon store. While the digital version has no discount as of writing, you can save your hard-earned money while adding a physical disc to your collection. Let's take a look at ??how much you can potentially save by taking advantage of the deals.

Elden Ring PlayStation deal

Typically, Elden Ring costs $59.99 to purchase on both PS4 and PS5. This is the Standard Edition, which doesn't include the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. However, you can save more than $10 by buying it from here. The deal gets? sweeter for those on the PS4, who will have to spend only $39.88.

For PS5, you'll have to shell out $49.94, which is still less than the regular price. While the Shadow of the Erdtree Edition is also available for purchase, you'll have to shell out the full cost of $79.99. Since Elden Ring can be pretty tricky to get into if you have never played a soulslike, it's better to get the Standard Edition. While Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is definitely worth its price, you can always add it to your collection as a standalone purch??ase later.

Elden Ring Xbox deal

If you're on the g?reen side of consoles, worry not. Instead of having to spend $59.99, Xbox Series X|S users can pick it up for $49.68. Unfortunately, there's no such deal in place for those on the Xbox One. For now, the savings are only available for current-gen Xbox console users.

Despite being two and a half years old, Elden Ring continues to win the hearts of gamers all over the wor??ld. It has everything you'll want in a video game - great single and multiplayer experience, challenging combat, and an immersive world. Miyazaki's masterpiece has won several awards since its release, and you can expand your adventures with content from the DLC.

The post Save big on Elden Ring today with sales happening on?? all consoles appeared first on Destructoid.

Comparing video games to good literature used to be the ultimate gotcha for the longest time??. Simply bringing up games as a serious option for storytelling could get you laughed out of the room in some circles, but this is slowly changing, and non-explicit narratives are responsible for this.

Now, simply obscur??ing a game's story is not enough to make it interesting, engaging, or even genuinely worth engaging with. There must stil??l be a spark of something special tucked away behind the monster closets and the resource grinds. Slowly but certainly, more and more developers are figuring out that they don't have to explain themselves to the player in the simplest terms possible.

Some games, like Bungie's classic Marathon for example, have embraced this type of oblique narrative progression from the very start. It's just that, outside of niche communities, the general gaming public didn't care to discuss them until decades after the fact. That's all changing? ??slowly, and this is immensely thrilling for reasons we're about to go into.

Here, I've grabbed a few mainstream examples of games with huge ?amounts of non-explicit or obscure narrative elements to see how they fit i??nto the wider context of video game storytelling.

Destiny is all about civilizational trauma

On the face of it, the Destiny franchise has simply been about fending off armies of aliens in a post-apocalyptic far-future. Behind the scenes, though, it's a fair bit different. Much as was the case with Marathon, it's important for a Bungie shooter to offer two layers of narrative development: the f??irst is surface-level and obvi??ous, where Guardians beat down the imminent threat and give humanity a second lease on life... over and over again.

The second layer, however, is anything but obvious. It needs to be peeled back by going through veritable mountains of lore---much of it available over at Ishtar Collective---and piecing together character motives, universal ontology, and oodles upon oodles of other features over a long period of time. This is only for the really invested players, and while I'll be the first to admit that Bungie doesn't always deliver, there's something special cooking in the background of Destiny for sure.

Interacting with Destiny's deep lore is extremely ergodic, if I'm being honest. It's not everyone's cup of tea at all. Bungie makes you work for the game's big revelations, and quite often, they simply don't land in the moment-to-moment campaign. The simpler stuff takes ??precedence, and that's probably for the best.

From my point of view, Destiny is actually about people's inability to c?ope with gods and the impossibility of proper communication between them. The Witness itself---the game's biggest Big Bad so far---came about as a response to the Traveler's presence. A silent deity hovering above its people simply stopped being enough for the Precursor civilization, and so they became the Witness. This set off a series of events leading to the slaughter and destruction of untold trillions, with the latest batch of the Witness' victims--the Eliksni, the Cabal, and the humans---barely surviving by the time the Light and Dark saga wrapped up.

Elden Ring is all about changing the rules of reality

It's easy to get lost in Elden Ring's moment-to-moment lore, characters, their relationships, and how they may or may not have interacted with one another. Doubly so, due to the developers' insistence on not giving us the whole picture and narrative. Instead, FromSoft's games are almost ridiculously oblique from an outsider's perspective. They only really co?me into their own when you're poring through item descriptions and whatnot, and that's a pretty big ask for the average player.

Disregarding any hunt for "true lore" for a little bit, Elden Ring seems like an infinitely loaded monster closet. You travel through one region after another and dismantle its defenders, take down huge monsters, and make yourself a nuisance for about 90 percent of the continent. Admittedly, it's fun to think about the game from this point ?of view, but that misses the point.

In truth, the bits that I myself can make sense of suggest that the Lands Between host a war for the nature of reality itself. The key is the Elden Ring itself, of course: a strange object that somehow dictates how the continent, the world, or the universe functions. The Elden Ring is so powerful, in fact, that removing a particular part of it nu??llifies death itself, so that's fun.

Now, toying with the onto?logy of existence is... problematic, to say the least, and the Lands Between are reeling f??rom various factions and deities' attempts to capitalize on taking control over the Elden Ring.

No Man's Sky is all about coping with the fact that nothing matters

Did you know that No Man's Sky actually has a story? It's an oblique matter, I'll give you that, but it's genuinely the stuff of deep, existential horror, and it's ab??out as far ?from being obvious as possible.

The gist of it is that it is, boringly enough, a simulation. The bit that amortizes this "problem" is that No Man's Sky does away with the usual Matrix-pattern take on this trope. This game, instead, tries hard to drive home the point t?hat it straight-up does not matter whether its own story exists in a simulation or not. Further, its NPCs sometimes break the fourth wall and ask you, the player, whether you can be certain that you, too, do not exist in a higher-order simulation and whether you'd be able to tell if one is running in the first place.

Aside from this, No Man's Sky also plays host to what may or may not be the primordial god of its universe. There's also a single being that killed trillions of thinking creatures in its first life and wa?xes philosophic with the ??player when push comes to shove. It's oddly poetic, the whole shindig.

Games are more and more eager to give their players mental homework, and that's a good thing

One thing all three examples I h?ighlighted here have in common is that their true narratives require a non-insignificant amount of mental legwork from the player. The fact that it's all entirely optional and doesn't come in the way of gameplay or of more surface-level storytelling is awesome, too. Those of us who want to engage with this stuff can do so. Those who choose not to, however, can just shoot guns and slash away at monsters??, and they're still not missing out on the most important part of the medium.

This drives home the argument that video games are maturing into a genuinely engaging narrative medium. Figuring out the stuff I outlined above took a lot of work from the community, collecting data entries, lore tidbits, and other remarkably obscure writings. And people often still have to make their own conclusions about the things that are presented to them. For example, Elden Ring's actual story and the truth behind the Greater Will are still hotly contested, even after the DL?C's been out for months and the game's been datamined to heck and back.

I genuinely believe Elden Ring would be a way worse game if not for FromSoft's sometimes obnoxious insistence on mystery, and this whol??e aspect of?? it is---once again---optional.

It's an impressive feat, and I'm extremely thankful for the developers who choose to tell st?ories such as these. And I??'m not the only one.

The post How explicit does a video game’s lore need to be, anyway? appeared first on Destructoid.

If you've played Elden Ring's Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC, there's a non-negligible chance that you've played all the way to the final boss, then just rage-quit without going back until this very day. If that's your case, then you might be happy to learn that Miyazaki and co. decided to make itn much easier with Elden Ring's latest patch.

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

There's no shame in defeat, as Promised Consort Radahn is one of the toughest challenges in the history of Souls games. Now, though, ??it might be a bit easier to take the champion ??down.

The patch notes have an entire chunk of text dedicated to the changes made to Radahn. In short,?? he's not immediately punishing as soon as you lay foot into the arena, and some of his attacks have been adjusted to be less punishing as well.

General damage, Damage to stamina, and range of some of his magic attacks have all been lowered. The visibility of some of his trickier attack effects have been raised. Still, the notes do?n't mention any nerf to Radahn's health, so expect him to remain as tough as a boulder and thus still capable of killing anyone whose endurance falters or who undere?stimates his new state.

Brighter souls

While this is ??still not the "easy mode" that some might have asked for, it's a very wise idea from FromSoft. This nerf? won't make the game's final challenge too easy for hardcore aficionados, and it'll certainly make it more enjoyable for those who can't spend dozens of hours just so they can get good enough to defeat the final boss.

And, if you're one of the many who got to beat Prime Radahn in his, well, prime, then you now get to be the gaming boomers who scoff at newer players for having it too easy these days. I'm not kidding. Redditors are already joking about printing "I beat Radahn pre nerf" t-shirts, so take this win with as much or as little grace? as you'd like.

The post Shadow Of The Erdtree’s final boss just got ultra-nerfed with Elden Ring’s latest patch appeared first on Destructoid.

Ever since Elden Ring's Shadow Of The Erdtree update, some players attempting to go on modded co-op adventures have encountered an error message claiming that an undisclosed inappropriate activity was found within the game files. The error kicks players back to the start screen and prevents them from re-entering Elden Ring in online mode.

This is the result of anti-che??at software that can also affect players who are using regular co-op mods, but it's not meant to mess with players who are joining or being joined by other?s as the game had intended.

FromSoftware was quick to identify the problem, but has yet to announce an o?fficial fix in any of the DLC's patch notes.

Luckily, the developer was quick to share how p?layers could go about to fix the is?sue themselves. The process is simple, one that many already know as the go-to to fix many of the issues affecting games on Steam.

If you don't have any mods that the game could flag for this effect, all you have to do is select Elden Ring in your Steam Library, right click on it, then select Properties. A new window will pop up; select the Installed Files tab. Next, click Verify the Integrity of game files and? wai??t for the process to finish. Everything should be back to normal once you try to play again.

Inappropriate Activity detected on Steam Deck

The official fix doesn't work on the Steam Deck, and many have complained that they can only play the game in offline mode. Reddit user u/Honeydew-Main was able to come up with a fix that seemingly works for everyone who tried it:

• Enter Desktop mode on your Steam Deck
• Open File Explorer
• Open the Menu (three horizontal lines button) on the top right; choose Show Hidden Files
• Go to "Home/.local/share/Steam/SteamApps/common/ELDEN RING/game"
• Open the menu again and create a new file
• Name the file DLC.bdt (Access the Steam Deck's on-screen keyboard by pressing the "Steam" button and the "X" button at the same time)
• Copy the DLC.bdt file, and paste it inside the sd file inside Elden Ring's game folder
• You can now start the game in online mode

Though this is an anti-cheat function meant to catch players using illegal mods to obliterate anyone unlucky enough to encounter them online, no one has complained about receiving a ban after seeing this error?? messag??e. The fix is simple, so the biggest problem here is the getting frightened at the notion that the game has (incorrectly) deemed you guilty of some shady practices.

You can now play Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree on Xbox One, Xbox S?eries X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

The post How to fix Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree inapprop?riate activity detected error appeared first on Destructoid.

The Lands Between and the Land of Shadow from Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree are filled with treachery, but none of it is meant to cause permadeath. That horrible fate can only be brought about by corrupt??ed save files that won't let players resume their playthroughs �but it's usually fixable.

One of the staples of Souls games is ditching a save game option in favor of a system that automatically records all manner of progression. It works great for t?he most part, but there's a good reason why it recommends you close it properly via the menu. Any issue that causes your game to crash or PC to reset midgame can cause the save file to become corrupted as the game didn't save and close properly. At some point, even hackers could ruin your saves:

Nowadays, if any issue c??aus??es your save file to no longer be recognized by the game, you'll come across one of the following messages:

I first came across the problem for the first time a few years back while playing Sekiro after a thunderstorm caused the lights to go out. It imm?ediately made me think I'd lost over ten hours of progress. Luckily, I was mistaken, but the process was much more complex and way less automated back then. The modern save fixing process might look a bit daunting at first, but it's actually pretty simple and effective if you follow all the steps correctly.

How to fix saves on Elden Ring

It's always a good idea to try Steam's automatic file repair. You do that by clicking on Elden Ring on your Steam Library, hit Properties, pick Local files, and then hit Verify Integrity of game files. Once the process is complete, restart Steam, re-open Elden Ring, and see if this h??as fixed your problem. If it has, then you're set. In the more likely case that it hasn't, we have to do per??form manual save file maintenance.

First off, we'll need to locate your save files. The saves are in C:\Users\(your name)\AppData\Roaming\EldenRing. You'll find them inside the numbered folder.

• Cut the .SL2 file and set it aside in a new separate folder.
• Rename the .back file just by deleting the ".bak" part of the name. This will cause the existing backup to become the de-facto save file.
• Turn off Steam Cloud saves. You do it by selecting Elden Ring in your Steam Library, going to properties, then in the General Tab you will set keeping game saves in the steam cloud to OFF.

Merely deleting or replacing the corrupted save file with the backup will do nothing if Steam Cloud? is on because the game will immediately re-download the corrupted file and overwrite the functioning sav??e with the bad data. I advise you have Steam Cloud off no matter what, as it's already a likely cause for this type of issue.

• See if this solves the problem. If it does, then delete the old .sl2 file you've set aside and enjoy the game.
• If not, then add .bak to the end of the new file, and bring the old .sl2 file back to the folder.

Since the problem persists, we'll have to tinker with the save files themselves. Download ER Save Repair utility here.

• Make sure you already have the original .sl2 save file set aside. Back it up if you don't.
• Launch the Save Repair program (ERSR)
• Enter your Steam ID (It's the big number on the folder containing the saves)
• Select the file you wish to repair.
• Select the number of save slots, in case it has more than one.
• Press Run. Don't use your mouse or keyboard during the process, as the creator of this app warns that it will interrupt the process.

This process doesn't have a 100% success rate, but it remains the best, simplest, and safest way to remove the corruption from your Elden Ring save files.

The post How to fix Elden Ring and Shadow Of The? Erdtree Corrupted save files appeared first on Destructoid.

How good you are at Elden Ring comes down to how well you can fight the terrifying enemies that roam the land, so a good Sword Lance is handy. With the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, there are plenty ??available for you to choose from.

The Coded Sword is one of the best you can find, and for good reason. This weapon is fantastic for dealing Holy damage, and luckily, it’s not hard to get your ha?nds on. Weâ€?™re here to show you where to find the Coded Sword.

Where to find the Coded Sword in Elden Ring

The Coded Sword can be found on a throne inside the Leyndell Royal Capital. The West Capital Rampart Site of Grace is the closest?, so if you have this one unlocked, simply fast-travel to it, or make your way there on your own. If you're having trouble, the West Capital Rampart is marked on t?he map below.

From this Site of Grace, head outside and to the right to be ta?ken down a flight of stairs, and go down the next flight of stairs directly ahead. Go forward through the small hallway until it opens up to the outside and turn left onto the small platform outside. Jump down onto the roof below, and then the ground.

You’ll be on a ?pathway covered with fallen bricks. Go up this pathway and jump onto the wooden shed roof to the right,?? and up into the stone castle again. There will be an entrance slightly to the left, and you can go inside. 

Once you’re inside again, turn left. ??You’ll go through the room with the fireplace and in the next room with the? cabinet and armor, take the door on the right. In the next room, circle halfway around the large roundtable and into the doorway on the left. 

Inside this room is the throne you’re looking for, with an item you can pick up situated d??irectly on it. Pick this up, and it’s the Coded Sword you’ve been looking for.

Coded Sword Location in Elden Ring

The room inside the Royal Capital of Leyndell is the only location youâ€?™re able to pick up the Coded Sword, so don’t worry about running around to other spots. It’s important to note that you need to pick up this?? sword before you defeat Maliketh, because you cannot get it in Leyndell, Ashen Capital. 

The Coded Sword scales entirely with Faith and has the Unblockable Blade Weapon Skill. It deals incredible Holy damage, and while it doesn't have the range of a bow, you still get ranged attacks th??at you normally wouldn’t get with a one-handed sword. It’s definitely worth picking up, even if you’re just kicking off your playthrough.

The post How to get the Coded Sword in Elden Ring appeared first on Destructoid.

With a slew of new weapons introduced in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC released for Elden Ring, you’ll have your pick of the litter when it comes to which one you want to take. There are plenty to choose from, like Devona's Hammer.

One of the best you can find is the Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword, perfect for those wh?o focus on Dexterity and Strength. If you need help locating this Colossal Sword, we’re here to show you how to get it in your inventory.

Where to find Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword

The only way to get the Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword is at the altar of the Ruined Forge of Starfall Past. Once you find the altar, all you need? to do? is examine it to receive the sword for you to use. 

To get to the altar, go t?o the Ruined Forge of Starfall Past minor dungeon, which is found just slightly to the southeast of Castle Ensis. You can use one of the Site??s of Grace to travel there fast. You can also use the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace and travel southwest if you want to get there.

The exact location of the Ruined Forge of Starfall Past is marked on the m?ap below.

Once you’re at the Ruined Forged of Starfall Past, head inside through th?e hole in the wall and go down the ladder. Once you’re at the Site of Grace, go through the archway and across the bridge to pull the lever to the left. Follow the passage this opens.

Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword Location

You’ll come to a large room with a second floor. Past the pile of stones and to the right, there is another long passage you can follow. Be aware that if you haven’t cleared them out, you will have to fight ?some enemies in these corridors. Find the ladder in the second corridor, and climb it. 

Continue following the path up past the lava and up the rubble, and you’ll end up on a large metal platform. Down below, on the right side, drop down to the bridge. Across it, pull the lever and you’ll be lowered down again. In the archway to the right, there i??s another lever for you to pull. This will let you raise up to the seco??nd floor on the right, where the altar is.

As mentioned, all you need to do is interact with the altar to receive the Ancient Meteoric Ore G??reatsword.

Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword Skill

The Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword is a Colossa??l Sword that scales with Streng??th, Dexterity, and Arcane. Arcane specifically will increase the physical and magic damage of this sword, so if you’re an Arcane focus, this is a great choice.

This weapon’s skill is White Light Charge, which lets you create a charging attack with white light that works great for piercing enemies. You'll get plenty of thrusting damage like you would with a Heavy Thrusting Sword such as the Sword Lance.

This Colossal Sword pack?s a real punch, so? be sure to pick it up if you’re in the area. Just make sure you've completed Castle Ensis first.

The post How to get the Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword in Sha??dow of the Erd??tree appeared first on Destructoid.

Get ready for a new era of Elden Ring.?? Well, at the very least, the latest patc?h 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 everything you need to know about the update, ?which i??s 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 do?wnload and apply the latest update in order to play the game. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Targeted Platforms

PlaySta???tion 4 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S / Steam

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

T??he version number of this update shown at the ?lower right corner of the Title Screen will be as follows:

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 one??s 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 int??eraction 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 impressive 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, Poi?se 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 effective for dealing substantial damage at a considerable distance. Despite the nerf, its ability to impact enemies from afar continues to make i??t 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 significant damage quickly, making it effective in ?various combat 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 for??ce 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 thei??r stance. Its ability to absorb 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 Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree appeared first on Destructoid.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Patch 1.13 has arrived with some pretty lengthy notes, detailing an embarrassment of buffs. Skills, summons, spells, and more are getting a boost of power. But most importantly, the prompt for re-sum??moning Torrent after he dies has been fixed.

I can't undersell how happy a small UI tweak has made me. For those who have watched their valiant spectral steed fall to the swipe of an enemy, bringing him back can be frustrating. I'm not referring to needing to burn a Flask of Crimson Tears to get him back. No. I mean the prompt asking you if you want to use a F??lask with an "OK" or "CANCEL" option, with ?cancel highlighted by default.

If you're not surrounded by enemies at the time, the UI quirk may merely be a short-term nuisance. But if you're fighting against a boss, the time it takes to move the cursor can leave you eating a halberd for lunch. In Shadow of the Erdtree, there is a major fight in which you can ride Torrent. I won't spoi??l? it, but let's say the enemy really went hog wild on me. Having this change would have been great last week.

Shadow of the Erdtree patch buffs just about everything

Oh, right, there's the rest of the patch, which brings a buffet of buffs to the table. There are some PvP-focused changes ??for Skills and equipment, for those who like to fight th??eir fellow Tarnished.

But beyond?? these changes, dozens upon dozens of Armaments, Skills, Spells, Incantations, and Spirit Ashes have been tweaked. Armaments such as the Euporia have been buffed, with the weapon in question receiving increased Holy damage and more. Many skills and spells have been changed to make them stronger, such as the Lightspeed Dash and Blades of Stone.

Impenetrable Thorns has taken a?? hit, however. The popular spell received a decrease in damage and the Hemorrhage buildup in the patch.

Nearly all Spirit Ashes have been buffed with more stagger resistance. Hell, you may as well call this the "Will no longer stagger as easily" patch, because, well, Ashes now won't stagger as easily. Some have also gotten an HP increase, such as the Inquisitor. Fire Knight Queelign didn't get the stagger ??buff, but does come away with more Vigor and Faith.

The notes for Patch 1.13 of Elden Ring -Shadow of the Erdtree are lengthy indeed, so be sure to head over to the announcement page for a deeper look.

The post Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree patch buffs Skills and Ashes while finally fixing Torrent’s summon appeared first on Destructoid.

The Ritual Sword Talisman is an equipable item in the Elden Ring base game. It's a wildly beneficial item for those planning no-hit runs and ranged builds, especially into Shadow of the Erdtree.

If you're eager to get your hands on the Ritual Sword Talisman in Elden Ring, especially for those heading into Shadow of the Erdtree, heres how to?? reach? the Lux Ruins for the valuable loot.

How to get the Ritual Sword Talisman in Elden Ring

The Ritual Sword Talisman can be found at the Lux Ruins in the Altus Plateau. You can ?either get here by going through the Grand Lift of Dectus or the Ruin-Strewn Preci?pice.

F?rom either side, make your way through the main part of the Lux Ruins. Even though there is a Site of Grace?? specifically for this area, you have to head to the higher part of the Ruins to be in the main part. You’ll know you’re in the right area when you start encountering a lot of shouting demi-humans guarding the area.

Fight through them until you find stairs going downward into a boss fight. Here, you will face Demi-Human Queen Gilika. ?Upon defeating her, there is a chest behind where she spawned. This is where the Ritual Sword Talis??man specifically is.

This should be a fairly easy boss fight since, at this point in the game, you should have already defeated Rennala an??d maybe Magma Wyrm ??Makar if you went through the Ruin-Strewn Precipice.

Is the Ritual Sword Talisman worth it?

If you are good at telegraphing attacks and staying at full HP, this Talisman is a gods??end. The attack boost is significant, especially for glass cannon builds that utilize few strikes to take bosses down. 

It’s also a solid pick for people running magic and ranged builds. You start at a Grace Site or a Stak?e of Marika, walk into a boss room, and spam?? your attacks. The attack boost from this talisman can be the difference between an early victory or a long-drawn fight.

The post How to get the Ritual Sword Talisman ??in Elden Ring appeared first on Destructoid.

Streamer Miss Mikkaa has beaten Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree using a controller. Then, a dance pad. Now, s??he's conquered the final boss while running two versions of the game on each controller, simultaneously.

She managed to do something similar with the base game soon after launch, and after a 4-day battle with the fin??al boss, she repeated it with the DLC.

Miss Mikkaa says it took her a total of four days of non-stop attempts at defeating the final DLC boss. Her in-game time on this final boss alone was 14 hours, which is understandable considering she was splitting her attention across two versions of the game and constantly moving to control her character using a dance pad in ?one of them. The boss took 239 attempts, but the streamer has now bested it in what has to be the most diffic??ult challenge run anyone has ever created for a FromSoftware title.

Dancing through the Shadowlands

The death count for Miss Mikkaa's entire controller plus dance pad runs of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree was 685 on both games, so a total of 1,370. 35% of these were from the final boss fights, 55 were humiliating deaths to gravity, and the streamer's maximum heart rate th??roughout the entire experience was 166 BPM.

You can catch the whole series of stream VODS of these impressive runs over on Miss Mikkaa's Twitch channel. She outlined her final builds from the run if you're interested in replicating them to help you beat the boss yourself, once or twice. "Level 194 with 60 vigor, 54 endurance & strength, 40? faith, and 33 mind. I was using a Giant Cru?sher with Prayerful Strike. Talismans were: Crimson Seed Talisman +1, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Shard of Alexander, and Golden Braid. I was using Holy Shrouded Cracked Tear and Opaline Hardtear in my flask."

Shadow of the Erdtree differs greatly from not only Elden Ring but also every other FromSoftware game's DLC i?n the way it shifts game mechanics. It requires you to effectively start again when it comes to levels, with enemies scaling to your character, and the only way to level up is by collecting a specific type of item in the DLC's open world.

It's impressive to me that players can finish Shadow of the Erdtree at all. It certainly looks like the ultimate Soulsborne challenge, but Miss Mikka has taken things up a notch. While we've seen streamers play the game using their minds and even motion capture technology to allow you to swing a real sword around, I don't think much is going to top this particular r??un for a long time.

The post Miss Mikkaa beats Shadow of the Erdtree’s final boss on both controller and dance pad, at the same time appeared first on Destructoid.

Finding the best bow build for your character in Elden Ring and even into the Shadow of the Erdtree D??LC can be quite the task. How much do you want to dedicate your build to being a ranged atta??????????????????????????cker?

Do you want something to kill enemies with?, or to get rid of those pesky ranged attackers that can ruin your progression? Here, we’ll go over a full-on bow build, some recommendations for things to equip, and more.

Best bow build for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

To start off, this bui??ld will simply utilize a bow from the list and talismans to amplify damage output. 

Best bows

The foll??owing is a list of the strongest bows in the game. In no particular order, you can’t go wrong with any of these:?? 

• Full Moon Crossbow
• Pulley Crossbow
• Repeating Crossbow (DLC)
• Black Bow
• Albinauric Bow
• Longbow
• Pulley Bow
• Lion Greatbow
• Igon’s Greatbow (DLC)

We? also included some crossbows here since they use similar materials to work. They function mostly the same but do require some setup, like manually reloading each shot.

Best Ashes of War for bows

The following is a list of Ashes of War that you can equip onto your ranged weapons that aren’t upgraded by S??omber Smit?hing Stones:

• Barrage
• Rain of Arrows

There are?n’t a lot here, but these are consistent with damage and pressure.

Best talismans for bows in Elden Ring

• Arrow’s Reach Talisman
• Arrow’s Sting Talisman
• Arrow’s Soaring Sting Talisman
• Sharpshot Talisman

Having all four of these talismans will increase the effective range and overall damage to your bows. Just make sure you have an ample supply of arrows and bolts so you don’t run out a?t ?any point.

Also, if you’re going for a more hybrid approach where you want to incorporate melee into your build, consider Dexterity weapons as they tend to scale more with that stat as you upgrade them to +10 or +2??5.

The post Best B??ow build for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

The Ghostflame Dragon is a recurring new dragon boss in Elden Ring who appears multiple times in Shadow of the Erdtree, meaning it’ll spawn in various locations.

You’ll definit?ely want to take them down for the Dragon Hearts and Somber Ancient Drag??on Smithing Stones, so here are all their locations.

All Ghostflame Dragon locations in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

There are a total of three Ghostflame Dragons in Shadow of the Erdtree, all quite near each other and do not require too much progression into the D??LC. 

Gravesite Plain

The first Ghostflame Dragon you’ll encounter will be in the starting area of Shadow of the Erdtree. From the start, ??go northward, following the main trail leading to the bridge. Once you get to the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace, there is one more just furthe?r up.

Once you get to the G?reatbridge, North Site of Grace, simply head west to encounter the dragon just before the Belurat Gaol.&n??????????????????????????bsp;

Cerulean Coast

Once you cross the Ellac Greatbridge and make your way down the cliffs, you end up in Ellac River. Follow the road south from here until you reach one of the prettiest areas of the game, the Cerulean Coast. 

Once you find the Cerulean Coast Site of Gra??ce, hea??d south to encounter the second Ghostflame Dragon.

Moorth Ruins

After clearing Castle Ensis, follow the main road past the Highroad Cross. Instead of heading north towards the Shadow Keep, go right, or east, at the fork on the road. You’ll find the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace. Thi??s is also where you fight Dryleaf Dane for his quest line.

From here, just keep? heading south to find the Ghostflame Dragon engaging in combat with other soldiers in? their encampment. 

Luckily, each one you encounter will fight the same way. The only differences are stats, terrain, and ?possible nearby enemies being a nuisance during the ??fight.

The post Elden Ring: All Ghostflam??e Dragon locations in Shadow of the Erdtree appeared first on Destructoid.

Elden Ring :Shadow Of The Erdtree offers some of the biggest challenges in contemporary gaming for most players, but apparently not for Ainrun. The Twitch streamer spent more time buffing himself up than battling Shadow of the Erdtree's fina??l boss, and was able to undo the DLC's greatest challenge in one supermas??sive blow.

Big spoilers for Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree's big final boss below, naturally.

The final boss of Shadow Of The Erdtree is what the Internet has dubbed "Prime Radahn." He's stronger than his base game form; much, much, more resilient, and he even enlists the help of a god whose AOE turns the battle into a serious bullet hell c??hallenge. Ainrun's solution? Just stacking up on the most devastating buffs in the game to get the job done as quickly as possible.

You even see the custcene where Radahn summons Miquella for help, but by the time the cutscene ends, Radahn's in-game model is already halfway?? into his death animation. I hope this provides all the poor players who had been immediately destroyed by Radahn upon setting foot in the arena as much vicarious vindication as it provided me.

Ainrun had previously made the rounds for crushing Midra in much the same way, though Midra is a far less intimidating foe. Ainr?un is such a beast that he was likely just using the Lord of t??he Frenzied Flame himself as a mere guinea pig for his magnum opus.

And before anyone gets the idea that I'm talking about a one (sho?t) trick pony, let it be kn??own that Ainrun once locked himself up in the same room with five Malenias, and was the only person to come out alive.

You, too, can now learn all of Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree's ??secrets on PlayStat?ion 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

The post Streamer obliterates Shadow of the Erdtree’s final boss in one hit appeared first on Destructoid.

Are you tired of invisible walls in games? The kind of walls that you don't see, but that are there just to prevent you from venturing into areas that the developers don't want you to reach? Well, then let me introduce you to their evil-er brother: Elden Ring's visible non-wall. It's a wall ?that seems to be there, but is only just a bunch of hollow textures that might lead you to your death.

Hardcore fans of the series will probably be delighted to learn that Elden Ring's Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC features even more ways to die, but regular player??s might not be as enthused by the idea.

As warned by Redditor u/Kedalene, the Scorpion River Catacombs introduced in Shadow Of The Erdtree feature a hilariously terrifying threat. It's not a devious trap that will lure in even the wisest of players, but a bug that causes a specific wall to feature no collision. This is not an illusory wall meant to hide a shortcut or great treasure, but a part of the map that, once crossed, will have players dropping out of bounds to their deaths. It's so accidentally devious that it causes you to die outside of the Stake of Marika's range, for??cing pl??ayers to go back to the entrance of the catacombs.

Kedelane made the video above to warn players of the existence of the glitch, but also to show off all the fun they have had with making poor unassuming players die to it. I adv??ise everyone to watch the compilation because it's pretty funny, but also because otherwise you might be next.

I'm writing this to warn players abou?t this ghastly trap, but please know that I do so while extremely worried that Miyazaki will look into this and decide to come ??up with a dungeon that's all ghost walls.

This glitch might get fixed soon, ?but you can still die to it right now, or have people fall fo??r it. Beware of strange etchings in front of walls, I guess.

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While Bloodborne getting ported to PC remains a dream, you can at least pretend a bit while playing FromSoftware's latest. Rabbath's Cannon is a large arm-mounted gun in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. If you're working on a Bloodborne cosplay, you should seek it out.

Rabbath's Cannon is found in a tower on the eastern section of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Getting there takes some time if you haven't reached it yet. You'll need to go spelunking in caves and cross massive bridges to fi?nd it.

Rabbath's Cannon location in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Rabbath's Cannon is found in Rabbath's Rise, a tower that should be all too familiar for fans of the base game. Finding it requires you to first make your way to Bonny Village and beyond. We've written guides on how to reach this area if you're on your way to the Church District sector of the Shadow Keep. Feel free to follow our guide on how to rea?ch this elusive region of the Land of Shadow.

In brief, you need to find a cave leading to Bonny Villa?ge via a hole near a church by the 'Moorth Ruins' Site of Grace.

Check the map below for the path you should take:

After crossing two bridges, make your way through the woods. They're full of wolves, but Torrent is quicker. Keep making your way north and past the wandering Furnace Golem.

Eventually, you'll see Rabbath's Rise off in the?? dista?nce.

Does it look familiar? It should be for veteran Elden Ring players who cleared Caria Manor. Ranni and her weird-ass cohorts live near the manor in towers similar to these. Ranni's Rise ??is a common stomping ground for many Tarnished, and Rabbath's Rise sure has some similar vibes.

Rabbath's Cannon hides in Rabbath's Rise, but finding it takes an old-fashioned trick. Go inside the tower and cl?imb up the stairs. Don't bother with trying to t?ake the elevator up �it won't work.

Instead, return to the room before the elevator. Strike or roll against the wall with the two stone arches to reveal an illusory wall. Destr?oy the stone just past it to activate a nearby Spiritspring.

G?o b?ack outside and hop on Torrent. Take the newly activated Spiritspring to the staircase near the top of the tower.

Head up the stairs and open the chest to find Rabbath's?? Cannon.

Rabbath's Cannon specs

Rabbath's Cannon is a Ballista-type weapon capable of firing greatbolts. It requires attributes in both Strength?? and Dexterity, making it a good weapon for those who play mostly Strength builds.

The cannon is powerful, capable of dishing out nearly 1,000 damage for ??my Strength-build warrior.

Rabbath's Cannon specs:

• Attack Power

  • Physical: 135
  • Magic: 135
  • Critical: 100
  • Range: 50

• Attributes Required

  • Str: 28
  • Dex: 16

• Special

  • Kick

• Weight

  • 15.0

For more Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree weapon guides, check out how to get Devonia's Hammer, the Dueling Shield, and the Sword Lance.

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Heavy Thrusting Swords aren't a weapon class that many Elden Ring players talk about. The lunges, stabs, and thrusts of the weapon are much slower than the lighter variant of the swords, and there aren't many unique weapons that stand out in the class. Shadow of the Erdtree adds a flashy new Heavy Thrusting Sword to the roster with the Sword Lance.

I know what you're thinking, "Sword Lance" isn't a particularly exciting name for a cool weapon. But before you judge a book by its cover, I implore you to give this weapon a chance, as its Ash of War is one of the most satisfying animations added with the DLC. Here's everything you need to know to acquire the Sword Lance in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

How to get the Sword Lance in Elden Ring

The Sword Lance is a Remembrance weapon in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. To obtain this weapon, you'll need to defeat one of the tougher boss?es of the DLC: Command?er Gaius.

Getting to Gaius isn't too difficult, as you simply need to reach the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grac??e. Entering the Church District Entrance on the eastern side of the Shadow Keep will set you on a relatively linear (albeit lengthy) path to the Back Gate.

Defeating Commander Gaius is easier said than done. He's tough and his attacks are relentless, which makes finding openings a challenge. Since he's an optional boss, many players choose to avoid him. But you'll need to slay him to get your hands on the Remembrance of the Wild Boar Rider, which can be traded to Enia for the? Sword Lance.

How to use the Sword Lance in Elden Ring

The Sword Lance is a Heavy Thrusting Sword that is pre-equipped with the Spinning Gravity Thrust skill. This skill causes the player to levitate for a moment (can be used to dodge ground-based attacks) before charging f??orward like a corkscrew or drill. The animation is beautiful ?and landing the attack, whether against bosses or non-boss enemies, feels extremely satisfying. For an extra FP cost, a follow-up attack can be activated to perform a second similar charge in quick succession.

Here are the base stats for the Sword Lance in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree:

• Heavy Thrusting Sword (class)
• Standard/Pierce
• Skill: Spinning Gravity Thrust
• FP Cost: 26
• Weight: 9.0
• Attack Power:

  • Physical - 132

• Attributes Scaling

  • Str: C
  • Dex: E

• Attributes Required

  • Str: 21
  • Dex: 11

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Scarlet Rot is one of the rarest status effects that players can find on weapons in Elden Ring. The Scarlot Rot weapons tend to be underwhelming, and very few builds come along that use any of them. However, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC introduced the Poleblade of the Bud halberd which has piqued the community's interest. This guide will tell you everything you need to know to get your ha?nds on the Poleblade of the Bud and how to use it effectively.

How to get the Poleblade of the Bud in Elden Ring

The Poleblade of the Bud is a remembrance weapon in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. As such, obtaining the weapon requires defeating a Legend Boss known as Romina, Saint of the Bud found at the Church of the Bud.

To progress the main quest of Sh??adow of the Erdtree, players will have to defeat Romina. So regardless of the decisions you've made thus far, you won't miss out on ob??taining the Remembrance of the Saint of the Bud.

How to use the Poleblade of the Bud in Elden Ring

The Poleblade of the Bud is a halberd that comes loaded with the skill: Romina's Purification. Similar to? wide swo?op attacks such as Loretta's Slash, this skill attacks twice and inflicts a large amount of Scarlet Rot on opponents. It's easy to land but is quite an expensive skill to spam.

Here are the base stats for the Poleblade of the Bud in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree:

• Halberd (class)
• Slash/Pierce
• Skill: Romina's Purification
• FP Cost: 24
• Weight: 10.0
• Attack Power:

  • Physical - 131

• Scarlet Rot buildup (55)
• Attribute Scaling:

  • Str: E
  • Dex: D
  • Arc: D

• Attributes Required:

  • Str: 14
  • Dex: 22
  • Arc: 20

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Consumable items are some of the most underrated features of Elden Ring (and perhaps all FromSoftware games). Players commonly overlook these items since the buffs they grant have short durations and aren't convenient to use in the middle of combat.? But if you put forth the extra effort to craft these items, the game can become ??much less daunting than it would be otherwise.

Shadow of the Erdtree introduces the strongest damage resistance consumables in the game. Seven volumes of Forager Brood Cookbooks teach the recipes of the new line of defensive consumables along with two utility items. If you want to increase your survivability in Elden Ring (wh??o doesn't?), ??this guide will go over how to get each of the Forager Brood Cookbooks and the recipes they unlock.

How to get all seven Forager Brood Cookbooks in Elden Ring

Before you get started, it's worth pointing out that you can become locked out of obtaining the Forager Brood Cookbooks if Moore dies at any point during his questline. So if Moore is already dead in your save, you'll be unable to get any of the Cookbooks. You should also ensure not t??o attack any non-hostile pests encountered throughout the Realm of Shadow, as these entities give you the Cookbooks.

Forager Brood Cookbook (1)

How to obtain: West-northwest of the Ruined Forge of Starfall Past is a pest that can be interact??ed with, and that will give you the cookbook.

Unlocks the recipe for Spellproof Pickled Liver (Magic Damage negation)

• 3x Rada Fruit
• 1x Beast Liver
• 1x Scorpion Liver
• 1x Glintslab Firefly

Forager Brood Cookbook (2)

How to obtain: Southeast of the Cliffroad Terminus Site of Grace, there will be a non-hostile Servant of Rot who will ??give you the cookbook.

Unlocks the recipe for Fireproof Pickled Liver (Fire Damage negation)

• 3x Rada Fruit
• 1x Beast Liver
• 1x Scorpion Liver
• 1x Black Pyrefly

Forager Brood Cookbook (3)

How to obtain: Near the Cerulean Coast Site of Grace is a forest of lightn?ing rams and a Furnace Golem roaming the Ellac River. In the northeast corner of the forest, there is a p??est that will hand you the cookbook if you interact with it.

Unlocks the recipe for Lightningproof Pickled Liver (Lightning Damage negation)

• 3x Rada Fruit
• 1x Beast Liver
• 1x Scorpion Liver
• 1x Yellow Fulgurbloom

Forager Brood Cookbook (4)

How to obtain: Interact with a pest north of the Church of the Crusade. You must use a Warming Stone or Sunwarmth Stone to warm i??t up and then reload the area via teleporting or logging out. Upon your return, you can interact with it and receive the cookbook.

Unlocks the recipe for Holyproof Pickled Liver (Holy Damage negation)

• 5x Golden Rowa
• 1x Beast Liver
• 3x Golden Sunflower

Forager Brood Cookbook (5)

How to obtain: North of the Moorth Ruins, there's a pest that can be interacted wit??h along the right side of the cliff. Beware of the Deathbirds throughout the swamp, as some can aggro and attack yo??u while interacting.

Unlocks the recipe for Opaline Pickled Liver (Non-Physical Damage negation)

• 3x Rada Fruit
• 1x Beast Liver
• 1x Scorpion Liver
• 1x Pealescent Scale

Forager Brood Cookbook (6)

How to obtain: From the Church District Highroad Site of Grace, head West up the cliff above the tunnel and?? follow the outer wall of the Shadow Keep. You'll find a pest that will give you the cookbook after interacting with it.

Unlocks the recipe for Well-Pickled Turtle Neck (Increased stamina recovery speed)

• 3x Rada Fruit
• 1x Turtle Neck Meat
• 1x Scorpion Liver
• 1x Dewgem

Forager Brood Cookbook (7)

How to obtain: After helping the pest and obtaining the Forager Brood Cookbook (4), you can speak with Moore at the Main Gate Cross Site of Grace, and he will give? you the Forager Brood Cookbook (7).

Unlocks the recipe for Spirit Raisin (Pushes back enemies when sprinting with Torrent) and Charming Branch (Charms nearby enemies)

• Spirit Raisin

  • 1x Rada Fruit

• Charming Branch

  • 1x Dewgem
  • 1x Empyrean Blood-Burgeon
  • 1x Beast Horn

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For Strength builds, bigger usually is always better. And there are few hammers bigger than Devonia's Hammer in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. I'll show you how to find the weapon, but? you should prepare for a ??scrap when you arrive.

Devonia's Hammer is wielded by the Crucible Knight Devonia in the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, and they're not giving it up without a fight.

Devonia's Hammer location in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

To find Devonia's Hammer, you'll first need to clear the Shadow Keep and head west past the Viaduct to the Ancient Ruins of Rauh??. Starting at the 'Viaduct Minor Tower' Site of Grace, head right on?? Torrent and down into the ancient structure.

Keep descending, making your way past two large, ornate doors. You'll know yo??u're heading in the right direction when you enter a room with Serpent Snails hanging about.

Look for a Spiritspring nearby and use it to descend further. Once you land, you'll have two directions you can go. One direction leads you down a tunnel, while another takes you left past the image of a cloaked person carved into a stone wall. Take the p?ath left from the carving.

The path leads you down a flooded passageway.

Keep moving until you reach an open area. There, standin?g guard nearby, is the Crucible Knight Devonia deep in thought.

Devonia will aggro on you as you approach. You can? take this fight on Torrent?, so use your speed to your advantage with hit-and-run strikes.

Devonia attacks slowly, so you should be able to take them down without receiving too much damage. But watch out for Devonia's special attack. When you see them twirli??ng the Hammer above their head, run away to avoid the area attack.

When Devonia is defeated, they drop Devonia's Hammer ??and the Crucible Ham?mer-Helm.

Devonia's Hammer specs

Devonia's Hammer is a Colossal Great Hammer that scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith. It leans more tow??ard Strength, naturally, as it is a massive piece of metal attached to a stick.

Its Ashes of War ability is Devonia's Vortex. Activating it causes you to twirl the hammer above your head before smashing it down in ?front of you, causing a golden explosion. Charging the a??ttack makes the strike more powerful.

Here are the specs:

• Attack Power (Strike)

  • Physical: 147
  • Holy: 44

• Attribute Scaling

  • Str: C
  • Dex: E
  • Fai: D

• Guarded Damage Negation

  • Physical: 73.0
  • Magic:
  • Fire:
  • Lightning:
  • Holy:
  • Guard Boost:

• Attributes Required

  • Str: 30
  • Dex: 13
  • Fai: 19

Since you can wield the weapon with both hands, I suggest you track down the Two-Handed Sword Talisman to boost its attack power.

There are plenty of other weapons to discover in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Be sure to check out our guides on how to find the Milady, Dueling Shield, and the Great Katana.

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For magic and skill users, the Cerulean Amber Medallion +3 is an ideal item to find in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Unfortunate?ly, getting it isn't as simple as locating some hi??dden chest out in the world.

The Cerulean Amber Medallion +3 can be found in the Scorpion River Catacombs on the northwest section of the map. Gett??ing it, however, is going to take some effort. The medallion is an award for clearing the boss of the catacombs, and they don't plan on giving up easily.

Cerulean Amber Medallion +3 location in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

To track down the Scorpion River Catacombs, you'll want to begin your journey at the 'Temple Town Ruins' Site of Grace. It's near the Rauh Ruins map location, so if you need assistance on how to find it, check out our guide here.

This is the path we'll follow on the map:

From the Temple Town Ruins, head north up the river until you find the nearby Site of Grace. Oh, and watch out for the scorpions. Believe it or not, there are a few of those on the Scorpion River. Yo??u'll also find many red-colored Kindred of Rot in the area. Try and avoid them if you're not up to dying the second they notice you.

Once you reach the end of the river, you'll find the door to the catacombs with a man's spirit sobbing nearby. He begs you not to look at his face. Look at his face before opening the door and entering the catacombs. Looking does nothing, but how can you avoid it?

The Scorpion River Catacombs, much like other catacom??bs, is long and winding and travels deep underground. You'll need to take el??evators down while avoiding enemies and ceiling traps. There are also statues of Basilisks casting Death Blight, but you can find Rejuvenating Boluses in the catacombs to cure it.

Keep descending until you at last reach the? boss room. You will come face to face with the Death Knight, who uses lightning and a Longhaft Axe in combat. They're a tough opponent, but many of their moves can be dodged with correct ??timing.

The one move you'll need to watch out for is broadcast by the Death Knight's cape forming into wings with white fire engulfing its right hand. After the windup, the knight will shoot forward and grab you for a devastating grab attack that regen??erates its health. To beat it, create some distance and dodge left or right at the last moment.

When it's defeated, the Death Knight drops:

• Cerulean Amber Medallion +3
• Death Knight's Longshaft Axe

The Cerulean Amber Medallion +3 is a po??werful artifact that boosts your maximum FP gauge more than its predecessors. It's a powerful tool for those who require a lot of FP for their build.

On the other hand, the Death Knight's Longhaft Axe is a Greataxe that scales with strength, dexterity, and faith. You can find the Death Knight armor set elsewhere in the game. To complete the ensemble, be sure to check out our guide on how to find the Death Knight armor.

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There is a lot to do in Elden Ring, with all manner of secret quests and moments tucked away that some players might never find. St. Trina is one of them, but if you have managed to find her, then you'll be wondering if you should imbibe her nectar in Elden Ring.

Should you drink the nectar in Elden Ring?

Yes, you should imbibe the nectar from St. Trina. There's no downside to drinking the nectar, and it's also a requirement to complete Thiollier's?? questline. Here's what you must do:

1. Ensure you've completed all steps of Thiollier's quest before proceeding.
2. Activate the nearby Deep Purple Site of Grace.
3. Exhaust all of Thiollier's dialogue options.
4. Drink the nectar from St. Trina six times (each drink kills you).

   • On the fourth drink, the screen fades to black and St. Trina says, "Make Miquella stop."

5. Respawn at Garden of Deep Purple Site of Grace.
6. Talk to Thiollier and tell him what happened.

   • If he denies it, tell him again and reload the area.
   • Be prepared for an ambush from Thiollier; defeat him.

7. Reload the area and return to the cave.
8. Imbibe the nectar twice more to hear new dialogue from St. Trina.
9. Talk to Thiollier again until he becomes unresponsive.
10. This process sets up Thiollier as a Summon for later fights and completes the quest.

The act itself is connected to a long quest for Thiollier, so you should likely make sure you have done the required steps of it first. Seeing as you are here in S?t. Trina's cave, I am going to assume you have Thiollier with you, so let's tal??k about the nectar.

You will need to drink the nectar a total of six times, and each time you do, it will kill you. Make sure the nearby Deep Purple Site of Grace is your active one, as you can quickly walk back into the cave, grabbing your Runes on the w?ay. First, make sure you?? have all of Thiollier's dialogue options exhausted, then drink the next.

The fourth time you drink it?, the screen will fade to bl?ack and St. Trina will ask you to "Make Miquella stop."

After respawning a?t the Garden of Deep Purple Site of Grace, talk to Thiollier and tell him what happened. He will deny it, so take the option to tell him again and then reload into the ??area. He will try to ambush you from behind, so turn around and fight him. He's not difficult to deal with, as he himself admits he is a bit useless in battle.

When he is dealt with, reload the area and head back into the cave. Talk to him, then imbibe the necta??r twice more for the new St. Trina dialogue, then once again talk to Thiollier. When he is unresponsive, your work here is done.

While you did all this is complicated, but it basically sets up T??hiollier as a Summon for later fights, and allo??ws you to properly finish the linked quest above.

What happens if you don't imbibe the nectar in Elden Ring?

Choosing not to drink St. Trina's nectar in Elden Ring means you won't progress in Thiollier's questline. Here's what you'??ll miss out on:

1. Thiollier's questline will come to a halt. Without drinking the nectar, you won't receive the messages from St. Trina, which are essential for advancing his story.
2. You'll miss out on crucial lore and dialogue that sheds light on St. Trina's concerns about Miquella and the consequences of godhood.
3. Thiollier will not invade your world or become a Summon for future battles, limiting your interactions and the benefits of completing his questline.
4. The narrative and gameplay elements tied to St. Trina's messages and Thiollier's actions will remain unresolved, leaving a portion of the DLC unexplored.

Whil?e avoiding the nectar might s??eem like a safe option, it ultimately prevents you from experiencing all that the Shadow of the Erdtree has to offer, which I do not recommend.

Who is St. Trina?

St. Trina was mentioned quite a bit in the base game and was at times referenced as a young girl or?? a young boy. They were quite impactful in their short time spent in the Lands Between, as an entire branch of faith sprung up around them, with priests drinking the nectar to attain a sort of ritualistic coma to try and commune with them.

They are clearly concerned for Miquella, as we can now tell from her dialogue. They wish you to kill him to save him from the prison of godhood. While areas of the game do possess art that depicts St. Trina as an adult when we meet them, they are very childlike, and it is likely tha?t they have a similar affliction to Miquella and are unable to age.

The post Should you Imbibe Nectar or Leave in Elden Ring? appeared first on Destructoid.

Heavy builds are back in business in Elden Ring, especially with the new Verdigris Discus ??item. If you want to face tank hits and not die right away with the proper setup, this is a must-have relic.

Verdigris Discus location in Shadow of the Erdtree

To get the Verdigris Discus in Elden Ring, it’ll be found in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. You have to pass Castle Ensis. You can either clear this legacy dungeon by defeating a major story boss or by skipping around it. 

You just have to get past this area to get to the Highroad Cross Site of Grace. This will be the ?major checkpoint before g??etting the Verdigris Discus.

From here, make your way west of this area. Scale down the cliffs, but find an area where you can safely jump down without taking fatal fall damage. The water is safe to travel on. You may encounter a Ghost Troll where the water is. 

From here, go up the cliff until you see the teleporter at the highest point of this area. You’ll need an Imbued Sword Key to unlock this portal. One can be found near the Castl?e-Lord?’s Chamber Site of Grace at Castle Ensis if you do not have one.

Once you enter the teleporter, you’re going to be?? at the Ancient Ruins of Rauh. Kill the enemy in the middle so it won’t bother you. Finally, head towards the inside of the cliff going north until you find an altar with two columns. The item sh??ould be right in front of it.

What does the Verdigris Discus do?

The Verdigris Discus is a relic that raises your defense based on how heavy your equipment load is. The heavier the equipment, the more effective the item is. That means you will need to sacrifice mobility and have a Heavy Load in order to maximize it??s effect.

It pairs particularly well with the rest of the Verdigris set that you can get rather early on in Shadow of the Erdtree, depe?nding on what you decide to do with Moore regarding his ??quest line. 

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If you're struggling against magic and elemental damage, you may want to find the Pearldrake Talisman +3 in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. It pr?otects against everything but physical damage, ??and it's the best of its Pearldrake siblings to do so.

The Talisman, exclusive to Shadow of the Erdtree, can be found in the Shadow Keep. It's kept away in the Specimen Storeroom, which isn't available until after you beat the first boss of the area. Luckily, getting to the Storeroom afterward is rather straightfor??ward. You'll need to dodge some Fire Knights and Shadow Militiamen to get there, but at least... no, wait. There are Fire Knights and Militiamen in the Storeroom as well. Sorry. The str??uggle will be worth it.

Pearldrake Talisman +3 location in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

To find the Pearldrake Talisman +3, you'll have to start at the 'Storehouse, First Floor' Site of Grace at the Shadow Keep. O?nce you arrive, go around the massive centerpiece on the left s??ide.

Watch for Militiamen ambushes as you ?continue to a staircase you need to climb. Take a sharp left after the staircase and walk down the corridor. Stop when the second ?shelf to your right ends and then head up the stairs to your right.

Igno??re the Fire Knight on the floor and go up the next set of stairs.

You'll have to fight the Fire Knight you see standin??g near the edge. Ma??ke sure your fight is a flashy one!

From where the Fire K?night was standing, look right and squeeze between the two shelves.

The Pearldrake Talisman +3 is held?? by the giant, hornsent statue/corpse.

What does the Talisman do?

The Pearldrake Talisman +3 lowers all non-physical damage while be?ing worn. As per the description:

"Talisman with a large depiction of a pearlescen??t ancient dragon. Boosts non-physical damage negation by the u?tmost."

Non-physical damage consists of magic, holy, lightning, fire, an?d any other damage not caused by something metal, ston?e, or wood.

You found the Talisman, but you're not done yet. The Shadow Keep holds many secrets, such as powerful items and tools. Be sure to check out our guides on how to find the Dueling Shield, the Prayer Room, and the Carian Thrusting Shield.

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Elden Ring's fabled expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, focused heavily on the Faith side of the spell-slinging spe?ctrum, but that doesn't mean Sorcery was completely neglected. Though there weren't nearly as many Sorcery spells added, a few o?f the ones that were are actually 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 slotting into my spellbook. The following spells were consistent?ly 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 nearb?y 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 more 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 l??arge 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 th?at 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 Briar 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 rotate 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. Despi??te 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 p?icking 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 cliff, so use caution when hunting this spell??.

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.

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The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring has plenty of new content for players to jump into. Wi??th new bosses, new weapons, and a new story, there is tons t?o see, and that includes some new painting puzzles too.

These paintings offer a special reward if you can not only find the painting itself,?? but the location where the painting was inspired. The Incursion painting is one of them, that will gift you with a great piece of gear if you can solve this puzzle. Don’t worry, we’re ?here to show you how.

Where is the Incursion Painting in Elden Ring?

You can find the Incursion painting in the appropriately named artist’s s?hack that’s on the cliff a little north of the Church of Benediction. To get there easiest, you??’ll want to go to the Cliffroad Terminus Site of Grace, and head southeast from there. 

Follow the forest southeast and jump up a set of rocks??, which will lead you straight to the artist’s shack that contains the painting. 

Take note that you have to interact with the painting itself before you can solve the painting puzzle, so don’t forget this step. This is true of all the paintings, including The Domain of Dragons and The Sacred Tower.

How to complete the Incursion Painting puzzle

Now that ??you’ve found the painting itself, you will need to go to a small hill near the Belurat?? Gaol dungeon that contains an archway. This is the area that inspired the artist for the painting, where you can find and interact with their ghost.

You can use the Greatbridge North Site of Grace to get there quickly. Head due west of the Site of Grace on the south side of the lake to a small hill. It’s right on the outskirts of the Tower Settlement, betw??een the two bodies of water.

You can find the direct loc??ation on the map below. Follow the path marked to find the painting's solution.

Once youâ€??™ve made it here, and so long as you’ve interacted with the painting itself, the artist’s ghost will appear for you to pick up the reward they’ve drop?ped for you.

Incursion Painting puzzle reward in Elden Ring

For your hard work, the ghost will drop the Serpent Crest Shield for you to take. This is a Medium shield that has a good balance between weight and defense. The Serpent Crest does scale best with Strength, and while it doesn’t give you the best agility, it’s got good defense. If you’re looking for a Medium shield, this is a great one to take.

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