Elden Ring rightfully secured the title of Game of the Year in 2022, primarily due to its accessibility. This installment from FromSoftware provides a more welcoming experience for newcomers compared to previous titles in the soulsborne genre, allowing players to dive in without extensive prior knowledge. Nonetheless, it retains a level of challenge that keeps veteran players engaged, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
Players can embrace a casual experience by wielding weapons like the Blasphemous Blade with the Mimic Tear, while others may find thrill in a no-summons, club-only challenge. With over 100 diverse bosses and 30 unique weapon types, the base game offers ample content. Coupled with the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, players are sure to find endless fun.
However, as players become accustomed to specific playstyles, subsequent playthroughs may feel repetitive. For instance, if one opts for the Giant-Crusher in their first run and decides to dual-wield them in the second, they might find little variation in gameplay. To help invigorate your experience during your next Elden Ring adventure, we’ve compiled a list of 10 innovative strategies for a fresh second playthrough.
10 Experiment with a Different Weapon Class
New Weapon, New Approach
To refresh your gameplay, consider trying a weapon from a different class. For instance, the Greatsword, often dubbed Guts’ Greatsword, is renowned for its remarkable physical and poise damage. By changing its Ash of War to Lion’s Claw, players can effectively break enemy poise in just a few strikes.
Switching gears from the Greatsword to a Fist-type weapon like the Star Fist introduces a considerable gameplay shift. While you sacrifice range for increased damage through successive hits, the varied combat approach keeps engagement levels high. Both weapons mentioned above benefit from Strength and Dexterity scaling, allowing for further experimentation with Faith, Intelligence, and Arcane damage types.
9 Embrace a New Build
I Love, Therefore I Love
While similar to the previous tip, adopting a new build requires varying your stat levels. For instance, if your initial build prioritized Strength with a few Dexterity points, consider shifting to pure Intelligence or a Strength/Intelligence hybrid. This change may prompt you to respec your character.
Even if you prefer using the Giant-Crusher, you can achieve similar results with the Gavel of Haima to deal magical damage. With numerous sorceries available, like Swift Glintstone Shard and Comet Azur, you can focus on spellcasting coupled with powerful talismans for boosted effectiveness.
8 Modify Your Playstyle
Slow It Down or Go All Out
Adjusting your playstyle might seem minor, but you’ll soon discover how dramatically it can alter the difficulty in various encounters. Consider adopting a more aggressive stance if you usually play passively—or vice versa.
If you typically wield a shield while being aggressive, switching to a one-handed weapon can enhance your ability to block or parry enemy attacks. Conversely, passive players might find a challenge in using a buckler for parries, relying on their timing for counters.
Players who usually employ shields can experiment by equipping dual-handed weapons like the Godskin Peeler or Elenora’s Poleblade, providing a refreshing shift in approach.
7 Go for a Cosplay Run
No, I Am Malenia, Blade of Miquella
A cosplay run invites players to embody their favorite characters within Elden Ring. Not only do you mirror your preferred character’s appearance, but you also wield their signature weapons, armor, and essential sorceries or incantations for added immersion.
Consider Malenia, notorious for her formidable challenges. As the sole demigod you must conquer after defeating Morgott, she offers one of the most coveted Dexterity-based weapons—her Katana, the Hand of Malenia—with its unique Ash of War enabling the iconic Waterfowl Dance. Pair these with her armor, and you’ll adopt a playstyle that mirrors her agility while learning from her movements.
Other possibilities include impersonating Morgott or Godrick with their respective weapons or powers, providing a wealth of options to explore.
6 Undertake a Consumables-Only Run
No Weapons? No Problem!
Consumables in Elden Ring are often undervalued yet can significantly impact gameplay. Contrary to common belief, consumables extend beyond just health potions and offensive options like Golden Runes.
A Consumables-Only run challenges players to complete the game without weapons or spells, relying strictly on items. This entails utilizing items such as Freezing Pots and Kukris for diverse strategies. By carrying a variety of consumables, such as Bone Darts and Aromatic items, you can unexpectedly dominate bosses and explore the game in a novel way.
5 Implement a Randomizer Run
Wait, Shouldn’t Godfrey Be in Limgrave?
For an entirely different experience, try the “Elden Ring Item and Enemy Randomizer, ”available on Nexus Mods. This mod allows you to modify item and enemy placement throughout the game, comparable to a Pokémon Nuzlocke challenge.
During a Randomizer run, expect to encounter familiar enemies in new locations, coupled with unpredictable loot rewards. You may find powerful items in unexpected chests or engage in combat with bosses out of their usual settings. This variation forces adaptation and creativity as you navigate the altered landscape.
4 Attempt an RL1 Run
No Character Leveling Allowance
While previous challenges have leaned towards creativity, an RL1 run immerses you into a truly skill-testing experience.RL1 stands for Rune Level 1, allowing no character leveling. Originating from the Dark Souls series’ SL1 challenges, this endeavor presents both rewarding gameplay and significant challenges.
Beginning as a Wretch class, your low stats may seem like a handicap, but the challenge lies in optimizing talismans and builds without leveling up. This encourages players to become intimate with various talismans and how they can enhance gameplay.
Constructive play applies here—offensively focusing on damage output while finding balanced gear becomes essential. For those who thrive on intense challenges, pursuing an RL1 run showcases skill and strategy.
3 Take on an RL1+0 Run
No Leveling Up of Weapons Permitted
The RL1+0 run augments the challenge of the prior RL1 run by prohibiting both character and weapon level-ups. This enhanced difficulty significantly affects combat effectiveness, especially during later encounters where damage output is critical.
Fighting dynamic bosses while limited in terms of power escalates the tension. Navigating these challenges without leveling up weapons demands precision, strategic planning, and strict avoidance of mistakes—requiring players to stretch their skills to the limit.
2 Take the Deathless Challenge
Zero Deaths Allowed
As the designation implies, the objective in a Deathless run is to avoid any fatalities. Should you perish, the challenge resets. While not an impossible feat, it necessitates substantial patience and meticulous planning to avert all potential threats.
Raising Vigor and Endurance is paramount, as increased health lets you withstand more damage while providing better armor capabilities. Careful navigation of the sprawling world is crucial; stumbling into unfriendly territories or traps can terminate your run. Mastery over boss patterns is essential to secure swift victories.
In case of dire situations, players can exit the game before the death screen to avoid penalties—a strategy accepted by many players as a form of practice during intense battles.
1 Undertake a Hitless Run
No Need for Vigor if You Won’t Get Hit
To culminate the various challenges you’ve faced, we present the Hitless run—the ultimate self-imposed trial within Elden Ring.In this endeavor, any hit taken necessitates a complete restart.
Completing a Hitless run is best pursued after mastering earlier challenges, such as the RL1+0 and Deathless runs. Familiarity with boss moves from those experiences solidifies your chances of going hitless. While you can level up, consider investing more in stats like Endurance or Strength based on your chosen playstyle.
Though you may save points in Vigor due to the optimization of your strategy, awareness of mechanics remains crucial. Utilizing the Ash of War called Assassin’s Gambit can also provide invisibility and sound suppression—an element worth exploring during your run.
Once you’ve successfully completed these varied challenges, consider mixing multiple elements together in a single playthrough. Inventively combine a randomizer with a Deathless run or pursue an RL1 no-hit challenge to truly test your skills in Elden Ring.
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