Elden Ring was out for nearly three weeksbut its developers are still trying to improve the experience. On Wednesday, FromSoftware announced that a new patch for the game has been deployed, which is large. The list of announced changes is extensive. There are some improvements in navigation that will make your life easier. But there are some nerfs that will make the battle much harder.
Start with what the patch added. You can now add icons to the gameplay card (NPC) that you encounter, which will facilitate several quest lines. “New Phases of Quests” have also been added for four NPCs: Diallos, Nepheli Loux, Kenneth Haight and Gatekeeper Gostoc. Since the patch has just been released, we still don’t know what this new content will look like.
Perhaps more noticeable are the many balance changes that FromSoftware has implemented. The nerf on the top line is to Mimic Tear Ash, which allows you to summon a spear on yourself to fight enemies. Mimic Tear Ash’s damage has been reduced and his “pattern of behavior” has changed, which players say will result in fewer special attacks. Like someone who literally just beat the game because of Mimic Tear Ash, let me tell you, this is a change in the game.
But the patch will also help you a lot. For starters, on Blacksmith’s stone the drop rate will be increased and some Smithing Stones will be available for purchase earlier in the game now. The Twin Maiden Husks will also sell you a mascot bag to compensate for the fact that players may miss out on getting an extra one at the roundtable. The new patch also “increases the effectiveness of the shield”, which can be a great help melee players. Several items will also be more effective now – such as Spark Aromatic and Ironjar Aromatic – and several magic spells have also been improved, including Comet and Star Shower.
Then, as you would expect from a patch, there is a large list of bug fixes. Of all the bugs listed, the only one I’ve encountered in my 100 hours is my spotted freeze in time and space after calling Torrent. Other annoying-sounding issues that have been altered include bugs that prevent items from being collected after boss battles, weapons that do not scale statistics properly, and a key area that does not open up after an important boss battle.