How Multiplayer Works In Elden Ring
Be it competitive or cooperative, FromSoftware games have always featured some degree of online play, and Elden Ring is no different. Even with the latest game being a massive open world, the team has managed to implement an online component for those who wish to go beyond PvE.
While Dark Souls had a very straightforward online system, Elden Ring’s is a bit more elaborate. We are going to take you through how multiplayer works in the game, the different items you need, and some essential tips to keep in mind for Elden Ring multiplayer matches.
How Does Multiplayer Work in Elden Ring?
Elden Ring’s multiplayer is divided into PvE (you fight with the player) and PvP (you fight the player). Specific in-game items are required to engage in online play, and each has a different use. Some can be found while exploring the world, while others are given to the Tarnished by completing one of their quests. Online play in Elden Ring can add a new layer of fun to the game and even help you complete some areas that were proving to be too difficult!
The first thing you should be aware of is that all online aspects of the game are entirely optional. Just like previous FromSoftware titles, you can go through the entire journey solo and enjoy the glory of beating even the toughest bosses by yourself.
That being said, the game does not instantly become easier when you decide to summon for help. We’ll explore that a bit more when speaking about co-op play, but first, you will need to collect some items depending on what kind of online play you wish to engage in.
Tip
Elden Ring does not feature crossplay between systems, but those with systems from the same company can play across console generations.
PvE Items
| Item | Effect | Location |
| Tarnished’s Furled Finger | Places a golden cooperation summon sign on the ground that a player can use to summon the cooperator into their world. | Can be found on a corpse near the first site of grace, which is required to progress the game. |
| Small Golden Effigy | Adds users’ co-op summon to the Summoning Pool of a nearby Martyr’s Effigy. | Acquired after interacting with a Martyr’s Effigy. |
| Tarnished’s Wizened Finger | Writes a message for other players to read and rate. | Acquired at the Chapel of Anticipation, mandatory to progress the game. |
| White Cipher Ring | When activated, summons a blue phantom to fight on your side when invaded by a player. | Sold by the Twin Maidens at the Roundtable Hold for 1,000 Runes. |
| Blue Cipher Ring | When activated, it will transport the player as a blue phantom to the world of a Tarnished being invaded by a red phantom. | Sold by the Twin Maidens at the Roundtable Hold for 1,000 Runes. |
PvP Items
| Item | Effect | Location |
| Festering Bloody Finger | A single-use item that allows the player to invade another world. | Speak with Varre at Rose Church. |
| Bloody Finger | A reusable item that allows the player to invade another world. | Progress Varre’s quest at Rose Church. |
| Recusant Finger | Invade another world, has a different narrative to the Bloody Finger item. | Progress the Volcano Manor quest. |
| Duelist’s Furled Finger | Places a red PvP summon sign that another player can use to summon the Tarnished for a duel. | Acquired from a corpse in Stormhill Colosseum. |
| Small Red Effigy | Adds users’ PvP summon to the Summoning Pool of a nearby Martyr’s Effigy. | Acquired after interacting with a Martyr’s Effigy. |
| Taunter’s Tongue | Allows players to be invaded when playing solo. Only a single ally phantom can be summoned. The invader limit is increased to two red phantoms. Lowers lock-out timer between invasions. | Dropped by Mad Tongue Alberich at Roundtable Hold. |
Depending on the style of online play you wish to engage in, these items will help you get started. Each mode comes with its risks and rewards, and even with two PvE phantoms by your side, your time in the Lands Between will not be easy.
How Does PvE Work in Elden Ring?
Cooperative play, or PvE, can be initiated by either summoning phantoms by touching the golden summon signs or being summoned as a golden phantom to another world. So, the player who wishes to aid another will need to place their summon sign on the ground using the Tarnished’s Furled Finger. Another player will then activate this sign to summon the player into their world for some jolly cooperation.
The basic requirement to become an ally phantom in Elden Ring is the Tarnished’s Furled Finger, which you can pick up from a corpse right by the very first site of grace in the tutorial area. As a summoner, you can request the aid of two phantoms as regular summons and a third blue phantom when you are being invaded by a red phantom.
Summoning players to help you take down areas can be a blessing, but it’s not all positive as there are some factors to keep in mind. The first is that your summons will disappear after beating the boss of that area. They cannot continue on your journey after defeating a boss and will need to be summoned again.
The world of Elden Ring scales with the amount of help you enlist. Summoning two phantoms will increase the bosses’ overall HP and the damage they inflict. Summoning phantoms also leaves you vulnerable to invasion. If you have activated the White Cipher Ring and get invaded, a third blue phantom will be summoned to help you fight the invader.
The player and the summons cannot use their mounts and will have to get around on foot. Summoned players will have access to half of their usual flask amounts. If you wish to play with friends but have large level disparities between your characters, you can circumvent this issue by using passwords in the Multiplayer menu.
Tip
It should be noted that passwords won’t impact invasions, and red phantoms will appear without a password.
Martyr Effigies in Elden Ring make it easier to find summon signs. They can be found at the start of dungeons and right outside boss doors, allowing you to call in aid before you begin a new adventure. Players can add themselves to the summon pool by using the Small Golden Effigy. The signs of all the players who have used this item will appear when the summoner interacts with the Martyr’s Effigy.
How does PvP Work in Elden Ring?
A FromSoftware game wouldn’t be complete if you couldn’t invade another player’s world as an antagonist. Aside from using the Bloody Finger to invade other worlds forcefully, Elden Ring players can also put down a red summon sign that can be interacted with to initiate a duel. Just like summoning PvE phantoms, PvP also comes with its own set of restrictions.
None of the players can use their mounts, and the invaders’ flasks are halved. As an invader, the enemies in the world won’t attack you, which you can use to your advantage against the world’s host. But if the host can defeat the boss of the arena, the invading phantom will be sent back to their world along with the golden phantoms.
Tip
If you invade a world with multiple phantoms, you will regain flasks for every phantom you defeat. So, it’s a good idea to focus your attention on taking them out one by one.
As the host of the world, if you wish to play solo but want help in the event of an invasion, you can activate the White Cipher Ring. This will summon one blue phantom only when you are invaded. If you activate the Blue Cipher Ring, you will be summoned as a blue phantom into the world where an invasion is taking place.
How to Write Messages in Elden Ring?
Messages have been a staple feature of FromSoftware online play, and they make a comeback in Elden Ring. Using the Tarnished’s Wizened Finger, players can choose from several preset words to create a helpful, or funny, message for other players to read. This can help others learn about nearby dangers or weapons that can help them in that situation.
The messages can be rated positively or negatively by the reader. One may think a game like Elden Ring would punish the player for a negative rating, but both negative and positive appraisals will grant the player extra flask charges. This means a strategic message placement could result in a consistent stream of flask-replenishing votes as the message writer explores their world.
Player Levels Determine Elden Ring’s Online Summoning Experience
To avoid high-level players from invading or helping newcomers to the game, Elden Ring implements ranges to its online component. This means players will match with others who are within the same level range, enabling a fair fight against each other or the area’s boss.
The criteria for the summons is dependent on your character’s current level and the highest-level weapon upgrade you have used. This means players over level 80 won’t match with players in their 20s. Also, a player who has a +10 Moonveil won’t be matched against a player who is working with a +2 Longsword.
That’s everything there is to know about Elden Ring’s online experience! Now, you are free to help or invade players in the Lands Between as you see fit. Which weapon is your favorite to use when playing online? Let us know in the comments below and check out our other Elden Ring guides for more tips and tricks on how to become the strongest Tarnished.
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