Summary
I’ve grown fond of farming runes inElden Ringbecause ofShadow of the Erdtree, even if the way it is done is still somewhat repetitive. Farming runes is a vital step to take in order to level up, especially if you are feeling stuck on a certain boss encounter. As such, increasing your stats can be just what you need to get advantage over the opponent you are facing and take them down before they beat you. However, obtaining runes has always been an obnoxious task, as it often involves running routes with lesser enemies until you have enough to level up.
This gets worse the higher your level is, as rune requirements are much higher, too. Reaching the recommendedlevel forElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeafter starting the contents of the DLC can be tricky, but there are ways to circumvent this without having to go back and run these annoying routes. In fact, you’re able to farm runes quite pleasantly by playingShadow of the Erdtreeand enjoying some of the best boss encounters that the expansion brought forth, such as the one againstRellanaTwin Moon Knight, Messmer, or theDivine Beast Dancing Lion, for example.
I Spent Months Preparing For Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree & Got Annihilated Anyway
I started a new Elden Ring playthrough back in January to get ready for the release of Shadow of the Erdtree, yet I regret not farming more runes.
Helping Players In Co-Op Is A Great Source Of Runes In Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree
You Can Safely Rechallenge Boss Fights Without Too Many Risks
Assisting players in co-op mode can be one of the best source of runes, especially when you are doing so in boss fights. While there is usually a challenge behind defeating bosses, increased because of their HP and damage scaling in co-op, helping others in boss fights is quite rewarding. For starters, even if the amount of runes is decreased when compared to your actual victory over the boss, you can consistently farm thousands of runes in one fell swoop. Another great benefit is that, when in another player’s world, you don’tlose runes if you die inElden Ring.
This essentially means thatyou can help players defeat bosses in the DLC without putting your own runes at risk. The only thing you may lose while doing so is time, but that is often compensated for by the runes rewarded when you and your partner are able to fell a boss. This has been particularly handy for those days when I cannot get progress inShadow of the Erdtree. There are days where I am playing worse than usual and, instead of frustratingly trying the same boss knowing that I will fail, I spend some time helping others.
As such, I do not waste that bad day without playing at all but use that down time to improve my character and in the meantime, try and help other players surpass the challenges they themselves may be stuck on. Coop mode was what helped me push through my first traditional soulslike experience ever.Summoning allies helped me better understand how I should I fight, dodge, and position myself, giving me confidence to later on proceed alone. As such, using co-op in the newElden RingDLC seems like a way to pay back the same community that helped me.
Elden Ring’s Co-Op Allows Me To Revisit Memorable Boss Fights
I Beat Some Shadow Of The Erdtree Bosses Too Quickly
In addition to farming runes and giving me a sense of being part of the better side of the community, helping other players in co-op mode has also proven its worth by allowing me to revisit some of my favorite boss fights. One of my biggest disappointments was actually beatingRellana inElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreetoo quickly. Of course,beating the boss within less than five attempts gave me an immense deal of satisfactionconsidering I was underleveled at the time, but it also upset me.
Rellana has one of the most beautiful fights in the game.
I felt that I overcame that challenge too swiftly, as controversial as it may seem. With co-op mode, however, I can help others beat the aggressive knight and face one of the most visually appealing boss fights in the DLC, while farming runes on days when I frustratingly cannot get past Metyr, Mother of Fingers, for example. Having defeated Romina on my second try, I feel like I experienced a lot less of the fight than I actually wanted to. As such, Romina, Saint of the Bud, is the next boss I will help players deal with inElden Ring.
“The best moment to playElden Ringis right now.”
To me, one of the best parts of the soulslike experience is to meet a boss that keeps you wrapped up just enough for you to understand and master their kit. Doing so makes you feel like you’ve become an acquaintance with them, even if one that is there to destroy their very existence.Getting past certain bosses too quickly ends up preventing me from having that feeling, even if it is satisfactory to beat them within the first few attempts. Having beaten the Golden Hippopotamus on my second try was enough for me to dislike the entire boss fight.
Some of my least favoritebosses inElden Ring, in fact, are those that I beat too quickly, whereas some of my favorites are those that I spent some time getting to know. For instance,I even revisitMalenia, Blade of Miquella’s fight in co-op mode to get a feel of the spectacular fight she provides while I farm runes and help others. This has been particularly more common for me to do because of the recent release ofShadow of the Erdtree. With the arrival of the DLC, the game’s world is a lot more populated than before.
As such, there are players looking for assistance frequently, even in the base game. Taking advantage of this increased number of players, I use co-op boss fights to farm runes. I could also easily help players get to the bosses themselves through Legacy Dungeons, for instance, but there is less excitement helping there andthe risk of imminent invasion is enough to keep me away altogether.
Elden Ring’s DLC Proves That Soulslikes Still Have The Potential To Surprise Me
I may play every Soulslike I can get my hands on, but Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC taught me I still have a lot to learn about the genre.
I have never been happier with co-op in a souls game and, curiously enough, not because I was helped, but instead because I was helping.Shadow of the Erdtreehas been a bundle of surprises and excitement, especially when finding secret bosses or encounters that have a magnificent and challenging design. This is easily the best moment to playElden Ring, and I’m taking advantage of that, even if that means farming runes with my favorite bosses.
