In Elden Ring there is both coop and PvP. MeinMMO explains how it works and what we know about the multiplayer of the action RPG.
These are the multiplayer features of Elden Ring: As known from previous FromSoftware games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Sekiro, Elden Ring will also be a brutally hard game. Enemies will present challenges, and especially the boss fights can become tough.
If you are stuck alone, Elden Ring offers a coop mode where you can tackle the hurdles of the game either with friends or with random players.
Moreover, there is also a PvP mode. You can either invade the worlds of other players or be attacked by enemies in your own game world. Duels are also possible.
You will find out exactly how this all works and what changes compared to previous titles here.
Coop in Elden Ring – roam together through the open world
This is how the coop mode works: Players are “summoned” into your game world. This is done through certain symbols that others can place on the ground in their world.
These symbols then become visible in your game world. This way, you can explore dungeons and the open game world together in Elden Ring. However, you will need several items that you find early in the game:
- The “small golden statue”: This allows you to place a golden symbol in the game world. It then appears to random players at the same spot, and they can summon you.
- The “Curved Finger of the Tarnished” enables targeted cooperation with others. You can also place a symbol with this, but to be summoned, your coop partner needs another item.
- You can set a password with the Curved Finger to play specifically with friends.
- With the “Curved Finger Remedy” item and the corresponding password, you can make your friends’ symbols visible and summon them. However, this item is consumed in the process.
How many players can play together? You can summon a maximum of two players for help, meaning you can be a maximum of three. In Dark Souls 3, for example, there could be up to three coop partners. If you want to tackle a dungeon with other players, you must first enter the instance and summon your friends there.
- If you are with your coop partners in the open world, you cannot simply enter the next dungeon.
- You can freely explore the open world with other players. The coop mode only differentiates between dungeon and open game world.
- Once you defeat a boss, the coop partners are sent back to their own worlds.
Is progress shared? No, progress is limited to the host. Guests in a game world cannot take items with them, and defeated bosses remain alive in the world of the coop player unless that player has defeated them themselves.
At least you earn the same amount of EXP for defeating enemies as the host. Coop players do not lose this when they die. Your horse is also not available in coop. You are on foot.
PvP in Elden Ring offers duels and invasions
This is how PvP works: As known from Dark Souls, you can invade the random worlds of other players, i.e., initiate an invasion. The goal is clear: you have to eliminate the host.
Conversely, it is possible that you become the target of an invasion. Keep in mind that your potential victim may have help from coop players. You could encounter a trio.
If you want to play PvP specifically, duels are an option. For both types of PvP, you will also need certain items.
This is how you can start duels:
- With the “small red statue,” you can place a red symbol. This allows players to summon you specifically and challenge you to a duel.
- The “Curved Finger of the Duelist” allows you to specifically summon duel opponents using a password, similar to the coop mode.
- Your opponent will also need Curved Finger Remedy to specifically summon you.
This is how you can start invasions:
- For invasions, you need the “bloody finger.” This allows you to invade the game worlds of random opponents.
- With the “scout tongue,” you can provoke invasions by allowing yourself to be invaded by other players.
- With the “blue ring,” you can automatically be summoned into the worlds of other players who are currently being attacked.
- With the “white ring,” you can automatically call players for help who have equipped the blue ring if you are attacked by so-called invaders.
- The “finger severer” allows you to kick summoned players out of your own world.
As in coop, your horse is not available in PvP. You should keep this in mind. However, you shouldn’t have to search too long for your enemies. According to the developers, there will be interface elements to prevent you from having to play hours of hide-and-seek in the open world.
You can watch the whole thing in the gameplay of YouTuber Arekkz:
You can also call NPCs for help
Is there also local coop? No. However, if you generally play offline or your internet access is having issues, there is a sort of replacement. You can call NPCs for help. This is only possible near small summoning statues, so it is not without restrictions.
- The statue marks the beginning of an area where you can summon NPCs.
- If you interact with the statue, a symbol will appear at the edge of the screen. This indicates that NPCs can be summoned.
- There are different NPCs. Often they are enemies that you can defeat in the game world.
- These then drop their ashes. With this item, you can summon the corresponding NPC types as support.
- The spirits disappear again if they are defeated, if you die, or if you move too far away from the summoning area.
With the ashes, for example, you can summon a wolf pack as a ghost team. These NPCs are useful support in combat and can already help you as a distraction. Even if you are overrun by hordes, they can save your life.
These helpers can be collected and even leveled up, making them stronger alongside you. However, the classic NPCs are not eliminated by the new system.
As in Dark Souls, you can summon certain NPCs at special locations. Often they are characters you meet in the game world.
Elden Ring has a new group feature
What is this feature? You can now even create your own groups with your friends. Thanks to these groups, you can set it so that your friends’ content is preferably displayed in the game.
This includes the bloodstains known from previous games, which show how a player died at a specific location.
The well-known text fragments that can be placed on the ground are also back. These can represent helpful tips, mark secret spots, or simply mislead other players.
Groups have no limit on the number of members, so you can basically create your own clan for Elden Ring.
What you should also note in multiplayer: Just because you are playing coop doesn’t make everything a walk in the park. If you are in the world of another player as a PvP or coop player, your potions are halved. This applies to both healing and mana potions.
You will usually have an easier time, as enemies can rarely target more than one player at a time. But you should still watch out for yourselves.
