FromSoftware's unique asynchronous multiplayer returns once more in Elden Ring, but with a few twists and turns thrown into the fold. While operating largely the same as its predecessors, Elden Ring looks to refine its experience, directly targeting a few of the fan's complaints with the last system.
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With Elden Ring taking place in the spawling world of The Lands Between, some compromises had to be made for the multiplayer portion of the game. Take not being able to call in Torrent, your Spectral Steed, while being invaded or when you're partaking in some jolly cooperation, as an example. Still, what's there is a familiar yet fresh feeling experience that will surely please their fans.
The Basics
Elden Ring follows a very similar matchmaking system as seen in the Dark Souls series and Bloodborne, offering co-op play and player invasions for a sinister twist. The Lands Between will provide many ways to interact with other players online and allows up to four concurrent players in one instance.
Furthermore, Covenants will see their return in Elden Ring and will affect the matchmaking aspects of the game. Unfortunately, we have no additional information on everything that entails, but we assume it will work in a similar vein to those found in Dark Souls 3.
Lastly, if you would like to explore the vast world alone, you can disable the online as you see fit. Though, you will lose the other features offered, such as player messages, phantoms, and bloodstains as a result. Though, we would advise against doing this as you will also be unable to summon or call for help if you get stuck or cannot beat a boss.
Summoning Items
To partake in Elden Ring's online, aside from being invaded, you will have to either welcome someone into your world or offer your helping hand to get pulled into someone else's. To do this, you will have a handful of items that are exclusive to the multiplayer, allowing you to interact directly with other players.
Below is a list of every multiplayer item in Elden Ring that interacts with the game's summoning system. While it's currently unknown how you will obtain these items in the game's full release, they will likely function the same way, allowing you to get a head start on the online systems and mechanics. There's also a good chance more items will become available once we gain access to Covenants and other online-focused aspects of the game.
Multiplayer Items
Item Name | Uses |
|---|---|
Blue Cipher Ring | Places you into a readied state where you will automatically answer another player's call for help. If summoned, you will help the other player eliminate the Bloody Finger invader. |
White Cipher Ring | Send out an automatic request for help that triggers whenever you get invaded by a Bloody Finger. |
Furlcalling Finger Remedy | Allows you to see Summon Signs of all sorts in a wide area around you. Interacting with the Signs will pull the player into your world. Gold - Friendly, Red - Dueling |
Finger Severer | Allows you to dispatch a player you summoned into your world. However, this item will not send invaders back to their world. |
Tarnished's Furled Finger | You will place a Golden Summon Sign on the ground where you stand, allowing other players to summon you into their world for cooperation. |
Duelist's Furled Finger | You will place a Red Summon Sign on the ground where you stand, challenging anyone who summons you to a duel in their world. |
Bloody Finger | Allows you to invade a random player's world. If you successfully find a host to invade, you will enter their world as an enemy and try to eliminate them. |
Taunter's Tongue | You allow Bloody Fingers to invade your world, even without a cooperator present, opening yourself up for a challenge. |
Small Golden Effigy | You send a cooperative sign to the Summoning Pool nearby. |
Small Red Effigy | You send a competitive sign to the Summoning Pool nearby. |
Summoning Restrictions
In Elden Ring, much like its predecessors, there will be areas that prevent both cooperation and the fear of being invaded by another player. While these moments are rare, you should still be wary of them, just for when the situation presents itself, as it can be confusing.
Below is a shortlist of already-known instances in Elden Ring where you cannot engage with the summoning/invasion mechanics of the game. However, this section is likely to grow with the full release, which we will update accordingly.
Summon Restrictions
- You cannot summon a player into your world if the area's boss is conquered.
- You cannot summon a player if you are on your Mount.
- If you summon a player, your Mount will be temporarily disabled.
- Specific dungeons and areas will forbid summons.
Invasion Restrictions
- You cannot invade a player if they have defeated the boss in their current area.
- If you are in specific dungeons and areas, you will be unable to invade another player.
Passwords
Setting a password for your world is one of the best ways to connect with friends and conquer bosses together. This feature works the same way it did in the previous FromSoftware titles, but follow the steps below for those unaware of how it works.
A Multiplayer Password in Elden Ring essentially lets you manage the network settings of the game, allowing you to see Summon Signs with other users with the same password as you. For example, if you set the password to "1234," and your friend does the same, you can confidently summon each other without the fear of grabbing a random person.
Additionally, you and a group of friends could also set an identical Group Password, which will allow you to see and share notes within the world without seeing anyone else's outside of your network parameters. This feature is particularly useful if you don't want to get trolled by a devious outsider or wish to avoid spoilers if that has happened to you in the past.
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