FromSoftware's smash hit open world game Elden Ring has been out for almost two months at this point, so it's safe to say that many Tarnished have successfully completed the game and are in their New Game+ runs. Some Elden Ring players who managed to beat the game's final boss and started their journey over from the beginning may be confused about why they can't level up when resting at a Site of Grace, but there's a simple explanation.
Elden Ring players starting New Game+ runs may be confused when they rest at a Site of Grace and don't see the option to level up. However, this is how Elden Ring works at the beginning of the game. Tarnished have no way of spending their runes and leveling up until they meet with Melina, which doesn't happen until after certain conditions are met.
To make Melina appear in Elden Ring, players have to rest at three different Sites of Grace in the Lands Between. Upon resting at the third Site of Grace, Melina should appear and talk to Elden Ring players about their quest. She will also hook them up with Torrent, the mount that players can use to traverse the Lands Between. And of course, she will explain that she can help Elden Ring players spend their runes and level up.
Leveling up in Elden Ring is one of the most important things players can do if they want to stand a chance against some of the game's tougher bosses. It's true that early Elden Ring boss fights become push-overs in New Game+, even previously challenging foes like Godrick the Grafted from Stormveil Castle, but when players get to the later game bosses again, they'll likely run into some trouble. Because of this, leveling up is incredibly important, even in New Game+ runs.
Once Elden Ring players have the ability to level up again, the other issue they're likely to run into during New Game+ runs is the cost of each level. Every time an Elden Ring player levels up, the cost for the next level increases. That's why it takes billions of runes to hit Elden Ring's max level cap. Of course, Elden Ring players can resort to rune farming if they are desperately wanting to level up, but others may just want to keep going through the game's New Game+ journeys to level up their character instead.
Elden Ring is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
