FromSoftware's fantasy epic Elden Ring had a lot to live up to. Not only in terms of the developer's popular previous titles like the Dark Souls series, and the gothic Victorian-inspired Bloodborne, but also the anticipation from fans who couldn't wait to get their hands on the latest from Hidetaka Miyazaki. Not to mention famed fantasy author George R. R. Martin, who also had a hand in Elden Ring's story, providing another reason for players to eagerly await the release of the RPG. Judging by Elden Ring's almost universally high reviews, it seems like the game has delivered.
However, near-perfect reviews don't mean that Elden Ring is a perfect game. Elden Ring has encountered a few technical bugs and other issues that require fixes, and now that its first major update has been released, these will hopefully all be addressed. It's almost a given nowadays that games will receive a few patches and updates after they've already launched, and Elden Ring is no exception. With Update 1.03, Elden Ring looks to balance enemies, overhaul some aspects of NPCs, and improve magical elements for an overall better gaming experience.
NPC Updates And New Characters in Elden Ring
With a slew of changes that not only provide overall improvements, but also some more focused enhancements, Elden Ring's biggest patch to date is looking to shake things up. One of the largest changes that came with Update 1.03 is undoubtedly the ones regarding NPCs.
To address some player complaints regarding early game questlines, Update 1.03 has added new phases to quests given by Diallos, Nepheli Loux, Kenneth Haight, and Gatekeeper Gostoc. NPCs that players have already encountered will now be added to the map to help gamers keep track of them in the vast in-game world. Some will also become summonable in battle to help take down the infamously challenging enemies.
Another major change was the addition of a whole new NPC called Jar Barin. In typically offbeat FromSoftware fashion, Jar Barin is a living jar that players can find sitting atop some stairs at the west end of Jarburg. Jar Barin's quest is linked to both Iron Fist Alexander and Diallos, and starts with the sentient jar asking if the player will be his Potentate. These updates will help to flesh out some of the earlier interactions in Elden Ring, as well as give the game a little bit more meat on its bones as players explore the expansive areas.
Elden Ring Balance Changes
Some of Elden Ring's abilities, weapons, and skills have been nerfed or buffed to help balance gameplay and improve certain builds. Magic buffs made up a large part of the changes brought by Update 1.03, with spells like Crystal Barrage, Gravity Well, and Collapsing Stars getting increased damage. Other moves that also received damage buffs and lower FP consumption were Comet, Night Comet, and Glintstone Cometshard, reshaping how magic users can approach combat. In order to make a variety of moves more effective and allow players to utilize them more in battle, Star Shower, Stars of Ruin, Greatblade Phalanx, and Shard Spiral all now require less FP.
Ashes of War are an effective way for players to switch up their playstyle and replace the Weapon Skills and Affinities of their gear if they fancy a change. However, some gamers were finding ways to exploit them. Hoarfrost Stomp proved to be very effective in PvE combat, but some players were spamming the move during encounters, creating an unfair advantage in competitive scenarios. In response, Hoarfrost Stomp's damage has been nerfed, and the time taken to cast it has also increased. Although this may improve PvP encounters, it has unfortunately affected its usefulness in challenging boss fights and other enemy encounters.
Hidden Changes in Elden Ring
While the majority of players probably don't go through the patch notes of each update in great detail, the ones that do aren't necessarily getting all the information contained in an update. While Elden Ring's latest patch may be bigger and more extensive than players were expecting, there are still some changes that may take gamers by surprise. The patch notes might have detailed the new updates regarding Smithing Stones, such as their earlier availability, but they're now also cheaper when purchased from Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold.
Another unaccounted change is that the boss in Murkwater Catacombs now drops Banished Knight Engavall’s Spirit Ashes, and any player who has already encountered and bested this enemy will find the Spirit Ashes in their inventory. The previous boss drop, the Battle Hammer, seems to have disappeared from this fight for unknown reasons, but apparently can be found in other locations according to a handful of players.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
