Huge Elden Ring update adds new quest phases, NPCs, nerfs, and more

Patch notes include nerfs, buffs, quality of life improvements.

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FromSoftwarejust issued a title update forElden Ring, and if you’ve been playing the game or even just watching the speedruns, the patch notes will probably make you feel a range of emotions.Elden Ring patch 1.03is a massive one, with nerfs, buffs, questline fixes, new NPC summons, and heaps more.

It’s hard to know where to start because the changes are numerous, but it looks like someElden Ring questswidely considered to be broken may have been fixed. New “quest phases” have been added for NPCs Diallos, Nepheli Loux, Kenneth Haight, and Gatekeeper Gostoc.

TheNepheli questin particular, has confused a lot of players for the way it abruptly ends. Datamined voice lines in the network test suggested there was more, and it turns out, they were right. Nepheli, Gostoc, and Haight have a proper conclusion to their quests now.

There’s a new NPC in the form of Jar-Bairn, who is located in Jarbug, as you’d expect. Jar-Bairn ties into the Diallos, who has also had his questline completed with the new patch.

Themap in Elden Ringnow has a new icon-type which can show the name of NPCs, all the better to mark their locations. There are also more summonable NPCs in “multiple situations,” while the Mimic’s Veil can now mimic a whole lot of new objects.

There are some alarming changes. TheMimic Tear Ash, which is a go-to ash summon for folk who don’t want to play fair with the bosses, has had its damage decreased and behavior pattern changed. This change has brought a lot of players to their knees. The Mimic summonhad their backand now its damage output isn’t quite what it was, although early reports say it’s still a strong option.

Likewise, theHoarfrost Stomp Ash of War—most notably used inDistortion2’s Elden Ring speedruns—has had its damage decreased and cast time increased. This has, unsurprisingly, disrupted the current strategy for getting through the game in less than 30 minutes, but discussion in the SpeedSouls Discord suggests people are confident on an alternative—whether that’s means using another strong weapon or spell or simply playing on the old patch remains to be seen.

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FromSoftware also eradicated theDeathblight buildthat was killing everyone in PvP. The patch notes fix the spell that would cause a buildup of the Death status without any effort. You can finally co-op and PvP in peace.

Still, buffs dominate the changelist. Sorcerers will be pleased with the decreased FP consumption on a range of spells including Loretta’s Greatbow and the Carian Greatsword, and the trusty Great Glintstone Shard now has higher range and is faster.

Anyway, here are the full patch notes:

Elden Ring patch notes v1.03

Additional Elements Added

Bug fixes

Balance changes

Elden Ring bosses:How to beat themElden Ring map fragments:Reveal the worldElden Ring weapons:Arm yourselfElden Ring armor:The best sets

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.

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