Updated August 6, 2024, by Hamza Haq: All FromSoftware games eventually turn into a tug-of-war between the developers making their bosses harder and harder and the players trying to break the game with overpowered weapons and cheese strategies. Anything truly broken is patched out of the game within a month or so, but balancing is tricky, and there is no way to completely get rid of every overengineered strategy there is. With the release of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, a ton of new weapons , spells, ashes of war, and other items have upended the status quo into something completely fresh once again. And with that come new ways to cheese bos

Updated September 4th, 2024 by Jacob Buchalter: Even after the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC dropped, most of the ‘overpowered’ weapons in Elden Ring kept their spots in the rankings. And while the Nagakiba is among them, it’s not widely regarded as one of the truly ‘broken’ weapons in this game. As easy as it is to get the Nagakiba, it truly is a unique and powerful weapon. However, not everyone is aware of how to get this katana nor of what exactly it entails. So with that in mind, let’s break down the method of getting the Nagakiba, the questline it’s involved in, and all the other rewards you’ll be able to get along the way.

Golden Beast Crest Shield : For a shield that just requires 24 Strength to wield, and only weighs 12.5, the Golden Beast Crest Shield is a great option for builds that don’t specialize in Strength . While its affordability is a plus, its stats are rather modest among Greatshields and don’t particularly stand out. Still, its elegant design makes it a great match for some of the most stunning heavy armor knight sets in Elden Ri

This hood might lower overall HP but no other headpiece matches its Holy damage defense. It also looks amazing on any Tarnished looking to defeat a God. Along with its amazing Holy defense, it also offers +2 to Intelligence and Faith, making it an excellent choice for sorcerer bui

Redmane Greatshield : Boasting some of the best Fire damage resistance of any Greatshield, the Redmane Greatshield is another great option, especially for builds that aren’t looking for a heavier shield due to its moderate weight of 14. With its distinctive design, the Redmane Greatshield resembles a giant fang and bears the crest of a red-maned lion. The only real issue with this great-looking shield is that it can take some time to f

Cuckoo Greatshield : The Cuckoo Greatshield is an excellent option for those looking to absorb some Magic damage , but unfortunately, it’s outshone by the Eclipse Crest Greatshield in just about every way. Still, this shield remains a great one for Magic and Holy defense if the player hasn’t found the Eclipse Crest yet. Another appealing aspect is its stunning design, which pairs seamlessly with many medium and heavy armor sets, allowing for a stylish and cohesive character appeara

Fingerprint Stone Shield : A shield that verges on being broken, the Fingerprint Stone Shield is infuriating to play against but incredibly satisfying to use. With a whopping guard boost of 81, a player holding this shield can keep blocking for a staggering amount of time. To make it even better, the Fingerprint Stone Shield also has some of the best elemental blocking on any shield in Elden Ring , and when used as a weapon, this shield even causes 50 points of Madness build-up. The only trade-off is that this shield is the heaviest in the game. Even after five months of updates, various nerfs, and reworks, the Fingerprint Stone Shield remains one of the most infuriating , satisfying weapons to use in the entire game. Though players have found a few workarounds to those using the Fingerprint Stone Shield, merchant locations Guide the weapon still claims victory in the vast majority of scenarios, whether it’s through actual skill or just sheer dumb l

In a game as massive as Elden Ring, there are any number of ways to build one’s character and engage the many powerful boss enemies that inhabit The Lands Between. For most of the game, one really can’t go wrong with how they develop their character, but that may not be entirely true when it comes time to confront the final few bosses near the end. Unless one possesses truly top-tier skills, this is probably the time to re-spec into a more-focused build capable of using one’s loadout to the fullest. There are many of these to choose from of course, but one that focuses on bleed is probably the most effective for struggling players. So, let’s get into it.

The main philosophy behind cheesing bosses in Elden Ring is to use the environment, items, and sometimes even the boss’s own attack moves to the player’s advantage. A lot of the time, these tactics go beyond what the developers intended, and making the Fire Giant fall to his death from a tiny height is definitely not something FromSoftware wanted players to

Briar Greatshield : The Briar Greatshield is a similar story, but a little worse than the Spiked Palisade Shield, only blocking 93% of oncoming physical damage while causing 70 points of blood loss per hit. Its overall stats fall short compared to nearly any Greatshield, and its particular weakness to Fire, one of the most common damage types used by elite and boss enemies, further limits its viability. It’s quite disappointing, especially considering its gorgeously brutal appearance and how late in the game players can obtain