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Introduction
Elden Ring, developed by FromSoftware, has been widely praised for its vast open world, challenging combat, and deep lore. However, its PvP (player versus player) experience has faced criticism due to severe balance issues. While the game offers a variety of weapons, spells, and builds, certain mechanics and systems have led to frustratingly unbalanced fights. This article explores the major balance problems in Elden Ring's PvP and their impact on the player experience.
The Evolution of PvP in Soulsborne Games
FromSoftware’s Soulsborne series has always featured PvP, evolving from Dark Souls to Bloodborne and now Elden Ring. While previous titles had balance concerns, Elden Ring's PvP problems are exacerbated by its larger scale and more complex mechanics.A History of PvP in Souls Games
- Dark Souls 1: Simple but flawed, with overpowered backstabs.
- Dark Souls 2 & 3: Improved mechanics but had overpowered spells and weapons.
- Bloodborne: Faster-paced but lacked variety in PvP builds.
How Elden Ring Differs
Elden Ring introduced a vast arsenal of weapons, spells, and Ashes of War, which increased PvP complexity but also led to serious balance problems.Overpowered Weapons and Ashes of War
One of the main issues in Elden Ring’s PvP is the dominance of certain weapons and Ashes of War, making combat feel unfair.Weapons That Break PvP
Some weapons have exaggerated damage output, making them significantly stronger than others.- Rivers of Blood (Bleed build dominance)
- Moonveil Katana (Unbalanced speed and damage)
- Colossal weapons (High hyper armor, making them difficult to counter)
Ashes of War: Unavoidable Attacks
Certain Ashes of War have tracking or hitboxes that make dodging nearly impossible.- Flaming Strike (High damage with easy execution)
- Bloodhound’s Step (Too strong as a mobility tool)
- Corpse Piler (Unfairly strong on certain builds)
Status Effects: Bleed and Frostbite Meta
Status effects play a huge role in Elden Ring’s PvP but are unbalanced.Bleed Build Domination
Bleed builds are the most popular and overpowered due to excessive damage output and fast application.- Weapons: Rivers of Blood, Uchigatana
- Ashes of War: Seppuku, Corpse Piler
- Talisman Synergies: Lord of Blood’s Exultation boosts attack power on bleed proc
Frostbite: Another Unbalanced Mechanic
Frostbite is another powerful status effect that is hard to counter in PvP due to:- Fast buildup with high damage reduction
- Powerful combinations with intelligence-based builds
Unfair Netcode and Latency Issues
Elden Ring suffers from severe netcode problems, affecting PvP combat fluidity.Hit Registration Problems
- Phantom hits: Players take damage even after dodging.
- Delayed animations: Actions appear out of sync.
Lag Exploits and Abuses
Players abuse latency to gain an unfair advantage.- Laggy backstabs
- Phantom range attacks
Poise and Hyper Armor Imbalance
The poise system is an essential part of PvP combat but suffers from significant inconsistencies.Issues with High Poise Builds
- Colossal weapon users: Can ignore multiple hits without staggering.
- Armor scaling: Some armor sets provide unfair poise advantages.
The Downside for Low Poise Builds
- Dexterity builds: Often get staggered too easily.
- Magic users: Vulnerable to quick poise-breaking weapons.
Magic and Sorcery: Too Strong or Too Weak?
Magic in Elden Ring is either overpowered or underwhelming, depending on the spell used.Overpowered Sorceries and Incantations
- Comet Azur: Instantly kills in one cast.
- Scarlet Aeonia: Impossible to avoid in certain situations.
Underwhelming Magic Options
Many spells are too slow or weak in PvP combat.- Terra Magica: Provides buffs but is impractical in PvP.
- Night Comet: Can be strong, but requires too much setup.
Group PvP: Gank Squads and Unfair Fights
Elden Ring’s invasion system heavily favors the host over invaders, making PvP fights frustrating.Issues with Invasions
- Gank squads: Hosts summon multiple players, making 1v3 fights common.
- Phantom healing: Summoned players can heal, while invaders have limited resources.
Arena PvP and Matchmaking Flaws
The Colosseum update introduced structured PvP, but matchmaking remains unbalanced.- No proper skill-based matchmaking
- Some builds dominate structured PvP
Community Solutions and Balance Suggestions
Players have proposed numerous balance fixes to improve PvP.Recommended Nerfs and Buffs
- Nerf Bleed weapons to slow buildup and damage.
- Adjust Ashes of War to remove unavoidable attacks.
- Improve netcode to reduce lag-based exploits.
Community Mods and Fixes
Some mods already implement balance changes.- Convergence Mod: Adjusts spell balance.
- Regulation Mods: Fix hitbox issues.
