Summary
The upcomingShadow of the ErdtreeDLC forElden Ringalready has fans excited to see what FromSoftware has prepared to challenge them with as the brutally difficult title gets more content. However, even with what is already in the base game, FromSoftware may have already prepared players to succeed casually, as well asdefeatingElden Ring’s new hardest bosses without being hit.
Even in the current version ofElden Ring, with only the base content and after much of the most powerful gear has been brought into balance with the rest of the game, there are plenty of tools for players to get the upper hand. This especially includes some of the talismans that can be found across the Lands Between, many of which are protected by simple bosses that can easily be bypassed during challenge runs.
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Elden Ring’s Ritual Sword Talisman
The Ritual Sword Talisman is one of the 117 equipabletalismans available throughoutElden Ringthat has the ability to give players a flat 10% increase to attack power when active. One caveat with that improved status effect, however, is the fact that players need to be at full health to maintain the increase in damage that the talisman offers. This can often mean that for most players, this effect will only be active at the start of any given boss fight, or after overusing the flask of crimson tears to recover back to full.
In the case of one of the most notorious challenge runs, this increased attack is actually possible to maintain from the moment they start a fight with anyElden Ringboss, likeElemer of the Briar, all the way to the victory screen. This would be the infamous No-Hit runs which challenges players with making it from the start of the game to the end without taking a single hit from any outside source of damage. While there is a difference between a No-Hit and Damage-less run, both of these challenges can be greatly affected by the 10% increase in attack power from the Ritual Sword Talisman.
This increase in attack can obviously be a huge boon to getting through a No-Hit run, given that it means players will be able to finish off smaller enemies and bosses alike much faster. The result is a heavily reduced risk of being hit, as evenElden Ring’s late-game bosses like Godfrey/Hoarah Louxcan melt under the pressure of a high-damage build. That is without even looking into the way that dealing specific amounts of damage that can be dialed in with items like the Ritual Sword Talisman can help to script certain fights based on a boss' set health, stamina, and AI behaviors.
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Ritual Sword Talisman vs Red-Feathered Branchsword
Fans familiar with the No-Hit runs ofElden Ringand other FromSoftware titles might already recognize the Ritual Sword Talisman as the newest version of an older piece of equipment that was last seen from the developer inDark Souls 3. Previously known as the Lloyd’s Sword Ring, this item has often been coveted for the routes looking to make thebest builds inDark Souls 3in order to beat the game quickly or without being hit. However, in many of these routes and builds, the Ritual Sword Talisman equivalent isn’t always the best option for improved damage, with many leaning harder on the Red-Tearstone Ring, more recently seen as the Red-Feathered Branchsword.
That being said, whether heading through the baseElden Ringor preparing for theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC, the Ritual Sword Talisman is certainly the more enticing option currently available. While its location in Altus Plateau puts the Ritual Sword Talisman somewhat later into the game, the boss guarding the item makes it much easier to obtain for players trying to reach the end without getting hit. This is because obtaining the Red-Feathered Branchsword requires killing one ofElden Ring’s incredibly challenging optional Death Bird boss, with the Ritual Sword Talisman being locked behind the much easier Demi-Human Queen Gilika.
Elden Ringis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
