Elden Ring: How much looting and leveling is actually in the action RPG?

Elden Ring will be a challenging action RPG with diverse mechanics such as classes, crafting, equipment and multiplayer. But how much looting and leveling is in it? MeinMMO introduces you to the associated features that we already know.

This is what awaits you in Elden Ring: The latest action RPG from developer FromSoftware offers a huge, dark fantasy world that you can freely explore with the Zwischenland.

You choose between several classes and improve your character over the course of the game. This is done by increasing your attributes through level-ups and your choice of gear.

Since we at MeinMMO traditionally look more at multiplayer games and MMOs in which looting and leveling are very important, we asked ourselves the question: How much of it is in Elden Ring? Here we give you an overview of the mechanics.

Leveling in Elden Ring – collect runes and improve attributes

How to level your character: Elden Ring’s progression system is heavily based on the developer’s previous titles, such as Dark Souls or Bloodborne. For each defeated opponent you collect so-called runes, which serve as experience points, but at the same time also represent the currency of the Elden Ring.

• If you have enough runes, you can use them to level up. With each level, the amount of runes you need for the next level-up increases.
• With each level-up you can distribute a skill point to one of the 8 attributes
• If you die before redeeming the runes, you will lose experience at the location where you died.
• You then have a chance to get your runes back by returning to the spot and picking them up.
• If you die on the way, you lose the runes completely. You then have to start from scratch again.

At the start of the game you create a character with the extensive editor and set your class. You can choose one out of 10. Each class differs in their equipment and the distribution of their attributes.

These attributes are important because they affect your combat style alignment and what gear or spells you can use.

These 8 attributes are:

• vigor (vitality)
• mind
• endurance
• Strength
• Dexterity
• intelligence
• faith
• Arcane (Arkan)

For example, the enchanted knight starts with a starting level of 5 and has more points on intelligence and strength, making this class suitable as a hybrid of magic and melee combat.

You build up this character as the game progresses and decide in which direction you want to improve it.

Loot in Elden Ring – gear, skills, crafting

You can get this loot: In addition to the progression system through level-ups, equipment also plays an important role in Elden Ring.

The choice of your weapons, shields, armour, spells and incantations is important in arming yourself against the threats of the Between Lands.

Fortunately, there is a huge selection of weapons for this, of which 13 categories are known so far:

• Dolce
• one-handed swords
• greatswords
• curved swords
• Katanas
• dual blades
• hammers
• axes
• spears
• Grossspeere
• Light arches
• Flint Staves (for magic)
• Holy Seals (for incantations)

The weapons differ in shape, size, specific skills and scaling. There are weapons that are particularly good for strength builds, while others are more for agility builds.

You can find or buy weapons in the game world, in Dark Souls you could also craft them through boss souls. Possibly that will be the case in Elden Ring as well. In all likelihood, weapons can also be upgraded again with the appropriate upgrade material.

While some weapons come with fixed skills, there are also abilities that you find in the world that you can combine with different weapons.

There are also a number of armor sets, which are divided into light, medium and heavy armor. How agile you are with heavy armor depends on your strength value. Again, gearing affects which build you can play.

Crafting also plays a role in Elden Ring. Thanks to materials that you can find in the game world, you can craft healing items, arrows for your bows and other things.

How much looting and leveling is there in Elden Ring now?

There are a few things to be found in the game world, especially when it comes to the loot aspect. Here is an overview of the mechanics:

• Choice of different classes
• Level-ups earn skill points for your character’s 8 attributes
• There are countless different build possibilities
• Loot in the form of weapons and armor that greatly affect your playstyle
• Upgrade material for your equipment
• Weapon skills that can have powerful properties
• Crafting material to create useful tools

Elden Ring offers you the opportunity to find loot at any time, while improving and leveling up your character at the same time.

Of course, you have to prepare yourself to expect setbacks on your travels. Because your enemies will not make it easy for you to explore the world.

The most important factor in games like Dark Souls or Bloodborne has always been your skills. If you master the game well, equipment and skills are almost secondary. So practice diligently and don’t let the level of difficulty get you down at first.

Elden Ring offers a few things that should satisfy fans of the “loot & level” principle. Of course, that doesn’t make it an MMO.

Nevertheless, these mechanics should also be interesting for players who are usually looking for something like this in MMOs. In addition, Elden Ring still has some multiplayer features.

Elden Ring won’t be a real MMO, but it will have multiplayer

These are the Elden Ring multiplayer features: The action RPG comes with a co-op mode and PvP. So you can fight against other players as well as do bosses together with them.

In co-op mode, you can either call other players into your world for help, or be summoned by other players and help them in turn. You can play with up to two other players.

In PvP you can either fight duels, or start an invasion and invade the world of other players as a so-called “invader”.

For both multiplayer features you need certain items that you have to find in the game. So it’s not a flowing multiplayer with a group function, as you know it from many other co-op titles. You can find all information about co-op and PvP in our special on Elden Ring multiplayer.