Elden Ring DLC gets 1.12.3 balance patch update that nerfs broken Perfume Bottles, buffs its worst weapon, and makes two bosses less annoying
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s first large update makes sweeping balance changes.
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What you need to know
A little over a week after developer FromSoftware updated theElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLCwitha major Calibration Update, another much larger patch has been released for the expansion to the studio’s award-winning open world ARPG. The 1.12.3 update is now available to download on all of Elden Ring’s platforms, and is required if you plan to play online.
The most significant changes in the patch are nerfs to several of the most broken and overpowered weapons players have been using since the DLC’s June 21 launch. These include adjustments and fixes for the Rolling Sparks Ash of War as well as the Lightning Perfume Bottle and Frenzyflame Perfume Bottle weapons it’s usable on that allowed players to nearly one-shot many bosses, the damage and animation length of the Backhand Blades-exclusive Swift Slash skill that was completely busted and almost impossible to counter in PvP, a bug that caused the Bloodfiend’s Arm to get higher scaling and Bleed buildup than intended when given an Arcane infusion, and an issue that allowed the Fire Knight’s Greatsword to stunlock other players.
Thrusting Shields — one of Shadow of the Erdtree’s powerful new weapon types — also got a fix that nerfs their effectiveness. Previously, incoming attacks blocked while thrusting with these consumed less stamina than intended, effectively allowing players to endlessly stab bosses while easily defending against non-grab moves; this has now been resolved, forcing players to be more careful with the timing of their offense.
Indeed, most of the update consists of nerfs, though there is one weapon that got a much-needed buff: the Carian Sorcery Sword. This Thrusting Sword is a one-of-a-kind armament because it’s the only one inElden Ringcapable of being used to cast sorcery spells, but its disappointing Intelligence scaling made it the worst new weapon from the DLC. This update has improved it significantly, however (and reduced its base damage very slightly to help keep that balanced), so hopefully the Carian Sorcery Sword is far more viable now than it was before the patch.
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Some other notable tweaks include a few adjustments to two bosses —Commander Gaiusand the Golden Hippopotamus — that will undoubtedly make them much less annoying to fight. Specifically, in their arenas, both bosses will now be located where they were the first time you started the fight with them instead of in new positions closer to the fog wall, giving you more time to react to their aggressive charging attacks. The Golden Hippopotamus' bite attack has also gotten a nerf, as before, it “would connect with players more easily than intended.”
The rest of the patch is largely just some additional bug fixes and minor changes, which you can read about in the full patch notes section below. Notably, FromSoftware also has recommendations for players encountering performance problems, with the developer recommending PS5 players to use the Rebuild Database option while using the console in Safe Mode and PC players to make sure Elden Ring’s Ray Tracing isn’t toggled on if they typically play with it off.
Analysis: Amazing patch, with two big outliers
I was hoping FromSoftware would quickly address ridiculously busted weapons like Perfume Bottles and the Fire Knight’s Greatsword as well as Ashes of War like Rolling Sparks and Swift Slash, so I was incredibly happy to see fixes come just a few weeks after Shadow of the Erdtree’s launch. Both PvE and PvP should now be in a much more balanced state, which is the goal at the end of the day.
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With that said, there are two things I’m surprised to see weren’t adjusted with 1.12.3: the Impenetrable Thorns sorcery and the DLC’sfinal boss fight. The former is unquestionably overpowered in PvE with its ability to delete bosses in just a few casts thanks to its insane Bleed buildup, while the latter has one specific melee combo that’s not fully avoidable without the use of shields, certain defensive Ashes of War, or the Deflecting Hardtear. I figured these would get tuned in the first major update for Shadow of the Erdtree, and am disappointed to see that they weren’t; hopefully fixes come in a follow-up patch soon.
Elden Ring Update 1.12.3: Patch notes
Here are the official patch notes for the 1.12.3 update, taken directly fromBandai Namco’s official website.
PvP-exclusive balance adjustments
General balance adjustments
Bug Fixes
Possible unstable performance fixes
In PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions, Regulation files can be downloaded by logging in to the server.
If the Regulation Ver. listed in the lower right corner of the title screen is not 1.12.4, please select LOGIN and apply the latest regulation before enjoying the game.
Online play requires the player to apply this update.
Further updates will be distributed in the future for you to continue to enjoy ELDEN RING more comfortably.
Please stay tuned for more news by following our social channels or joining us on the official ELDEN RING Discord serverhere.
The Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is finally here, and it makes one of thebest Xbox gamesandbest PC gamesof all time even better. It’s out now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and Windows PC for $39.99.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree | $34.89 at CDKeys (Xbox)
Shadow of the Erdtree is Elden Ring at its most refined, with the base game’s overly formulaic elements cut away and some of FromSoftware’s best boss fights. The result is a 40-hour-long masterpiece of a DLC that’s an absolute must-play for any Soulsborne fan.
Also see:Shadow of the Erdtree (PC, $37.09)|Deluxe Edition (PC, $90.89)
Collector’s Edition:Bandai Namco Store (€249.99)
Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once.Follow him on X(Twitter).
