Elden Ring DLC’s new 1.14 balance patch update hits Shadow of the Erdtree’s final boss with nerfs we all knew were coming, and whacks one of the best PvP builds, too
Nearly three months post-launch, the final boss of the Elden Ring DLC has finally been nerfed.
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What you need to know
In a new 1.14 update for its award-winning Soulsborne action RPGElden Ringand its acclaimedShadow of the Erdtree DLC, developer FromSoftware has made a multitude of balance changes and adjustments to the game. The patch is available to download now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, Windows PC, PS5, and PS4 systems, and installing it is a requirement if you plan to play online.
I’ve pasted the full patch notes in the section at the end of this article, but by far, the highlight of the update is a series of nerfs given toShadow of the Erdtree’s final boss(spoilers follow on that page, so click with caution). Specifically, the developers have made it less immediately aggressive at the start of its fight, adjusted the hitboxes of certain attacks, lowered some of its damage and stamina damage, reduced the range of some of its non-weapon moves, and toned down some of its visual effects to improve combat clarity.
Frankly, these nerfs are not surprisingat all, as even many of the most skilled Tarnished in the Lands Between and Land of Shadow agree that the DLC’s final boss has been overtuned since the expansion launched in late June. What did surprise me, though, is that it took this long for adjustments like these to come; it’s been nearly three months since release, after all, and FromSoftware was quick to tweak a few bosses in Elden Ring’s base game back when it came out in early 2022.
The rest of the patch is largely pretty unremarkable, as it primarily consists of minor balance changes and some small bugfixes. Another big note from the update, however, is that the damage output of Spear weapons dual-wielded withpower stancinghas been lowered against other players — a sizable nerf to what’s been one of thebest Elden Ring buildsfor PvP since the game’s launch. The player damage of the popular DLC Backhand Blades weapon got a reduction, too, though this notably doesn’t apply to the Smithscript Cirque that’s in the same weapon class.
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Some other noteworthy changes include an attack speed buff for the first uncharged heavy attack in the movesets of most weapon types, a damage and recovery time buff for Shadow of the Erdtree’shand-to-hand martial arts weapons, damage negation and guard boost buffs to several small and medium shields, and various buffs to underperforming DLC incantations like Aspects of the Crucible: Thorns, Aspects of the Crucible: Bloom, Divine Bird Feathers, and Midra’s Flame of Frenzy. For the full patch notes, check the section below.
Additionally, FromSoftware has emphasized to players that those experiencing performance problems with Elden Ring on PS5 may be able to improve their framerate by using the Rebuild Database option in the console’s safe mode. PC players, meanwhile, should make sure ray tracing is disabled in the System > Graphics > Ray Tracing Quality menu and that they’re not using any third-party programs that affect mouse behavior while Elden Ring is open. Also, if the “Inappropriate activity detected” error is encountered, verifying Elden Ring’s game files through Steam should fix the problem.
Overall, this is a great patch, though I do wish that it came a little sooner since feedback about the final boss was near-universal. Still, it’s great to see FromSoftware finally address player feedback about its fight, and further balance adjustments for under and overpowered sandbox elements are sweet, too.
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Elden Ring Update 1.14: Patch notes
Here are the full patch notes for Elden Ring’s 1.14 update, taken directly fromthe website of publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment.
Final Boss balance adjustments
The following adjustments have been made to the final boss of “SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE”
PvP-exclusive balance adjustments
Equipment
Skill
General balance adjustments
Equipment
Weapon Arts
Spell
Incantation
Bug Fixes
The Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is 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 | $36.79 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).
