Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This page exists to catalogue a variety of common questions asked in the Reforged Discord and Nexus comments page. Answers are as spoiler-free as possible.

**PRELIMINARY NOTE: Make sure you have Tutorials enabled in-game, and be sure to enable the extra reforged Tutorials if you're a new player, as they'll provide a lot of small hints as well. These are enabled either in the Chapel of Anticipation or at a site of grace.**

## Installation Questions

### Can I use an existing save for ERR / Use an ERR save for vanilla?

In short: An existing save can be used for ERR but can lead to very minor issues and WILL lead to missing out on many ERR additions. It is recommended you create a new save for Reforged, but you shouldn't encounter anything game-breaking if you don't. See a later section in this FAQ, "Separate saves for ERR and Vanilla (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)"

**ERR saves CANNOT be used in vanilla under any circumstance. You WILL lose all of your modded items permanently, and risk getting banned due to ERR re-implementing cut vanilla items. Do not load an ERR save in vanilla.**

### Add DLL mods like Seamless Coop, Unlock The FPS, ERDTools, ETC.

#### Option A: Installing Seamless Coop

**1a)** Download the newest version of Seamless Coop from Nexus: https://www.nexusmods.com/eldenring/mods/510 (**WARNING**: Do NOT download the 2.0.0 alpha version. It is not compatible with mods, including Reforged)

**2a)** Extract the contents of the archive into your `ELDEN RING\Game` folder, located in your Steam files. You can check your ELDEN RING properties in Steam and pick "Browse Local Files" to find this folder.

* You should now have an `ELDEN RING\Game\SeamlessCoop` folder, with a DLL and INI inside, and a "launch seamless coop" EXE file in `ELDEN RING\Game`.
* If installing a different DLL mod, extract it to any other folder.

**3a)** Configure the newly extracted `seamlesscoopsettings.ini` file according to Seamless Coop instructions.

#### Option B: Installing any other DLL mod (like Alt Saves, ErdTools...)

Note: If trying to install techiew's DLLs like UnlockTheFps or UltrawideFix, you will need to join the discord for support. They **will not** work with Metis by default.
**1b)** Download the DLL mod you're trying to install. You can most likely find it on Nexus Mods.
**2b)** Extract the contents of the mod archive anywhere on your PC.

* You should now have a folder with a DLL and, potentially, an INI file inside.

**3b)** If your DLL came with an INI file, open it in a text editor like Notepad, and set up the mod as you like it. Instructions will likely be available on the page you downloaded the mod from.

##### Continuing from either option

**4)** In **Metis Mod Launcher**, click **Add External DLL** and point at the DLL file you've extracted (for Seamless, this is `elden_ring_seamless_coop.dll`).

**5)** Navigate to your ERR profile, and scroll down to "External DLLs". Add the newly added DLL entry there.
**6)** You can now run Reforged with your new DLL mod!

### Back up and restore Vanilla saves

You should back up a clean copy of your existing Vanilla saves to return to the vanilla game. ELDEN RING Reforged may give your character unavailable items and stats that will be caught by the vanilla game servers and lead to a multiplayer ban.

* Hit the key combination **Win+R** to call up the "Run" window.
* Type in `%appdata%` and press Enter.
* Navigate into the `EldenRing` folder and the folder inside that.
* The `ER0000.sl2` file is your save file containing all your characters and settings.
* **Back up this file** by copying it to a safe location! You need it to return to Vanilla gameplay. To restore your save file to Vanilla, simply repeat the process to back up your ERR save, then copy your old `sl2` file back into the original folder, and overwrite.

### Separate saves for ERR and Vanilla (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

There are two methods to use separate save files for ERR and Vanilla. **Both** involve installing a DLL mod along with ERR.

Using an alternate save file this way will let you separately progress in ERR without impacting your vanilla game.

#### Option 1

Install **Seamless Coop** (See above), which comes with this functionality included. The save file ends in `.co2` by default.

#### Option 2

Install **Elden Ring Alt Saves** by Chainfailure.

This assumes you are using Metis to install the mod.

Download the newest version of Elden Ring Alt Saves from Nexus: https://www.nexusmods.com/eldenring/mods/2651

Follow the steps from the earlier FAQ section to install the mod

Optional: Using the instructions above, locate your `.sl2` save file, make a copy, and rename the extension to `.mod`. This will allow you to use a fresh copy of your original characters and settings. **Skip this step to start a fresh save with no characters or settings.**

If this is your first time setting this up, you must now start the vanilla game with the DLL, but without Reforged, once, to create the save file.

Now you can launch your vanilla game and ERR comfortably without any manual steps inbetween.

### "Failed to Load Save" error

The **"Failed to Load Save..."** error means that your save file version does not match the **current game version**.

This means one of several things:

**a)** You are running the wrong version of ELDEN RING. (Reforged is always on the latest version of ER on Steam, unless a patch **just** happened and we haven't updated yet)

**b)** You have not yet created a save file. You must create it by running ELDEN RING without Reforged.

**c)** Your save file is **out-of-date**; save files represent the game version they were last run in, so you need to update your save file.

#### How to address the problem

You must have the latest official version of vanilla ELDEN RING and have created a vanilla save file.

**If you are using Reforged only:**

You must run the latest version of the vanilla game through Steam before running Reforged. When you reach the title screen, the save file will be updated, and you can play the mod.

**DO NOT LOAD ANY ERR SAVES IN VANILLA. DOING SO WILL DELETE YOUR MODDED ITEMS AND COULD GET YOU BANNED. You only need to reach the title screen.**

If you are using Reforged + Seamless Coop or Alt Saves (Metis Mod Launcher / Mod Engine 2 / Elden Mod Loader)

* Metis Mod Launcher: Briefly remove Reforged from your Metis profile, and launch the profile with just the DLL mod (Either Seamless or Alt Saves). Once you reach the title screen, quit out, and add Reforged back to your Metis profile. You can now play the mod.
* Mod Engine 2 + Elden Mod Loader (Seamless): Launch the game via launchseamlesscoop.exe in your Game folder, as recommended by the default mod-less Seamless Coop approach. This will launch the game with just Seamless and without an anti-cheat. Once you reached the title screen, quit out. You can now play the mod via ME2 as usual.
* Mod Engine 2 + Elden Mod Loader (Alt Saves): Use an "EAC toggler" program from the internet to launch the vanilla game with your DLL mods enabled, but without Reforged. Once you reached the title screen, quit out. You can now play the mod.

**DO NOT LOAD ANY ERR SAVES IN VANILLA. DOING SO WILL DELETE YOUR MODDED ITEMS AND COULD GET YOU BANNED. You only need to reach the title screen.**

This process is not 100% foolproof. If you are still unable to play ERR with a "Failed to Load Save" error after following the above, join the discord.

### Compatibility / Merging other mods / Combine Mods / Use Other Mods With Reforged

**ELDEN RING modding does not work as seamlessly as that of Skyrim or other games.**

**For the most part, it is not possible to run two content mods together.**

**If you find that ERR is breaking apart, and you have installed other content mods, then the issue lies in the fact you did so incorrectly, rather than in ERR.**

If the other mods you're trying to install override any of the following:

* `regulation.bin` file (Contains 90% of mod content)
* `chr\c0000.anibnd.dcx` file (Contains ALL player animations)
* Files in `menu\hi` (Interface changes, new icons, etc.)
* Files in `msg\engus` (ALL text strings, descriptions, dialogue)
* Anything else in `action, chr, event, map, script, sfx`

Then they are almost certainly incompatible with ELDEN RING Reforged.

The following mods should work fine:

* DLL mods such as Seamless Coop, Alt Saves, Unlock The FPS etc.
* Mods which only modify the `asset\` folder (world model/texture changes)
* Mods which only modify the `parts\` folder (cosmetic armor/weapon changes).
* Content mods which specifically provide an ERR compatibility patch. Always check the ERR version the patch is for! We do not offer support for these mods, please consult the author. **Asking for support for these mods in the Reforged Discord will get you no help.**

Content mod merging is possible but very error-prone and not easy! This is so technical that it is basically "actual modding", and so we ask that you please direct questions about it to a larger modding community.

If you need information and guides on merging mods, please consult the `?ServerName?` modding Discord, which is the general Souls Modding discord: https://discord.gg/servername

NOTE: The Elden Ring Randomizer *is* compatible with Reforged, but requires a decent amount of extra work. It is recommended you join the Reforged discord, and check the extended FAQ there for support.

### Unalloyed mod pack broken / Using Unalloyed with reforged / Elden Ring Unalloyed

Elden Ring Unalloyed is an unsupported, generally poorly made modpack that attempts to merge many different mods together. While it isn't instantly broken, many, many core features of Reforged are nonfunctional or buggy, and core balance is completely disrupted.

**It is highly recommended that you do not use Unalloyed. Support will not be provided under any circumstance if you do.**

## Gameplay Questions

### Unable to perform speedrun skips / Rocks blocking usual path / Cannot pause while falling

ELDEN RING Reforged goes out of its way to patch most major (unintended) sequence breaks, exploits, and skips in the game, as they don't align with the mod's design philosophy.

Most of these are accomplished by subtly modifying map geometry to block spots used for skips, but some require more direct prevention, which is why you cannot pause while airborne in Reforged.

*If using speedrun skips and exploits is your preferred way to play the game, Reforged may not be the right mod for you. Reforged is designed around encouraging and often requiring the player to engage with most locations and elements of the game.*

### Why can't I use Spirit Ashes? / Spirit Ashes missing/unusable

ELDEN RING Reforged has introduced a new system, **Spirit Fury**, which allows you to enrage your Spirit Ashes by using them again.

To facilitate this, it was necessary to move the existing Spirit Ash items to a new range of IDs.

We have tried to do this as invisibly as possible; when you launch Reforged for the first time after the Spirit Fury update, your old Ashes will be replaced with the new ones.

This will also happen if you load a vanilla save in Reforged.

However this comes with an issue. Any spirit ashes bound to your Pouch or the item slots under Equipment still point at the old IDs. (This is marked by the fact those ashes are called "Depleted")

* To fix this, assign those slots to the new Spirit Ash items. Unequip your original ashes, and simply re-equip them.

If you accidentally launch your save in the vanilla game (without ERR) and break your Reforged save that way, all your Spirit Ashes will disappear, since these IDs do not exist in vanilla.

* To fix this, you need to re-add the Spirit Ashes using Debug Tool. See later in this FAQ.

### Bloodhound Step/Carian Grandeur/Barricade Shield/Fletched Arrows not working

Some Ashes of War have been made into Weapon Arts for specific weapons, as opposed to general Ashes, for better balancing and fine-tuning.

The standalone Ashes no longer work and are effectively useless (See Skills).

Fletched arrows were removed to reduce clutter and easily make room for new arrow types (Unfletched arrows now act the same as Fletched), so this is also true for any arrow items with (Fletched) in the name. When using Debug Tool or Cheat Engine to spawn arrows, use only the unfletched types.

### Equip load locked at 100 / Cannot raise Equip Load / Endurance doesn't work

Endurance has been changed to only increase stamina in Reforged.

Equip load is locked at a flat 100, and can only be raised by Talismans, Binding Runes, the Baldachin's Blessing, and temporary effects. See Combat Mechanics for details.

To make leveling Endurance still rewarding, stamina costs have been reworked across the board, and having high stamina now grants a boost to Stamina Regen speed (in the form of a % regen).

### Game balance bad / Build doesn't work / Everything seems too weak / Cannot defeat enemies

ELDEN RING Reforged is a total overhaul of the game, and changes virtually every element in some way. This can result in the game feeling overly difficult if you are used to using something that was reworked or nerfed in ERR, and can be confusing if your preferred playstyle doesn't work any more. Some common scenarios that lead to difficulty issues are located below, and some advice on how to deal with them.

**1. Underleveled for the content**

ELDEN RING Reforged has reworked stats and leveling across the board; you gain *much* more runes for side content and enemy kills, and less for following the main path. Major bosses generally give less runes, especially shardbearers, but common enemies typically give 50-100% more runes than vanilla.

If you do a "speedrun" playthrough only focusing on the main progression beats, you will quickly find yourself underleveled. The mod aims to make exploration and side content refreshing and more rewarding than it was in vanilla. We recommend that you try not to skip fights and ride past too many setpieces and enemy groups. Systems like the Codex provide additional incentives and farm bonuses.

ERR region scaling is split into tiers, which determine enemy stat scaling.

```
0 - Stranded Graveyard
1 - Limgrave
2 - Weeping Peninsula
3 - Castle Morne/Stormhill
4 - Stormveil
5 - Siofra River
6 - Liurnia
7 - Raya Lucaria/Ainsel River/Caelid
8 - Redmane Castle/Caria Manor
9 - Wailing Dunes/Ruin-Strewn Precipice/Altus
10 - Mt. Gelmir/Shaded Castle/Nokron
11 - Capital Outskirts/Volcano Manor/Deeproot Depths
12 - Leyndell/Nokstella/Carian Study Hall
13 - Mountaintops of the Giants/Leyndell Sewers/Lake of Rot
14 - Farum Azula/Castle Sol/Moonlight Altar
15 - Ashen Leyndell/Dragonbarrow/Deathbed Dream
16 - Snowfield/Storm Beyond Time
17 - Stone Platform
18 - Mohgwyn
19 - Haligtree
20 - Elphael
```
A decent estimate for a recommended level range is in the ballpark of:

* Region scaling \* 8
* So, Stormveil (Scaling level 4) would be recommended for a ~RL32 character.

**2. New stat scaling**

Stat scaling is now effective up to 99 instead of following the "softcap" system, meaning you can go beyond your vanilla powers. But since levels are also faster to acquire, in some cases, some stats may need roughly ~10 more points to achieve their previous strength. Past the original softcap values, however, you will increase in power over what you could achieve in vanilla.

In addition, weapons gain MUCH more of their overall damage from stat scaling compared to vanilla. In base Elden Ring, weapons get the vast majority of their damage from weapon upgrades and base damage, with stat scaling being almost a formality at times. In Reforged, weapons get almost all of their damage output from scaling. If you want to play a build with low investment in damage stats, you will need to seek alternative methods of damaging enemies and bosses (such as Status Effects, the reworked Spirit Ashes, co-op partners, or weapons that work better with lower stats such as Bestial weapons).

**3. FP, Magic and Ranged changes**

Ashes of War and magic spells consume large amounts of FP, however this is bundled with the addition of **FP Generation** through attacks and specific spells.

Some sorceries and incantations like Glintstone Pebble and Catch Flame now deal less damage, but generate FP in return. This creates a flow of battle with "generating" and "spending" phases, and allows you to cast forever without using Cerulean flasks, which you can now spend on more Crimson flask healing. Regular attacks also restore FP, allowing you to use more Ashes of War.

Ranged options also generally feature reduced range. This is so that players continue to have to meaningfully engage with boss mechanics instead of completely invalidating boss movesets by sniping them without counterplay. This also allows for Bows and many non-standard magic options to be made into meaningful and useful combat tools, instead of being relegated to niche picks.

We are aware that this challenges the status of magic as the unofficial "easy mode" of Souls games, however we believe that magic continues to be incredibly powerful, flexible and safe compared to many Melee options. Please feel encouraged to get into the "spending/generating phase" mindset with the much improved casting animations and projectile tracking that increase flexibility over the vanilla game. If you used magic to have a relaxing game, and feel discouraged by the removal of fun 'cheese' options, consider the new Difficulty options added by ERR.

**4. Removal of "Cheese Builds"**

"Cheese builds" is used as a blanket term for builds that focus on preventing enemies and/or bosses from acting properly, typically by killing them so fast they don't have time to do anything. **These builds are more or less universally removed by Reforged**.

This is accomplished through a variety of changes, but the most notable are that stacking % damage boosts cannot get anywhere near as insane as in vanilla, and options typically paired with them are reeled in a little bit, such as Comet Azur.

The intent behind this change is to reel in the extreme outlier builds that completely invalidate the game and allow you to not engage with it whatsoever, and provide more incentive to use a variety of (often significantly buffed) options instead of focusing on what is the absolute best minmax option. It's recommended to experiment with different tools and builds, instead of falling back on the same things repeatedly.

If you are used to using builds like this, Reforged may seem highly unfair or unbalanced. If invalidating the game like this is your preferred way to play, *Reforged may not be right for you.* There are other mods available such as The Convergence that may suit your style better.

**5. Difficulty modes**

It can seem enticing to challenge one of the many Difficulty modes in ERR. The idea of choosing an "easy" difficulty may also feel like a slight to your personal abilities. For some players, however, these feelings may prove to be traps.

For most players, **Normal** difficulty ERR will be more challenging than vanilla due to various changes and additions in enemy behavior and values, and the general rebalancing of stacking bonus effects and statuses like Bleed. There is no shame in trying the game at a lower difficulty if some part of ERR balancing feels excessive to you. Easy difficulty is designed to still give a meaningful and substantial challenge while easing up on some of the hard edges that people often get stuck on.

Kirnifr mainly balances and playtests the mod around the **Hard** difficulty, but this does not mean that it is "vanilla-like" or necessarily "the right way to play". Modes like **Master** or special difficulties like **Shura** are intentionally made to be extremely challenging, to accommodate seasoned challenge runners.

Beating ELDEN RING does not mean that these difficulty modes are the right choice for you. You will need lots of resources, re-tries and to perform exceptionally well to challenge these modes. Taking multiple hours to defeat a minor boss is not unexpected on Master or similar difficulties, and even common enemies may prove to be a major threat. **This is not "the intended ERR experience".** Carefully consider your options when deciding on your difficulty mode of choice.

### Unable to select harder difficulties / special difficulties

Harder difficulties are locked behind completing the fully reworked Cave of Knowledge, now known as the Gilded Cave Of Knowledge.

If you have completed the cave and still cannot access these difficulties, make sure you are on the latest version of Reforged, and do not use other Content Mods with Reforged.

### Cannot progress Knights of the First Lord / Knights of the First Lord too difficult / Gilded Cave Of Knowledge issues

The Gilded Cave of Knowledge is Reforged's completely new tutorial area, and is heavily scripted.

Attempting to use other mods with Reforged is very, very likely to break this area, and some DLL mods that otherwise work fine may act strange in this area.

If you are unable to defeat the "Soldier of Godrick" deflect tutorial, make absolutely certain you are performing a "Perfect Deflect" + Guard Counter. No other form of attack will damage this enemy. Perfect deflects are indicated by a white flash and your weapon glowing, and Guard Counter specifically refers to the special attack when pressing R2 after blocking an attack. If you are certain you are doing this and the enemy still is not taking damage, make sure you are not using any other mods, and report the issue in the discord if it persists.

The new boss of the area, Knights of the First Lord, is similarly scripted and may not work with other mods.

Some possible causes of the fight breaking:

1. You have not correctly installed the mod. Please try reinstalling while precisely following the instructions. Specifically, when updating, make sure you overwrite each file it asks you to, and not miss any folders!
2. You are running some kind of modpack, such as Unalloyed. This modpack is not well crafted and completely unsupported by Reforged. Please install the mod without using a modpack!
3. You are using other third-party mods, such as First Person Souls. FPSouls is currently known to cause an issue with the Knights of the First Lord encounter.

Try disabling the Attack Indicators feature of FPSouls, skipping the encounter, or briefly remove the mod to proceed through it. If you are not using any other mods and have reinstalled the mod and still encounter the issue, join the discord and provide as many details as you can in #tech-support.

If the boss is functioning correctly but you are struggling to complete it regardless, try slowing down and really paying attention to which dodge type you need to use. It can be difficult to unlearn normal souls behavior of simply rolling all attacks, which is what this boss is designed to facilitate.

*If you do not care about learning other dodge methods, you can simply ignore this boss*. Activating either of the graces in the Gilded Cave Of Knowledge will also activate the grace outside Fringefolk Hero's Grave, allowing you to warp out of the cave at any time.

One of the developers has provided a useful tutorial video for the boss, found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dleEKPxnIEw

### Smithing Stone Bell Bearing Missing / Cannot find Bell Bearing / How to buy Smithing Stones

Smithing Stone Bell Bearings have been removed from the game, and replaced with direct purchases of Smithing Stones + increased enemy drop rates.

Smithing Stones (both regular and somber) can be purchased from Twin Maiden Husks based on your highest weapon's level.

For further details, see Weapons.

### Cannot find dropped runes / Runes gone after Deathblight / Lost runes missing

In Reforged, dying to the Deathblight status effect will immediately erase all of your runes, dropping none on the ground. See Status Effects for further details about status effects.

This can be countered by equipping a Sacrificial Twig or using the Twiggy Cracked Tear.

Deathblight should be considered an utmost priority when fighting enemies that can use it, and equipping armor and talismans based on raising Vitality is highly recommended.

### Cannot find Dectus Medallion / Dectus Medallion Second Half Missing / Fort Faroth empty

Dectus Medallion halves are now held by Blood-Obsessed knights, rather than just being laying around in chests.

Additionally, the second half of the Dectus Medallion has been moved from Fort Faroth to Fort Gael. This both makes it more difficult to obtain and moves it out of being strangely placed in an endgame area.

The item description has been updated to indicate this.

### How to access Dragonbarrow / Cannot leave Bestial Sanctum

In Reforged, Dragonbarrow has had some of its easy access routes from vanilla removed. This is to move the area more properly into being a lategame area, and make players have to do at least some progression before going there.

In order to access Dragonbarrow, you will need to do one of the following:

* Complete Sellia, Town of Sorcery. This path is unchanged, aside from Torrent no longer being usable within the town.
* Give Gurranq, Beast Clergyman at least 4 Deathroot and wait for him to go outside at night. A hint message is present for this in-game.

### Missing Somber Smithing Stones in Dragonbarrow / Where to find Sombers

In vanilla ELDEN RING, the Dragonbarrow area of the map contains many very high level smithing stones, in spite of the fact the area can be accessed almost as soon as you start the game.

In Reforged, this area has had all of its easily accessed stones (namely, those found simply in the overworld or in locations you can get them without killing anything) reduced in level, to prevent players from obtaining a very high level weapon early in the game.

### Where to farm runes / Cannot kill Mohgwyn Palace crow / Albinaurics dropping less runes

Many of the base game's excessive/fast rune farms have been removed. These include making the Mohgwyn Palace crow unable to be sniped from safety, and making the Albinaurics near that same grace drop much fewer runes.

Enemies and minor bosses drop vastly more runes in general, so simply killing large groups of enemies normally is an effective way to grind/farm runes if you still need to. In addition, you can resurrect bosses in order to fight them again.