Elden Ring DLC New Patch 1.13 Guide: Huge Changes and What You Should Do

The eagerly anticipated Elden Ring DLC patch 1.13 arrived on July 30, introducing transformative balance adjustments that reshape both PvP and PvE gameplay. Players seeking to master these changes must adopt strategic approaches to maximize their investment in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. This comprehensive guide breaks down every significant modification and provides actionable strategies to adapt your playstyle effectively.

PvP-Exclusive Balance Adjustments

1. Equipment Modifications:

• Enhanced poise damage for standard attacks across Light Great Swords, Backhand Blades, Hand-to-Hand Arts, and Beast Claws weapon categories, making these options more competitive in player-versus-player encounters.

• Improved dual-wield attack poise damage for Straight Swords, Thrusting Swords, Curved Swords, Katanas, Spears, Whips, Fists, and Claws, encouraging more aggressive dual-wielding strategies.

• Reduced backstep invulnerability duration when utilizing the Fine Crucible Feather Talisman or Talisman of All Crucibles, reducing defensive crutches in competitive play.

2. Combat Skill Adjustments:

• Follow-up attack mechanics improved with higher probability for second strikes connecting successfully against human opponents.

• Shortened invulnerability windows during combat against other players’ offensive maneuvers, requiring more precise timing for evasion.

3. Spell and Incantation Rebalancing:

• Initial lightning spear attack power significantly boosted, while subsequent spears in the sequence received damage reductions to prevent spell spamming.

• Decreased poise damage across all lightning spears generated by this incantation, balancing its overall effectiveness in PvP scenarios.

General Balance Adjustments

1. Weapon System Improvements:

• Light Greatsword charged attacks now inflict substantially increased damage animation against AI-controlled enemies, making them more viable for PvE content.

• Enhanced attack power scaling progression when upgrading specialized armaments including the Repeating Crossbow, Spread Crossbow, and Rabbath’s Cannon.

2. Summoned Spirit Enhancements:

• NPC companions such as Needle Knight Leda, Pureblood Knight Ansbach, and Thiollier received comprehensive stat and status effect improvements.

• Upgraded summoned spirits (excluding Mimic Tear) now demonstrate significantly improved attack power and damage negation capabilities when reaching “+8” upgrade level or higher.

Armament System Refinements

• Holy damage output substantially increased when weapons regain their luster through restoration mechanics.

• Reduced number of attacks required to reactivate weapon shine effects, improving combat flow.

• Extended duration of shine restoration benefits, allowing players to maintain enhanced weapon states for longer periods during exploration and combat.

Bug Fixes and Quality of Life Improvements

• Resolved a critical issue where rune acquisition rates in DLC areas fell below expected values during New Game+1 difficulty cycles.

• Balanced Perfume Bottles that were previously overperforming, bringing them in line with other consumable items.

This comprehensive update focuses heavily on balancing player-versus-player interactions through poise damage adjustments and invulnerability window reductions. Simultaneously, it enhances the effectiveness of specific weapon categories and combat skills, creating a more challenging yet rewarding experience across all gameplay modes.

Given the extensive balance modifications in patch 1.13, players must critically reevaluate their current builds and equipment choices. The changes create new opportunities for previously underutilized weapons while adjusting the power level of popular PvP strategies.

1. Optimize Your Build

Strategic build adaptation is essential to leverage the patch improvements effectively:

• Weapon Selection: Prioritize upgrading and utilizing weapons that received direct buffs, particularly Light Greatswords and specialized crossbows like the Repeating Crossbow that now scale more effectively with upgrades.

• Skill and Spell Reevaluation: Carefully reassess your combat toolkit—the initial lightning spear now delivers substantially higher damage, making it excellent for opening engagements, while follow-up attacks connect more reliably in PvP situations.

• Defensive Gear Adjustments: Modify your armor and talisman loadouts to compensate for reduced invulnerability windows, potentially favoring higher poise armor sets.

2. Gather Resources

Stockpile essential upgrade materials to take advantage of the improved weapon scaling:

• Smithing Stones and Gloveworts: These critical resources remain essential for maximizing your equipment potential. Focus farming efforts in high-yield areas like Mohgwyn Palace and the Land of Shadow regions.

• Crafting Material Acquisition: Collect components for potions, explosive items, and other consumables that can provide crucial advantages in challenging DLC encounters.

3. Level Up Strategically

Allocate your hard-earned runes with precision to complement the new balance landscape:

• Attribute Priority: Focus on statistics that synergize with your chosen build archetype. Strength-focused builds should emphasize Strength and Endurance, while Dexterity builds require different optimization approaches.

• Equipment Enhancement: Maximize your weapon and armor upgrade levels before tackling the DLC’s more demanding challenges.

Common Optimization Mistake: Many players continue using pre-patch builds without adjustments, missing significant damage potential from the buffed weapon categories. Always test your build against both PvE and PvP opponents to identify weaknesses.

4. Explore and Prepare

Before venturing into the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, thoroughly prepare your character through comprehensive world exploration:

• Side Quest Completion: Finalize any outstanding side quests to acquire additional rewards, experience, and potentially unique items that could prove valuable in the new content.

• Optional Boss Encounters: Defeat remaining optional bosses throughout the Lands Between to collect valuable resources and runes that will ease your DLC progression.

• Community Engagement: Participate in online communities and cooperative gameplay sessions to exchange strategies and leverage collective knowledge about the patch changes.

5. Plan Your Progression

Develop a strategic roadmap for navigating the DLC content efficiently:

• Main Story Advancement: Follow the primary questline initially to unlock new regions and narrative content systematically.

• Thorough Exploration: Methodically investigate each new area, searching for concealed pathways, hidden items, and lore fragments that enhance your understanding of the game world.

• Boss Encounter Preparation: Each significant region concludes with a demanding boss battle. Ensure you’re adequately equipped with maximized gear and sufficient consumables before engaging these challenging encounters.

Advanced Progression Tip: Create a checklist of key items and upgrade materials needed for your build before progressing too far into the DLC, as backtracking can be time-consuming.

6. Invest in the Long Term

Consider your character’s development from a long-term perspective to maximize post-patch effectiveness:

• Combat Skill Mastery: Dedicate time to mastering the newly adjusted skills and spells introduced in the patch. Practice their application across various combat scenarios to develop thorough understanding of their strengths and limitations.

• Build Flexibility Development: Cultivate a versatile character build capable of adapting to diverse challenges, ensuring effectiveness in both player-versus-environment and player-versus-player content.

By implementing these strategic approaches, you’ll be well-equipped to conquer the challenges presented by the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC while fully leveraging the improvements introduced in Patch 1.13. Enjoy your adventures throughout the expanded Lands Between!

Beyond immediate patch adjustments, successful players should consider their character’s evolution throughout the entire DLC experience. The adjustments to summoned spirits, particularly the exclusion of Mimic Tear from the buffs, indicates a deliberate design choice to encourage diversity in spirit summon selection.

Weapon Upgrade Priority: Focus on Light Greatswords and specialized crossbows initially, as these received the most substantial improvements and will provide the greatest return on your upgrade material investment.

The reduced invulnerability windows for backstep maneuvers using Crucible Feather Talismans fundamentally alters PvP defensive strategies. Players accustomed to relying on these invulnerability frames must now develop alternative evasion techniques or adjust their timing precision.

Holy damage weapons now represent a more compelling choice with faster luster restoration and extended effect duration. This makes faith-based builds more competitive, particularly against enemies vulnerable to holy damage.

For players seeking comprehensive guidance on character development, our Class Guide provides detailed analysis of optimal attribute distributions for various playstyles.

Remember that successful adaptation to patch changes requires both understanding the mechanical adjustments and developing the practical skills to implement them effectively in combat situations.

Related Articles:

The 8 Best Weapons in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Best Dragon Builds and Weapon Combos in Elden Ring SotE

Elden Ring DLC Guide: Sorceries Tier List and Best Staff Weapons for Them

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