https://stayclose.social/ClaytonMcneal/ Latest updates from Clayton Mcneal https://stayclose.social/blog/122697/elden-ring-10-best-side-quests-ranked/ Golden Order Incantations, in the lore of Elden Ring , are a school of magic based on scientifically analyzing the metaphysical laws that make the divine miracles of the Erdtree and Golden Order possible. As their names and associations would imply, these Incantations frequently manifest as bright, golden light taking various forms. Miquella, Elden Ring 's eternally youthful and villainous Demigod , studied Golden Order Fundamentalism as a potential way to cure his sister Malenia's Scarlet Rot affliction, while the mute and mummified Goldmask uses this scholarly school of magic to identify the flaws in the original Golden Order and craft a new Elden Ring that brings justice to


Both Burial Watchdogs can and likely will employ this move. They spit three streams of fire – one from each head – and slowly move toward you. Put some distance between you and the enemy. They will move toward you, but they won’t move very far, so some distance might offer you a great reprieve to drink a much-needed Crimson Flask – or the chance to land some blows on the other Burial Watch


Abstractly, one could call them a league of traitorous snakes who make it their goal to kill their kind. As you could expect, Patches is a member of this organization, even offering a quest of his own as you begin completing quests h


Hidden inside the code of Elden Ring, there is a string of text within the Divine Tower of Limegrave map that hints there was a boss fight intended to be at the top of the Divine Tower. More specifically, it suggests that this boss would've been a Crucible Knight; however, since the name ID was set to 0, we're unable to know the boss' n


Considering just how fleshed out Ranni's quest line is compared to others, one could question whether or not it truly would count as a side quest. However, with all the content available, this turns out to be an easy contender for the best side quest in the g


Not much is known as to the motives of Tanith after you slay the serpent; however, it is believed that she is deeply grieving the loss of Rykard and, in a final show of devotion, spends her final days devouring the head of her explanation husb


If the player should choose to work with him , he will give you what is basically a mind control potion, telling you to feed it to the adopted daughter of his hated rival Gideon Ofnir, the very same one you are already likely acquainted with. Sound suspicious? Well, that's only the tip of the iceberg because if you manage to find his secret laboratory where he keeps his "creations", that opens up a whole new can of wo


In-game, non-combat Golden Order Incantations like Law of Regression are designed to nullify negative status effects and remove buffs on enemies, while most offensive Golden Order Incantations permanently kill undead enemies and conjure forth rings of light that fly forth and return to their caster (besides potentially dealing double damage to enemies, these ring of light incantations also synergize well with projectile-conjuring parry skills of Elden Ring 's Erdtree Greatshield and the Carian Retaliation Ash of War). Elden Ring 's recent 1.07 Patch buffed the Discus of Light Incantation by reducing its FP cost, speeding up its casting animation, and increasing the projectile's range and duration. The Triple Rings of Light Incantation also had its casting speed increased, while the Radagon's Rings of Light Incantation was buffed with reduced FP cost and recovery time. Finally, the Law of Casuality Incantation, a buff that emits an explosion of holy damage if a PC is heavily, had its duration extended from 60 seconds to 120 seconds. Significant content changes to _Elden Ring _ will have to wait for any potential DLC to release, but FromSoftware has been hard at work improving what is already present in the game, especially its underpowered spe


You’ll encounter plenty of sneaky Imps throughout this minor dungeon, so always keep your head on a swivel. Case in point, when you first head down the stairs, an Imp is clinging to the ceiling , ready to drop on you with a vicious att


Being reminiscent of the Black Knights from Dark Souls and The Pursuer from Dark Souls II , the Night's Calvary was supposed to serve as a "wandering enemy" of sorts. But, later on, they were reduced to being an enemy that you could encounter only in specific areas. And, while knowing where they are, it would have been interesting to see them randomly gallivanting about and catching us by surpr


Death Sorceries, many of them strongly associated with Godwyn, Elden Ring 's Prince of Death , and the Death Rite Bird bosses found in Elden Ring 's open world by night, are spells that conjure forth both spirits of death and pale flame that inflict the Frostbite status effect. To use spells from this school of sorcery, players must invest heavily into both the Intelligence and Faith attributes, making Death Sorceries (along with Golden Order Incantations) a form of magic primarily used in hybrid spell-casting builds. To better reward players for making a hybrid spell-caster character (challenging in the early phases of an Elden Ring campaign) FromSoftware improved four of the five Death Sorcery spells in Elden Ring 's latest patch alongside buffed weapons . The FP costs of the Rancorcall and Ancient Death Rancor spells were decreased, while the "lifespan" of the skull projectiles conjured by these spells was increased. The skeleton-conjuring Tibia's Summons spell also had its FP cost reduced and increased its attack power, casting speed, and recovery time. Finally, the late-game Explosive Ghostflame spell, a point-blank burst attack, was buffed with increased Frostbite buildup, additional attack power and stamina damage, and improved range/damage detection for its residual trails of ghostfl
]]> https://stayclose.social/blog/122697/elden-ring-10-best-side-quests-ranked/ Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:47:20 +0000 Clayton Mcneal https://stayclose.social/blog/122680/elden-ring-all-stonesword-key-locations/ Some Elden Rings 's enemies that are large and in charge are the Erdtree Avatars. Several Erdtree Avatars are scattered across the map, and it seems that each one is harder than the last, but they will all reward you with materials for new mixtures in your Flask of Wondrous Phys


Things take a bit of a turn once you finish your business there. After you talk to him again, by the time you finally return to his daughter, you find that you're already too late, she is dead with her father mourning her corpse. The saddest part of this quest isn't this, but the fate of the grief-stricken father you find later, crazed, bloodthirsty, and in a shack filled with... rotting m


The mist being dead souls explains a lot about this Elden Ring mystery . One of the biggest things it helps clarify is what the Lands Between is. Both in the Age of the Duskborn ending and in the prologue of the game, the narrator repeats the line " In our home. Across the Fog. The Lands Between ." This fog is literal, as the distant ocean is obscured in mist all around the Lands Between. Should the mist be souls, it would explain that the Lands Between is some sort of Edenic promised land related to the afterlife. The souls of the Tarnished who were banished were forced to leave, and now that they are no longer touched by Grace, their souls cannot make it back to Elden Ring 's mysterious and coveted Erdtree . They instead seem to only come close to it, obscuring the world of gods and the afterlife from the liv


The comparison between fallen leaves and the mist is even made explicit by the cutscene’s narration. Like the other non- Duskborn Elden Ring endings where the player becomes Elden Lord, the narrator states, " The fallen leaves tell a story " about how a Tarnished became elden ring builds Lord " In our home. Across the Fog. The Lands Between ." However, the Age of the Duskborn ending is the only ending to intercut these two lines with " Our seed will look back upon us and recall ." This line emphasizes that the fallen leaves and fog represent death. Furthermore, it makes it explicit that the "seed" or future generations will only be able to remember the Tarnished through stories because the souls or "Remembrances" the Erdtree used to contain are now d


For this enemy, make sure to eliminate the smaller foes surrounding him before focusing your attention on the behemoth. Once you have taken him out, you will be rewarded with the Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear, Lightning-Shrouding Cracked Tear, and the Holy-Shrouding Cracked Te


Fixed a bug that prevented users from obtaining Crystal Tear. If you fail to obtain a Crystal Tear, the item will be added to your inventory when moving within the vicinity of the place where you should have obtained


Celebrant's Sickle / Nox Flowing Sword / Shotel / Eclipse Shotel / Vulgar Militia Shotel / Scythe / Grave Scythe / Halo Scythe / Winged Scythe



The poise rating of some attacks has been increased for the following weap


Increased poison status buildup.

Glintstone Arc / Glintblade Phalanx / Carian Phalanx / Greatblade Phalanx / Magic Downpour / Loretta's Greatbow / Loretta's Mastery / Rennala's Full Moon / Ranni's Dark Moon / Ambush Shard / Night Shard / Unseen Blade / Roiling Magma / Rykard's Rancor / Darkness / Elden Stars / Lightning Strike / Lansseax's Glaive / Death Lightning / Giantsflame Take Thee / Bloodflame Talons / Unendurable Frenzy / Greyoll's


Fixed a bug that prevented users from obtaining items such as Great Runes, Crystal Tears, Cracked Pots, and Ritual Pots when the number of items in the inventory and the storage had reached the maximum li


The first Erdtree Avatar you'll want to go after is located in the Weeping Peninsula. The easiest way to get there is to travel to the South of the Lookout Tower Site of Grace and on the road that leads west, you will see the large Erdtree in the dista


This side quest truly requires you to go to the end of the earth and back to complete it. You'll find her dying in a secluded church in the most hated area of the game guarded by two centipedes. From there, you'll have to make your way to a rotted, boggy castle, and then make your way through the mountains and up to the second most hated area in the game, the Haligt


The idea that the mist is made up of dead souls may sound farfetched at first. However, there is already a connection between the Age of the Duskborn and the souls contained in the Erdtree, and this connection is Elden Ring 's Those Who Live In Death . After Godwyn’s soul died, he was buried at the base of the Erdtree’s roots. The curse mark on Godwyn’s flesh corrupted its root system, though, which resulted in Death Root. Death Roots give rise to Those Who Live In Death, according to the Death Root item description. This confirms that the curse mark that killed Godwyn acts similarly on the Erdtree, killing the souls contained within it while resurrecting the physical bodies of the d
]]> https://stayclose.social/blog/122680/elden-ring-all-stonesword-key-locations/ Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:31:47 +0000 Clayton Mcneal https://stayclose.social/blog/122658/elden-ring-lore-volcano-manor-explained/ In-game, non-combat Golden Order Incantations like Law of Regression are designed to nullify negative status effects and remove buffs on enemies, while most offensive Golden Order Incantations permanently kill undead enemies and conjure forth rings of light that fly forth and return to their caster (besides potentially dealing double damage to enemies, these ring of light incantations also synergize well with projectile-conjuring parry skills of Elden Ring 's Erdtree Greatshield and the Carian Retaliation Ash of War). Elden Ring 's recent 1.07 Patch buffed the Discus of Light Incantation by reducing its FP cost, speeding up its casting animation, and increasing the projectile's range and duration. The Triple Rings of Light Incantation also had its casting speed increased, while the Radagon's Rings of Light Incantation was buffed with reduced FP cost and recovery time. Finally, the Law of Casuality Incantation, a buff that emits an explosion of holy damage if a PC is heavily, had its duration extended from 60 seconds to 120 seconds. Significant content changes to _Elden ring dlc Ring _ will have to wait for any potential DLC to release, but FromSoftware has been hard at work improving what is already present in the game, especially its underpowered spe


Almost all of its attacks are performed while facing you, so try to roll behind it when dodging. This forces the Avatar to turn to face you before initiating its next attack. Some attacks are initiated while you are standing at its side, but those are easy to av


RELATED: Elden Ring Lore: The Tarnished, Explained While embarking on the Volcano Manor quest line, Tanith convinces you that the Tarnished you are hunting are enemies of the Erdtree and sends you to hunt down and kill enemies she believes are the greatest threats to her and Volcano Ma


Additionally, certain schools of purely offensive Glintstone Sorcery have non-combat applications that could be fleshed out with future expansions to Elden Ring. For instance, the school of Gravity Magic, strongly associated with the Starscourge Radahn boss fight, has several spells and Ashes of War that can repel and pull in enemies. Future non-damaging Gravity Sorceries could let a player temporarily lower the weight of their equipment (similar to how Elden Ring 's giant, misunderstood General Radahn uses gravity magic to ride his normal-sized horse, Leonard) or even raise the weight of an enemy's equipment to slow their movement and cause them to "fat roll." Finally, the extremely sparse school of Aberrant Sorcery, featuring only two spells themed around conjuring vines of coagulated blood, could be expanded in **Elden Ring ** DLC to include spells designed to defend or support player characters - for instance, an Aberrant Sorcery that sacrifices health to produce a damage-reducing aura or eliminate every status effect but Hemorrh


His followers, numerous as they were, followed their Lord with heads held high and a fiery resolve in their hearts, trusting in their leader that he would preserve their shared desire for a world without The Greater Will. Their devotion and sacrifice would ultimately end in Lord Praetor Rykard and Volcano Manor's downfall. On his journey to uncover and fully comprehend the true nature of the dark sorcery hidden beneath Mt. Gelmir, Rykard took on a partner in Tanith, a fearless and bloodthirsty consort who becomes the head of Volcano Manor at the culmination of the legacy dungeon quest l


When the last Tarnished is slain, you are granted a special meeting with the true Lord of Volcano Manor, the giant grotesque monstrosity that resides at the base of Mt. Gelmir, Rykard, Lord of Blasph


The backstory, setting, and hidden lore-filled quests of Elden Ring , crafted by fantasy author George R.R. Martin and refined by developers at FromSoftware, is a curious blend of themes from polytheistic Norse mythology and monotheistic Christianity. The Erdtree, a massive growth of golden bark and falling leaves that can be seen in every open-world area of Elden Ring , is almost certainly modeled after Yggdrasil, the Worldtree that supports the cosmos in Norse myth. Statues of the eternal goddess named Queen Marika show her hanging from an arc of light - like Christ on the cross, but also like Odin, chief god of the Aesir, who hangs himself from the branches of Yggdrasil in order to learn the knowledge of Runes. Elden Ring 's extended family of fighting Demigods - red-haired hammer-wielders like Radagon, serpentine abominations like Rykard - also correspond to famous Norse gods like Thor and monsters like Jörmungandr, magnificent, mercurial beings whose virtues and flaws are those of humanity writ la


There is an item in Elden Ring called the Bewitching Branch, crafted from a Sacramental Bud watered with Miquella's blood and a Lily made of Unalloyed Gold. Stabbing a non-boss game enemy with this branch causes them to temporarily switch sides and fight other enemies. Elden Ring 's Bewitching Branch consumable item has the following descript
]]> https://stayclose.social/blog/122658/elden-ring-lore-volcano-manor-explained/ Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:13:46 +0000 Clayton Mcneal https://stayclose.social/blog/122650/elden-ring-10-best-npcs-ranked/ The second to last Erdtree Avatar is located in the Northeast of Liurnia . The fastest way to reach this foe is by traveling to the Mausoleum Compound Site of Grace . From this Grace point, you should be able to see the Erdtree Directly to your E


Players of Elden Ring can acquire the Lion's Claw skill, which perfectly copies the front-flipping attack of the Artorias Greatsword, from two specific items: the Claymore greatsword weapon located in Castle Morne, and the Lion's Claw Ash of War item found in the Fort Gael location of the Caelid Wilds. The description for this overpowered Elden Ring Ash of War identifies itself as the signature skill of the Redmane Knights who fought alongside General Radahn, a once gallant Demigod with a faithful horse named Leonard who was contaminated by the Scarlet Rot contagion of his opponent Malenia and reduced to a mindless, cannibalistic beast as feral as Artorias


In the Sage's Cave dungeon, found by exploring the Altus Plateau area of Elden Ring , players can encounter a mini-boss named Necromancer Garris, who fights players with a flail weapon that can summon skull-faced projectiles of Ghostflame. Defeating this boss earns players the aforementioned Family Heads flail weapon, described as having " three bludgeoning copper heads " that were made to resemble the Necromancer's wife and two child


"Challenging but rewarding" seems to be a core design ethos of developers at FromSoftware, which has contributed to the popularity of dark fantasy action-RPGs like Dark Souls , Bloodborne , __ and now Elden Ring . In the Platonic ideal of a FromSoftware RPG, every open-world enemy, dungeon boss, collectible weapon, and collectible spell should be powerful and punishing, but still possible for any player to overcome with the right tactics and mastery of game mechanics. Elden Ring , large open-world game that it is, hasn't entirely perfected the formula established by Hidetaka Miyazaki's genre-defining Demon's Souls , but does seem to draw closer to perfection with each new software pa


Death Sorceries, many of them strongly associated with Godwyn, Elden Ring News Ring 's Prince of Death , and the Death Rite Bird bosses found in Elden Ring 's open world by night, are spells that conjure forth both spirits of death and pale flame that inflict the Frostbite status effect. To use spells from this school of sorcery, players must invest heavily into both the Intelligence and Faith attributes, making Death Sorceries (along with Golden Order Incantations) a form of magic primarily used in hybrid spell-casting builds. To better reward players for making a hybrid spell-caster character (challenging in the early phases of an Elden Ring campaign) FromSoftware improved four of the five Death Sorcery spells in Elden Ring 's latest patch alongside buffed weapons . The FP costs of the Rancorcall and Ancient Death Rancor spells were decreased, while the "lifespan" of the skull projectiles conjured by these spells was increased. The skeleton-conjuring Tibia's Summons spell also had its FP cost reduced and increased its attack power, casting speed, and recovery time. Finally, the late-game Explosive Ghostflame spell, a point-blank burst attack, was buffed with increased Frostbite buildup, additional attack power and stamina damage, and improved range/damage detection for its residual trails of ghostfl


There is also a sixth location for the bonus Erdtree Avatar ; he will be in the Deeproot Depths . The reason he's not considered one of the five main avatars is that he doesn't have the health bar at the bottom of your screen, so he technically isn't an official boss. Though, taking him out will reward you with the Staff of the Avatar , a mighty wea


Even her end isn't straightforward, and as it is all said and done, you will be wondering what the outcome even was. Regardless, interacting with a master sorceress in her prime is undoubtedly remarkable and will leave quite an impression on you -- even if you aren't one inclined towards mag


This, among other things, is one of the best parts of any FromSoftware game as we love to think back on 'Soulsborne' NPCs such as Solaire from Dark Souls or Eileen the Crow from Bloodborne due to just how iconic they w


**Elden Ring ** and its sheer diversity of Sorcery and Incantation spells available in Elden Ring has somewhat inevitably led to players classifying some spells as underpowered or suboptimal. That said, the recent 1.07 patch has "buffed" many of game's infrequently used spells, __ giving once-ignored Incantations like Scarlet Aeonia or Sorceries like Briars of Sin or Explosivie Ghostflame a new chance to sh


Many FromSoftware fans have compared the Ornstein and Smough boss fight to the Godskin Duo boss fight in Elden Ring , which similarly features a lanky and round pair of enemies fighting together. The character archetype of Smough, however, seems to be more closely emulated by the Fire Prelate enemy, who dresses in bulky armor designed to mimic a rotund human body. Killing the Fire Prelate in Fort Laeiid nets players a massive, Smough-style hammer called the Prelate's Inferno Crozier, while a Scarab Beetle found in Elden Ring 's boss-heavy Mountaintops of the Giants area drops the Prelate's Charge Ash of War, which lets players mimic Smough's signature ramming att
]]> https://stayclose.social/blog/122650/elden-ring-10-best-npcs-ranked/ Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:04:44 +0000 Clayton Mcneal https://stayclose.social/blog/25045/elden-ring-lore-volcano-manor-explained/ The long, drooping sleeves and hems of the Blue Cloth Set's chest piece bears a close resemblance to the traditional garb of Mongols and other historic societies of the Eurasian Steppes - long-hemmed coats designed to cover a rider's legs on horseback and shield them from the cold winds of the plains. In all likelihood, the Blue Cloth Outfit is the outfit of a literal nomad - someone who was raised in a clan or culture that tended grass-eating livestock like horse or sheep, migrating across steppes and tundras to find fresh grazing grounds for their herds (and a good choice for historic horse archer Elden Ring cosplays ). In a society like this, stillness and stagnation would indeed lead to de


Thorn or "Aberrant" Sorcery is one of the odder schools of magic in Elden Ring . The two spells of this spare school - Briars of Sin and Briars of Punishment - are classified as Sorceries (i.e. D &D _ wizard-style magic) and must be cast with a sorcerer's Glintstone Staff. At the same time, these two spells (and the Staff of the Guilty item that boosts Thorn Sorceries in _elden Ring patch notes Ring ) have a minimum Faith requirement and no Intelligence requirement at all. In previous versions of Elden Ring , players had to invest heavily into multiple spell-casting stats (Faith, and Intelligence or Arcane) and dual-wield staves in order to maximize the damage caused by the lacerating bloody thorns of this magic school. Patch 1.07 reduced the FP cost and increased the casting speed/blood loss build-up of the Briars of Sin and Briars of Punishment spells, making it easier for players to create a viable Thorn Sorcerer character build at low lev


In-game, non-combat Golden Order Incantations like Law of Regression are designed to nullify negative status effects and remove buffs on enemies, while most offensive Golden Order Incantations permanently kill undead enemies and conjure forth rings of light that fly forth and return to their caster (besides potentially dealing double damage to enemies, these ring of light incantations also synergize well with projectile-conjuring parry skills of Elden Ring 's Erdtree Greatshield and the Carian Retaliation Ash of War). Elden Ring 's recent 1.07 Patch buffed the Discus of Light Incantation by reducing its FP cost, speeding up its casting animation, and increasing the projectile's range and duration. The Triple Rings of Light Incantation also had its casting speed increased, while the Radagon's Rings of Light Incantation was buffed with reduced FP cost and recovery time. Finally, the Law of Casuality Incantation, a buff that emits an explosion of holy damage if a PC is heavily, had its duration extended from 60 seconds to 120 seconds. Significant content changes to _Elden Ring _ will have to wait for any potential DLC to release, but FromSoftware has been hard at work improving what is already present in the game, especially its underpowered spe


Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor game puts the player in a rated M version of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings fantasy world. It allows for a story that is full of revenge as the main character, Talion, is searching to kill someone that wronged them by committing a horrible atrocity against t


In the next room, you’ll spot several crabs just minding their own business. Slay the crabs and loot the Grave Glovewort [4] and Golden Rune [4] at the end of the room. On the east side of the room, you’ll find a ladder . Climb up to the next r


The backstory, setting, and hidden lore-filled quests of Elden Ring , crafted by fantasy author George R.R. Martin and refined by developers at FromSoftware, is a curious blend of themes from polytheistic Norse mythology and monotheistic Christianity. The Erdtree, a massive growth of golden bark and falling leaves that can be seen in every open-world area of Elden Ring , is almost certainly modeled after Yggdrasil, the Worldtree that supports the cosmos in Norse myth. Statues of the eternal goddess named Queen Marika show her hanging from an arc of light - like Christ on the cross, but also like Odin, chief god of the Aesir, who hangs himself from the branches of Yggdrasil in order to learn the knowledge of Runes. Elden Ring 's extended family of fighting Demigods - red-haired hammer-wielders like Radagon, serpentine abominations like Rykard - also correspond to famous Norse gods like Thor and monsters like Jörmungandr, magnificent, mercurial beings whose virtues and flaws are those of humanity writ la


Death Sorceries, many of them strongly associated with Godwyn, Elden Ring 's Prince of Death , and the Death Rite Bird bosses found in Elden Ring 's open world by night, are spells that conjure forth both spirits of death and pale flame that inflict the Frostbite status effect. To use spells from this school of sorcery, players must invest heavily into both the Intelligence and Faith attributes, making Death Sorceries (along with Golden Order Incantations) a form of magic primarily used in hybrid spell-casting builds. To better reward players for making a hybrid spell-caster character (challenging in the early phases of an Elden Ring campaign) FromSoftware improved four of the five Death Sorcery spells in Elden Ring 's latest patch alongside buffed weapons . The FP costs of the Rancorcall and Ancient Death Rancor spells were decreased, while the "lifespan" of the skull projectiles conjured by these spells was increased. The skeleton-conjuring Tibia's Summons spell also had its FP cost reduced and increased its attack power, casting speed, and recovery time. Finally, the late-game Explosive Ghostflame spell, a point-blank burst attack, was buffed with increased Frostbite buildup, additional attack power and stamina damage, and improved range/damage detection for its residual trails of ghostfl
]]> https://stayclose.social/blog/25045/elden-ring-lore-volcano-manor-explained/ Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:16:01 +0000 Clayton Mcneal https://stayclose.social/ClaytonMcneal/ https://stayclose.social/ClaytonMcneal/ Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:15:50 +0000 Clayton Mcneal