An Elden Ring player has posted a video online of their created build, which makes it difficult for opponents in PvP to lock onto the player. Though unconventional character builds in Elden Ring are common, it's not often players come across a build that is as broken as it is unusual.
Since its release in 2022, Elden Ring has become one of the most popular action RPGs of all time. FromSoftware took its tried-and-tested Dark Souls formula and applied it to the open-world genre, to fan and critical acclaim. While FromSoftware is revered for consistently creating punishing yet rewarding PvE combat, Elden Ring also has a PvP element that allows players to test their builds against one another. In-depth character builds have always been essential to FromSoftware games, and the clip here shows how they remain as important as ever to the formula.
In the video, the player takes part in duels against other players in the Colosseum. They clearly struggle to hit Redditor Due_Inflation5885, as they combine the lock-on build with the sleep effect on their weapon to ensure they're entirely immobilized. They then kill the other player with ease. This is repeated multiple times throughout the video, consistently winning duels as players have no way of countering. It wouldn't be the first time a player has shown off an extremely powerful PvP build in Elden Ring.
While the build would be perfect for PvE play, players in the comments quickly raised concerns about its potential use in PvP. Redditor Party_Gas_5343 said, "This is why I only play PvE." There are plenty of Elden Ring tips for success in PvP, and videos like this showcasing build exploits will only make it harder for players to find success in the Colosseum.
While PvP is definitely a fun element of Elden Ring, it's for the best that it isn't a key element of the game. It's clear that there are many builds that are borderline unfair to use, and can lead to frustration when one appears. Players can still complete the game without ever playing PvP, meaning they can use whatever build they want and not be punished for it in-game. Some players take this a step further, and use crazy controls to beat Elden Ring - they couldn't do that in PvP and get away with it.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.