Summary

  • Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree excels in combat design and gameplay variety, despite underwhelming stealth mechanics in Sorcery.
  • Hidden Body in Dark Souls 3 set a high standard for effective stealth gameplay, a feature lacking in the new release.
  • To improve future games, FromSoftware should refine invisibility magic like Hidden Body to enhance the synergy between Sorcery and stealth.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree has seen the continued success of FromSoftware's biggest release yet, showcasing the studio's ability to deliver fresh iterations on combat design and rich gameplay options. The game's remarkable diversity in strategies, through various stat builds and equipment setups, managed to keep players engaged even prior to the DLC. However, one aspect that promised innovation but hasn't fully delivered is stealth mechanics, particularly how they are handled in Sorcery. For releases following Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the studio should refine this type of build to offer an experience more similar to a past game.

Despite the introduction of novel features like horseback riding, jumping, and stealth, the latter has turned out to be underwhelming. While the Unseen Form spell in Elden Ring is intended for this playstyle, its marginal impact has led players to gravitate towards several Talisman options instead. Lacking the functionality that previously gave Hidden Body so much potential in prior games, this Sorcery is essentially half as effective with the same requirements. This feels like a regression after the example that was set in Dark Souls 3, something the next title would do best to avoid.

Dark Souls 3's Hidden Body Set the Tone for What Stealth in Soulsborne Can Be

Invisibility's Viability in Dark Souls 3

Setting a high standard for stealth in Soulsborne, the Hidden Body spell in Dark Souls 3 can provide a substantial advantage in PvP and PvE alike. Against other players, the spell's sound-masking combined with visual concealment makes it immediately easier to engage and evade as an invader. In addition to the similar effects of the Slumbering Dragoncrest Ring and Obscuring Ring, this strategy can be so potent that it allows a stealthy player to thrive even in the revealing context of a duel.

Other Stealth Options in Elden Ring Overshadow Unseen Form

In favor of the stealth-based Sorcery Elden Ring provides, players often prefer using the likes of dingy armor, the Concealing Veil, and Trick-Mirror Talismans to more practically blend into environments and sneak up on foes. Unseen Form's inability to muffle sound significantly limits its utility, especially when compared to the Crepus's Vial Talisman and Elden Ring's Black Knife Armor that accomplish such an effect. Alternative stealth spells like Darkness are even less useful due to their conspicuous animations and sound effects, leaving this niche sorely lacking.

FromSoftware's Follow-up to Elden Ring Needs to Hone in on the Potential of Its Invisbility Magic

Integrating Spellcasting and Stealth Mechanics

Making a smoother dynamic between stealth and Sorcery in the next game a priority could be a breath of fresh in terms of build variety. The Ash of War: Assassin's Gambit skill and Mimic's Veil item both highlight the potential for effective stealth gameplay in Elden Ring, however, these options still feel gimmicky due to how much setup they can require. A more potent spell like Hidden Body would offer a more reliable experience for sneaky players. If these types of Sorcery become more viable, then so can a full stealth caster build which subverts one of the crutches of magic use in the genre.

The current utility for Unseen Form outside reducing aggro in PvE is limited, primarily serving to prevent players from being locked on to in PvP scenarios. It has found some decent usage in this way, but it's only one part of several spells and items that need to be used in unison. This effect can be frustrating for those who rely on lock-on, and it highlights the need for a more refined approach to stealth. If FromSoft is able to build on the likes of DS3's Hidden Body, the synergy between Sorcery and sneaking could go far beyond cheap tactics in Soulsborne PvP.

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Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Tag Page Cover Art

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
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Released
June 21, 2024
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Base Game
Elden Ring
Developer(s)
FromSoftware
Multiplayer
Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
Engine
Proprietary
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Shadow of the Erdtree is the first and only DLC expansion for FromSoftware's groundbreaking Elden Ring. It takes players to a whole new region, the Land of Shadow, where a new story awaits the Tarnished.