FromSoft hands out a mega-nerf to Shadow of the Erdtree's final boss, players begin printing their 'I beat him pre-patch' t-shirts to lord it over the rest of us

If you've already beaten Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's final boss, congratulations. You're now part of a lucky few who have full licence to be insufferable to anyone who only manages it after today. FromSoft has just released a new patch that hands out some nerfs to the expansion's final fight, making it—frankly—baby-school stuff. Just pathetically easy. True gamers need not apply.

Okay, not actually. The final fight is still gonna be an ordeal for anyone without Let Me Solo Her-style skills, but it has gotten easier with the latest patch. Spoilers ahead for the identity of the DLC's final boss, if you're worried about that, though I have tens of hours in this thing and still don't really understand what's going on. Read the item descriptions? Who has time for that?

Patch 1.14 has been released for #ELDENRING Shadow of the Erdtree.This update brings bug fixes & balance adjustments for #ShadowoftheErdtree, including changes to the final fight of the expansion.Read the full patch notes: https://t.co/6V7XJy09mBThank you for your support. pic.twitter.com/vXnGKBWdp4September 11, 2024

Here are the headline nerfs. Overall, Radahn just does less now. Less damage, less stamina damage, less range, and less flashy nonsense that might make it harder to read his upcoming attacks. You can see that last change in action here. FromSoft also says it's «Changed the action pattern when the battle starts» and «Adjusted some attack moves» for the old boy, and I'd like to take a second to appreciate that the studio extends its vague storytelling philosophy even to its patch notes. Anyway, here's a video of at least one of those adjusted animations.

FromSoft has also chucked in some PvP nerfs for good measure. Specifically, Backhand Blades now do less damage to other players, as do the Spears' dual-wield attacks and Pata weapon's strikes. Scattershot Throw—the DLC skill where you just hock a bunch of knives at your opponent—has likewise had its PvP damage turned down a notch.

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