Welcome to our March 2025 monthly digest! As we are going into the fourth year of playing Elden Ring, the Lands Between continue to captivate both newcomers and veterans alike.
This month, we’ve covered everything from deep weapon mechanics to boss-slaying strategies, inventive challenges, and even explored a promising new soulslike contender.
Whether you’re struggling with Promised Consort Radahn, hunting Magma Wyrms, perfecting your dodge timing, or optimizing your weapon affinities, we’ve got something to enhance your journey through FromSoftware’s masterpiece. So grab your flask, rest at this site of grace and enjoy our collection of this month’s most popular articles.
Roll or Die: The Ultimate Guide to Dodging in Elden Ring
Think you’re just randomly mashing that dodge button? We exposed the elegant science behind not becoming a Tarnished pancake! Dodging isn’t about physically avoiding attacks—it’s about timing those precious milliseconds of invincibility frames to literally phase through giant weapons like you’re some kind of quantum ghost.
Did you know your dodge activates on button release, not press? That single fact explains why your supposedly “quick reflexes” are still getting you killed! We unwrapped all the fundamentals: the difference between light rolls (ninja mode) and heavy rolls (walking refrigerator), the criminally underutilized backstep with its hidden talents, and even the secret Torrent dismount i-frames that can save you from dragon dive-bombs.
For the advanced Tarnished, we demolished common myths and revealed counter-intuitive techniques like rolling toward danger instead of away from it. That boss with the delayed attack that always catches you at the end of your roll? Yeah, they’re specifically designed to punish your panic-rolling habit.
Remember, your fancy armor means nothing if you’re fat-rolling into oblivion, and stamina management is the invisible resource separating the “git gud” crowd from the permanent residents of the respawn screen. Master these techniques, and you’ll transform from a clumsy roll-spammer into death’s most elegant dance partner!
The Magma Hunter Challenge
Ready to spice up your Elden Ring playthrough? We’ve cooked up a sizzling new challenge that’ll have you hunting down every last molten lizard in the Lands Between—using nothing but a weapon plucked from Caelid’s rot-infested hellscape!
Your mission: choose ONE weapon from Caelid’s arsenal of 36 options (forget your comfy Rivers of Blood), then methodically exterminate all five Magma Wyrms scattered across the realm—from the tunnel-dwelling beast in Gael Tunnel to the absolute unit that is Great Wyrm Theodorix with his whopping 25,649 HP in the frozen Consecrated Snowfield.
Too easy? Crank up the heat with our challenge variations! Go full “True Magma Hunter” by ditching summons entirely, or try “Scorched Earth” and leave those healing flasks untouched. For the truly deranged, there’s always the “No Hit” speedrun category (we’re not responsible for any controller-shaped holes in your wall).
Whether you choose the mighty Greatsword, the flashy Moonveil, or decide to torture yourself with the humble Stone Club, this challenge will test both your weapon mastery and your knowledge of efficient world traversal. This isn’t just about slaying dragons—it’s about becoming a specialized hunter with a signature weapon.
Think you’ve got what it takes to earn the title of Magma Hunter? Drop into the comments and let us know which Caelid monstrosity you’ll be wielding on your wyrm-slaying odyssey!
How to defeat Promised Consort Radahn: A Practical Guide
Tired of being turned into cosmic dust by Promised Consort Radahn? We’ve got you covered with our controller-saving strategy that doesn’t require god-tier reflexes or 200 IQ parry timing!
Forget what the “git gud” crowd says about “proper” ways to beat him—we’re embracing the ancient art of “hide behind a shield and poke him to death.” Our battle-tested setup pairs a Blood-infused Spiked Spear with the Black Steel Greatshield (topped with Barricade Shield in Sacred affinity for that sweet 100% holy damage negation). Add the Tree Sentinel Set with Fire Knight Helm for a respectable 76 poise, and you’re ready to rumble!
The strategy? Simple: shield up, wait for openings after his combos, poke-poke with your spear, reset position, repeat until victorious! Let that blood loss build-up do the heavy lifting while you maintain a defensive rhythm. For the truly desperate, we’ve included equipment alternatives (hello, Fingerprint Shield and Antspur Rapier) and even a shameless Mimic Tear suggestion.
Remember Tarnished, this isn’t about fighting with honor—it’s about adding another god to your collection by any means necessary. Now get out there and show Radahn why they call you Elden Lord… or at least why they should stop calling you maidenless!
A Guide to the Blessing and Curse of Elden Ring Guides
Think guides are just helpful tools for your Elden Ring journey? Think again! We explored the complex love-hate relationship every Tarnished has with those tempting walkthrough tabs lurking in your browser.
Sure, mechanic explanation guides save you from fat-rolling through the entire game wondering why you can’t dodge properly. And yes, boss guides revealing Malenia’s Waterfowl Dance timing might preserve your controller (and sanity). But at what cost? That euphoric rush when you finally conquer a seemingly impossible boss after 57 attempts? Gone. The jaw-dropping moment of stumbling upon Mohgwyn Palace naturally? Sacrificed for efficiency.
From build blueprints that transform unique adventurers into cookie-cutter meta-slaves to progression guides that turn your epic journey into a glorified checklist, we dissect when guides enhance your adventure versus when they steal your maiden’s kiss of discovery. Those infuriating moments in Lake of Rot or the maddening sewers beneath Leyndell? They’re actually testing your relationship with challenge itself!
Our advice? Treat guides like summons – call upon them when truly stuck, but give yourself the gift of struggling through the unknown whenever possible. After all, you only get one first dance with the Lands Between, so don’t let someone else lead every step. Now tell us: what’s your guide philosophy? Are you a wiki-tab warrior or a proud, stubborn explorer who refuses all help until that 100th death?
The Magma Hunter Challenge: Done ✅ – A “Travel Report”
Remember that Magma Wyrm challenge we dared you to try? Well, we actually went ahead and conquered it ourselves – and boy, was it a ride! Armed with nothing but the massive Greatsword from Caelid (and those dogs still give us nightmares), we embarked on a wyrm-slaying odyssey that had us Torrenting across every inch of the Lands Between.
Want the secret to our success? We went full caveman with a Strength-focused Vagabond build, slapping Lion’s Claw on our behemoth blade and essentially turning every boss fight into a “who can hit harder” contest. Spoiler alert: it was us! Those early Wyrms with their measly 7,100 HP barely knew what hit them, though the later 12,200 HP variants in lava-filled arenas had us sweating through our controller.
The real nightmare? Getting to that final 25,649 HP monster, Great Wyrm Theodorix. We had to plow through Shardbearers, that absolutely infuriating Draconic Tree Sentinel (seriously, why haven’t we learned to cheese him yet?), and Commander Niall with his annoying Banished Knight buddies. Pro tip we totally ignored: use Bewitching Branches on those knights!
Is the challenge worth it? Absolutely! There’s something deeply satisfying about declaring yourself “Magma Hunter” after watching that final wyrm collapse. So grab your favorite Caelid weapon and join us in the hunt – just remember to pack extra flasks for all that lava-dancing!
Weapon Affinities in Elden Ring – All Secrets Unleashed
Ever slapped a random affinity on your weapon and wondered why that boss is still laughing at your damage output? We took a deep dive into Elden Ring’s most misunderstood mechanic so you don’t have to! From Standard to Cold, we reveal how each of the thirteen affinity types can transform your trusty poking stick into a boss-melting nightmare.
Want to know why your fancy Magic longsword is actually doing LESS damage despite the higher AR number? (Spoiler: it’s the dreaded split damage trap!) Or why your Blood katana build feels more like a plastic butter knife against certain enemies? We’ve got you covered with real battle-tested strategies.
We break down perfect pairings that’ll make Malenia regret ever blooming: Intelligence builds with Moonveil’s Transient Moonlight, Faith builds obliterating foes with Black Flame Tornado, and Strength setups that turn you into a walking catapult. Plus, our Whetblade treasure map ensures you’ll never again be stuck applying “Standard” to your weapons like some maidenless runt.
Whether you’re building the perfect PvE monster-slayer or preparing to make other players rage-quit in PvP, our comprehensive guide ensures your Tarnished won’t just be another blood stain on the floor. Remember, in the Lands Between, the difference between “YOU DIED” and victory often comes down to having the right affinity on your weapon!
The First Berserker: Khazan – A Soulslike Worth Your Time?
Ever wondered if there’s room for another soulslike in your pain-loving heart? We took NEXON’s revenge tale for a brutal test drive, and our controllers (mostly) survived! Playing as betrayed general Khazan, you’ll wield your choice of weapon—swift Dual Blades, devastating Greatsword, or stamina-breaking Spear—each feeling weighty and consequential in your blood-soaked hands.
Boss fights are the real stars here, demanding precision parries and perfect spacing that’ll make your Sekiro muscles twitch with excitement. And hallelujah—the game actually respects your time! No more marathon runs back to bosses after death, plus you earn currency even when you fail, making each crushing defeat feel less like punishment and more like progress.
The Berserk-inspired cel-shaded visuals create a properly grim medieval world, though expect plenty of browns and grays in your aesthetic diet. While some bosses feel like health-bar marathons and certain platforming sections might make you contemplate controller defenestration, the overall package earns a solid 8.5/10.
Ready to embark on Khazan’s revenge quest, or will you let the challenge send you crying back to your last Site of Grace? Either way, this blood-soaked adventure proves there’s still innovation in the “You Died” genre!
Final Words: The Journey Continues
And there you have it, fellow Tarnished—another month of adventures, strategies and challenges in the Lands Between! Whether you’ve been with us since launch day or just recently awoke in the Chapel of Anticipation, we hope these articles have inspired you to try new builds, tackle challenging bosses in creative ways, or perhaps embark on a specialized challenge run.
While Shadow of the Erdtree has given us all fresh landscapes to explore and terrifying new bosses to conquer, there’s something special about returning to the familiar yet ever-challenging world of the base game. The community continues to discover new strategies, speedrun techniques and self-imposed challenges that breathe fresh life into FromSoftware’s masterpiece.
As always, we want to hear from you! Which article was your favorite? Have you completed the Magma Hunter Challenge or tried our Radahn strategy? Maybe you’ve discovered a weapon affinity combination we missed? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Until next month, may your dodges be perfectly timed, your parries be precise, and your journey through the Lands Between be as brutal and beautiful as ever.
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