Welcome back, Tarnished! December brought us a mixed bag of triumphs, disappointments, and existential questions about whether your Mimic Tear is better at this game than you are.
We dove deep into The Forsaken Hollows DLC (spoiler: the new characters slap, the loot situation doesn’t), survived the bug-fixing marathon that was Patch 1.03.1, revisited why the Mimic Tear remains gaming’s best therapy session, got festive with some truly questionable ugly sweater designs, and asked the real questions – like where you’d actually want to live in the Lands Between if you weren’t constantly dying.
Whether you’re still grinding through Nightreign content, perfecting your Scholar build now that it actually works, or just daydreaming about owning property in Jarburg, we’ve got you covered. Grab your favorite beverage, settle in at your nearest Site of Grace, and let’s recap what December threw at us. Spoiler: it was a lot, and not all of it made sense, but that’s FromSoft for you.
Full Forsaken Hollows Review: A Mixed Descent Into Limveld
So you’ve heard the discourse, seen the Steam rating, and you’re wondering: is FromSoftware’s first paid Nightreign DLC worth your fifteen bucks? Well, grab a seat because we need to talk about what went right, what went wrong, and why the community is having a collective meltdown over weapon variety.
The good news? The Scholar and Undertaker are absolute bangers. These aren’t just reskinned classes – they fundamentally change how your squad operates. The Scholar turns consumables into a leveling system while linking enemies for group damage (and yes, linking allies for shared heals too). The Undertaker? She’s the ultimate coordination queen, chaining ultimates like a FromSoft fever dream when your team actually talks to each other. These characters alone shake up the meta in ways we desperately needed.
The Great Hollow looks gorgeous, stretching deep beneath Limveld with that crystal curse mechanic and exotic ruins that’ll make you wish you had time to actually explore them. Oh wait – you don’t, because Nightreign’s timer is still ticking. Also, hope you love swamps, because FromSoftware added four more flavors of suffering: Sleep, Poison, Madness, and Scarlet Rot. Because apparently one swamp wasn’t enough.
Boss-wise, you’re getting Artorias (yes, THAT Artorias), plus returning faces like Divine Beast Dancing Lion, Mohg, and Demon Prince. The new Balancers and Dreglord provide solid challenges that’ll test veteran squads.
But here’s where things get uncomfortable: two new weapons. That’s it. Two. Both basic reskins of existing types. No Shadow of the Erdtree weapons, no new spells, no Ashes of War. For a paid expansion, that’s genuinely baffling, and the 47% Steam rating reflects exactly how the community feels about it. FromSoft promises future updates will add more gear, but that doesn’t help the hollow feeling you’ll get opening your hundredth chest to find… another consumable.
The verdict? If you’re a dedicated Nightreign player craving fresh team dynamics and boss challenges, the new Nightfarers deliver genuine value. But if you expected Shadow of the Erdtree levels of loot variety – or honestly, even basic expansion-level equipment additions – prepare for disappointment. The bones are solid, the execution competent, but those omissions are impossible to ignore. It’s good content that doesn’t quite meet the standards we’ve come to expect from FromSoftware, and that asterisk matters.
Elden Ring Ugly Christmas Sweater Designs We Need
Look, we’ve all died to Malenia enough times to deserve some holiday cheer, right? This quick piece tackles the important question nobody asked: what would happen if the Lands Between got hit with Christmas spirit?
We’re talking ugly Christmas sweaters, but make it Elden Ring. Think festive Tarnished warriors, Santa-hatted bosses, and those beloved community messages (“Try finger, but hole”) reimagined with holiday flair. Because nothing says “season’s greetings” quite like the game that’s killed you 500 times wearing a Santa hat.
The article showcases a gallery of genuinely ridiculous sweater designs that merge FromSoft’s brutal aesthetic with cozy holiday traditions. Would you actually wear one to your family gathering? That’s between you and your questionable fashion choices, but these designs prove that even the darkest corners of gaming culture aren’t immune to festive makeovers.
It’s a lighthearted break from the usual build guides and boss strategies – just pure, wholesome (well, as wholesome as Elden Ring gets) holiday fun. Because if you’ve survived the Lands Between, you’ve definitely earned your spot on the nice list. Or at least the “tried really hard” list.
A Quick Summary of Elden Ring Nightreign Patch 1.03.1
Remember when Scholar felt like it was held together with duct tape and prayers? Yeah, FromSoftware noticed too. Patch 1.03.1 just dropped, and it’s basically “we’re sorry Scholar players exist” in patch note form.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Scholar had so many bugs it’s honestly embarrassing. Communion breaking with certain builds, Analyze resetting when teammates opened doors (because why wouldn’t your careful setup get nuked by an impatient squad member?), Bagcraft applying effects wrong, Holy Water Pots not damaging Royal Revenants – the list goes on. If you tried Scholar at DLC launch and it felt janky, you weren’t imagining things. The character was fundamentally broken, and this patch essentially makes it playable as intended.
Beyond Scholar’s redemption arc, we’ve got DLC content now properly integrated into Deep of Night mode – but only when you’re matched with other DLC owners. Smart matchmaking that prevents fragmenting the playerbase while ensuring you get what you paid for. The Great Hollows got a mountain of fixes (enemies not dying, merchants not spawning, treasure chests trapping players), and temple elemental curses got buffed, so bring your resistance gear.
Tricephalos wolves got damage-nerfed, which means that raid event should feel less like you’re being swarmed by rabid puppies. Multiple boss fights had their jank removed – no more getting stuck in Dreglord geometry or watching Dancer become invincible during crits.
The verdict? This is less a balance patch and more “finishing the homework FromSoft should’ve done before DLC launch.” If you bounced off Scholar or found Great Hollows too buggy, now’s your second chance. The game you’re playing post-1.03.1 is significantly more stable than what existed two weeks ago, and that matters.
The Mostly Reliable Guide: Mimic Tear – Oh Yeah!
Let’s address the elephant – or rather, the exact copy of you – in the room: the Mimic Tear is absurdly, magnificently, almost embarrassingly powerful. We’re talking “other spirit ashes whisper about it with envy” powerful.
This isn’t your typical spirit summon that politely requests FP. Oh no, the Mimic Tear demands 660 HP from your face, which is roughly equivalent to standing in poison swamp for 8.7 seconds or disappointing Melina. But here’s the thing: it’s worth every drop of blood because what you get is a perfect copy of yourself – your gear, your spells, your weapons, your questionable fashion choices – that fights with unlimited FP and doesn’t inherit your crippling self-doubt about your build.
We break down the pre-summoning ritual (equip your best gear first, because your Mimic doesn’t care about stat requirements), the Shabriri Shuffle (make it a tank while you go wild), and why giving it your entire spell library is like watching someone scroll Netflix forever without picking anything. The healing spell tip? Chef’s kiss. Your Mimic will aggressively keep both of you alive like the world’s most violent life insurance policy.
The boss cheese special deserves special mention: fight the Mimic Tear boss naked, then re-equip mid-fight. It’s therapy, but violent.
Some purists call it “easy mode,” but FromSoftware locked it behind a Stonesword Key, meaning they knew exactly what they were creating. This is a “Win Boss Fight” button with style, and if you’re still struggling after thirty attempts against that one boss, your pride isn’t worth the suffering.
Whether you’re a struggling beginner or a veteran who’s tired of being solo-murdered, the Mimic Tear transforms “impossible nightmare” into “actually manageable.” It’s not just good – it’s the pinnacle of combat innovation or the most elaborate self-help therapy ever devised, depending on your philosophical stance.
Rating: 9.8/10 on the “Probably Should Have Been Nerfed Harder” scale. No regrets.
Real Estate Check: Living in the Lands Between
Look, we’ve all spent hundreds of hours dying in the Lands Between, but have you ever stopped mid-dodge roll through Leyndell and thought, “You know what? I could live here – if we ignore the murderous gargoyles and impending apocalypse”? No? Just us? Well, too bad, because we’re playing realtor today.
We’ve toured the hottest properties in the Lands Between, and let me tell you: the housing market is rough. Stormveil Castle offers “historic charm” if you don’t mind the previous owner’s decorating style (limbs. Everywhere. So many limbs). Raya Lucaria boasts stunning lake views and intellectual vibes, but the homeowners’ association will pelt you with Glintstone Comets without warning, and those Red Wolves in the hallway? Definitely not house-trained.
Volcano Manor is the ultimate gated community for people who hate the system but still want golden cutlery – just ignore the “complete fusion with the family” clause in the contract (it’s literal). Caelid is the distressed property special where sellers are literally dying to get out, though the Scarlet Rot air quality might cause “minor inconveniences like melting lungs.” Leyndell offers Manhattan-level prestige with underfloor heating from the Erdtree, but there’s ash everywhere and a dragon blocking your driveway.
The real gems? Jarburg wins S-tier with its floral eco-minimalism and friendliest neighbors in the game (just watch for poachers). Shaman Village offers ultimate retirement wellness vibes, but the commute through Shadow Keep requires multiple keys and nerves of steel.
We’ve included a handy comparison table covering safety ratings, views, neighborhood vibes, and rent costs (Caelid is free – please, someone move in!). But let’s be real: most of us just sit at Sites of Grace wondering why that last boss one-shotted us. Maybe home isn’t a physical place – it’s those brief moments of peace between deaths.
Our verdict? Invest your runes in leveling up, not real estate. What’s the point of the most beautiful castle if your neighbor’s a two-headed dragon who doesn’t respect quiet hours?
That’s All, Folks
And that’s a wrap on December 2025, fellow Tarnished! It’s been a month of highs (Scholar finally works!), lows (only two new weapons, really FromSoft?), and the eternal question of whether we should feel guilty about how much we rely on our Mimic Tears (answer: absolutely not).
As we roll into the new year, here’s hoping FromSoftware delivers on those promised equipment updates, that your Nightreign runs are blessed with competent teammates, and that you finally find a Site of Grace in a location that doesn’t immediately spawn three enemies behind you. Remember: whether you’re exploring the Great Hollow or seriously considering a mortgage in Jarburg, you’re not alone in this journey.
Keep those flasks topped up, your rolls perfectly timed, and your expectations for FromSoft’s patch notes appropriately calibrated. We’ll see you in the Lands Between – or beneath them, as the case may be.
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