Elden Ring: How Many Times Can You Embark on a New Game Plus Adventure?

The Lands Between beckon Tarnished warriors back time and again. But after conquering the Elden Ring, many players wonder: How many times can you play New Game Plus in Elden Ring? The definitive answer is you can journey through New Game Plus up to seven times (NG+7). After completing your seventh playthrough, you can start Journey 8. This means Journey 7 will be your last. After the seventh playthrough, the difficulty caps, offering the ultimate Elden Ring challenge. Let’s delve deeper into what this entails and answer some burning questions about Elden Ring’s NG+ system.

Understanding New Game Plus in Elden Ring

New Game Plus (NG+) in Elden Ring isn’t just a simple replay. It’s a chance to experience the game anew with your character’s hard-earned power intact. This mode unlocks after defeating the final boss and choosing to begin a new journey. Think of it as a victory lap—or seven—where you get to flex your skills against tougher enemies with your end-game gear.

The allure of NG+ is multi-faceted:

• Increased Difficulty: Enemies are significantly stronger in NG+, offering a greater challenge.
• More Runes: Defeating these tougher enemies rewards you with a substantial increase in runes, speeding up character progression.
• Re-earning Items: You can reacquire items such as Stonesword Keys.
• Completionism: An opportunity to complete missed quests, explore previously untouched areas, and experiment with different builds.
• Multiple Endings: Unlock different endings to the game.

What Carries Over to New Game Plus?

Many players wonder what transfers over to NG+. Fortunately, Elden Ring is generous with what you retain. Here’s a breakdown:

• Character Level and Stats: Your character’s level, attributes, and overall progression are carried over.
• Weapons and Armor: All your collected weapons, armor, and talismans make the journey with you.
• Consumable Items: Most consumable items, including crafting materials, remain in your inventory.
• Smithing Stones: Your hard-earned Smithing Stones and upgrade materials aren’t lost.
• Spirit Ashes: Your upgraded Spirit Ashes accompany you, making challenging fights slightly less daunting.
• Cookbooks: All your collected Cookbook recipes are retained.
• Flask Upgrades: The number of charges and potency of your Flask of Crimson Tears and Flask of Cerulean Tears carry over.

What Doesn’t Carry Over?

While much of your progress is preserved, some key items and world states are reset:

• Key Items: Key items required for story progression are reset, forcing you to reacquire them.
• Sites of Grace: All discovered Sites of Grace are reset, requiring you to rediscover and reactivate them.
• Map Progression: The map is reset, with only the topography revealed. You must re-explore areas to reveal detailed information.
• Great Runes (When Equipped): Your equipped great runes won’t be usable until you reacquire them.
• Bell Bearings: Any offerings you’ve given to the Twin Maiden Husks are not carried over.

Frequently Asked Questions about Elden Ring’s New Game Plus

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of Elden Ring’s New Game Plus:

1. Can I Do New Game Plus Multiple Times with the Same Save?

Yes, you can initiate New Game Plus multiple times, as long as you have a save file from before you started NG+. After finishing a NG+ playthrough, you can’t initiate another NG+ from that save file. You need to load the save from before initiating the first NG+ playthrough.

2. Can I Revert from New Game Plus Back to My Original Game?

No, there is no going back once you start New Game Plus from the specific site of grace where you can start NG+. Once initiated, the world is reset and becomes NG+. Always create a manual save before beginning New Game Plus.

3. Does New Game Plus Increase Rune Acquisition?

Yes, enemies in New Game Plus drop significantly more runes compared to the base game, making it easier to level up and acquire items.

4. What is the Maximum Level Achievable in Elden Ring?

The maximum level in Elden Ring is Level 713. Reaching this level requires an exorbitant amount of runes.

5. What Happens if I Refuse Melina’s Accord?

You must accept Melina’s accord to level up and acquire Torrent, your spectral steed. Refusing her agreement will severely limit your progression.

6. What Happens if Melina Dies?

If Melina dies during a boss fight or at a Site of Grace, she will simply respawn later as if nothing happened. She plays a crucial role in the story and cannot be permanently killed during combat.

7. Does Starting a New Game Erase My Existing Progress?

No, starting a new game creates a separate save file. Your existing characters and progress remain intact and can be accessed through the “Load Game” option.

8. What’s the Point of Playing New Game Plus?

New Game Plus offers a chance to replay the game with increased difficulty, retain your character’s power, explore missed content, acquire alternate endings, and, ultimately, achieve greater mastery over the Lands Between. Moreover, the Games Learning Society may find value in studying how players adapt to increased difficulty and utilize previously acquired knowledge in subsequent playthroughs. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org for more information on how games can be used for learning and research.

9. Does New Game Plus Get Harder Each Time?

Yes, the difficulty increases with each NG+ cycle, up to NG+7. While the initial jump is substantial, subsequent increases are less dramatic.

10. Does New Game Plus Delete My Original Save?

No, New Game Plus creates a new save file and doesn’t overwrite your original save. You can switch between your normal save and your NG+ save at any time.

11. Do I Lose My Smithing Stones in New Game Plus?

No, you keep all your Smithing Stones and other upgrade materials in New Game Plus, allowing you to immediately upgrade your favorite weapons.

12. What Level Should I Be Before Starting NG+7?

The ideal level for NG+7 depends on your playstyle and build. However, most players recommend being at least level 150 or higher to tackle the heightened difficulty effectively.

13. What Is the Hardest Difficulty in Elden Ring?

The hardest difficulty is subjective, but many consider a Soul Level 1 (SL1) run, where you complete the game without leveling up, as the ultimate challenge. Also, once you are in NG+7, the difficulty will reach its highest level.

14. How Does Melina “Betray” the Player?

Melina only “betrays” the player if they choose to embrace the Frenzied Flame. She will leave your side and vow to deliver Destined Death to you if you become the Lord of Frenzied Flame.

15. What Are the Elden Beast’s Weaknesses?

The Elden Beast is particularly weak against Black Flame magic, making weapons and incantations that inflict Black Flame damage highly effective.

Conclusion: Embracing the Endless Journey

Elden Ring’s New Game Plus system is a testament to its replayability and depth. The ability to embark on seven distinct NG+ cycles ensures that the adventure never truly ends, offering a constantly evolving challenge and the opportunity to fully explore the Lands Between. So, embrace the cycle, Tarnished, and may your journey be ever fulfilling!