Should You Let Fia Hold You in Elden Ring? A Comprehensive Guide
The question of whether to accept Fia’s embrace in Elden Ring is a common one among Tarnished adventurers. On the surface, it seems like a simple act of comfort offered by a kind woman, but as with most things in the Lands Between, there are layers of complexity and consequences to consider. The short answer is yes, you should let Fia hold you, and in fact, you should do so often. Here’s why, along with a breakdown of what you gain and what you temporarily lose.
The Benefits of Fia’s Embrace
At its core, allowing Fia to hold you grants you the Baldachin’s Blessing. This is a consumable item that provides a significant, albeit temporary, boost to Poise. Poise is a crucial stat in Elden Ring, determining how easily you are staggered or interrupted by enemy attacks. Having higher poise allows you to withstand more hits and maintain your offensive pressure, making the Baldachin’s Blessing a valuable asset in challenging boss fights and encounters.
The beauty of Fia’s offer is that you can repeatedly obtain this blessing. Every time you embrace her, you receive another Baldachin’s Blessing (unless you still have one in your inventory). This means you have a reliable source of a poise-boosting item that is not available anywhere else in the game. This consistency can be invaluable for progressing through difficult areas and for overcoming otherwise insurmountable obstacles.
The Trade-Off: A Temporary Debuff
While the Baldachin’s Blessing is certainly beneficial, it comes with a temporary negative effect. Whenever Fia holds you, you also receive a minor HP debuff. This debuff reduces your maximum health until you consume the Baldachin’s Blessing. It’s a small price to pay for the increase in poise, and the debuff is easily removed when you choose to use the blessing.
The HP debuff is often described as sinister, but it’s more of a strategic choice that FromSoftware presents. Do you want to risk your HP while waiting for a big fight, or would you rather consume the blessing when needed? It adds another layer of tactical gameplay.
Beyond the Blessing: Fia’s Questline
Beyond the immediate benefits of the Baldachin’s Blessing, consistently accepting Fia’s embraces also progresses her intriguing questline. This questline is crucial for unlocking an alternate ending to Elden Ring: the “Age of the Duskborn”. This ending, which focuses on ending the curse of immortality that plagues the Lands Between, offers a narrative depth that’s different from the standard endings. Therefore, hugging her isn’t just about the blessings; it’s a pathway to a richer and more fulfilling Elden Ring experience.
How Often Should You Embrace Fia?
Ideally, you should let Fia hold you every time you visit the Roundtable Hold and Deeproot Depths. This ensures you are always stocked up on Baldachin’s Blessings and are progressing her questline. There’s no real downside since you can quickly get rid of the HP debuff with the item she provides. Fia offers these embraces in both locations, so make sure to take advantage of her offer whenever you can.
Fia’s Location
You can first find Fia in the Roundtable Hold. As you progress, she moves to Deeproot Depths and will continue her interactions there. Keep her whereabouts in mind as you move through the game, as you will need to find her in Deeproot Depths to both continue her quest and to ultimately achieve her ending.
After Killing Her Champions
Even after defeating her champions, you should continue to let Fia hold you. The interaction remains the same, and she will continue to provide you with Baldachin’s Blessings and move forward in her narrative path. There is no reason to stop hugging her, even after this point.
In Deeproot Depths
Yes, you absolutely should let Fia hold you in Deeproot Depths! It’s even more important to accept her hugs there, as this is where the heart of her questline takes place and you begin working toward her ending. In this location, Fia’s hugs not only offer Baldachin’s Blessings but also further her quest towards a truly unique ending.
Potential Concerns and How to Address Them
Some players might hesitate, concerned that embracing Fia has negative long-term consequences. The good news is that there are no lasting negative effects as long as you use the Baldachin’s Blessing to remove the HP debuff, and as long as you do not give over the Twinned Armor set before the time is right.
Killing Fia
While killing Fia is an option, doing so has a negative impact on your game experience. Most importantly, you will be unable to fight Lichdragon Fortissax, a key boss in her questline. You will also miss out on the “Age of the Duskborn” ending, along with the Mending Rune of the Death Prince.
The Frenzied Flame Ending
While you can complete Fia’s quest and still side with the Frenzied Flame ending (if you choose to pursue that, despite the negative consequences), she does not play a major role in that ending. Fia’s questline has no impact on your ability to choose the Frenzied Flame ending.
Fia’s Morality
Unlike many of the power-hungry figures in Elden Ring, Fia’s motives are ultimately noble. She aims to become a “mother to Those Who Live in Death,” making her one of the few characters with truly altruistic goals. This makes siding with her feel good, and adds depth to the decisions you make through the game.
Conclusion
In summary, embracing Fia is a beneficial action in Elden Ring. You will receive consistent and valuable buffs through her item Baldachin’s Blessing, and her storyline is necessary to achieve a unique and potentially good ending. The temporary HP debuff is easily countered by using the item, and should not sway you away from accepting her hugs. Embrace Fia often, reap the rewards, and experience a richer Elden Ring story.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the Baldachin’s Blessing?
The Baldachin’s Blessing is a consumable item that temporarily boosts your poise in Elden Ring, making you less susceptible to staggering from enemy attacks.
2. How do I get the Baldachin’s Blessing?
You receive the Baldachin’s Blessing by letting Fia, the Deathbed Companion, hold you.
3. Is there a downside to letting Fia hold me?
Yes, you receive a temporary debuff to your maximum HP, but this is removed when you use the Baldachin’s Blessing.
4. Can I get more than one Baldachin’s Blessing?
Yes, you can receive multiple Baldachin’s Blessings by letting Fia hold you every time you see her at the Roundtable Hold and Deeproot Depths.
5. Does killing Fia affect the story?
Yes, killing Fia will prevent you from accessing the Lichdragon Fortissax boss fight and her unique ending.
6. What happens if I refuse Fia’s offer?
If you initially refuse, nothing happens. You are free to return to her and accept her offer at any time.
7. Where can I find Fia in Elden Ring?
You can initially find Fia in the Roundtable Hold, and later in Deeproot Depths.
8. What is Fia’s ending in Elden Ring?
Fia’s ending is the “Age of the Duskborn,” which involves removing the curse of immortality from the Lands Between.
9. Can I achieve Fia’s ending and still side with Ranni?
Yes, you can complete both Fia and Ranni’s questlines and choose either ending.
10. Should I let Fia hold me in Deeproot Depths?
Absolutely, it’s crucial to let Fia hold you often in Deeproot Depths to progress her questline.
11. Is Fia evil?
No, Fia is not an evil character. She seeks to become a protector of those who “Live in Death” and ultimately acts with the goal of creating a better world.
12. What is Fortissax weak to?
Lichdragon Fortissax is weak to Physical Thrust Attacks, so a Thrusting or Heavy Thrusting Weapon is the ideal choice for this fight.
13. What happens after defeating Lichdragon Fortissax?
After defeating Lichdragon Fortissax, Fia will die and you can collect the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince, which is essential for her ending.
14. Does Fia’s questline require me to have the Cursemark of Death?
Yes, during her questline, Fia will ask for the Cursemark of Death, which is essential for continuing her narrative.
15. Can I do both Fia and the Frenzied Flame Ending?
Yes, you can. Fia’s questline does not block you from pursuing other endings, but Melina will abandon you for siding with the Frenzied Flame.