Elden Ring: Everything New In The v1.03 Patch
Having had a few weeks to settle in with gamers, it's undeniable at this point that "Elden Ring" has been a resounding success. Despite its difficulty, the latest game from FromSoftware has been a bonafide hit and has surely earned its place as a benchmark in gaming culture. Despite "Elden Ring" being as close to perfect as any rational person can hope, the game — as any other — still has its fair share of issues and bugs that need ironing out. And alas, "Elden Ring" has finally received its first major patch, v1.03, since release.
The patch notes detail some fixes to already existing bugs, as well as the addition of brand new content for players in need of new challenges and adventures in The Lands Between. Additionally, FromSoftware has added other elements within the v1.03 patch to further balance out the gameplay. But what are these patches and how can they change (or enhance) your gameplay in "Elden Ring?" Bandai Namco — the game's publisher — has released a full list of details. Here is everything new as a result of patch v1.03.
Bug fixes
Of course, no patch is complete without its fair share of bug fixes, and as amazing as "Elden Ring" is, even it has things that need some fixing. FromSoftware has added such adjustments to repair bugs that have been reported since the game's release. Some of the glitches purported to have been fixed by the developer include "a bug that prevented summoned NPCs from taking damage in some boss battles," another that "prevented the user from warping to sites of grace from the map at the end of the game," and one that "causes some weapons to have incorrect scaling after strengthening."
One bug in particular that had to be removed from the entire game is the Ragged armor set, which was "mistakenly obtainable in a previous patch." Some users had complained of not being able to pick up obtainable items after defeating an in-game boss, something that the patch notes addressed. One thing that is missing, however, is any fix to the existing "jump glitch" that could net players at least 500,000 runes if done right.
New NPCs and quests
Fixing bugs isn't the only thing FromSoftware gave to the "Elden Ring" player base in its latest patch — players will also have quite a bit of new content to dig into upon installing patch v1.03. A new NPC, Jar-Bairn, has been added to the game. Hilariously living up to its own namesake and the location it can be found, Jar-Bairn is an actual living jar that will provide players with additional quests, and can be found in the north of Jarburg (via IGN). This particular addition, as well as the NPC's amusing name and resting place, has already become a big hit on the "Elden Ring" subreddit.
New quests for the NPCs Diallos, Nepheli Loux, Kenneth Haight, and Gatekeeper Gostoc have also come included with patch v1.03. New summonable NPCs and even some nighttime background music have also been included. And should you be confused by all of these additions and wish to better organize and track the quests they give you, "Elden Ring" now has added a function that will allow players "to record an icon and the name of an NPC on the map when you encounter that NPC." Previously, this had to be done on a separate companion app.
The game has been re-balanced
In line with its spiritual predecessor "Dark Souls," "Elden Ring" is undoubtedly designed to be a difficult experience that encourages players to learn, adapt, and eventually master its gameplay loop. However, even in a game that's designed to be challenging, certain things being too weak or too strong can eventually sour the experience for players. To combat this, FromSoftware has added some much-needed buffs to certain attacks, weapons, and sorceries. Among the things that have received increased damage are items such as Spark Aromatic and Poison Spraymist, as well as the sorceries Gravity Well, Collapsing Stars, and Crystal Barrage. Shields are now more effective, as is the HP healing for Torrent when using Rowa Raisin, Sweet Raisin, or Frozen Raisin.
Not all things were buffed, though. Some things were nerfed, with the most notable being the damage done by the Ash of War, Hoarfrost Stomp and the summonable Mimic Tear. This was a key element for speedrunners wishing to finish "Elden Ring" in record times.