Elden Ring's Wave Gesture Is More Dangerous Than You Realized
"Elden Ring" was a massive success selling millions of copies in less than three weeks, and players can't get enough of the brutally challenging world FromSoftware created. When they aren't slaying monsters, gamers everywhere watch others play the game on Twitch or YouTube. While "Elden Ring" no-hit runs and sub-hour speedruns continue to awe everyone, some of the funniest interactions in "Elden Ring" come from players, not monsters.
Multiplayer in "Elden Ring" is anything but standard. Players can choose to co-op with each other to take on bosses or they can invade other players' worlds to slow down their progress. Unlike most PvP games, "Elden Ring" players can't directly talk to their enemies via text or voice. Instead, players rely on gestures or voice boxes called Prattling Pates to communicate. So when Players are summoned to help or invade the worlds of other players, it can lead to some hilariously awkward interactions. Sometimes, even a friendly wave can have serious consequences.
Wave of death
On March 26th, user alangm0 made a post on Reddit that showcases just how dangerous gestures can be in "Elden Ring." The post featured a video of a blue phantom being summoned to complete its task. When players are summoned as blue phantoms, their goal is to protect the host from any red invaders, but it didn't end well for alangm0 on this occasion.
After being summoned, alangm0 made their way onto a ledge to get a better vantage point in hopes of locating the invader. After spotting the invader on an adjacent rooftop, the blue phantom started a wave gesture. Experienced PvPers tend to gesture at their opponents as a sign of respect before a fight and to give them time to prepare, but alangm0 was too close to the edge, and during the wave, their character took a small step forward and fell to their death.
Because the post got a whopping 10 thousand upvotes on Reddit, it looks like most players didn't know that gestures make the character models move. Alangm0 wrote, "So apparently, using the "Wave" gesture makes your character take a small step forward..." Not everyone was as surprised by the outcome. According to multiple Reddit comments, veteran players already knew about this mechanic from previous Souls games. They sometimes use gestures to line up precise falls to land on hard-to-reach ledges.
Unfortunately, alangm0's death meant the host was left to fight the invader solo. There's a chance the invader was laughing too hard to continue, as the blue phantom's death must have been a hilarious spectacle to witness as an invader. Until FromSoftware adds a PvP arena mode, gravity will continue to be one of the strongest foes in "Elden Ring" PvP.