Elden Ring Has Always Had An Easy Mode; It’s Called Bleed And Frost

Unleashing devastation upon enemies using the two most OP status effects is exhilarating.

Story Highlights

  • Bleed and Frost are the two most powerful status effects, essentially creating an “Easy Mode” for Elden Ring
  • Utilizing power stancing is the most effective method of inflicting Bleed and Frost damage rapidly.
  • With the appropriate Talismans and Spirit summons, the difficulty is further alleviated.

Elden Ring is the latest addition to the Soulsborne catalog, a franchise renowned in the gaming community.  It marks Miyazaki and FromSoftware’s most significant launch to date, both in revenue and scale.

The game features the company’s trademark difficulty but it is not a problem for fans to find easy modes in these games. Whether you have explored every nook and cranny of Elden Ring or are yet to embark on it, fellow Tarnished, I may have discovered the game’s easy mode. 

Why Bleed Or Frost?

Tarnished resting at the Site of Grace
Elden Ring is a stunning mastercraft by Hidetaka Miyazaki | Image credits: Bandai Namco

In my experience after finishing Elden Ring, it felt like a true successor of Dark Souls. Elden Ring caters to most FromSoft fans, whether Bloodborne, Sekiro, or Dark Souls. It takes and improves several mechanics from previous Soulsborne titles and is a sensational experience.

Status effects are the many improvements over previous titles that are back and feel stronger and viable to the user. During my first playthrough Hemorrhage or Blood Loss (Bleed in Soulsborne titles) and Frostbite (let’s call it Frost) status effects felt the most powerful. Bleed does damage in the percentage of max HP and Frost deals damage in the percentage of max HP and increases absorption of inflicted enemies by 20%.

Elden Ring - Margit, the Fell Omen
Margit, the Fell Omen tanking a lot of damage from bleed and frost buildups | Image credits: Nizar GG

Power Stancing Is Back In Full Swing

Dark Souls 2 might not be the most loved installment in the Soulsborne games but it had one feature that is unanimously loved by the community called Power Stance. You need to dual-wield weapons of the same type i.e., Straight Sword, Twinblades, to unlock a powerful damage-dealing move.

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For faster Bleed and Frost buildup, power stancing is the best tool to use. Through it, the unique attacks enable the rapid succession of inflicting status effects, resulting in significant damage to enemies. It’s essential to recognize that the Bleed-Frost build relies heavily on power stancing.

Elden Ring
Complete list of status effects with new names in Elden Ring | Image credits: Fextralife

Spirit Ashes Will Be There For You

If you got the gist of the game, shredding your enemies will not be a problem, at this point. However, you can make the game easier by utilizing Spirit Ashes or the Mimic Tear. It’s important to note that not every Spirit Ash is reliable (except for the Mimic), and locating the perfect companion may require effort and time.

Spirit Ashes, such as the extremely capable Spirit Jellyfish, play a critical role in defining the balance between difficulty levels in the game. Engaging without summons presents a formidable challenge, as it directs the boss’s full attention towards you, and without any distractions, the boss shows anything but mercy.

Conversely, summoning Spirit Ashes diverts the boss’s focus toward your summons, creating an opportunity for you to either attack aggressively or heal.

Elden Ring
A Tarnished sitting with a Spirit Ash summon | Captured by eXputer

Pairing Your Favorite Weapons With The Right Talismans

There are a variety of talismans I’ve discovered in my first playthrough, some boosted my damage while some improved my stats. Whether you are spamming the jumping strong attack or just the normal strong attack, there are talismans that you would not want to miss.

I used the following talismans during my run; Winged Sword InsigniaClaw Talisman, Radagon’s Soreseal, and Green Turtle Talisman. You do not have to stick with these talismans, depending on your playstyle and build, the talisman choice will vary.

For instance, if you are running a dual-greatsword build, you might want to consider Great-Jar’s Arsenal and Lord of Blood’s Exultation for better results. Other talismans worth considering are Erd Tree’s Favor and Millicent’s Prosthesis. Feel free to check out our expert guide on best Bleed weapons in the game.

Elden Ring
There is a decent chunk of Talismans to choose from | Captured by eXputer

Elden Ring is an expansive game, and after more than 100 hours of gameplay, I am sure I missed several items. I might’ve increased my damage output up a notch. I recommend experimenting with different weapons, talismans, and affinities. Perhaps you will discover a superior build to the one I used for my playthrough.

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Najam Ul Hassan is a News Reporter on eXputer who enjoys investing hours in his favorite video game titles. When he’s not playing games, he’s practicing Journalism. He began his career on eXputer after combining his limitless love of video games and all things geek with his considerable writing experience. He has been cited numerous times by several noteworthy publications and sites such as Game Rant, Yahoo, PlayStation LifeStyle, VGC, VG247, TheGamer, among others. Experience: 2+ Years || Education: Masters in Mass Media Communication || Written 300+ News Stories.

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