Elden Ring players discover more details about Ver.1.03 changes

Written by. Ryuki Ishii based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2022-03-21 16:20 JST)

Elden Ring’s Ver.1.03 update was released a few days ago, and it includes dozens of changes and additions, such as a new NPC, new quest phases, bug fixes, and balance adjustments (related article). Now fans are trying to dig deeper into the latest update to see what has changed.

This article makes mention of bosses and late game areas, so please be aware of potential spoilers.

When the official patch notes came out, the initial reactions were mainly aimed towards nerfs made to Ash of War skills and Spirit Ashes that were considered powerful by many players, such as Hoarfrost Stomp, Bloody Slash, and Mimic Tear Ash.

However, there were also changes that made the early game easier to deal with, like Smithing Stone’s drop rate increase and addition to some early game shop lineup. I (the original author of this article) also tested out the drop rate in the early portion of the game and found significantly more stones than I did before.

And now, devoted fans are analyzing the changes to a greater depth. For example, the latest update buffed the shields’ effectiveness, but the patch notes didn’t specify just how effective they got. So a Reddit user is currently making an “All 1.03 Changes List” to compile the minor details about the latest update. You can see that most of the shields have received Guard Boost buffs that would help players get through tough situations. Guard Boost governs the amount of stamina used per block. The higher the number, the more attacks you can Block without making yourself vulnerable.

The Great Turtle Shell is an exception, as its physical damage reduction is no longer 100%, and default skill (Barricade Shield) consumes more FP and lasts for a shorter duration. Perhaps the developers decided to nerf this shield since it can be obtained relatively early in the game and has a passive ability to boost stamina recovery rate, which may eliminate the need for other shields.

Other players are reporting that Starscourge Radahn got nerfed, including the boss’s melee damage and weapon hitboxes. For those who couldn’t get past the Radahn boss fight, now may be the time to try again.

Another Reddit user reported that the developers redid how an area looks on the map. I checked the in-game map myself, and it was indeed more detailed than before. Some in-game text has changed as well, likely to fit the game’s worldview. For example, when you hand Remembrances to Enia, the text now says “Receive” instead of “Purchase.”

The official patch notes can be hard to decipher at times, so we’d like to salute the keen eyes of the Tarnished who discovered and analyzed these minor details.