Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Is Missing An Important Co-Op Feature

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Co-op can be a great experience in the expansion, but there's one quirk that limits it in a way that can occasionally be frustrating. Although games from developer FromSoftware tend to focus on single-player, they usually incorporate some unique multiplayer features that can add interesting layers. Even those venturing throughand alone will encounter messages strewn across the world, and it's possible to summon other players or join their own worlds for brief bouts of collaboration or opposition.

doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to co-op and summoning, sticking to the same fundamental formula that the base game utilizes. For the host, the key lies in opening a summoning pool, while anyone attempting to join a session needs to use an item called the Small Golden Effigy. It may not be as straightforward as setting up a lobby in most games, but it feels appropriate for, and using it prudently can make taking down some of the game's toughest bosses a lot easier than the process would be alone.

Elden Ring DLC players are begging for help — and some of them are getting it, thanks to one overlooked mechanic. But its actual usefulness varies.

The complication in 's co-op comes from the proximity options that the Small Golden Effigy provides. When activating the tool, it's possible to select between a "" option, which makes the user available for summons from players in a similar vicinity, and ," which applies the possibility to all activated summoning pools throughout the game. For the base game, this covers the options fairly well, making it possible to maintain some sense of geographical continuity or toss it aside for a wide-open approach to being summoned.

There's no way to get pulled to areas where a Tarnished hasn't yet been in, so " doesn't pose any special risk of getting overwhelmed.

When playing, however, the "" option can feel significantly more disruptive than in the base game. Although is essentially a separate experience,«allows all the activated