Elden Ring players believe summons are “no longer optional” in Shadow of the Erdtree

There is a belief among numerous Elden Ring players that summons have become a necessity in Shadow of the Erdtree, as the community faces difficulties in defeating the game’s most challenging bosses.

From the Putrescent Knight to Messmer the Impaler, Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree is filled with formidable bosses. As a result, numerous players and streamers, such as Asmongold, have been facing a challenge in defeating these fearsome enemies.

The steep increase in difficulty has resulted in many unhappy Tarnished turning to Steam to express their dissatisfaction, resulting in the game receiving a “Mixed”review rating. Even the publisher, Bandai Namco, has had to offer guidance to those facing challenges.

Despite everything mentioned above, the most surprising development is the community’s current position on summons – a topic that has sparked controversy since the first Dark Souls game.

“As an oldschool Souls gamer, I used to be one of those who refused to utilize summons. I believed in playing the game in its original form, what I considered to be the ‘ethical’ way. However, I must admit that summons are now a necessary aspect of the game,”shared a player on the Elden Ring Reddit page.

Despite their sincere efforts, the commenter could not overcome the challenge posed by a particularly difficult boss.

On my 64th attempt at the dragon dancer, which was the second boss for me, I was unable to reduce his health below 1/3. Despite my efforts, I couldn’t seem to make any progress. Eventually, I decided to put my pride aside and used mimic, which resulted in defeating the boss on my second try. The difficulty of the fight, which was initially a 10/10, suddenly dropped to a manageable 3/10. It was almost relaxing to play the fight.

In the Souls community, summons have been a topic of controversy for a long time, as many argue that they diminish the difficulty and can even make boss battles too easy. This sentiment was particularly prevalent in the original version of Elden Ring, where the Mimic Tear was known for its overwhelming strength.

Summons have always remained controversial in Souls games, but that is changing.

Despite the potential controversy surrounding the use of Talisman-buffed AI units that are exact copies of oneself, the community’s perception of them has shifted as they struggle to defeat the challenging bosses in the DLC.

“Another player stated that they play the game with the goal of completing it. They allow themselves 10-15 attempts for each boss battle, relying on their inner warrior. However, if they fail, they do not hesitate to use a summon. They have no regrets and feel that they may be too old for this.”

Several other commenters pointed out that there is no middle ground when it comes to summons. One player specifically mentioned that they can be a double-edged sword, negatively impacting the gameplay experience even for those who wish to utilize them.

“While I appreciate the concept of spirit summons as a gameplay mechanic, I am faced with two options: utilizing them and making boss fights too simple, or not using them and enduring a mentally taxing battle,”explained a player.

“Neither of these choices are providing me with the same level of excitement as previous Souls games did. In those games, the boss battles were intense and required skill, but were still within reach.”

Despite remaining a significant topic of discussion in the Souls community, summons can be a useful tool for those struggling. Consider utilizing a Mimic Tear to alleviate some of the challenges you may be facing.