Following the triumph of the base game and the Colosseum update, Elden Ring has the opportunity to further engage the community's fervent support for PvP. One compelling approach is to rekindle a previous FromSoftware mechanic that intertwined PvP with traditional boss fights and integrate it into forthcoming Elden Ring content.

This not only offers aficionados of Elden Ring's PvP multiplayer a fresh gaming experience, but also introduces an intriguing dimension that the game's boss battles currently lack. Moreover, it lays the groundwork for Elden Ring's PvP multiplayer to feature a much-needed progression system and incentives for players to actively partake in PvP.

Embracing Past Features from Dark Souls 3 for Elden Ring

PvP Boss Fights

In the Ringed City DLC for Dark Souls 3, players can engage in a boss fight that involves dueling with another player instead of the traditional battle against an NPC boss. Upon entering the fog wall in the Church of Filianore, an eligible player pledged to the Spears of the Church Covenant is summoned, assuming the role of the boss in this encounter. This unique and challenging fight leaves a lasting impression.

Given the substantial following of PvP multiplayer in Elden Ring, it's arguably time for this distinctive FromSoftware boss fight mechanic to make a comeback. With the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion on the horizon, this expansion naturally presents an ideal opportunity to incorporate such encounters. Alternatively, any future expansions for Elden Ring should also contemplate embracing this feature.

While the specific boss fight in Dark Souls 3 was mandatory for progression in the Ringed City expansion, the PvP aspect was technically optional. If Elden Ring reintroduces this mechanic, it should remain optional, allowing players who utilize mods for Elden Ring or those who prefer not to engage in PvP to advance beyond this encounter.

Dark Souls 3 isn't the only FromSoftware game to feature this type of boss fight mechanic, with similar encounters for the Mirror Knight in Dark Souls 2 and the Old Monk in Demon's Souls. Considering Dark Souls 3, this presents an opportunity to bring another feature from the game to Elden Ring—the PvP Covenants.

PvP Covenants

Despite PvP playing a substantial role in the game's community, there is currently little to no progression to be gained from participating in or winning PvP multiplayer in Elden Ring. Reintroducing mechanics akin to Dark Souls 3's Covenants could effectively incentivize players to regularly partake in and triumph in Elden Ring's PvP. The Covenants in Dark Souls 3 allowed players to pledge themselves to various factions tied to bosses or regions in the game to engage in PvP activities associated with those areas.

Elden Ring already features a system reminiscent of Dark Souls 3's Covenants through the Blue and White Cipher Rings. These rings enable players to either request or volunteer as a Hunter, answering the call to join another player and defend them from Invaders. However, the crucial disparity between this feature in Elden Ring and the Covenants in Dark Souls 3 is the absence of exclusive rewards or progression for Hunters. Consequently, Elden Ring should contemplate introducing a range of Covenants for players to pledge themselves to, enabling them to earn valuable rewards for actively participating in PvP multiplayer.