Playing cooperatively with other players is one of the best ways to dive into FromSoftware's RPGs, and Elden Ring is no different. Just like in Dark Souls, players can summon other players into their worlds for some jolly cooperation in the Lands Between. However, the process of summoning allies is slightly different in Elden Ring, and if you want to play with your friends, you'll need to make use of Elden Ring's password matchmaking system.
In this guide, we'll show you everything you need to know about playing co-op and summoning in Elden Ring and its upcoming DLC expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree. This includes how to summon other players, how to leave your own summon sign, how to use summoning pools, and how to use password matchmaking to play with your friends.
Elden Ring: How to summon players
To summon players to your world for cooperative play in Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree, you need to use a Furlcalling Finger Remedy consumable. This item reveals summon signs close to you when you use it, allowing you to then stand over a summon sign and use the interact button to summon the player who created it. Note that there are a few select areas in the game where summoning isn't allowed, such as the Roundtable Hold hub area. In the vast majority of the game's open-world areas and side locations, though, co-op multiplayer is fully enabled.
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There are two ways to obtain Furlcalling Finger Remedies. The first is to craft them using Erdleaf Flowers, which you can commonly find in Elden Ring's open world (see our guide on how to craft items for more details on how to do this). Secondly, you can also purchase them from NPC vendors. We don't recommend doing this, though, as they're easy to craft and you'd be better off spending your runes on levels or more valuable items.
You can summon up to two other players into your world for co-op play, which will undoubtedly make many of Elden Ring's challenging enemies and boss fights much easier to overcome (especially the ones found in Shadow of the Erdtree). Do be aware, though, that each player you summon will scale boss health up to prevent co-op from making major encounters too easy.
Notably, you can't use your mount, Torrent, while other players are in your world. You also can't enter or exit dungeons during multiplayer sessions, either. Aside from that, though, there are no multiplayer restrictions.
Elden Ring: How to leave a summon sign
We've covered summoning players into your world, but what if you want to be summoned into someone else's? To do this, you'll need to use the Tarnished's Furled Finger, which can be found near the Stranded Graveyard Site of Grace at the start of the game. This item allows you to create a summon sign when used. Note that when other players use a Furlcalling Finger Remedy and see it, they'll be able to see your character's name as well as your equipped armor and weapons before summoning you.
You can place your summon sign pretty much anywhere in the Lands Between, with the only exception being the rare areas where multiplayer isn't enabled. You cannot place your summon sign whenever there are friendly or enemy players in your world, however.
Elden Ring: How to use Summoning Pools
In addition to FromSoftware's traditional systems for cooperative play, Elden Ring has also included a brand-new one called Summoning Pools. These are marked by all-stone statues that look like a person nailed to a crescent-shaped crucifix, and are most commonly found before boss fights or at the start of dungeons near a Site of Grace. When you activate them, summon signs from players who have chosen to "send" their summon sign to that specific Summoning Pool will begin to appear on the ground.
If you'd like to help players who are fighting the same boss or exploring the same dungeon as you, you can do so by using the Small Golden Effigy item you acquire when interacting with a Summoning Pool for the first time. As long as there's a Summoning Pool statue nearby, this will automatically put your summon sign in the worlds of players who have chosen to activate that Summoning Pool.
Elden Ring: How to use password matchmaking
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If you'd like to play cooperatively with your friends, you'll need to make sure you use Elden Ring's Password Matchmaking system. This can be accessed in the Multiplayer tab while in your menu in-game, and allows you and your friends to enter a special code word that will force Elden Ring to only show summon signs owned by other players using that password.
Since running into players you don't know is technically still possible if they happen to be using the same password as you and your friends, we recommend picking a very uncommon and specific word to avoid this.
Another benefit of Password Matchmaking is that it ignores Elden Ring's usual co-op balancing that doesn't allow a high-level summon to join a low-level host. Instead, it will scale the summon's health, stamina, and damage down to match the host's level, allowing two or more people to play together regardless of what level they've reached.
Note that Password Matchmaking does not stop invaders from joining your world, so you'll still have to fight off any enemy players who happen to show up.
Elden Ring is finally here, and it's available for $60 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC. It's one of the best Xbox games you can play right now if you're a fan of challenging RPGs, and we strongly recommend it (check out our review of Elden Ring to see why we do). Plus, you can continue the challenging adventure with the new Shadow of the Erdtree expansion which has a $39.99 MSRP.
