New Elden Ring update buffs sorceries, nerfs Mimic Tear summons

What you need to know

• Elden Ring Version Update 1.03 has been deployed, and it's the biggest update the game has gotten since launch by far.
• The patch includes a variety of bug fixes, new features, buffs, and nerfs.
• Some of the biggest changes in this update include a general buff to many sorcery spells, as well as a damage nerf to the Mimic Tear Spirit Ash Summon.

Bandai Namco and FromSoftware have been rolling out several small updates for Elden Ring since the game launched on Feb. 25 on consoles and PC, but the latest patch, Elden Ring Version 1.03, is much more substantial. The developers have made many changes to Elden Ring with this update, including the addition of a feature that allows you to record NPC icons and names on your map when you meet them, a wave of bug fixes, and several large balance changes to weapons, spells, and other gameplay items.

The most significant changes made to Elden Ring with Version 1.03 are arguably the buffs that many sorceries got and the nerf that the developers gave to the powerful Mimic Tear Spirit Ash Summon. Many of Elden Ring's underwhelming sorcery spells were improved with improved damage and/or reduced FP costs, making them more viable than they were before. Meanwhile, the damage output of the Mimic Tear Spirit Ash Summon was reduced and its AI was changed in an effort to make it less of an overpowered tool in boss fights.

Some other notable additions and changes include a buff to shield effectiveness, a nerf to the Hoarfrost Stomp Ash of War, new NPCs and new NPC quest phases, and a fix for an issue that was causing Arcane to scale improperly with some weapons. The full patch notes for Elden Ring Version 1.03 can be found below:

Additional Elements Added

• Added a function to record an icon and the name of an NPC on the map when you encounter that NPC.
• Added NPC Jar-Bairn.
• Added new quest phases for the following NPCs: Diallos/Nepheli Loux/Kenneth Haight/Gatekeeper Gostoc.
• Added some summonable NPCs in multiple situations.
• Increased the number of patterns of objects player can imitate when using Mimic's Veil.
• Added night background music for some open field area.

Bugs Fixed

• Fixed a bug that prevented summoned NPCs from taking damage in some boss battles.
• Fixed a bug that sometime prevented the player from obtaining item after boss battle.
• Fixed a bug that causes dialogue to be skipped when talking to NPCs and using custom key configurations.
• Fixed a bug that causes the player to freeze when riding.
• Fixed a bug that causes arcane to scale incorrectly for some weapons.
• In situation where the player cannot obtain more than 2 talisman pouches, added talisman pouch to Twin Maiden Husks shop line up.
• Fixed a bug that prevented the user from warping to sites of grace from the map at the end of the game.
• Fixed a bug that prevented the player from moving to the next area after the battle with the Fire Giant.
• Fixed a bug which causes some weapons to have incorrect scaling after strengthening.
• Fixed a bug which causes some weapons to not use stat scaling.
• Fixed hang-ups in certain occasions.
• Fixed a bug which incorrectly displays multiplayer area boundary when playing online.
• Fixed a bug that allows player to activate Erdtree Greatshield's weapon skill without absorbing an attack using a special combination of item and incantation.
• Fixed a bug which causes Fire's Deadly Sin incantation to have different effect.
• Fixed a bug with the Ash of War, Determination and Royal Knight's Resolve, where the damage buff will also apply to other weapons without that skill.
• Adjusted the visual effect of Unseen Form spell.
• Deleted the Ragged armor set from the game which was mistakenly obtainable in previous patch.
• Fixed a bug that causes some hostile NPCs to drop Furlcalling Finger Remedy.
• Fixed a bug that causes incorrect sound effect to play in some situations.
• Fixed a bug which causes visual animation and hitboxes to not be displayed correctly on some maps.
• Fixed bugs which causes incorrect visual and behavior for some enemies.
• Fixed a bug that causes incorrect stat parameter for some armor.
• Text fixes.
• Other performance improvement and bug fixes.

Balance Changes

• Increased the drop rate of Smithing Stone for some enemies.
• Added Smithing Stone to some early game shop line up.
• Increased shields effectiveness.
• Increased the damage for all offensive cracked pot items.
• Increased the damage for the following items: Spark Aromatic/Poison Spraymist.
• Increased the effect duration for the following items: Uplifting Aromatic/Ironjar Aromatic.
• Increased HP healing for Torrent when using the following items: Rowa Raisin/Sweet Raisin/ Frozen Raisin
• Reduced FP consumption and increased the damage of the following sorceries: Glintstone Cometshard/Comet/Night Comet
• Increased the damage of the following sorceries: Gravity Well/Collapsing Stars/Crystal Barrage
• Decreased FP consumption of the following sorceries: Star Shower/ Rock Blaster/Gavel of Haima/Founding Rain of Stars/Stars of Ruin/Greatblade Phalanx/Magic Downpour/Loretta's Greatbow/Loretta's Mastery/Carian Greatsword/Carian Piercer/Shard Spiral
• Raised projectile speed and range of Great Glintstone Shard
• Decreased Ash of War, Hoarfrost Stomp's damage and increase cast time.
• Increased Ash of War, Bloody Slash's self-inflict damage while slightly lowering the damage and increasing the cast time.
• Decreased weapon skill, Sword of Night and Flame's damage.
• Increased FP consumption and lower duration of Ash of War, Barricade Shield.
• Changed FP consumption timing of Ash of War, Prelate's Charge.
• Decreased the damage of spirit summoned when using the item Mimic Tear Ash and changed the spirit's behavior pattern.
• Other enemy and weapon balance changes

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.