Patch History#
Elden Ring has gone through more than a dozen patches since its February 2022 launch — from the day-one FPS fixes, through the base game’s sweeping balance passes, to the 2024 release of Shadow of the Erdtree and its subsequent power walk-backs. This update history directly defines the current meta. This page walks through each version’s real changes and what they mean for build choices.
Version Timeline Overview#
| Version | Release Date | Type | Core Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 | 2022-02-25 | Launch | Base game, six major regions, about 40 major bosses, 6 endings |
| 1.02 | 2022-02-27 | Hotfix | Fixed unstable frame rates, co-op matchmaking issues |
| 1.03 | 2022-03-17 | Balance patch | Heavy nerfs to bleed, Hoarfrost Stomp, Sword of Night and Flame; added NPC markers and map features |
| 1.04 | 2022-04-19 | Content update | Buffed some early and mid-game weapons including the Pulley Bow; advanced Patches’ questline |
| 1.05 | 2022-05-12 | Hotfix | Fixed numerous bugs |
| 1.06 | 2022-06-13 | Balance patch | Adjusted the balance of some weapons and Ashes of War |
| 1.07 | 2022-10-13 | Major update | Added three Colosseum PvP modes, sweeping PvP balance changes |
| 1.08 | 2022-12-07 | Balance patch | Further Colosseum and PvP balancing |
| 1.09 | 2023-03-23 | Balance patch | Introduced PvP-specific damage coefficients; poise and charged attack adjustments |
| 1.10 | 2023-08-24 | Balance patch | Overhauled PvP damage against players, some weapons and incantations |
| 1.12 | 2024-06-21 | DLC release | Shadow of the Erdtree launched, adding the Realm of Shadow, new weapon types, and new bosses |
| 1.13 | 2024-08-01 | Balance patch | Buffed Scadutree Blessing and Revered Spirit Ash effects, eased DLC difficulty |
| 1.14 | 2024-09-11 | Final patch | Full balance pass on all weapons and spells, closing bug fixes |
Note: 1.10 and 1.11 share identical changes, so they are merged here; 1.11 is not listed separately.
Key Versions in Detail#
1.03: The Base Game’s Most Important Balance Pass#
1.03 was the first post-launch patch that genuinely reshaped the meta. It concentrated nerfs on the “cheese” strategies players leaned on at the time:
| Change Target | Type | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Bleed buildup | Status effect | Sharply slowed buildup, indirectly weakening claw weapons and twinblade bleed builds |
| Hoarfrost Stomp | Ash of War | Reduced damage and frost buildup, weakening its early-game path-clearing |
| Sword of Night and Flame | Legendary weapon | Reduced its signature skill damage; no more “one-button map clearing” |
| Mimic Tear | Legendary spirit ash | Weakened its summon so it no longer trivializes fights |
| Colossal greatswords | Weapon | Raised damage and poise damage, welcoming heavy weapons back |
1.03 also added NPC markers and Grace guidance: NPCs you have already talked to now appear as icons on the map. This cut the frustration of “losing a questline by talking to the wrong person” and made repeat questline runs in later playthroughs easier.
1.07: The Colosseum and PvP Era Begins#
1.07 was the base game’s biggest PvP update, officially adding the Colosseum system:
| Venue | Region |
|---|---|
| Limgrave Colosseum | Northeast Limgrave, by the sea |
| Royal Capital Colosseum | Outside Leyndell, the royal capital |
| Caelid Colosseum | Southern Caelid |
The Colosseum offers three modes: Duel (1v1, the Flask of Crimson Tears is banned), Brawl (a free-for-all scored independently per side), and United Combat (multiple players teaming up against others). Entering the Colosseum consumes no summon items and is unaffected by invasion mechanics — perfect for players focused on practicing PvP.
The same patch nerfed some overpowered PvP setups — trimming i-frames on certain Ashes of War and reducing tracking on some ranged sorceries. From this point, the base game’s balance evolved toward “PvE and PvP as separate tracks,” and the gap between them widened in later versions.
1.09 and 1.10: PvP-Specific Coefficients Take Hold#
1.09 introduced the concept of a “PvP-specific damage multiplier”: some weapons use separate values when hitting players rather than reusing PvE damage. This lets the developers tune PvP strength without breaking the PvE experience. 1.10 went further, adjusting many weapons’ damage against players, poise damage, and attack startup, and reworking tracking and cast speed on some incantations and sorceries.
The practical takeaway for players: whether a weapon is “strong” now depends on the mode. A heavy weapon that performs superbly while pushing through the map may fall off in the Colosseum because of a low player-damage multiplier.
1.12: Shadow of the Erdtree#
Shadow of the Erdtree is Elden Ring’s only major DLC. It adds the independently explorable Realm of Shadow, 8 new weapon types (light greatswords, martial arts, beast claws, throwing weapons, great spiked clubs, perfume bottles, dueling shields, backhand blades), plenty of new Ashes of War and new spells, and about 10 major bosses. This version pushed the game’s arsenal and gameplay breadth up a whole tier — see this site’s “Shadow of the Erdtree DLC guide” page for details.
1.13 and 1.14: DLC Walk-Back and Wrap-Up#
1.13 answered the post-launch feedback that “DLC difficulty is too high and Scadutree Blessing underdelivers” with concentrated buffs: each level of Scadutree Blessing now grants more attack and damage reduction, Revered Spirit Ash buffs to spirit ashes got stronger, and some base-game weapon values were adjusted at the same time. 1.14 is the current final patch — a full endgame balance pass on all weapons, Ashes of War, and spells, plus a bundle of bug fixes. Current mainstream PvE and PvP setups are all benchmarked against 1.14.
How Each Version Affects Build Choices#
Understanding each patch’s direction is the prerequisite for planning a playthrough and a growth route. The table below summarizes how each patch affected different archetypes:
| Version | Change Direction | Affected Builds |
|---|---|---|
| 1.03 | Bleed, Hoarfrost, Sword of Night and Flame nerfs | Arcane bleed, Hoarfrost path-clearing, legendary-skill builds |
| 1.04 | Early/mid weapon and some incantation buffs | Caster and mid/large weapon builds |
| 1.07 | Colosseums open, PvP balance | PvP players, duel/brawl setups |
| 1.09 | PvP-specific damage coefficients | All PvP builds |
| 1.10 | Full PvP damage and casting overhaul | Sorceries, incantations, ranged weapons |
| 1.13 | Scadutree Blessing and Revered Spirit Ash buffs | All builds inside the DLC |
| 1.14 | Final full-weapon balance | All builds |
From these changes, three practical, version-dependent judgments:
- Don’t worship early-game setups that were nerfed long ago. After 1.03, bleed buildup is nothing like launch day — if you still stack Arcane bleed per old guides, efficiency drops noticeably.
- Keep your PvE and PvP loadouts separate. After 1.09, the same weapon can behave completely differently under the two damage systems; specializing in one direction pays off more.
- Inside the DLC, invest in Scadutree Blessing before grinding levels. After the 1.13 buffs, Blessing level moves the DLC’s difficulty gate far more than base-game level — especially for mid and low-level players entering the DLC.
Save and Co-op Compatibility#
The most overlooked aspect of patching is online compatibility, which directly decides whether you and your friends can play together:
| Item | Rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Offline saves | Cross-version | New versions read old saves; no restart needed |
| Online matchmaking | Not cross-version | Both sides must be on the same version to summon/invade each other |
| DLC content | Requires 1.12+ | Players without the DLC cannot enter the Realm of Shadow |
| Remembrance trade-ins | Compatible | Remembrances and their trade-in lists update with patches and are not lost from personal saves |
Practical advice: before playing together, have everyone confirm their version number on the main menu; if someone updates by mistake, the rest can play offline temporarily or wait for them to sync. Friends planning to tackle the DLC together all need to own Shadow of the Erdtree and update to 1.12 or higher.
Common Patch-History Misconceptions#
- “Newer is always better” isn’t absolute. 1.14 is the current version, but for players who focused on the base game before the DLC, some post-1.12 balance changes may alter a familiar feel and require re-adjusting.
- A “nerf” in the patch notes doesn’t mean “useless.” Take bleed: after 1.03 slowed its buildup, bleed remained one of the highest-output status effects — it just stopped being “blindfolded steamrolling.”
- Third-party compilations’ patch notes aren’t always accurate. Patch numbering differs across regional versions; when discussing versions, trust the number on the game’s title screen.