Elden Ring’s most overpowered PvP build nerfed in new patch

Elden Ring’s new patch, version 1.03, made a handful of overpowered weapons and summons in FromSoftware’s new game less effective, much to the frustration of players who relied on certain swords, ashes, and character builds. The new patch did fix one other thing. Elden Ring’s most game-breaking build of all by fixing a bug with a problematic spell — and if you’ve played or watched any Elden Ring PvP, you’ve probably seen players get instantly wrecked by it.

That build is, of course, the combination of the Fire’s Deadly Sin incantation paired with the Eclipse Shotel curved sword. Using those two items in tandem pre-patch let invaders win games without any semblance of skill; Fire’s Deadly Sin amplified the Eclipse Shotel’s unique skill, Death Flare, in such dramatic fashion that users of that setup never needed to actually touch their opponent. Simply being near them sent opponents into a death-blighted state — aka instant death.

FromSoftware’s patch notes say the team fixed a bug which caused Fire’s Deadly Sin to have a different effect.

The bug fix might also be applied to an extremely powerful spell/shield combo. Pairing Fire’s Deadly Sin with the Erdtree Greatshield — and its Golden Retaliation skill — was also immensely overpowered in PvE situations. Here’s a video from YouTuber DragooX, with examples of just how broken Fire’s Deadly Sin was.

Amusingly, some players are still going into PvP situations using the Fire’s Deadly Sin/Eclipse Shotel recipe unaware that they’re no longer the death-blighting machines they once were. Below is the video. Elden RingSubeddit indicates that the Rivers of Blood Katana with its Corpse Piler skills are still powerful in PvP.

Elsewhere, Elden RingSome players regret the loss of some other highly-powered items. FromSoftware took the decision to lower the damage of Sword of Night and Flame and it’s weapon skill. It also decreased the damage of Mimic Tear Ash summon, which is still very effective in drawing aggro from the enemies.

It suffices to say: Elden RingPlayers who are reliant on a few specific techniques or builds to reach their peak performance in the game may want to look into other options. FromSoftware is known for balancing offensive weapons and spells in its games. Patch 1.03 may just be the beginning of this work.