To check what New Game Plus cycle you’re on in Elden Ring, open your map, the cycle number will be displayed next to the Site of Grace’s names and the ‘Roundtable Hold’ icon will also show a number.
So, you’ve conquered the Lands Between and jumped back in for another round? Figuring out where you are on your journey, specifically, how to check what new game plus elden ring cycle, can sometimes feel like navigating a fog. No worries, this quick guide will make it clear for you.
The game’s interface actually makes this information readily available, so you can easily confirm what journey you are currently experiencing. We’ll explain the steps.
How to Check What New Game Plus Elden Ring Offers
So, you’ve conquered the Lands Between, become Elden Lord (or perhaps embraced a different ending), and now you’re wondering what’s next? The answer, for many Tarnished, is New Game Plus! But before you jump back in, you’re probably curious: “How exactly do I check what New Game Plus in Elden Ring actually does?” Well, you’ve come to the right place! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about verifying the changes and perks of starting a new journey in the Lands Between, but with a twist.
Understanding New Game Plus
Before we dive into how to check what’s different, let’s first make sure we all understand what New Game Plus actually means in Elden Ring. Think of it as starting a brand new game, but keeping some of your stuff. You get to start over from the beginning, facing all the same challenges, but you’re a bit more prepared thanks to your previous run. This offers a fun way to experience the story again, try different builds, and battle bosses with a powerful character. New Game Plus isn’t just about playing again; it’s about playing differently with advantages from your initial playthrough.
What Carries Over?
It’s important to know what you get to keep. In Elden Ring’s New Game Plus, you hold onto a lot of your hard-earned possessions. Here’s a breakdown:
- Character Level and Stats: Your character’s level and all the stats you’ve built up during your first journey stay with you. You will be as strong as you were at the end of your first playthrough!
- Equipment: This includes all your weapons, armor, and talismans. Imagine facing Margit with your end-game gear – quite satisfying!
- Spells and Incantations: All the spells and incantations you’ve collected are yours to command from the start.
- Key Items (Mostly): Most of your key items carry over, which means you don’t have to search for things like the Spirit Calling Bell or the Flask of Wondrous Physick. But not all of them, some important items which are directly related to main storyline, do not carry over.
- Cookbooks: You get to keep all those recipes you’ve found, allowing you to craft items right away.
- Map and Sites of Grace: Although your map will be reset, you’ll keep all the Sites of Grace you’ve activated, so you don’t have to find them all again. This is a lifesaver, trust me!
What Does Not Carry Over?
While you get to keep a lot, there are some things that get reset in New Game Plus. This is important to know so you don’t get confused when starting anew. Here’s what gets left behind:
- Story Progression: Obviously, you start from the beginning of the main story again. You will need to fight Margit and all of the main bosses one more time.
- Great Runes: You must reacquire Great Runes from bosses like Godrick, Rennala, and the others.
- Key Items Related to Progression: Items like the medallions that let you enter Leyndell or the Haligtree are reset. You’ll need to gather these again.
- Bell Bearings: You’ll have to reacquire them from various merchants if you need access to their wares.
Checking Specific New Game Plus Details
Now, let’s get to the core question: how do you actually see what’s different in New Game Plus? Unfortunately, Elden Ring doesn’t have an in-game menu that lists all the changes directly. Instead, you have to pay attention to the details yourself. Here’s how you can check:
Examining Starting Inventory
The most immediate way to see the effects of New Game Plus is to look at your starting inventory. When you start a new game plus, you can directly look at your inventory which has all your previously obtained weapons, armor, talismans and spells.
- Weapons and Armor: Take a look at the gear you own. Is it all there? If it is, then you successfully started your New Game Plus playthrough. If there are items missing, then something is wrong, and you should check again.
- Talismans and Spells: Your Talismans and Spells should all be present in your starting inventory. Confirm they are there to assure yourself that New Game Plus has worked correctly.
Visiting Early Game Merchants
Go to merchants in the early game, such as Kale, and check their wares. If they are selling items that you had to get from bell bearings in your first playthrough, that means bell bearing items have reset.
- Check Kale in Limgrave: If you had given him some bell bearings before starting New Game Plus, you’ll see that they are no longer present.
- Check the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold: You will notice that they too, have reset their wares, so you can give them bell bearings again.
Checking Key Items
To confirm what key items have carried over or have reset, it is important to check them directly, through menu options. Open your inventory and check your key items, and you will see the following results:
- Key Items related to main story quest: Items such as Dectus Medallion or other medallions that allow you to access certain areas, are reset.
- Important Key Items: You will be happy to see that certain important key items like Spirit Calling Bell, Flask of Wondrous Physick and others are present.
Observing Enemy Difficulty
One big change in New Game Plus is the increased difficulty. Enemies hit harder and have more health. When you begin your new adventure, fight some enemies to feel the difference in difficulty.
- Early Enemies: Try battling some simple enemies at the beginning of the game. You will notice that even basic mobs are quite stronger, and they can potentially do heavy damage.
- Bosses: When you approach bosses, it will be quickly visible that their health pool and damage is significantly boosted. You have to play cautiously, even with your end-game gear.
Why Check New Game Plus Changes?
You might wonder, “Why bother checking all of this?” Here’s why:
- Confirmation: Sometimes, players have doubts about whether their game saved correctly or if New Game Plus actually worked. Checking these things gives you peace of mind.
- Planning: Knowing what you have and what you don’t have helps you plan your new playthrough better. You know what items you need to get and how to prioritize.
- Troubleshooting: If something seems off, checking these details will help you identify if something went wrong during the New Game Plus transition.
- Optimization: Understanding the carry over mechanics will help you optimize your build and play style for your new journey.
Tips for a Successful New Game Plus Run
Starting New Game Plus is more than just starting a new game. Here are a few tips to make it a better experience:
- Experiment with Builds: Now is the time to try a new build. With all of your resources, try a new build and have fun!
- Explore Missed Areas: Did you miss any secret areas in your first playthrough? Now’s your chance to explore them.
- Fight Optional Bosses: There are many optional bosses in Elden Ring. You may not have beaten all of them on your first run. Now, you can!
- Try Different Endings: There are multiple endings in Elden Ring. You can aim for a different ending this time around.
Remember, New Game Plus is an opportunity to experience Elden Ring in a fresh, but familiar, way. You’re equipped with knowledge and strength you didn’t have before. Don’t be afraid to try something new. The Lands Between is waiting for your return.
Checking your New Game Plus progress in Elden Ring doesn’t involve a magic menu, but paying attention to your starting gear, merchants, key items and the enemies you face will help you know exactly what has changed. This knowledge makes sure your journey is as rewarding and enjoyable as possible.
Elden Ring | The New Game+ Checklist
Final Thoughts
To check if you’ve entered New Game Plus in Elden Ring, simply examine the Sites of Grace. The grace will display the number of times you’ve journeyed through the game, like “Journey 2” for your first NG+. This confirms you are playing in a New Game Plus cycle.
Additionally, your character inventory should retain all your gear and levels from your previous playthrough. if you are not satisfied with the game progression, then to check ‘how to check what new game plus elden ring’ you can check for the sites of grace.
