Is New Game Plus Harder Elden Ring

Is New Game Plus Harder in Elden Ring?

So, you’ve conquered the Lands Between, defeated the Elden Beast, and become Elden Lord (or perhaps just walked away). Now, you see the option: New Game Plus. It’s tempting, isn’t it? A chance to do it all again, but maybe with a bit more of a challenge. But the big question hangs in the air: is New Game Plus actually harder in Elden Ring? The short answer is yes, things do get tougher, but it’s not quite as simple as “everything is just stronger.” Let’s dive into the details to see what really changes and how to prepare for your second (or third, or fourth!) journey.

The Core Changes: How Difficulty Increases

When you start New Game Plus (often called NG+), the world itself feels very familiar. You keep your character’s stats, equipment, spells, and items. You even keep all your Sites of Grace unlocked. So, you might think, “Okay, I’m set, this will be a breeze.” But FromSoftware, the creators of Elden Ring, wouldn’t make it that easy. Here’s the heart of the difficulty changes in NG+:

• Increased Enemy Health: Every enemy you encounter gets a health boost. This means even the basic enemies you faced in Limgrave can now take more hits before they go down. This increase is considerable, forcing you to strategize more and not simply rely on old tactics.
• Increased Enemy Damage: Not only are enemies tougher, they also hit harder. A previously manageable attack from a soldier can now feel like a serious threat. This increase in damage means that even small mistakes can be punished severely. Be prepared to dodge, block, and use defensive items strategically.
• Increased Enemy Attack Power: Along with more damage, enemies generally deal more attack power which makes you more vulnerable to their attacks.
• Increased Enemy Resistance: Enemies will exhibit higher resistances to various types of damage. This means your favored weapon type or incantation type, even if fully upgraded, might not perform as effectively as it did before. You will have to pay attention on your weapon scaling and enemy weaknesses to succeed.
• No Item Cap Reset: Unlike other games, in Elden Ring your item inventory does not get reset in the NG+. That means, you can bring every item that you gathered in the previous playthrough, including all consumables and crafting materials. This can actually be an advantage for you as you can use some powerful consumables from start to carry yourself early game.

Scaling Up Through NG+ Cycles

It’s important to know that this difficulty increase isn’t just a one-time thing. Each time you complete a playthrough and start another NG+ cycle (NG+2, NG+3, etc.) the challenge ramps up further. The health and damage of enemies continue to climb, making subsequent cycles substantially more difficult than the last. The increases get smaller with each cycle and are capped out at NG+7. However, each step is significantly more challenging. So, be warned: that fun little side trip you did in your first run might now be a genuine test of skill in NG+3!

Beyond the Numbers: Other Factors That Affect NG+ Difficulty

The increased health, damage, and resistances are the core of the challenge, but several other things play a big role in how difficult NG+ will feel:

Your Character’s Build

How you built your character for your first playthrough will matter. A powerful build that heavily depended on a specific stat might falter if enemies have higher resistances to that damage type. A more balanced character may feel more comfortable with variety of damage types and strategies. If you were relying on cheesing some of the harder boss fights in your first play though, you will likely have to adapt more balanced and thoughtful strategies to overcome some challenges.

Your Skill Level

Your own experience and skill as a player are the biggest determining factor. If you’ve truly learned the enemy attack patterns and know how to react, the initial jump in difficulty may not feel so intense. However, if you relied heavily on specific strategies or overpowered weapons, it will be more difficult and more of a learning curve for you to adjust. You will have to work a lot to re-learn how to play to the game, in different ways.

Your Approach to the Game

The way you approach the game will make a difference. Are you trying to rush through to the end, or do you plan on exploring every inch of the world again? If you’re looking to explore every single corner of the map and every dungeon, the increased difficulty in every area will add to the challenge. Exploring in the same way you did your first time would mean facing off every enemy with their increased health and damage, creating a much more difficult experience.

Specific Enemy Changes: What to Expect in NG+

While enemy stats generally increase across the board in NG+, a few specific adjustments stand out:

• Bosses Get More Aggressive: Bosses don’t just have more health and damage. They will sometimes exhibit slightly changed attack patterns or behave more aggressively. You will notice that bosses might attack more frequently and not give you as much breathing room, which forces you to stay vigilant through all the phases of fight.
• Mini-Bosses Can Be Surprising: Similar to bosses, mini-bosses will get significant buffs too. These can be quite dangerous, particularly in the early zones. You will have to be ready for more challenging battles even against enemies that were once easily defeated.
• Common Enemies Feel Less Common: The increase in health and damage can make even normal enemies feel more like mini-boss encounters. You can not simply ignore them anymore, like you did in the first playthrough, as their threat is substantially increased.

Tips for Surviving and Thriving in NG+

So, NG+ is harder, no doubt. But that doesn’t mean it has to be an impossible mountain to climb. Here are some tips to help you thrive in your next journey through the Lands Between:

Prepare Your Build

Take a look at your build. Did you rely on one damage type only? If so, it’s time to diversify. Having multiple options for weapons and spells will make tackling the various enemies with different resistances much easier. Don’t be afraid to redistribute your stats if needed to make your character more balanced.

Upgrade Your Equipment

Make sure your weapons are upgraded as much as possible before starting NG+. Your weapons will retain their levels, and it will be much easier to get through early game when you can deal with the increased enemy health by having your weapons upgraded properly. If you have somber smithing stones that you have not used, now is a good time to use them on weapons that you enjoy. Also, you can upgrade your summons, which will greatly help you.

Stock up on Useful Items

Go through your inventory and stock up on useful consumables, like healing items, throwable items, and crafting materials. A well-stocked inventory can make a world of difference. You should also use this opportunity to create powerful buffs that can greatly improve your odds in combat.

Consider Co-op Play

If you are finding the difficulty too much, consider summoning another player to help you through the tougher areas. Cooperation can make all the difference when fighting challenging bosses or exploring dangerous dungeons. With new patch, the multiplayer matching has been improved as well, so you can get people to summon much easier.

Use Your Knowledge of the World

You’ve played the game already! You know where the dangerous areas are, and you know the bosses’ attack patterns. Use this knowledge to your advantage and plan your routes and strategies ahead of time. You already know where to find the best weapons, so use them. You already know where to find the most upgrade material, now get them. Use all that knowledge that you gathered from the previous playthrough.

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

NG+ is a perfect time to experiment with builds and new weapons. Maybe you want to try a different playstyle or try using spells. Now is the time to do it! You’ve already finished the game once, so now you can try something new.

The Benefits of NG+

While NG+ presents a greater challenge, it also brings several benefits:

• More Runes: You earn more runes from defeating enemies, allowing you to level up your character faster. You will be able to reach your desired stat levels much quicker, making your character more effective.
• More Bell Bearings: Each cycle you will gain access to new bell bearings that will allow you to purchase more items from Twin Maiden Husks.
• New Items and Weapons: While you won’t find completely new things, certain vendors will sell items you couldn’t access in your first playthrough.
• A New Challenge: If you are a person who thrives on difficulty, then NG+ is perfect for you. You will be able to play the same content with much more difficulty that will test your skill and strategy to its fullest.
• A Chance to Try Different Endings: You will be able to experience the different endings that Elden Ring offers. Since the ending is locked behind your actions during the playthrough, it will be your chance to get different ending.
• The Perfect Opportunity to Experiment: With all the equipment, consumables, and runes you gained from the previous playthrough, this will be the perfect opportunity for you to try new and unique playstyles.

Is NG+ Right For You?

So, “is new game plus harder elden ring?” Yes, definitely. But, it is a difficulty that is designed to test your understanding of the game’s mechanics, and rewards you for overcoming the added challenges by giving you more rune, access to new items and weapons. If you enjoy challenging yourself and want a new way to play through the game, then NG+ is for you. If you are just starting your journey in Elden Ring, however, you should focus on completing your first playthrough before thinking about NG+. NG+ is designed for people who want more challenges after experiencing the core game.

Ultimately, the decision to jump into NG+ depends on your personal preferences. If you’re looking for a harder challenge, more runes, and a reason to keep exploring the vast Lands Between, then this is a perfect place to continue your journey.