U4GM - How Speedrunners Abuse Elden Ring Glitch Items
Elden Ring, FromSoftware’s critically acclaimed open-world action RPG, has captivated gamers worldwide with its intricate lore, challenging combat, and vast landscapes. However, like many modern games, it has also become the subject of exploitation by a certain subset of players: the speedrunners. Speedrunners are players who attempt to complete a game as quickly as possible, often using glitches, exploits, and unintended game mechanics to shave precious seconds off their time.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Elden Ring speedrunning is the use of glitch items. These are game items that are either not functioning as intended or are manipulated by the player to achieve unintended effects. These items, when used correctly, allow speedrunners to bypass difficult areas, sequence-break through parts of the game, or even achieve seemingly impossible feats. This article delves into how speedrunners use these glitch items and their impact on the Elden Ring speedrunning community.
Common Glitch Items Used in Speedrunning
Elden Ring is filled with a variety of unique items that help players in their journey across the Lands Between. However, some of these items have been found to interact with the game’s code in unexpected ways, creating opportunities for speedrunners to exploit them. Some common glitch items include:
Giant's Flame Take Thee - This incantation is often used in combination with a bug that allows players to cast it multiple times in quick succession. This can dramatically increase damage output and help defeat powerful bosses much faster than usual.
Consumables and Buff Items - Certain buffs and consumables can be exploited, especially when used in conjunction with item duplication glitches. These allow players to stack buffs or repeatedly use items that should have limited uses, speeding up progression considerably.
Key Items and Quest Progression Glitches - Some key items, like the Stonesword Keys, can be used in unintended ways to skip parts of the game, especially in earlier areas where speedrunners can exploit their effects to skip difficult boss fights or key progression points.
Duplication Glitches - A common strategy in Elden Ring’s speedrunning community involves item duplication glitches. These glitches allow speedrunners to generate infinite resources, such as consumables, healing items, and special Elden Ring items that they may otherwise not be able to carry in bulk. With these, players can maintain high momentum without worrying about running out of resources.
How Speedrunners Abuse These Glitches
The goal of any speedrunner is to finish the game in the shortest amount of time possible, and to do so, they must make use of every advantage available. Glitch items, when properly manipulated, can drastically alter the game's intended difficulty and progression.
Sequence Breaking: Many of the glitch items allow speedrunners to skip major portions of the game. For example, by exploiting certain key items and map locations, players can skip entire areas, including tough boss battles or puzzle sections that would normally slow down a regular playthrough. This lets them jump straight into the heart of the game or reach an end-game boss much earlier than intended.
Bypassing Boss Fights: Some glitches allow speedrunners to bypass difficult encounters, especially if they can use a specific item or exploit a game mechanic in a specific sequence. A common strategy is to use items that let you manipulate the game’s AI, essentially tricking it into not activating certain bosses or enemies. This can shave critical minutes off a speedrun, which is crucial in competitive settings.
Fast Traversal: Speedrunners often exploit glitches that make movement across the map far faster than intended. Certain Elden Ring items or glitches related to movement, like the ability to teleport or walk through walls, are often used to avoid lengthy travel times, allowing them to move between regions almost instantly.
Impact on the Speedrunning Community
While some might view these glitches as an unfair advantage, they are accepted by the Elden Ring speedrunning community as part of the game’s ecosystem. The use of glitches is an integral part of speedrunning in many games, and Elden Ring is no different. These glitches push the boundaries of what players thought was possible, creating new records and fueling healthy competition.
However, not all players are fans of glitch exploitation. Some believe that these tricks compromise the spirit of the game, and that speedruns should be completed using only intended mechanics. Despite these debates, the fact remains that glitch items are a crucial part of the current Elden Ring speedrunning landscape.
Buy Elden Ring Items to Enhance Your Own Playthrough
For those not interested in speedrunning, you might be wondering how these glitch items could affect your own experience. If you're looking to make your Elden Ring journey easier or faster, you may want to explore the option to buy Elden Ring items from reputable sellers. Whether you want to stock up on healing items, powerful weapons, or rare resources, purchasing items could save you significant time and effort, helping you progress through the game at your own pace.
Conclusion: Glitch items have become a central tool for speedrunners who aim to complete Elden Ring in record time. By exploiting these unintended game mechanics, players can achieve feats that might otherwise seem impossible. Whether you’re interested in speedrunning or just looking to optimize your own playthrough, understanding these glitches and their effects can give you a unique perspective on Elden Ring’s intricate design.