Elden Ring is yet to embrace the warmth of modding, something past Fromsoftware titles have enjoyed. However, it is to say that the game has seen some fantastic mods from the community, ranging from simple QoL changes to major gameplay overhauls. While there are many mods for the game, we covered some of the best mods you can try for your next playthrough in Elden Ring.
In this article, we have covered 10 mods for Elden Ring that change how the game is enjoyed. It is a no-brainer that you need a legitimate copy of Elden Ring to install these mods. Hence, make sure you own a copy of the game.
1. Skip Intro Logo
Do you ever find the opening logos annoying and always want to jump into the game right away? The Skip Intro Logo mod is perfect for that. As the name suggests, the skip intro logo is a simple mod that removes the logos shown during the startup.
Installation of this mod requires the Elden Mod Loader. To install it, download the mod, unzip it, and place the files inside the mod folder located inside the Elden Ring installation path. If correctly installed, the game should boot without the startup logos.
2. Pause the Game
Since Dark Souls days, a section of the gaming community has requested Fromsoftware to add the option to pause the game. While the developers have never given much importance to the request, the modding community took it upon themselves to do it.
Pause the game mod does what it says – lets you pause Elden Ring with a push of a button. Download the mod from the Nexus Mod page, unzip it, and place the files inside the mod folder to use it. If installed correctly, the mod will run immediately after booting into the game. Using this mod requires users to install the Elden Mod Loader as well.
To pause, hit P on the keyboard and Start/Option on your Xbox/Dualshock controller. To rebind the keys, edit the ‘pause_keybind.ini’ file. This allows a user to either put one single key or a combination of two keys to pause the title. Furthermore, the mod creator says that users need to enter the hexadecimal value of keys to rebind on the keyboard. Similarly, the users need to change the ‘Bitmask’ value to rebind the controller buttons.
3. Disable Rune Loss on Death
One of the punishing features of Elden Ring is that players lose runes collected from slaying enemies upon death. While this feature adds a level of challenge to the game, making players play the title carefully, it can become frustrating to see hundreds of runes vanish from your inventory after getting ambushed by enemies. Disable Rune Loss on Death mitigates that problem.
This is one of the best mods and removes the “rune loss on death” penalty from Elden Ring. Players will have runes in their inventory even if they die. Installing it requires the Elden Mod Loader too.
4. Elden Ring FPS Unlocker Mod
One of the most requested features from Elden Ring players is an uncapped frame rate. The game, unfortunately, limits its frame rate to 60FPS regardless of how good the system is. While no patches from the developers addressed the issue, modders swooped in to fix it.
The Uncapped FPS mod does what it says, removing the frame rate limits on the PC copy of Elden Ring. This allows the game to run at a frame rate higher than 60FPS; the mod supports up to 240Hz refresh rate.
Installation requires users to download the mod from its GitHub page linked below. The mod creator includes a step-by-step guide on how to make it work on NVIDIA and AMD systems. Following the steps properly should unlock the frame rate in Elden Ring. Additionally, this mod also allows users to change the FOV, add widescreen support, and many other changes.
5. Seamless Co-Op
Much like every Fromsoftware game, Elden Ring also features the ability to play the game in multiplayer mode with random matchmaking or with a friend. Unfortunately, to balance the game, the developers put certain restrictions on the system. Firstly, players can only co-op in specific areas of the map; secondly, usage of the horse is restricted when playing in multiplayer mode.
The Seamless co-op mod is the answer for players who want to play the whole game from start to finish with friends. The mod removes all the restrictions put in place by the developers in Elden Ring for multiplayer, allowing seamless cooperative play. Players can use the horse, continuously do boss fights without worrying about leaving the game, respawn even after death, and much more. Since the game prevents players from Fromsoftware’s multiplayer server, players won’t get invaded or banned when using it.
To install the mod, download it from the link below and unzip it. Move the unzipped files to the Elden Ring folder and launch the game via the “launch_elden_ring_seamless_coop.exe” file. Moreover, open “seamlesscoopsettings.ini” and add a password to secure the connection between you and your friend. Make sure you and your friend are using the same version of the mod and the game.
6. Enemy/ Item Randomizer
Elden Ring is by no means an easy game to conquer. But some people enjoy the challenge provided by these games and want to go the extra mile. The Enemy and Item Randomizer mod aims to deliver that challenge. This mod randomizes the enemy and item placements in Elden Ring throughout the map, making the game an even more challenging experience.
Installation of the mod requires using Mod Engine 2, which they can download from here. Then, follow the step-by-step instructions on the Nexus Mod page, which details how to set it up. We recommend this only to players who have previously finished the game and want some challenge.
Furthermore, if someone wants to go back online in Elden Ring, make sure to restore a clean save file; from the point where no mods were used. Otherwise, the game will ban the players. Randomizer creates a save backup immediately when it first randomizes the enemies and items.
7. Elden Ring Reforged
This is another one of the best mods that change the Elden Ring gameplay experience, and for someone who wants a more challenging experience. The Reforged mod overhauls the balance system and mechanics of the title, aiming to create a harder experience. The mod adds features like deflects, a new class system like Fortunes, rebalanced player equipment, status effects, custom camera parameters for bosses, modified enemy AI, and much more.
Users require Mod Engine 2 to install the mod. Once Mod Engine 2 is installed, download the mod, unzip it, and copy it to the same folder where Mod Engine 2 is installed. Modify the “config_eldenring.toml” file to point to the “ERR” folder. Run the “launchmod_eldenring.bat” file to start the mod.
8. ReShade – HDR FX
While Fromsoftware went the extra mile with the art design and visuals of the title, modders ensured that people who want to make the game look prettier, thanks to the HDR FX ReShade.
This mod adds a next-generation version of ReShade that brings precise HDR lighting to the game. Furthermore, the mod is performance-friendly and easy to install. Simply download the mod, unzip it, and copy everything from the “Main Files” folder to the game directory. To use the mod, press the End key in-game to toggle the effects. PageUp and PageDown to toggle Depth of Field and the Home key to open the GUI.
9. Boss and NPC Custom Summon
Did you ever want to summon bosses such as Malenia, Maliketh, and others to assist you during various fights? If that’s the case, Boss and NPC Custom Summon are the perfect Elden Ring mods for you. It adds 186 summons from the players, ranging from NPCs to essential bosses in the game. It also brings custom NPCs like Guts from Berserk (one of the most overpowered MCs in anime) and more. The mod removes the restrictions for summons, allowing users to summon characters as many times as possible.
It does not end there, though. The mod adds six different custom armor sets for the players, such as the Artorias set from Dark Souls, etc. Installation of the mod requires users to install Mod Engine. You need to place the files inside the “Mod Engine folder” and then load the “launchmod_eldenring” file.
10. Enhanced Moveset Utility
One major concern with Fromsoftware titles on PC is that mouse and keyboard input is not that intuitive, unlike controller input. Though things have improved a lot in Elden Ring, it is still not as desirable as you would expect. That is exactly where the need for another one of those Elden Ring mods comes in.
The Enhanced Moveset Utility mod in Elden Ring tries to fix those problems. A direct successor to a mod for Dark Souls 3, the EMU Light for Elden Ring removes roll delays on the keyboard, adds magic hotkeys inspired by RPG titles on PC, a dedicated roll and sprint key, and much more.
Installation is pretty easy. Players need to download the EMULight for Elden Ring_Executables_vX.X.zip and extract it to their desired location. Then, download the latest version of EMULight and extract it in the same place. Then, launch the EMULight.exe and press the “Activate” button every time you want to play the game.
11. The Convergence
After finishing the long journey of Elden Ring, you might feel disinterested in retrying the vanilla experience. That is where the Convergence mod for Elden Ring comes into play. It is an exhaustive overhaul mod for the game that adds dozens of new weapons, and hundreds of new spells, and extensively revamp the areas on the map.
Additionally, Convergence adds improved visuals, newer enemies, new bosses to the game, and a lot more. The installation is a simple process, requiring you to download and install the mod downloader. We highly recommend this if you have finished Elden Ring multiple times, and want to spice up your new run.
12. Grand Merchant
Merchants are the go-to NPCs in Elden Ring. Many of them sell various items that assist you throughout the game. However, merchants are spread out in the Lands Between, making it sometimes a cumbersome experience to visit each of them for a specific item. Grand Merchant solves this problem by modding the game with a new option.
This mod makes Merchant Kale the go-to merchant for every of your purchasing needs in the game. No more fast-traveling to a singular merchant to grab an item, thanks to this mod, you can now visit a singular person and purchase whatever you require.
Installing the mod needs Mod Engine 2. The person who made the mod has explained how to do it correctly, so we recommend reading the original page. But keep in mind that this mod will ban you from playing the main game. So, it’s important to create a copy of your original save and files and disconnect from the internet after installing the mod. Not just with this, but with any of the Elden Ring mods you install.
13. Magic Overhaul
If there is a thing Elden Ring goes all out with, it is the option for magic in the game. In fact, Elden Ring has one of the most extensive choices for performing magic in the game. Unfortunately, some of these magics are similar to each other. Magic Overhaul fixes these issues completely.
The mod introduces new sorceries, by reusing some existing spells. This produces brand-new sorceries, animations, and overall spices up the gameplay if you are running a sorcerer build. In total this mod modifies a total of twenty existing magic spells to create new magic.
Neither Fromsoftware nor Bandai Namco disallows modification of Elden Ring, but the game uses Easy Anti Cheat to ensure the online experience isn’t compromised. So, we suggest avoiding installing any major online game-changing mods.
Modding is a risky process. While it can be as simple as replacing some files in the game directory, there is always a risk of the files getting corrupted. So, always make a backup of the files before you start modding. Furthermore, following the instructions by the mod authors should ensure the game does not get corrupted.
Rolling back to a non-modded state requires players to remove all the mods they have installed from the main folder of Elden Ring. If there are too many mods to locate, delete all the files, and replace them with the backup folder we made before we started modding the game. Then, head over to Steam and start downloading the game to the folder where the original files were. Steam should detect and verify the files and only download the corrupted files.
For the saved files, ensure that a backup of the Elden Ring saved file was previously done. To do so, press the Windows and R keys together. Once the window is open, write “%appdata%” and navigate to the Elden Ring folder. Here, copy the folder with a number string, and keep it somewhere safe. This is the savefile without any mod configurations. Once the player wants to revert to this save, remove the new save files and replace them with the backup save.
