Elden Ring Runes

As a wildly popular game that sparked countless discussions among players, Elden Ring offers a rich and open-world adventure. Players can experience a robust adventure mechanic, challenging gameplay, and a remarkably engaging setting and visual presentation.

This is why so many players dedicate their time and effort to exploring the game, earning it a large and dedicated fanbase.

The earlier announcement of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition's upcoming release on Switch 2 caused a frenzy among players, meaning they could play anytime, anywhere.

However, disappointingly, the official release date for Switch 2 has recently been delayed. If you're curious why, read on.

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition

At Nintendo Direct presentation on April 2nd, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition was announced for Switch 2. During the presentation, a trailer showcased classic game scenes and visuals that players had experienced, including but not limited to battles with Radahn and exploration of Shadow of the Erdtree.

These trailers evince that Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition offers players new content and features on top of the original game and Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

These new features include, but are not limited to, exclusive Armor Sets, new weapons, Torrent customization options, and new classes. All of this has captured players' attention and fueled their anticipation for its release on Switch 2 platform.

However, the core gameplay remains unchanged. Players still take on the role of Tarnished, exploring the game world. Where to explore and how to explore is entirely up to you.

Classic areas appear in Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, including Limgrave, Caelid, and Liurnia, etc. Furthermore, many more new features await players' discovery.

Gamescom, held from August 20th to 24th, also showcased trailers for Tarnished Edition, with the most exciting aspect being the opportunity for players to experience the new classes firsthand.

Heavy Knight, clad in a black, heavy-plated armor set and wielding a curved greatsword, showcases the game's ongoing improvements and efforts to bring new content and exciting features.

Disappointing Results

While the news of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition's release on Switch 2 delighted loyal fans, it doesn't mean players are indifferent to the game's quality.

Players anticipated a gaming experience on Switch 2 comparable to PC and other platforms, but player demonstrations clearly show that the current game's performance falls short of their expectations.

Videos of players playing Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Switch 2 can be found on various platforms, revealing that smooth gameplay is somewhat strained.

It doesn't offer the smooth combat performance players expected. Frame rate drops and stuttering occur in almost every action except when the player's character is stationary.

Furthermore, when there are many elements in the scene, they appear more like flat textures than three-dimensional objects.

These points to one fact: the game's performance is unstable.

For a large-scale open-world adventure game, these are almost fatal problems. During the adventure, you need to constantly pay attention to your surroundings, be wary of potential enemies and bosses, and game lag can make it impossible to detect enemy attacks during adventures and battles.

An even more absurd situation is that you see a boss attack, but because of game lag, you can't use your chosen skill in time. In such cases, your character can only take hits and damage.

Both situations can lead to character death, and the consequence of death is the loss of all Elden Ring Runes. Although you have the opportunity to return to the death location to retrieve these runes, you would certainly prefer to avoid this situation if possible.

Besides performance issues, Switch 2's reliance on buttons to control character movement is uncomfortable for many players accustomed to the keyboard and mouse combination on PCs.

The cumbersome button layout makes unfamiliar players feel overwhelmed in combat, not only failing to provide enjoyment but also turning exploration into a burden.

If the release is still in this state, it's easy to imagine how many negative reviews Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition will receive from players.

Looking Forward To The Release

To address the technical issues raised by players, on October 23rd, the official announcement was made that the release of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition would be delayed.

This is a correct decision for both players and the game developers.

While the delayed release will disappoint players, it's acceptable to play a more satisfactory game a little later than to keep failing in a half-finished game and even lose all resources and runes.

For a game, it's better to carefully polish it and strive for excellence in every aspect than to rush out a buggy game and disappoint the audience. A well-made game will always have its audience.

With the immense popularity of Elden Ring IP, players will probably have high expectations for this game that blends the original game and Shadow of the Erdtree.

In short, the release of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Switch 2 has been fraught with difficulties. Although it's still uncertain when it will be released in 2026, we all look forward to its return with a brand new look, living up to the expectations of players.

Although the release of Elden Ring Nightreign has diverted some attention from the base game, Souls-like ARPG Elden Ring, which became a global sensation in 2022, remains a popular goal for players to explore.

As a game with rich mechanics and up to 10 playable classes, the exploration of Elden Ring builds is nearly endless. While build crafting is mostly based on class, you can also create a build with a specific style through specific gear or skills.

With this in mind, this article will explain how to craft a ninja-style build in Elden Ring.

Ninja-Style Fashion

While clothing is just a bonus to your combat, considering we're introducing a ninja-style build - and since ninjas aren't a class - you should make your style known to your opponents through clothing, which is the most conspicuous way to communicate your style!

Since there aren't any pre-set ninja-style sets in the game, you'll have to rely on your own aesthetic to find the right armor to pair with your build. Of course, the black hood and mask are essential, practically the defining elements of a ninja's look.

As for other parts, such as gloves or leg armor, simply ensure they're dark and complement the other armor pieces. If you're looking for existing plans to directly customize your look, consider the following armor or sets:

• Prisoner Set
• Bandit Mask
• Samurai Gauntlets
• Ronin's Armor
• Black Knife Set

Of course, style is one aspect; the armor itself also provides protection against different types of damage and affects attributes like weight and balance.

So, when designing your look, consider not only the appearance but also the armor pieces you choose that offer good combat benefits. At least for ninja builds, your combat style should prioritize agility, so armor shouldn't be too heavy.

It's worth noting that there are no set bonuses in Elden Ring, so you can mix and match armor freely without worrying about missing out on any extra buffs.

Weapon Choice

You should know that Samurai is one of the starting classes. While it's not the same concept as a ninja, the gear available not only looks good in ninja style but also offers impressive combat effectiveness when used properly.

Most of the available Samurai weapons resemble Japanese swords, and each one has a different method for obtaining. If your character originally chose Samurai class, you should have at least Uchigatana. If not, follow the instructions below to farm it.

Uchigatana

This long sword, the starting Samurai weapon, is hidden in Deathtouched Catacombs. Enter the northern Limgrave, find Saints Bridge, and proceed to the end of the dungeon to find it.

Nagakiba

Enter Bloody Finger Hunter Yura questline near Site of Grace south of Agheel Lake. Find Yura to complete the quest, or simply kill him to obtain Nagakiba.

If you consider yourself a softie (even though Yura is only an NPC) or want the armor as a bonus, you can find him at the following locations to complete the quest:

• Second Church of Marika in Altus Plateau
• Near Murkwater Cave
• On the bridge near Main Academy Gate Site of Grace

Rivers Of Blood

Travel to the snow-covered area in the northern part of the map, starting at Freezing Lake Site of Grace, to find Church of Repose. Bloody Finger Okina will appear; defeat her to obtain this weapon.

Other Weapons

If you prioritize damage over appearance, you can look beyond Samurai weapons and explore weapons that balance agility and lethality.

Take Smithscript Dagger, for example. This weapon, added in Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, is a throwing blade that performs well in both ranged and melee combat.

More importantly, it can be thrown and instantly returns to your hand, like a souped-up version of a true ninja's kunai. Enter Ruined Forge Lava Intake and reach the end of the corridor to find it.

Alternatively, Claws of Night are also excellent, as they also have the ability to return instantly after being thrown. They can be obtained by defeating Swordhand of Night Anna in Cathedral of Manus Metyr beneath Finger Ruins of Miyr during Ymir's questline.

Choosing The Best Ashes Of War To Obtain Armaments

Ashes of War is a unique mechanic in Elden Ring. Essentially, equipping this type of items will grant new skills and affinities to your gear, playing a crucial role in enhancing your build's overall strength.

For ninja builds, good dodging and stealth are essential combat styles, allowing you to stealthily close in and kill enemies, much like an assassin. For this reason, we recommend prioritizing the following Ashes of War:

• Bloodhound's Step: This provides excellent evasion capabilities by replacing dodging with a long-distance teleport dash.
• Assassin's Gambit: Grants invisibility and minimizes your footsteps, allowing you to catch enemies off guard and backstab them.
• Unseen Form: Allows you to become partially invisible, making it harder for enemies to detect you from a distance.

Of course, there are many other Ashes of War with similar effects. If you want more to add, you can actively kill bosses, explore the open world and loot corpses or chests, or buy Elden Ring runes and redeem them at merchants.

In short, while ensuring your appearance is as ninja-like as possible, you should always focus on agility, mystery, and decent damage output as the core of your Elden Ring ninja build. We hope our suggestions help you have a great gaming experience!