Mastering Elden Ring New Game Plus A Complete Strategy To Enhance Your Second Playthrough

Completing Elden Ring for the first time is a monumental achievement. But for many players, the true journey begins in New Game Plus (NG+). With tougher enemies, increased rewards, and the freedom to experiment, NG+ offers a deeper, more strategic experience. However, diving into a second run without preparation can lead to frustration. This guide breaks down how to maximize your NG+ experience through smart planning, optimized builds, efficient routing, and long-term progression.

Understanding New Game Plus Mechanics

When you defeat the final boss and trigger the ending, Elden Ring unlocks New Game Plus. You retain all stats, equipment, runes, and key items—except quest-specific ones like Miquella’s Needle or endings-related keys. Enemies scale up in health and damage, starting at +50% in NG+ and increasing further in subsequent cycles. The world layout remains unchanged, but enemy placements and affinities may shift slightly.

The real value of NG+ lies not just in difficulty, but in opportunity. You can refine your build, explore missed areas with better gear, farm rare materials, and tackle optional bosses like Malenia with greater confidence. Each NG+ cycle resets rune farming potential, making it ideal for stockpiling resources for endgame upgrades.

Tip: Save before triggering the ending to preserve your pre-endgame state. This lets you complete any unfinished side quests or collectibles before committing to NG+.

Optimizing Your Build Before Entering NG+

Your first clear determines the foundation of your NG+ run. Take advantage of your knowledge and gear to create a more refined character. Consider respeccing at the Larval Tears if your initial build felt underpowered or inefficient. Now that you understand enemy patterns and map layouts, prioritize synergy between weapon scaling, spells, and defensive stats.

• Focus on synergy: A bleed bandit build should invest in Dexterity and Mind, while a glintstone sorcerer needs high Intelligence and adequate Focus.
• Upgrade key weapons early: Bring a fully upgraded weapon into NG+ or plan to upgrade it quickly using preserved Smithing Stones.
• Don’t neglect FP: Even melee builds benefit from healing spells or Ashes of War with utility effects. Allocate points accordingly.
• Test before committing: Try different weapon types or incantations in your final hours to see what suits your NG+ vision.

“New Game Plus isn’t about reliving the same journey—it’s about rewriting it with purpose.” — Kaelen Richards, FromSoftware Community Analyst

Strategic Route Planning for Efficient Progression

One of the greatest advantages of NG+ is knowing where everything is. Use this knowledge to craft an optimal route that minimizes backtracking and maximizes reward acquisition. Instead of following the main path linearly, prioritize areas based on item access, summonable allies, and critical upgrades.

Recommended NG+ Priority Path

1. Lake of Rot: Access early via tunnel near Grand Cloister. Farm Furlcalling Finger Remedy and powerful late-game weapons.
2. Mountaintops of the Giants: Unlock the Flame of Ruin for massive AoE damage. Also grants access to crucial late-game story progression.
3. Ainsel River & Deeproot Depths: Retrieve the Dark Moon Ring and other talismans essential for magic builds.
4. Shaded Castle: Obtain the Ancestral Follower Spirit Ash for reliable DPS.
5. Consecrated Snowfield: Defeat Commander Niall or Sir Gideon Ofnir for unique armor sets and stat-boosting consumables.

This non-linear approach skips weaker early-game regions and fast-tracks access to high-impact gear, significantly reducing overall grind.

Resource Management and Farming Efficiency

In NG+, runes are abundant, but time is precious. Avoid mindless farming. Instead, target specific enemies or locations that yield high returns relative to effort.

Farming Target	Location	Reward per Hour (Est.)	Best For
Crystalian Warriors (x3 spawn)	Capital Outskirts	250,000–300,000	Early-mid NG+ rune farming
Soldiers with Eleanora's Lantern	Scadutree Base	400,000+	Mind builds / Spirit Tuning
Putrid Crystallians	Deeproot Depths	150,000 + Radagon Icon	Talisman farming
Tree Sentinel (Respawn via Site of Grace)	Limgrave	100,000 + Greatsword	Weapon acquisition

Tip: Equip the Godskin Swaddling Cloth and use the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia to double boss rune drops. Combine with Homing Medium Roundshield for safer farming.

Mini Case Study: Turning Around a Struggling Fire Knight Build

Player Alex completed their first run as a Strength-based knight but struggled with stamina management and lack of mobility. Entering NG+, they decided to pivot to a fire incantation tank using the Fire Knight armor set and Misbegotten Flame Seal.

Using prior knowledge, Alex headed straight to the Divine Tower in Liurnia to boost Intelligence to 20, then collected the Carian Regal Sneaksword and sold excess gear for runes. By prioritizing Altus Plateau early, they acquired the Blasphemous Blade and upgraded it rapidly. With 40 Faith and dual-wielded flame seals, Alex achieved over 800 fire damage per hit and defeated Malenia in NG+2—something they couldn't do in their first playthrough.

The lesson? NG+ allows reinvention. Knowledge from the first run enables smarter stat allocation and faster access to transformative gear.

Checklist: Preparing for a High-Impact NG+ Run

• ✅ Complete all major side quests (especially Sellen, Alexander, and Hyetta)
• ✅ Collect every Map Fragment and activate Sites of Grace
• ✅ Upgrade at least one primary weapon to +25
• ✅ Stockpile 10+ Larval Tears for future respecs
• ✅ Obtain powerful Spirit Ashes (Ancestral Follower, Lhutel the Headscutter)
• ✅ Farm key Talismans (Radagon Icon, Erdtree Emblem, Primal Glintstone)
• ✅ Save before defeating final boss to finish loose ends

Frequently Asked Questions

Does New Game Plus get harder after the first cycle?

Yes. Enemy health and damage increase with each NG+ cycle—approximately +50% in NG+, +100% in NG++, and so on. However, rune rewards also scale, making later runs viable for high-level gearing.

Can I carry multiple endings into NG+?

No. Only one ending can be chosen per save file, and NG+ follows that conclusion. However, you can reload a pre-endgame save to experience different endings across separate NG+ branches.

Do boss remembrances stack between playthroughs?

No. Each boss can only be defeated once per playthrough to obtain their Remembrance. To collect multiples, defeat them in different NG cycles.

Conclusion: Elevate Your Journey Beyond the First Win

Mastering Elden Ring’s New Game Plus transforms completion into evolution. It’s not merely replaying the same world with higher numbers—it’s refining your understanding, optimizing your power, and exploring paths previously out of reach. Whether you’re chasing a perfect build, conquering optional bosses, or simply savoring the Lands Between with greater mastery, NG+ rewards deliberate strategy and informed choices.

🚀 Ready to redefine your run? Apply these strategies in your next NG+ cycle, document your progress, and share your breakthroughs with the community. The Erdtree grows stronger with every rebirth.