How To Beat Elden Ring While Overloaded With Equipment
Beating "Elden Ring" is no easy feat, but that hasn't stopped some especially skilled players from doing it over and over again in increasingly challenging ways. For starters, there's the gamer who beat "Elden Ring" without taking damage, another who did it in a mind-blowing 2.5 hours, and one particularly goofy gamer who beat the game with their butt – just to name a few. Considering the rest of the world has found "Elden Ring" so difficult that its director gave an official apology to struggling players, the work of truly talented fans is all the more impressive.
One particularly noteworthy "Elden Ring" run was recently completed by YouTuber Iron Pineapple, known by his over 1 million subscribers for his "Dark Souls" videos. He's previously beat "Elden Ring" at Level 1, and though he insists he's not that good at the game, the evidence proves contrary.
On April 28, 2022, Iron Pineapple shared yet another challenge run of himself beating "Elden Ring" while Overloaded. Basically, equipment loads in the game determine whether one falls into a light, medium, or heavyweight class which influences the speed of rolls. However, if players exceed the three main categories, they'll be Overloaded, which leaves them unable to run, dodge, or jump quickly, inhibiting stamina recovery.
If Iron Pineapple emerged victorious in an encumbered state while adhering to strict, self-defined rules, perhaps other "Elden Ring" aficionados can follow suit. Here's how he pulled it off.
Sheer determination
Starting out strategically, Iron Pineapple chose the Vagabond class for its well-rounded blend of strong starting armor and decent stats for Vigor, Endurance, Strength, and Dexterity. He committed to being Overloaded from the start, plus doing the whole thing without a horse — just for fun.
Gameplay was creative by necessity. Iron Pineapple relied heavily on guarding, stealth, and creative positioning, not to mention undying patience. There's also the fact that Iron Pineapple is a seasoned "Elden Ring" player, so his knowledge of items, strategy, and overall inventive gameplay is advanced, making navigating the Lands Between easier.
Perseverance was the name of the game, though, as Iron Pineapple consistently discovered new ways to win as he went. Though being Overloaded eliminates the ability to dodge, Iron Pineapple found an exception: when knocked onto his back, he was allowed to hit dodge to perform a recovery roll, which ended up being quite helpful. He also had to be creative when traversing around the Lands Between. Despite a ledge that almost stopped him, Iron Pineapple realized the Ground Slam skill would keep things moving, as it included a small jump.
What really set Iron Pineapple apart was his attitude. In his words, "It probably sounds ridiculous to some of you, but this was really exciting to do. The game was not designed to be played like this, so it was never a given if I could actually make progress with these self-imposed rules. Therefore, every small victory felt that much bigger, like I was defying Miyazaki in some meaningless way."
Meticulous equipment selection
Choosing the right equipment for the situation sets a novice "Elden Ring" player apart from an expert one, and that was clear in Iron Pineapple's victorious Overloaded run. He kicked things off strong with the Gilded Greatshield and the Barricade Shield skill. Thrusting weapons being usable with a shield was a huge asset, as well as a ranged Shortbow.
Each boss presented its own set of challenges. Proper timing for Barricade Shield, healing, and stamina recovery were key to the defeat of Godrick the Grafted. As for beating Radahn, the Quickstep skill, summoning NPCs, and Scarlet Rot were to thank. After Iron Pineapple added the Spear Talisman and Greatshield Talisman to the mix, physical damage boss Godfrey was an easy kill. Morgott was a different story, so crafting Ironjar Aromatics and upgrading the thrusting weapon to the Cleanrot Knight's Sword was the move. Multiple enemies and a defensive Bull-Goat Set later, a very challenging fight with the Fire Giant was won thanks to an epic assist by Iron Fist Alexander, the warrior jar.
For progressing through bosses in the late game, the addition of the Fingerprint Stone Shield was a huge asset. For the battle with Godfrey, the Great Stars hammer plus Prayerful Strike both restored HP, making victory possible. The various bosses were subject to a variety of weapon combinations, but by the time of Radagon's final battle, Iron Pineapple went with just the Fingerprint Stone Shield. The only addition for beating Elden Beast was Quickstep.
As if that wasn't enough, Iron Pineapple even beat Malenia just to prove it was possible while Overloaded. Overall, it was an incredibly impressive run full of useful tips.