Souls game challenge runs are nothing new, with everything from no hit runs to roleplaying or nonsense builds being a thing, and Elden Ring is no different. One player, GinoMachine, decided to take on a challenge run of the Godskin Duo and fight these fearsome foes using only their fists to deal damage.
Indeed, because FromSoftware's Souls games are often defined by their difficulty, beating one is an achievement. Beating one or even just bosses by imposing certain challenges that make it even harder has become a full tradition, be it older FromSoftware titles or its most recent, Elden Ring.
GinoMachine went into the Godskin Duo fight using only his fists to deal damage, though he did carry a shield as well. The fight took him 5.5 hours to beat, showing his dedication to the challenge. As seen below, it's a rather impressive victory. Godskin Duo is often heralded as one of the biggest roadblocks in Elden Ring, as players have to manage both Godskin creatures while dealing enough damage to eventually beat them. There are plenty of strategies for the Godskin Duo and some players didn't have a whole lot of trouble, but depending on a player's build, these creatures and the tactics of their boss fight are not easy even with a full kit.
To do so with fists may seem like madness, especially when it takes so long to deal enough damage to beat them, but it's this kind of madness that shows the strengths of the Elden Ring community. Since its launch, players have designed builds that absolutely shred Elden Ring bosses (even beating the final bosses in one hit each), designed builds that are absolutely ridiculous and just for fun, and imposed challenge runs that feel near impossible. The triumph over challenge runs like this is reward in and of itself, and it stands to reason that there will be Elden Ring challenge runs for years to come.
Indeed, FromSoftware is rumored to be working on Elden Ring DLC, which will no doubt introduce a plethora of new bosses. FromSoftware game DLC has a tendency to be even harder than the base game, and given enemies like the Godskin Duo or perhaps more obviously Malenia, that's a terrifying proposition in the best of ways. No doubt, players will be self-imposing challenge runs like this there too, proving time and again how creative the community is.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.