Part of what makes FromSoftware's RPGs so exciting to fans is the surprising depth of their gameplay. The sheer range of items, spells, weapons, and consumables come together in creative ways, and Elden Ring continues that legacy. What's particularly alluring about these systems of gameplay is when things work in ways that players may not have expected. Or even better, when they work in ways FromSoftware never intended. Such appears to be the case for the Elden Ring item named Margit's Shackle.
Margit's Shackle is an odd item to start. Its description claims that it's a "fetish bathed in golden magic" used to confine an Omen, specifically the Omen known as Margit. In practice, this means that the boss known as Margit can be kept from moving for a short period of time. It's a tool with a relatively exclusive usage. Except, that's apparently not the only use of Margit's Shackle. Elden Ring players are finding odd ways to use the item that may be helpful to others.
The first odd use of Margit's Shackle that players have discovered is to open hidden doors in Elden Ring. If players use Margit's Shackle in a room with a hidden doorway, the illusion will disappear. There's no need for the player to hit the wall with an attack or spell. It's unclear why this works. There's a theory that Margit's Shackle dispels illusions due to a unique way players interact with Margit in the boss' second appearance. Others think that using Margit's Shackle sends out a non-damaging AOE searching for Margit, but it lightly interacts with everything including hidden doors, and dispels them as a result.
Another massively useful purpose for Margit's Shackle is that it can trigger switches. That includes the flame-breathing pillars covered in gargoyle faces, in case some players don't have bows or throwing weapons on them. There are also glitches where Margit's Shackle can trigger switches through walls or the floor, which certainly isn't a planned behavior for any item.
This unique usage for Margit's Shackle makes it one of the most useful items in the game, if only because it makes playing the game faster and removes some frustrating obstacles. It can be used to break the game in certain circumstances, but only with foreknowledge of how to use it for specific exploits.
How an item like Margit's Shackle gets into the game is a grand mystery. Maybe FromSoftware never tested its full potential. Happy accidents do happen in FromSoftware games often. It's also more than possible that FromSoftware found the issues with Margit's Shackle and decided it was fine. It certainly adds fun gameplay to the game, rather than detracting from it. Either way, it's another toy for Elden Ring players to mess around with, if they choose.
Elden Ring is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.