Elden Ring gives plenty of opportunities for co-op and competitive gameplay. Players can invite others to their world to help defeat a demanding boss, they can challenge them to a duel, and it’s even possible to invade another user's world to disrupt their progress. Many players choose to engage in the multiplayer component after finishing the game, and Elden Ring’s PvP meta evolves with every update.
While some areas prohibit multiplayer gameplay, it’s relatively simple to play Elden Ring with or against others. Players can leave a summon sign and help the host defeat the boss, or they can use a Bloody Finger that will transport them to another’s world with the goal of killing the host. Navigating the game’s world is hard, but battling an invader simultaneously makes it even more difficult. However, Elden Ring players are finding clever ways to trick their invaders.
A user named EarlyDescription6576 uploaded a short clip of a trick they used to avoid an invader. It shows them sitting in a church next to a bonfire, at the exact spot where merchants sit in Elden Ring. Furthermore, they are fully disguised as a merchant at the time of the invasion. The red phantom hilariously runs past the host, and EarlyDescription6576 simply gets up and follows after them. The video ends right at that moment, so EarlyDescription6576 probably got the jump on their opponent.
The host evidently equipped the Nomadic Merchant's Set to complete the trick, and many users are commenting on the steps they had to take to get it. The armor can be found in an underground area below Leyndell in Elden Ring, and it can only be obtained after defeating a difficult optional boss. Additionally, this path leads to what’s generally considered the bad ending of Elden Ring, so users are jokingly judging EarlyDescription6576 for their actions.
Fans are also questioning the decision to kill the original merchant, who was dressed as Santa, although there are no negative consequences for killing merchants in Elden Ring. Players can then take their Bell Bearings to Roundtable Hold and buy items from this centralized location.
One user stated that players can see through merchants and NPCs during invasions in Elden Ring, but it seems like the invader was unaware of this detail. Merchants in Elden Ring are also accompanied by a donkey that carries their wares, so it’s even more absurd for the invader not to find anything odd about the scene.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.