Ever since Demon's Souls, the Souls games have played with various ways to include unique multiplayer elements outside of traditional co-op or PvP. Elden Ring does have both of those systems, of course, but also all the older mechanics that are more passive. Things like ghosts of other players running around the world, or bloodstains you can activate to see how another player died before moving forward, help make the world feel more alive, but the most popular mode of asynchronous multiplayer has to be the messaging system.
Just as in Demon's Souls, and nearly every Souls game that FromSoftware developed afterward, Elden Ring allows players to write messages on the ground that will appear in other players' worlds. These can be helpful tips, celebrations, warnings, but most often cruel jokes. These scribbles are a great way for the community to interact, for better and for worse, that is almost completely unique to these games. Getting the ability to write messages, and then knowing how to actually do it, is a bit odd for newcomers, so here's everything you need to know about how to leave messages in Elden Ring.
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How to get the Tarnished's Wizened Finger
Each Souls game includes a special item for each aspect of its multiplayer. In past games, messages were written using soapstones, but in Elden Ring the item in question is the Tarnished's Wizened Finger. This is almost impossible to miss, unlike some other key items, but here's how to get it if you've yet to start the game.
Simply go through the tutorial and pick up the Tarnished's Wizened Finger from a corpse resting against the wall.
How to write messages in Elden Ring
Once you have the required item, you are free to begin leaving messages in the world of Elden Ring. There are two ways you can do so, one a bit more convenient than the other. We'll start with the slow way.
Step 1: Either go into your inventory and select the Tarnished's Wizened Finger item or select it from your quick slot.
Step 2: The messaging menu will pop up, letting you choose from a set of templates, or from all words. You're a little limited in what you can write, but there are ways to say just about anything you would reasonably want to.
Step 3: Once you have the message you want to write, hit Finish and it will be placed exactly where your character is standing.
Step 4: If you'd rather not keep this extra item in your quick slot, or rummage through your inventory to find it, you can also just hit pause and select the Messages option near the bottom to instantly start writing a message.
Messages can be rated as positive or negative, and if yours gets rated you will get a nice little heal for helping someone out. Just be aware that you're not invincible when writing messages, and the game doesn't pause, so make sure the coast is clear before getting out your pen. Leaving helpful messages in smart spots can end up saving you a ton of health if it gets highly rated, so leave some good tips for your fellow Tarnished!
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