This guide will answer one of the most important questions on your mind – what happens when you die in Elden Ring? How does death work and what do you lose? Let’s look at how the devs and director Hidetaka Miyazaki chose how players get affected in the game.

What Happens when you Die in Elden Ring?

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  • When you die, you respawn at the Site of Grace you last visited and drop all the Runes you were carrying at the location of your death. This place will be marked for you to head back to. Note that the enemies along the way may also respawn.
  • You can also respawn at a Stake of Marike (Statue) if it’s nearby. You don’t have to interact with a statue to add it as a checkpoint.
  • If you die in its area, you can choose to respawn there instead of the Site of Grace.
  • When you respawn at the Site of Grace, your HP will be replenished.
  • Luckily, you get a second chance to go back to the place where you died and collect the dropped Runes.
  • If you die in this journey before you reach the Runes, you will lose the location of the Rune drop and the Runes you were about to collect will be gone.
  • A new mark will be created which signifies your new location of death.

How to Get Back Runes without Dying?

There are a few ways to avoid engaging with enemies and retrieve Runes without dying during your second chance.

  • If you have played Dark Souls games, this mechanic is similar to bonfires. To fulfill your mission to get back all the Runes without dying, you can use the Spectral Steed Whistle and use the horse mount to speed past enemies.
  • You can also crouch, sneak and avoid enemies altogether.
  • In case you end up catching their attention, use the options of dodging, rolling away, blocking, and escape.
  • Use the hints given by other players in the form of messages to get an idea about an upcoming boss. It’s best to not have too many Runes on you if a tough fight is about to ensue.
  • Don’t risk things and make sure you have enough healing items to survive because it is going to be a tough journey.

Overall, this adds to the awesome challenge that Elden Ring has for players. As a fan of this genre, I am addicted to this game, and with this death penalty mechanic, From Software has got things right yet again.