Elden Ring: Patch 1.17 Brings New Combat Classes and the Tarnished Pack DLC

Elden Ring is getting an update: Bandai Namco and FromSoftware have released Patch 1.17, and fittingly, the free “Tarnished Pack” DLC also launches today. The patch is part of the update that comes standard with the new Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2, but it applies to all platforms equally.

What Changes Does Patch 1.17 Bring to Elden Ring?

FromSoftware is once again tweaking the balance with this update. Here's an overview of the most important points:

• Parrying has been significantly buffed and is now worthwhile in more situations than before
• The Stormwall spell no longer consumes FP
• Smithscript weapons have had their damage adjusted and are now more competitive
• Perfume Bottles receive noticeable buffs to range and effect
• Various bug fixes for collision detection and isolated skill interactions

Overall, it's a classic balance update, similar to what FromSoftware has been consistently delivering every few months for years.

What's Included in the New Tarnished Pack DLC?

The “Tarnished Pack” is free and primarily adds cosmetic and class-related content: two new starting classes called Heavy Knight and Idus Knight, three new skins for the mount Torrent, and four additional armor sets that existing players can unlock. For those who have already completed the game, this provides a reason for another journey through the Lands Between.

Why Is FromSoftware Still Supporting Elden Ring with New Content?

From our perspective, this patch primarily shows one thing: for FromSoftware, Elden Ring is far from a finished project. Since its release in 2022 and the major “Shadow of the Erdtree” DLC, the studio has kept the title alive with regular balance patches, similar to how they supported Dark Souls 3 for years. There are solid reasons for this: Elden Ring remains one of the studio's best-selling games and drives new sales waves with every new platform version, such as the current Switch 2 release. Our initial assessment of the Tarnished Edition's review scores already indicated that the Switch 2 version is technically impressive — and with the new DLC, it now receives additional fresh content for both new and existing players.

Source: Bandai Namco, RPG Site

Have you already tried the new starting classes? Share your first impressions of the Tarnished Pack DLC in the comments!