You Can Start New Game Plus in Elden Ring Up to Seven Times
As an avid Elden Ring player with over 200 hours across multiple playthroughs, one of the most common questions I see is: how many times can you restart New Game Plus? From my experience and research, the answer is you can repeatedly play NG+ for a maximum of seven journeys.
What is New Game Plus?
For those unfamiliar, New Game Plus (NG+) is an unlocked mode that lets you replay the game from the beginning while carrying over key elements from previous playthroughs:
- Character level, stats, weapons, spells
- Upgraded flasks, great runes
- Discovered map data, sites of grace
- Crafting recipes, bell bearings
Enemies and bosses get tougher with each NG+ cycle to provide new challenges. It‘s a chance to test your skills against buffed foes or just appreciate the world more.
How New Game Plus Works in Elden Ring
To enter NG+, you must first complete the game by defeating the final boss. Then:
- Travel to the Site of Grace at the Erdtree roots in Leyndell
- Select "Begin Journey 2" when prompted
- Repeat for up to Journey 7 after beating the game each time
You can initiate a new cycle from this special Site of Grace whenever you want.
Tip: Make sure to cleanup any unfinished business, farm rare gear, or collect crafting materials before starting Journey 2. It‘s your last chance before enemies get tougher!
What Carries Over into New Game Plus
Nearly all key progress and most items remain in NG+ cycles. Here‘s a partial list:
| Carried Over | Reset / Lost |
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As you can see, you maintain your hard-earned power gains while most one-time rewards are reset.
NG+ Journey Details & Difficulty Curve
Enemies get stronger with each additional playthrough based on the "Journey" you are on:
- Journey 1: Your first regular playthrough
- Journey 2: NG+, first replay with buffed enemies
- Journey 3-7: Subsequent NG+ cycles, increasing in difficulty
The ramp up is quite noticeable. From Software has tuned NG+7 to be an intense challenge even for seasoned players. One analysis found the final journey increased enemy HP and damage by over 50% compared to the first playthrough.
Pro Tip: Level vitality early in each NG+ so your health bar can withstand late-game boss combos. More vigor = longer survival!
Are you up for the test of Journey 7 and beyond? Let me walk you through what I‘ve learned pushing to NG+ max level.
Tips for Pushing to NG+7 and Beyond
Repeating late NG+ journeys takes patience and the right build. Here are my top strategies:
- Spec health first: Vigor should be 40+ before end-game bosses
- Lean on spirit summons: Draw aggro away from you
- Use enemy resistances: Farm gear to counter certain damage types
- Take breaks: Walk away rather than rage quit!
I also recommend mixing up your playstyle in NG+. Try a new weapon class or magic build – it keeps things fresh.
Respec at Rennala often until you find an approach that clicks. The most important thing is having fun with the challenge!
Give Elden Ring‘s New Game Plus a Try
I hope this guide has shed some light on how NG+ works and just how far you can take it in this expansive game. Journey 7 awaits the truest Elden Lords among us.
What NG+ level have you reached so far? Planning to push further? Let me know in the comments – I‘m happy to offer more tips to conquer these brutal replays!
