As soon as a player has finished Elden Ring, they can start a new playthrough, bringing most of their progress over from their previous playthrough. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you understand and make the most of New Game Plus (NG+) in Elden Ring, so you can experience the game again with tougher enemies, new strategies, and the ability to try different builds.
Accessing NG+
•Unlocking: After defeating the final boss and choosing an ending, you'll have the option to start NG+ immediately or explore further in your current game. Choose "Yes" to begin NG+ or later visit the Table of Lost Grace at the Roundtable Hold to select "Begin Journey 2."
What Carries Over to NG+
•Character Level: Your Tarnished's level and stats remain.
•Inventory: Most items, including weapons, shields, spells, talismans, consumables (like arrows and bolts), upgrade materials, crafting materials, Remembrances, Spirit Ashes, and Ashes of War are kept.
•Key Items: Dragon Hearts, Larval Tears, and Stonesword Keys carry over.
•Map: You retain the full map view but must revisit all Sites of Grace to unlock them again.
What Does Not Carry Over
•Sites of Grace: You lose access to all previously activated Sites of Grace; you'll need to discover them anew.
•Story Progression: The game world resets, meaning all bosses and enemies are alive again.
Changes in NG+
•Difficulty Increase: Enemies have more health and deal greater damage. Here's an approximation of the difficulty scaling:
•NG+1: Enemies have 1.3x HP and deal 1.1x damage.
•NG+2: Enemies have 1.6x HP and deal 1.2x damage.
oThis scaling continues up to NG+7, where enemies have 3x HP and deal 1.7x damage. After NG+7, the difficulty caps.
•Runes: The amount of runes earned from defeating enemies increases significantly, allowing for quicker leveling if you're trying to reach higher levels.
Preparation for NG+
•Level Up: Aim for a higher level before entering NG+; around level 100-150 is often recommended, though this depends on your build and playstyle.
•Upgrade Gear: Fully upgrade your weapons and flasks. Flasks should ideally be at +12 with 14 uses.
•Collect Items: Gather all necessary upgrade materials, spells, and equipment you might want for different builds or strategies.
•Endings: If you're interested in achievements or just want to see all endings, you can continue NG+ cycles to unlock different endings, as your ending choice does not reset with NG+.
Strategic Considerations 
•Build Flexibility: Since NG+ is more challenging, consider builds with good survivability or damage output. Hybrid builds can offer versatility.
•Spirit Ashes: Ensure your favorite Spirit Ashes are fully upgraded as they can be crucial in the tougher fights.
•New Challenges: Some players enjoy NG+ for the increased challenge and to experiment with new builds or strategies knowing the game's mechanics well.
Additional Notes
•NG+ and DLC: If you're considering the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, which introduces a new region, your NG+ status might influence how you approach it due to the increased difficulty.
Conclusion
Elden Ring's New Game Plus (NG+) offers players the chance to experiment with new builds and playstyles, as well as increased difficulty and better rewards. You can keep enjoying Elden Ring in a fresh and exciting way by using NG+ regardless of whether you're looking to challenge yourself, explore different endings, or try out new strategies. Prepare well, stay flexible, and embrace the challenge as you travel again through the Lands Between!
