John Elden Challenge
“Ohhh… my lambkin. So eager to test your mettle, are you? To pit yourself against a single foe, again and again, until you’ve peeled away every comfort, every scrap of crutch, until nothing remains but naked steel and your wits? Mm, how delightful. Most Tarnished fling themselves at grace’s guidance and die nameless, but you… you choose the harder path. Each step, more cruel than the last, strips you bare, until your strength alone decides your fate. And when you fall, you’ll fall without ceremony. Yet should you endure… ah, then you may truly call yourself worthy. Now then, shall we begin? Heh… heh heh.”
What is the John Elden Challenge?
Strip away every safety net until nothing remains but your knowledge of the boss. You start as "John Elden", the most default classic knight and, step by step, remove shields, armor, healing, and upgrades. Each restriction forces you to adapt, sharpening your timing, spacing, and recognition of openings. By the end, you face the boss without leveling and with a +0 weapon.
Setup Instructions
This works on PC only, don’t really know how it could work on console, sorry...
Rolling, jumping, crouching, parrying always allowed.
- Install Boss Arena Sandbox mod and create a new character
- Advance to NG+
- Select one boss
- Setup John Elden build (the basickest defaultest dark fantasy knight build imaginable)
- Each step increases difficulty and is incremental, keep all previous conditions as you move forward
- For no leveling build, create a new character to be at NG, and use this John Elden No level build.
Select Boss
Main bosses
Minor bosses
Shadow of the Erdtree
Challenge Conditions
Conditions are incremental, keep all previous conditions as you progress
Start with John Elden build using Longsword 1H + Kite shield
No Spirit Ashes, no consumables, no spells
No great rune active
No guard counters
No shield, Claymore 2H only
No armor (naked)
No riposte / critical hit / backstabs
No Flask of Wondrous Physick
No talismans
No crimson flask, no healing
Switch to NG characterJohn Elden No Level build
No leveling, weapon +25 (NG)
No leveling, weapon +0 (NG)
No leveling, weapon +0 hitless (NG)