New player asking a few questions about invasions

[Zeek]

First off, I'd like to apologize if this sounds like this is complaining. I am just genuinely confused and would like to clear up some questions I have.

So my roommate and I have (finally) started Elden Ring for the first time yesterday (PS5/PS4); And, we are having a good time! Well, was...

We started getting invaded. Which is fineee, I don't mind that. It's part of the game, and it's not like it's Bloodborne where it's 8 years old. So it's still popular. I 100% expected this and was like welp, when it happens... It happens.
However, some of the w e a p o n s they have..
Is kinda fricking nuts.

So that prompted me to break a vow, and start looking up just a wee bit about the game on the wiki. I found that there is a level restriction on invasions, unlike in Wolong. Fantastic. That means that these invaders should be like Lv20 at most when I'm lv10.
But, I guess I am really bad at finding these cool items? I had one invader, using a spiky sickle. I guess they had some kind of invisible spiky trap too? Because I remember running around and all of a sudden I'm spiked up on a Thursday, and am stun locked for like 30 seconds while this person wails on me. (You won't believe me, but I did die.) I don't remember the status effect that got applied ONCE I died. They also had the equivalent to Fire Paper from Bloodborne.
I did a lil more digging into the discussions on this forum(?) and found that there's trading in this game?? That's insane. Any level players being able to drop anything and everything to any other players is super cool. But I feel like this is being misused, and people are making new characters, dropping high level end game crap, and then abusing new players.

So I suppose my questions are,
Is there a level restriction on invasions?
Am I really that bad that I'm missing out on these really cool items?
Are they hackers coming into my game? (They are killable tho. I almost killed the invader with the spiky stuff by timing my axe's Heavy Attack to hit their ...assuming light attack from their spiky sickle, then I got hit with that spiky trap)
Is 'trading' (dropping stuff for other players) real?
And I want to ask why, but I know why. People are miserable.

With all that being said, I'm having a fricking blast. My only souls-like experience was first Bloodborne until Rom from 2015 (Im about to beat Bloodborne for the first time finally 😌) and Code Vein. I fricking loveeee Code Vein. What an awesome experience, and I thought it was solid all around. But I really like the god eater world and premise.

But for my last question,
Is it there anything that can be done to level the playing field, or temporarily stop invasions while playing with my buddy?

I don't mind the invasions, I really don't. If people want to be ♥♥♥♥♥, and beat on new players for literally no reason at all other then to bring themselves happiness in their miserable freaking lives; Then I will be their punching bag. But my roommate HATES them, With a BURNING passion. They see them as griefers, and they can't stand griefers. They also doesn't like PvP in souls likes. It's not accurate enough for them. They'll get hit from far away, or especially when their hit lands on the invader, and it doesn't count. It sends them into a RAGE. Which is whatever to me, I understand. I get hella pissed off too at things. I'm sure every gamer coming from our day and age does. But, I do dislike seeing them like that. I want them to have fun, like I am. Now, they are having 'fun', but I want them to have the happy fun. Not the, I'm pissed off and now we gotta complete this boss no matter what because I'm pissed off fun. It's different. I like laughing, joking, having a good time with my buddy.
And even though it is my world that we are currently doing, and I am the one losing runes, it doesn't bother me..it bothers them. And I worry for when we are actually more then like 10ish minutes past the first grace, actually in in the game, and then we lose runes on their side. I really want to play this game, and experience it; And I refuse to do it without my gaming duo, my partner. I don't want to see them quit the game because of some low-life griefers and the experience not being 100% fluid in PvP.
So that's why I'm making this post. Thanks y'all for reading and thank you in advance for the help!
----
P.S. Fun fact, I played this game lil after release after I got on tour. I didn't realize the little wisps from the graces telling you where to go.... Actually, thinking about it, I probably was like "Oh? That's the way I'm supposed to go? ... Naw I don't want to miss free stuff." And went to the Erdtree behind the Stranded Graveyard. I did end up succeeding eventually, killed the .. tree dude? there. I started making-my-way-downtown, walking fast, my pace is fast, and I'm Grace-bound. When, I found this chest...
This mofo chest TELEPORTED???? me to ...what was the place called, Sellina mines? The place that has the Embershard Beast.
Fun fact #2, you can't teleport out of that area. And I, still on that save file, am maidenless. I didn't go to the grace at the broken church with the merchant... So it never triggered Mel... Melanie? The maiden, to come to my world.
Fun fact #3, after going through my recordings, It took me about 10 hours, 36 minutes, and some odd seconds to beat the Embershard Beast, who one of my viewers nicknamed Kenneth.
Frick Kenneth. I finally killed him, and never played again until... Yesterday 🤣.

Edit: W e a p o n s is a censored word, so I fixed the hearts showing up

[echo_ML]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Zeek:

So I suppose my questions are,
Is there a level restriction on invasions?

Yeah. The game checks your player level and your weapon level and then only matches you with other players on a similar level (unless you summon with passwords)

Oprindeligt skrevet af Zeek:

Am I really that bad that I'm missing out on this really cool ♥♥♥♥?

Not sure what you mean by this.

Oprindeligt skrevet af Zeek:

Are they hackers coming into my game? (They are killable tho. I almost killed the invader with the spiky stuff by timing my axe's Heavy Attack to hit their ...assuming light attack from their spiky sickle, then I got hit with that spiky trap)

the guy that invaded you with the "spike trap" sounds like a hacker. Theres not too many, so just block them and you should be good.

Oprindeligt skrevet af Zeek:

Is 'trading' (dropping stuff for other players) real?

Yeah. Theres people in the forum begging for endgame items at early levels all the time.
Also, you didn't hear this from me, but theres a cheat engine you can use to give yourself items and still play online

Oprindeligt skrevet af Zeek:

But for my last question,
Is it there anything that can be done to level the playing field, or temporarily stop invasions while playing with my buddy?

Ooooooh boy thats a sensitive topic. There is a mod you can download called seamless co-op, but that completely removes invaders from the game, and it sounds like you don't really want that if im reading this right.
So, just be prepared to deal with the annoying invaders, it shouldn't be too hard since you outnumber them.

Edit: Fixed formatting

[Dragonirian]

Moth, he's on playstation, seamless can't save him.

[echo_ML]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Dragonirian:

Moth, he's on playstation, seamless can't save him.

thank god, another gamer saved from the cheat mod🙏

Edit: i didn't give you that jester i swear

[Hex: Rauschepauli]

i started playing with a friend of mine again and we try to keep ourself weak. started to run alot of invasions like meta chasers, endgame items in the early game and people that have more flasks as an invader then me and my buddy combined is insanly annoying but it seems that these people target stormveil the most. outside of that the invasions have calm down and are more even so i recommend to just rush through that area. so far we only ran into one hacker which both of us could not hit (attacks went right through him). will say tho beating one of these feels great. all they want to do is prey on new players and beating them even tho you are weaker is amazing.

[Zeek]

Oprindeligt skrevet af echo_ML:

Yeah. The game checks your player level and your weapon level and then only matches you with other players on a similar level (unless you summon with passwords)

I see! My roommate and I are using a password to get to each other. Does this lift the requirements for invaders?

Oprindeligt skrevet af Zeek:

Am I really that bad that I'm missing out on this really cool ♥♥♥♥?

Oprindeligt skrevet af echo_ML:

Not sure what you mean by this.

My apologies, it was meant to say "Am I really that bad that I'm missing out on these really cool items?"

Oprindeligt skrevet af echo_ML:

the guy that invaded you with the "spike trap" sounds like a hacker. Theres not too many, so just block them and you should be good.

That's a shame. Doing a lil more research it seems like the trap and the sickle were applying the same status effect, possibly Death Blight.

Oprindeligt skrevet af echo_ML:

Yeah. Theres people in the forum begging for endgame items at early levels all the time.
Also, you didn't hear this from me, but theres a cheat engine you can use to give yourself items and still play online

Haha, I am playing on the PS5, so I don't think that would work for me. And I like to play with the natural progression too. The fact that there is trading is really really cool!

Oprindeligt skrevet af echo_ML:

Ooooooh boy thats a sensitive topic. There is a mod you can download called seamless co-op, but that completely removes invaders from the game, and it sounds like you don't really want that if im reading this right.
So, just be prepared to deal with the annoying invaders, it shouldn't be too hard since you outnumber them.

I don't think I can mod my Elden Ring because I'm on PS5, but I did see AfroSenju play the seamless coop mod and it's super cool! I'm sad my computer is so old that I can't participate in that haha.
Thanks for the help!

[Zeek]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Hex: Rauschepauli:

i started playing with a friend of mine again and we try to keep ourself weak. started to run alot of invasions like meta chasers, endgame items in the early game and people that have more flasks as an invader then me and my buddy combined is insanly annoying but it seems that these people target stormveil the most. outside of that the invasions have calm down and are more even so i recommend to just rush through that area. so far we only ran into one hacker which both of us could not hit (attacks went right through him). will say tho beating one of these feels great. all they want to do is prey on new players and beating them even tho you are weaker is amazing.

Hey thanks! We are currently trying to beat the dark horse guy that only shows up at night on a bridge. I'll also, if I have too, have to look up where stormveil is. I'm currently in Limgrave. Thanks for the advice, and good luck to ya on your runs as well!

[Complaintdesk]

Having played all the games of the Souls franchise I knew what to expect when I started playing Elden Ring. My son gifted me this game and told me from the start not to level my weapons to high. Because I knew I would be spending a lot of time co-op'n with my son I did not level my weapons beyond level 5. This also includes weapons not currently being carried by one's character. Weapons placed in storage are considered part of a character's arsenal, and are considered when the Ai collects data for matchmaking. This really seemed to help a lot as invasions were minimal and my son, nephew and I came out on top more than not.

[csand]

You will take some Ls for awhile and invaders will seem insurmountable, but the more you fight the better you will become. And you will start putting up more and more wins. It won't take long!

They may have weapons found later but all weapons can be good in this game in fact some of the best are found in the first area!

Remember for every regular team the invaders can handle easily, there are numerous hardened teams and bank squads ready to push them in the dirt. So invaders need to come ready to hang.

One day, you might try invading yourself and develop a love for it as many of us have I highly encourage that. Feel free to add me if you want to do some fight clubs sometime

[Dragonirian]

Oprindeligt skrevet af echo_ML:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Dragonirian:

Moth, he's on playstation, seamless can't save him.

Edit: i didn't give you that jester i swear

What do you mean?
Give me points NOW!

[Zeek]

Oprindeligt skrevet af csand:

You will take some Ls for awhile and invaders will seem insurmountable, but the more you fight the better you will become. And you will start putting up more and more wins. It won't take long!

They may have weapons found later but all weapons can be good in this game in fact some of the best are found in the first area!

Remember for every regular team the invaders can handle easily, there are numerous hardened teams and bank squads ready to push them in the dirt. So invaders need to come ready to hang.

One day, you might try invading yourself and develop a love for it as many of us have I highly encourage that. Feel free to add me if you want to do some fight clubs sometime

Absolutely! I am unfortunately on PS5, instead of PC so I don't think I'd be able to join many on this discussion. I think invasions are fun! I like seeing the different builds people bring in. My roommate and I had to fight some people in Bloodborne in the Amydala section, and I had a good time, but my roommate didn't haha. I just wish my roommate would 😔 I find invasions are just part of the ecosystem of these games and even though I haven't played much of any of them, it's still cool to see people participating in such activities, years later.
Edit: Tell your guinea pig I love them and WIEK WIEK (I am sorry I have no bits of apples)

[Zeek]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Complaintdesk:

Having played all the games of the Souls franchise I knew what to expect when I started playing Elden Ring. My son gifted me this game and told me from the start not to level my weapons to high. Because I knew I would be spending a lot of time co-op'n with my son I did not level my weapons beyond level 5. This also includes weapons not currently being carried by one's character. Weapons placed in storage are considered part of a character's arsenal, and are considered when the Ai collects data for matchmaking. This really seemed to help a lot as invasions were minimal and my son, nephew and I came out on top more than not.

Could it be possible that my roommate coming into my world with the Grafted Scion's weapons (the very first boss you are supposed to die too) be affecting this? Neither of us have upgraded any weapons.

[NikemanBOOM]

OP's got the single greatest mindset I've ever seen from someone posting on these forums. Hot damn. Give him a break, Reds. Man deserves that much.

If you wanna determine the range of levels that you and your buddy are encountering folks, you can use this, although I'm unsure if it's entirely accurate.

https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Summon+Range+Calculator

The actual weapons you use have no bearing on matchmaking, AFAIK. Only their upgrade level paired with your rune (character) level. Good luck, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the game.

[Zeek]

Oprindeligt skrevet af NikemanBOOM:

OP's got the single greatest mindset I've ever seen from someone posting on these forums. Hot damn. Give him a break, Reds. Man deserves that much.

If you wanna determine the range of levels that you and your buddy are encountering folks, you can use this, although I'm unsure if it's entirely accurate.

https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Summon+Range+Calculator

The actual weapons you use have no bearing on matchmaking, AFAIK. Only their upgrade level paired with your rune (character) level. Good luck, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the game.

Thanks! Tbt, I dealt with a lot of ♥♥♥♥ no one should have to deal with as a kid; Which strengthened my mentality 20 years later to the dood I am today. 😎 I don't know what the saying is for Elden Ring, but for Bloodborne I know we say: "Happy Hunting!"

[surreptitious]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Zeek:

First off, I'd like to apologize if this sounds like this is complaining. I am just genuinely confused and would like to clear up some questions I have.

So my roommate and I have (finally) started Elden Ring for the first time yesterday (PS5/PS4); And, we are having a good time! Well, was...

We started getting invaded. Which is fineee, I don't mind that. It's part of the game, and it's not like it's Bloodborne where it's 8 years old. So it's still popular. I 100% expected this and was like welp, when it happens... It happens.
However, some of the w e a p o n s they have..
Is kinda fricking nuts.

So that prompted me to break a vow, and start looking up just a wee bit about the game on the wiki. I found that there is a level restriction on invasions, unlike in Wolong. Fantastic. That means that these invaders should be like Lv20 at most when I'm lv10.
But, I guess I am really bad at finding these cool items? I had one invader, using a spiky sickle. I guess they had some kind of invisible spiky trap too? Because I remember running around and all of a sudden I'm spiked up on a Thursday, and am stun locked for like 30 seconds while this person wails on me. (You won't believe me, but I did die.) I don't remember the status effect that got applied ONCE I died. They also had the equivalent to Fire Paper from Bloodborne.
I did a lil more digging into the discussions on this forum(?) and found that there's trading in this game?? That's insane. Any level players being able to drop anything and everything to any other players is super cool. But I feel like this is being misused, and people are making new characters, dropping high level end game crap, and then abusing new players.

So I suppose my questions are,
Is there a level restriction on invasions?
Am I really that bad that I'm missing out on these really cool items?
Are they hackers coming into my game? (They are killable tho. I almost killed the invader with the spiky stuff by timing my axe's Heavy Attack to hit their ...assuming light attack from their spiky sickle, then I got hit with that spiky trap)
Is 'trading' (dropping stuff for other players) real?
And I want to ask why, but I know why. People are miserable.

With all that being said, I'm having a fricking blast. My only souls-like experience was first Bloodborne until Rom from 2015 (Im about to beat Bloodborne for the first time finally 😌) and Code Vein. I fricking loveeee Code Vein. What an awesome experience, and I thought it was solid all around. But I really like the god eater world and premise.

But for my last question,
Is it there anything that can be done to level the playing field, or temporarily stop invasions while playing with my buddy?

I don't mind the invasions, I really don't. If people want to be ♥♥♥♥♥, and beat on new players for literally no reason at all other then to bring themselves happiness in their miserable freaking lives; Then I will be their punching bag. But my roommate HATES them, With a BURNING passion. They see them as griefers, and they can't stand griefers. They also doesn't like PvP in souls likes. It's not accurate enough for them. They'll get hit from far away, or especially when their hit lands on the invader, and it doesn't count. It sends them into a RAGE. Which is whatever to me, I understand. I get hella pissed off too at things. I'm sure every gamer coming from our day and age does. But, I do dislike seeing them like that. I want them to have fun, like I am. Now, they are having 'fun', but I want them to have the happy fun. Not the, I'm pissed off and now we gotta complete this boss no matter what because I'm pissed off fun. It's different. I like laughing, joking, having a good time with my buddy.
And even though it is my world that we are currently doing, and I am the one losing runes, it doesn't bother me..it bothers them. And I worry for when we are actually more then like 10ish minutes past the first grace, actually in in the game, and then we lose runes on their side. I really want to play this game, and experience it; And I refuse to do it without my gaming duo, my partner. I don't want to see them quit the game because of some low-life griefers and the experience not being 100% fluid in PvP.
So that's why I'm making this post. Thanks y'all for reading and thank you in advance for the help!
----
P.S. Fun fact, I played this game lil after release after I got on tour. I didn't realize the little wisps from the graces telling you where to go.... Actually, thinking about it, I probably was like "Oh? That's the way I'm supposed to go? ... Naw I don't want to miss free stuff." And went to the Erdtree behind the Stranded Graveyard. I did end up succeeding eventually, killed the .. tree dude? there. I started making-my-way-downtown, walking fast, my pace is fast, and I'm Grace-bound. When, I found this chest...
This mofo chest TELEPORTED???? me to ...what was the place called, Sellina mines? The place that has the Embershard Beast.
Fun fact #2, you can't teleport out of that area. And I, still on that save file, am maidenless. I didn't go to the grace at the broken church with the merchant... So it never triggered Mel... Melanie? The maiden, to come to my world.
Fun fact #3, after going through my recordings, It took me about 10 hours, 36 minutes, and some odd seconds to beat the Embershard Beast, who one of my viewers nicknamed Kenneth.
Frick Kenneth. I finally killed him, and never played again until... Yesterday 🤣.

Edit: W e a p o n s is a censored word, so I fixed the hearts showing up

You are playing with cheaters,
The whole Invasion system is a joke.
I have people in my discord that are lvl 100 with 99 in every stat
Unlimited volumes of every item .
Maxed stats like they are level 700+ but character sheet says 100

Invasion is by far the worst most ill conceived feature of an otherwise pretty good game.

Have fun playing with the cheaters..
When you are ready , go download seamless coop and say goodbye to the cheating scum .

[csand]

Oprindeligt skrevet af surreptitious:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Zeek:

*snip

You are playing with cheaters,
The whole Invasion system is a joke.
I have people in my discord that are lvl 100 with 99 in every stat
Unlimited volumes of every item .
Maxed stats like they are level 700+ but character sheet says 100

Invasion is by far the worst most ill conceived feature of an otherwise pretty good game.

Have fun playing with the cheaters..
When you are ready , go download seamless coop and say goodbye to the cheating scum .

Don't bother too much with this post OP. You have the right attitude. You'll notice a few (only a few thankfully) of posters like this who have some axe to grind so they make hyper negative posts. They hate this game and they community, and they hate themselves, I can only assume, cause why else would you post on a forum for a game you hate?

That said there are a few cheaters but it's not really any more than any other game, and in particular save game stat editing like this guy is yapping about is a quick route to a ban. On PS5 you will encounter a few even but nothing to serious (maybe infinite health) and they get their account banned after a 2 week warning anyways.

For reference, I have probably 800 hours in pvp in this game alone and I can count the # of cheaters I've met on 2 hands