Banned for nothing -- all I did was a Save File Backup?

[LockePaddon]

I just logged into Elden Ring and found out my account has been penalized for 180 days. I haven’t modded the game or used any hacked items.

The only thing I can think of is that I used the Nexus Tools Character Manager (https://www.nexusmods.com/eldenring/mods/3103?tab=description) to download a character just before Radagon. I defeated him and backed up the save file to get the last two ending achievements (Elden Lord and Frenzied Flame within five minutes). I deleted this character directly after.

But there was no stats or weapon or enemy modification, so I don't understand why this would result in a ban... I did this once before two years prior and never got banned (but I didn't get any achievements). I also didn't find anyone else using this tool getting banned.

Is it possible that the extremely close proximity of these achievements resulted was flagged and resulted in the ban?

The thing is, I didn’t notice the ban until I transferred my data from my old PC to a new computer a month later. This data did not have the character I got the achievements with. Is it possible that I somehow got banned for transferring my files from computers?

I don’t mind waiting the 180 days since I’ve already beaten the game and don’t plan on playing anytime soon. However, I don't want to get banned again (obviously). Is there anything I can do to ensure I don't get banned that does not include deleting my save file? Am I fine to keep everything as it is because none of my characters are modded?

Please help, thanks!

[Morton Koopa Jr.]

Steam clouds gotta be turned off right?

[Weyrlock]

To put it shortly, if you mess with your save file in this particular game, you're eligible to this happening. There's many ways to avoid this, but if you use someone else's save like this, this is bound to happen.

[LockePaddon]

Originally posted by Weyrlock:

To put it shortly, if you mess with your save file in this particular game, you're eligible to this happening. There's many ways to avoid this, but if you use someone else's save like this, this is bound to happen.

That's fine, I'm aware that this was dumb lol. I am not too worried about the actual ban -- like I said, I wasn't planning on playing in the next 6 months anyways. I am just worried that I am still at risk to get banned again. Is my entire save file flagged or should it be fine now?

[LockePaddon]

Originally posted by Morton Koopa Jr.:

Steam clouds gotta be turned off right?

That might have been the issue, though I thought I did turn that off. Can't do anything about it anymore regardless.

I am just wondering what I should do now -- do I have to delete my entire save file or should I be fine? I already deleted the character in question, are my others ok to keep?

[Señor Brown]

Originally posted by Stag:

Originally posted by Morton Koopa Jr.:

Steam clouds gotta be turned off right?

That might have been the issue, though I thought I did turn that off. Can't do anything about it anymore regardless.

I am just wondering what I should do now -- do I have to delete my entire save file or should I be fine? I already deleted the character in question, are my others ok to keep?

I'd recommend contacting Bandai Namco and asking about the ban. You'll want the date that your account was flagged so you have a reference for the duration of the ban. It may also help in the case that you are still banned after six months (there have been posts about this).

And of course, purge any save files associated with the ban. Make sure your cloud save doesn't have anything either.

[LockePaddon]

Originally posted by Señor Brown:

Originally posted by Stag:

That might have been the issue, though I thought I did turn that off. Can't do anything about it anymore regardless.

I am just wondering what I should do now -- do I have to delete my entire save file or should I be fine? I already deleted the character in question, are my others ok to keep?

I'd recommend contacting Bandai Namco and asking about the ban. You'll want the date that your account was flagged so you have a reference for the duration of the ban. It may also help in the case that you are still banned after six months (there have been posts about this).

And of course, purge any save files associated with the ban. Make sure your cloud save doesn't have anything either.

Thanks, I am in the process of doing so right now. How does one check his cloud data?

[Señor Brown]

Originally posted by Stag:

Originally posted by Señor Brown:

I'd recommend contacting Bandai Namco and asking about the ban. You'll want the date that your account was flagged so you have a reference for the duration of the ban. It may also help in the case that you are still banned after six months (there have been posts about this).

And of course, purge any save files associated with the ban. Make sure your cloud save doesn't have anything either.

Thanks, I am in the process of doing so right now. How does one check his cloud data?

You boot your game with Cloud Saves enabled and see what save is loaded. And if you don't like what you see, then you either:
- Copy a different save file over the existing file (make sure it's nothing related to the ban)
- Delete the current save file

And then boot the game with Cloud Saves off. Once you reach the main menu, turn Cloud Saves back on while in-game and then exit the game. It should upload and overwrite your existing cloud save. You can boot the game with Cloud Saves enabled again to be sure.

[LockePaddon]

Originally posted by csand:

Restoring a save file from a much older version of the gam can result in a ban.

Restoring a save file where the same character has way more runes (ie, before you resotews your had 0 runes, and the restored save had 100k runes) makes it look to the system like you added runes thru a save file edit. - ban

Save files have a unique ID to you embedded in them. Using a downloaded save file without overwriting the embedded ID. - ban

Unfortunately your save file is now permanently flagged, so the only solution is to delete it and start from scratch if you want to be absolutely sure to avoid a ban in the future.

I did the same thing last year (resorted a very old save to get a different ending). I got a ban warning so I started a brand new save file but managed to restore my main character from my old file using the Elden ring save game editor:


- on your banned save file, load up the character you want to copy, get rid of ALL runes, save and quit

- move your banned save file out of the save game folder

- online - launch the game, it will generate a brand new legit save file, make a brand new character, walk around a bit, save and quit

- use the save game editor to transfer that old character to the new save file

- disconnect your internet - restore the "new" save file into the save game folder, launch the game, load the transferred character. Save the game and quit

Now you can play online again. I did this last spring (2023) to get my first character back and haven't had a ban or warning. I have also used this method to duplicate a couple characters for PvP purposes. YMMV as always though

Thank YOU SO MUCH This is really helpful! I just checked my save files and my main character in NG+ had 200,000 souls so this must have been flagged when I either transfered data from one pc to another or when I did the save file backup.

Also, might I ask what save game editor you used? I want to replicate what you did perfectly.

[ZTL-Altima]

I do manual backup and restoring since day one with Elden Ring and nothing happens.

Most nexus mod stuff just sucks.

[Crazybite]

save file editing is not allowed in EULA. not even for this tiny thing you did.

[Skeleton]

Originally posted by Stag:

I haven’t modded the game

Originally posted by Stag:

I just used this mod that tampers with save files

wew

[Scuzz]

Originally posted by Morton Koopa Jr.:

Steam clouds gotta be turned off right?

I have used a manual save in the past without messing with the steam cloud. But it has been awhile so maybe that has changed?

[Sparhawk 59]

Originally posted by Scuzz:

Originally posted by Morton Koopa Jr.:

Steam clouds gotta be turned off right?

I have used a manual save in the past without messing with the steam cloud. But it has been awhile so maybe that has changed?

nothing has changed been doing manual back ups for all souls games since 2016 inc today several times

[夢見がちな鹿]

Save editing is not allowed. The tool touches characters inside saves directly. You'd better delete all the edited saves.

[Nxce]

You didn't get banned for nothing, you got banned because you used a modded save file and the game detected it, you know it's true.