How to start new game plus in Elden Ring, what you keep and what you lose

New game plus is a core component of the FromSoftware “Soulsborne” experience, and Elden Ring is no exception. Playing and replaying games like Elden Ring is crucial to maximizing your character’s potential while facing new, more difficult challenges in a second (or third… or fourth…) playthrough.

In Elden Ring’s new game plus experience, you’ll start the game fresh, with all bosses and enemies respawned — and they’ll return with more health and deal greater damage. To compensate for these stronger enemies, you’ll retain your character’s level, weapons, summons, spells, and abilities, but you’ll lose some key items and the ability to teleport around the game’s map at Sites of Grace.

New game plus in Elden Ring is worth experiencing when you’re ready for it. For a full explanation of what new game plus in Elden Ring means — including details about how to start new game plus and what carries over in new game plus — check out our guide to what you can expect.

How to start new game plus in Elden Ring (aka “Journey 2”)

Once you’ve defeated Elden Ring’s final boss and seen one of its six endings, you’ll have the option to continue with your current playthrough — helpful if you want to clean up anything you missed — or begin a new journey. You’ll be presented with the following prompt:

Begin Journey 2? If you do not start over now, you can choose to begin Journey 2 later at the Table of Lost Grace in Roundtable Hold.

If you select “No,” you’ll continue in your original playthrough, where you can explore further and complete any remaining side quests or tasks. When you’re done with everything you’d like to do, you can visit the Roundtable Hold, where you’ll have the option to select “Begin Journey 2” at the Table of Lost Grace.

If you select “Yes” from that prompt or choose “Begin Journey 2” at the Table of Lost Grace, you’ll restart Elden Ring right from the very beginning, at the Chapel of Anticipation, where the Grafted Scion probably killed you in your first boss battle. The good news is that you’re far better equipped to dispose of that boss this time.

Choosing to start your new game plus journey will write to the same save file you’ve been using thus far; the game won’t create a separate save file for you.

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What do you keep in Elden Ring new game plus?

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

In new game plus, you will retain your Tarnished’s current level, any Runes you had when you finished your original playthrough, and much of your inventory: weapons, shields, spells, talismans, consumables, arrows and bolts, upgrade and crafting materials, Remembrances, Spirit Ashes, and Ashes of War. You’ll also keep many key items, like your cookbooks, pots, perfume bottles, crafting kit, Crystal Tears, and Memory Stones.

You also get to keep some important key consumable items, like any Dragon Hearts, Larval Tears, and Stonesword Keys that you had in your inventory at the end of your first playthrough.

Lastly, you’ll retain your view of the game’s map, and the key locations you discovered in your previous playthrough will remain visible.

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What you lose in Elden Ring new game plus

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

Though you retain the full view of Elden Ring’s map, you’ll lose access to all the Sites of Grace you visited previously; you’ll need to unlock them all again in your new game plus playthrough. Any unfinished side quests from your previous playthrough will also be reset.

In terms of inventory, you’ll also lose access to key items that are generally part of side quests or game progress. That includes literal keys (like the Academy Glintstone Key and the Dectus Medallion halves) and items that progress questlines, like the Fingerslayer Blade and Pureblood Knight’s Medal. You’ll also lose Great Runes acquired from boss fights and Mending Runes earned through questlines.

Any Bell Bearings you unlocked or turned in will also disappear, though they’ll be available for purchase through the Twin Maiden Husks’ shop in the Roundtable Hold if you turned them in during your previous playthrough.

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Elden Ring new game plus difficulty: How much harder is Elden Ring new game plus?

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

Just as bosses and questlines reset in Elden Ring’s new game plus, so do the items in its world. That means you can acquire duplicate versions of weapons from treasure chests and boss battles, allowing you to dual wield your favorites. You’ll also get access to additional Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears, making it easier to upgrade the Crimson and Cerulean Flasks to their full effectiveness.

Enemies may be stronger, but they also drop more runes when you kill them, making it easier to level up your character in a second playthrough. That extra challenge is also part of the fun; enemies that felt nigh-impossible in your first run may feel slightly easier in new game plus, while some will be even harder the second time around.

You’ll also be able to see Elden Ring’s various endings (and unlock their associated trophies and achievements) in new game plus and subsequent playthroughs (Journey 3, Journey 4, etc.). Here’s how to plan your next journey through the Lands Between if you want to unlock all Elden Ring’s endings.