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Elden Ring's Colosseum is a free DLC update introducing an organized PvP system and several PvP balancing updates to weapons, weapon arts, and spells. With its possibility of hosting as many as six players in a match, allowing great flexibility in combat format, and comparing ranks with the new arena ranking system, the Colosseum DLC is a much-needed update to a game with such a wide variety of playstyles.
The combat system is far different from any other organized PvP arenas we've had before from FromSoft, so it's best to treat this DLC on its own grounds and with its own terms. Downloading the DLC isn't enough to jump into the PvP world. Unlocking all this has to offer demands the player perform a certain level of exploration to unlock all arenas and combat formats.
An Overview Of The Colosseum
The Colosseum is really 'Colosseums' - three in total. Each one is spread across the Lands Between in its own unique locations, enabling different PvP modes:
- Limgrave Colosseum - United Combat and Combat Ordeal
- Leyendell Colosseum - Duel Combat
- Caelid Colosseum - Spirit Ash capabilities
Once you enter a Colosseum, you can access that arena's unique combat formats and physical location.
When an area is unlocked, you won't need to travel to the Colosseum to access it. Instead, you can access and use the unique traits of each Colosseum from the statue of Marika in the Roundtable Hold, found in the center room to the right of the fireplace where Roderika can sometimes be found standing.
If you wish to fight from the site of the Colosseum you're at, interact with the large state of Marika at the altar.
Interacting With The Combat Menu
By interacting with a state of Marika, you'll be able to view the combat menu. From here, you can customize your experience. Your options include the following:
- Select the format of combat
- Determine the number of players
- Choose whether to allow Spirit Ashes
- Re-learn what each combat style does.
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Make a password to play with select friends
- Like any game with multiplayer, each of you will need to enter the same password to play on a team
- Customize which team to play on and their restrictions
- Pick an arena to fight in
Ranking Up In PvP
You can also see your ranking for each type of combat format in the top right corner. Based on your performance in PvP, you'll be able to grow each banner into other colors and titles:
- Bloody Finger Rank
- Hunter Rank
- Recusant Rank
- Duelist Rank
- Furled Finger Rank
Currently, there are no rewards for your rank, and there is no way to look at your win-loss ratio. You do not win anything upon achieving victory in a match. This may change later, but for now, the color of your banner is the only way to see your progress in Elden Ring's PvP.
How To Unlock Each Colosseum
To begin, you must first find and unlock each Colosseum. This is done by locating the large, unmistakable buildings and walking in through the front door. You will receive the prompt announcing a new combat format being added and can interact with the statue of Marika.
Limgrave Colosseum
This is likely the first Colosseum you'll be able to access. Its location is easy to find and reach from the start of the game. Progress through Limgrave up Storm Hill and to the Warmaster's Shack Site of Grace.
From there, head north, ignore the spawning wolves, and find the Colosseum waiting for you beyond the forest on an empty plateau. Reaching this Colosseum will give you access to Combat Ordeal and United Combat - as well as, naturally, the Limgrave arena venue.
Leyendell Colosseum
Progressing to the Colosseum in Leyendell requires an exceptional effort. You'll have to first reach the Royal Capital, and entering the city typically requires defeating a difficult Draconic Tree Sentinel on the northern side gate. It is recommended to be somewhere around Level 80-90 before sieging the capital.
From there, you'll need to cross the city, use the stone dragon's body by climbing its wing on the city's west side, and drop onto the ramparts. Take the bridge across to find the Colosseum resting at the top of a large hill.
If your Leyndell has changed:
SPOILER
If your city has instead become the Ashen Capital, there will notably be some changes in how to proceed to the Colosseum. You'll need to head from the Ashen Capital Site of Grace and continue to the place marked on the map above by climbing onto Gransax, the great dragon, and dropping onto a crumbling rampart where you can visibly see a ladder.
Climb the ladder, pass where a site of grace used to be, and ignore the enemies on the bridge. You'll be able to cross everything, take a right onto the other bridge leading to the Colosseum, and climb the hill with no fear of combat. Head straight in and claim your prize.
By claiming this Colosseum, you'll have the right to engage in Duel Combat format and fight at the Leyndell arena venue.
Caelid Colosseum
This is the trickiest Colosseum to unlock. To do so, you will need to discover Siofra River first. Once found, progress far enough to reach the Worshipper's Woods on the far east side of the map. Ignoring the enemies along the way, travel north to find the Below the Well Site of Grace and a large stone structure.
Climb the structure and interact with the gargoyle pedestal to unlock the elevator required to raise into Caelid; you will need two Stonesword Keys. Once activated, take the elevator to the surface and the Deep Siofra Well Site of Grace in Caelid.
Ahead of you are numerous exploding enemies you can run past with Torrent. Once past, there will be two Giant Golem Archers in your way. Take out the first as soon as you see it, using the tight passageway to keep the second Golem Archer further along from hitting you. Once downed, race toward the second Golem Archer and defeat it quickly.
In front of the Great Jar are sigils you will need to interact with. These spawn the Great Jar's warriors, and there are three in total you must defeat. If you are defeated by one of these bots, you do not have to restart the trial of the Great Jar. Simply defeating one permanently counts as a win for you.
Continue fighting until all three are defeated, and you'll be rewarded with the Great Jar Arsenal talisman and access to the colosseum door hidden behind the Great Jar itself.
Each spawn of the Great Jar Warriors will be entirely different as the sigils randomly select and copy one build of a real player that fought against the Great Jar Warriors previously while in online mode, creating a source of millions of builds and playstyles that is entirely too random to predict.
This has been confirmed by Matt Gruen and other sources used by VaatiVidya. Essentially, you will have to do PvP against an NPC to unlock this last arena.
Once inside, you'll be able to choose Spirit Ashes as a combat option and the Caelid arena as a venue.
Combat Formats
There are three main combat formats to fight in, and each format requires - at the very least - an adjustment in your strategy and build for optimized success. However, for those looking for fun and a laugh, the options to go full into chaos or invite friends for a silly bout exists here too. Like the rest of Elden Ring, the experience you walk away with is entirely yours to define.
Duel
This is the most straightforward type of combat and the more recognizably traditional style. The rules are straightforward:
- 1v1
- No flasks
- No respawns
- Choice of Spirit Ashes (if Caelid Colosseum unlocked)
- Fight to the death within the time limit
- Winner is the last standing
The strategy here is quite simple: kill your opponent before they kill you. However, in the 1v1 duels, the veterans of the Souls community would like to remind you of the expected terms of engagement. Using a gesture (usually a bow) at the beginning of combat and before the fighting begins is good manners. Gesture once, be done, and get to slashing each other.
Combat Ordeal
The Combat Ordeal is a free-for-all that is nothing like the 1v1 Duel Format. Where 1v1 is usually considered a fairly serious place with some grace in manners, Combat Ordeal spits in the face of all of that and begs a level of chaos hence unseen. The rules of Combat Ordeal are:
- Six players fight in a free-for-all
- Limited flasks (1HP/1FP)
- Respawns available
- Choice of Spirit Ashes
- The one with the most kills in five minutes wins
The strategy here is also relatively straightforward: kill as many people as you can as fast as you can. Planning AOE spells is a fantastic strategy for this type of combat format. Optimizing yourself for survivability is generally not recommended as you won't easily compete with fast damage output individuals.
United Combat
Like Combat Ordeal, United Combat boasts as many as six players for a round and relies on whomsoever has the most kills. However, United Combat allows you to create teams instead of fighting for yourself. The rules of United Combat are:
- Six players fight on teams of 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3
- Limited flasks (1HP/1FP)
- Respawns available
- Choice of Spirit Ashes (if Caelid Colosseum unlocked)
- The team with the most kills in five minutes wins
United Combat strategies are typically more nuanced than a free-for-all or duel. Keeping your teammates alive can be a valid strategy, as can being the tank front-runner for your group.
How To Play With Friends
In the Combat Menu used to set up Colosseum games, one option involves setting a "Colosseum Password." When you set a password, you will only be paired with other players that have set that same password. So to play with friends, you need to ensure that everyone participating has the same password. The Elden Ring servers should handle things from there.