Why Missing This Elden Ring Character Will Ruin Your Day

"Elden Ring" already presents players with a non-stop gauntlet of difficult foes and perilous challenges, but players can inadvertently make their time with the title even more difficult. Though "Elden Ring" has only been in players' hands for a little less than a week, the title has already proven itself a massive success, generating a glowing reception from fans and critics alike. However, with its immediate popularity and the scores of players diving right into the title, some are finding that they're accidentally making the game harder than it has to be.

Early on in "Elden Ring" there's an interaction with an NPC that's easy to miss. While this NPC isn't the one that connects all FromSoftware titles, skipping a conversation with them means players won't have access to an item that adds a near-essential gameplay feature. "Elden Ring" introduced a Spirit Summoning mechanic that lets players call forth ghostly apparitions of enemies to fight on their behalf — but before players can use the power of Spirit Summoning, they'll need an item offered by a peculiar witch. Meeting this NPC will require specific conditions to be met and necessitate some planning around the game's day/night cycle. Here's how finding the witch Renna, and obtaining the Spirit Calling Bell, can make players' lives much easier in "Elden Ring."

Renna can be encountered fairly early in "Elden Ring," but she'll remain elusive to players until a specific set of conditions are met (per PC Gamer). Firstly, players need to have already acquired the ability to call upon their magical mount, Torrent. From there, players will want to seek out the Church of Elleh location at night, or simply pass time at the nearby Site of Grace until evening. Resting at the Site of Grace should trigger an interaction between players and Renna, resulting in the acquisition of the Spirit Calling Bell. Though it is possible to miss this encounter entirely, players can still purchase the Spirit Calling Bell from the Twin Maiden Husks once they reach Roundtable Hold.

Spirit Summoning is a neigh-essential tool for any player making their way through the Lands Between as it allows players a brief respite from the non-stop enemy aggression. While the summoned Spirits won't be strong enough to take on groups of enemies or bosses on their own, they provide a few vital seconds of distraction and can be leveled up to become more powerful. The feature is especially useful for those who eschew summoning other players to help take on the game's challenges. 

Players may have already expected "Elden Ring" to present a stern difficulty, but now they're beginning to see that the title forgoes any hand-holding — even to the extent of missing a game feature.