Multiplayer is not only a popular aspect of the Souls games, but for some players, it’s essential for getting past boss encounters. Elden Ring, FromSoftware’s latest RPG, features online co-op and PvP, but playing with or against friends isn’t the most straightforward process. You need to use specific items and you must follow certain steps to get multiplayer to work — which the game doesn’t explain very well. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with what you need to know to play multiplayer in Elden Ring via the “summoning” feature. Here’s how it works.

How to summon other Elden Ring players

The main way to summon players is to utilize a Furlcalling Finger Remedy. Doing so gives you the ability to see other players’ summon signs on the ground. If you interact with one of these signs, you’re able to summon that particular player for help. Remember, gold signs represent allies, while red signs are for adversaries (yes, you can summon a player to do battle against). Players can summon up to two additional allies to assist them in battle.

You find Furlcalling Finger Remedies throughout the world but you can also craft them with Erdleaf Flowers. Since the Furlcalling Finger Remedies are one-time-use items, you’ll want to have plenty on hand to ensure you can continue summoning players. If you and your co-op partners fail, you’ll have to consume another Furlcalling Finger Remedy, so be sure not to waste them.

The other way to summon players is to use a Summoning Pool. These are typically found at the start of an area that contains a boss, represented by a small statue of a person hanging from a crucifix. Interacting with it allows you to summon players who have submitted their summoning sign to that particular Pool by using the Small Golden Effigy. The Smal Golden Effigy is found by examining the Martyr Effigy at The First Step.

How to get summoned by other players

Players who want to be summoned must place down a summoning sign by using the Tarnished Furled Finger. This item is found on a dead body close to the Site of Grace at the Stranded Graveyard before taking the elevator to The First Step. This is not a one-time-use item, unlike the Furlcalling Finger Remedy.

There are certain areas in which a summon sign cannot be placed, but so long as you’re within a section that contains a boss, you should have no trouble. It’s best to place your signs right in front of Sites of Grace or by the boss fog wall to increase your chance of being summoned.

How to invade other players’ games

Part of the Souls DNA is being able to invade other players. That feature is present in Elden Ring and it works similarly to other FromSoftware games. To invade another player, you must utilize the Festering Bloody Finger, which is acquired from White-Faced Varré in the Rose Church at the Liurnia of the Lakes. Doing so will match you with a random player within your summoning range. Your goal when invading is to eliminate the host and once you do, you’ll be sent back to your world.

You can also summon a player to battle by interacting with a red sign on the ground. To place an invasion sign, you must use a Duelist’s Furled Finger, found on a corpse hanging from the doors in the Stormhill Colosseum. This works like placing a cooperative summon sign, but will send you to another player’s world to defeat them, rather than help them.

As an adversary, you can use the Finger Severer to go back to your world before taking out the host. Or, if you are the host, you can use this item to banish a cooperative partner. You cannot banish an invader.

How Elden Ring summoning range restrictions work

To keep things as fair as possible, FromSoftware has implemented a summoning range restriction, which only pairs certain players with one another. This is a feature in several Souls games and Bloodborne, working similarly in Elden Ring.

While it’s currently unknown what the formula is to determine that summoning range, you should be aware that factors like player level and max weapon level play a factor. One quirky tidbit about the weapon level range is that it takes into account the max weapon level you’ve ever held. So even if you sell this weapon, the game will still account for it.

However, if you use the password system, you don’t have to worry about summoning range restrictions.

How Elden Ring passwords work

By visiting the Multiplayer menu, you can set a password to your world, meaning only players who have the same password will be able to summon or be summoned by you. This can make it easy to play with specific friends. While the password system does circumvent the summoning restriction range, a higher-level player’s damage and stats will be nerfed to be more in line with the host to keep things fair. A lower-level player will not undergo any nerfs.

You cannot use the password system to prevent invasions, so if you don’t want to be invaded, you must play offline.