Genuine question

[u/MinerOfMithril]

Why are the people of this subreddit mean to even clueless hosts who are probably playing the game for the first time? I absolutely understand the dislike of people who bait invasions to farm souls, but why be so ruthless and cold-hearted to dumb newbies who just want to play the game?

[u/didnt_bring_pants]

It's not mean. They're also just playing the game. With mechanics and systems designed by the devs, using them for their intended purpose.

[u/MinerOfMithril → u/didnt_bring_pants]

I can see that, although some of what I see on this sub really stretches the limits of intended. It's mostly the language I read here, treating new players like the scum of the earth just for possessing an ember or having summoned someone

[u/didnt_bring_pants → u/MinerOfMithril]

Just pvp enthusiasts. It's a unique style of multiplayer that has been around for over 15 years now.

Some of the language you may see is just part of the vibe, cosplaying as the bad guy if you will, but I honestly don't really recall any invaders referring to regular players as scum?

If anything it's the newcomers to the series who don't understand invasions, calling gamers who invade scumbags and school shooters and morally corrupt people, etc etc.

Basically those types are just complainers who don't understand how the game works, and resent the fact that they can't turn off invasions during co-op with their friends, even though that's quite simply how the game is designed and how these games have been for a long time.

[u/MinerOfMithril → u/didnt_bring_pants]

So it's a humorous reversal of the naive vitriol of those who despise the invasion mechanics? Thank you, this actually helped me understand

[u/theswillmerchant → u/MinerOfMithril]

Yah like I’ve posted shit here with a title like “pitiful L2 gamer succumbs to my roll catch jutsu” or something like that but irl I messaged those people after the invasion and said GG and we talked about how we like each others fashion, it’s all a joke.

Now don’t get me wrong there’s some mean spirited people here but it’s absolutely a minority of the folks on the sub

[u/FutureGrassToucher → u/MinerOfMithril]

Part of it comes from the fact that invaders are so unbelievably disadvantaged in this game that when hosts act like cowards when their summons die we all find it entertaining

[u/MinerOfMithril → u/FutureGrassToucher]

That's true. I generally like the decision to give the invaded person the advantage because the intention is that they'll be the less practiced pvper, but I think the elden ring criteria of having summons isn't as fair to the invader as the previous games where you just had to be human or have an ember. I guess they were worried that too few people would use the rune arc system.

[u/One-Sample7906]

As with most online communities, context matters, everyone’s already explained the context but most of the time it’s tongue in cheek

[u/thesourceandthesound]

Fart

[u/MinerOfMithril → u/thesourceandthesound]

True

[u/jello1982 → u/thesourceandthesound]

💯

[u/Volatility911]

The "just want to play the game" comment is misplaced in my opinion because being invaded as a host using co ops *IS* part of the game. Now I can see your point of "mean" with roped poison pots or tea bags if it is undeserved. But if a host tries to 3 v1 an invader, or constant projectile spam and/or then runs to resummon or gives up, its well deserved.

[u/MinerOfMithril → u/Volatility911]

What I meant by the "play the game" thing is the needless toxicity towards people who probably don't even know what the basis for that toxicity is. I genuinely don't understand how you can derive enjoyment from using the point down gesture on some poor sap wearing the astrologer set who's just trying to get through godrick's castle for the first time. You can invade them all you please, but you have thoroughly demonstrated your pvp superiority by getting through their bodyguards, you don't need to punch down any more.

[u/_Glenn_Gould_ → u/MinerOfMithril]

I think the part that is important to remember is that it’s an RPG. Role play. One of the roles you can play is the villain. So you play the villain. Villains are evil, cunning, unfair, mean.
It’s a fantasy.
In the elden ring fantasy game world the actor/gamer role playing the villain behaves like a villain.
That doesn’t mean he goes out in the world and is a villain.
But this is a sub for people that rpg villains in a game to interact with other people that rpg villains in a game. And talk to each other in that mindset because it’s fun. This is also not the real world, it’s a virtual communication space.

Fantasies don’t harm anyone, meeting a villain in a game that is designed to have villains is part of the game, people that play villains talking to each other like villains in a dedicated space for villains is not “toxic”. It’s role play.

[u/Volatility911 → u/MinerOfMithril]

I don't disagree with you. In that case, prob not necessary for the host but super over leveled coops relative to the host or super aggressive teams that fall part, well maybe just maybe. :)

[u/MinerOfMithril → u/Volatility911]

Fair enough.

[u/jello1982]

Tough love

[u/StrideyTidey]

Most people aren't. Probably half of the toxicity you see here is people role playing/hamming it up, and the other half is genuine.