# Elden Ring - DLC Speedrun Leaderboard Changes
*State as of 23.09.2024*

**This document aims to summarize all Elden Ring speedrun leaderboard changes with the DLC, as well as include all the new ruleset texts in their entirety.**

This comes after months of planning from the SoulsSpeedruns mod team, as well as other community members.

## Quick summary

Here's a quick summary of the most important changes. Detailed changes are found further down in the document.
- Leaderboard layout re-structuring: Categories will define run goals, while sub-categories will define run rulesets.
- Addition of DLC categories: "Defeat Consort" and "All Remembrances" (including DLC + Bayle)
- mIGT requirement on PC
- FPS patch + limit: A patch that fixes glitch inconsistencies between systems + FPS limits for selected sub-categories.
- Re-written and cleaner rules, with more explicit definitions

## Leaderboard layout

The most visible change is a re-structuring of the leaderboard categories and sub-categories. To put it simply, **categories define the goal** and **sub-categories define the ruleset** of the run. In addition to that, **console runs will get their own full category**.

These changes were made to serve as a consistent system that works well with the increased number of categories and rulesets that come with the DLC, as well as other requested changes.

The reason to put console runs in their own categories comes from the fact that sub-categories now serve a different purpose, as well as to give console runs a less "hidden" spot. In addition to that, **console runs won't be wiped every update now**. This is purely because a lot of the updates don't affect the run in a meaningful way, but wipes may still happen with larger updates or when requested by runners.

## FPS Patch

This FPS patch is a new addition that helps glitch consistency across different systems. It makes the game think and calculate everything as if it's running at exactly the specified FPS. To do that, it slows down during frame drops, which is why it will only be allowed during the execution of the glitches that require it.

The 2 primary use cases for it are **zips, which with it are no longer hardware-dependant** (although with massive FPS drops, timing may be off), as well as **legasus buffer setups, which are also now 100% consistent on weaker systems**.

In addition to that, the patch includes a **built-in FPS limitter**. This also means **external FPS limitters outside of the patch are not allowed**, since mixing those causes the game to run in slow-motion, including the timer, giving a massive advantage.

An autosplitter-integration is being worked on, however until that is done, you are allowed to use it in the form of a Cheat-Engine Table (make sure you set script execution to "always"): https://gist.github.com/Vinjul1704/a66a73151df660dae96b945296635b68

Keep in mind due to slight differences in how the CT and the autosplitter versions of the FPS patch work, differences in the effect they have in-game are not impossible, however so far none have been found during testing. In theory, the autosplitter version will be more accurate.

The CT uses frametime instead of FPS, which in this case you can calculate using "1 / x", with "x" being your desired FPS. You may not use a value of x lower than 20 or greater than 60.

Keep in mind that due to how the CT patch works, in order to use the stock FPS value with the patch active, you can not use "1 / 60" as the frametime and instead simply have to toggle the patch off and on, which restores the stock frametime value.

## Global rules

Let's start with rules that will be the same across all categories and sub-categories.

Most importantly, **mIGT will be a requirement for PC runs** moving forward. This means all runs need to use livesplit with the autosplitter active and time set to game time. This comes after discoveries that the stock ingame-timer is worse than previously thought and can allow you to **cheat yourself time** simply by the game not running 100% stable.

Additionally, there are minor updates and clarifications.

### Full global ruleset:

This ruleset applies to all categories and sub-categories. Exceptions may be made and listed in the category/sub-category rules.

All console runs must be submitted to the console category. All other categories are purely for PC. The reason for this split are timer incompatibilities and the issues that arise from that.

Moderators may reject runs for any reason and adjustments to these rules can be made on-demand.

**Chinese translation:** (insert link)

**General:**
- Runs must be done on a fresh save file and show character creation. You may not load any other character during the run. You may not switch the game version during the run.
- All runs require an uninterrupted video recording, with clearly audible game sound. Avoid background music if possible, due to the risk of recordings getting muted by Twitch or Youtube.
- You must set your HUD to be always enabled in the settings and the following elements need to be visible and legible in your video recording: HP/FP/Stamina, Spirit Ash info, Equipment Hotbar, Boss HP, Runes, Compass, Item popups and notifications
- For longer runs, you may take short breaks to, for example, go to the bathroom. During those breaks, you must go to the main menu and click through the first "PRESS ANY BUTTON" screen. There are no explicit rules about how often you can take them or how long they should be, so it is up to the moderator to decide if they have been abused during a run.

**Timing:**
- Runs on PC must use LiveSplit with the autosplitter ("SoulSplitter") active and "Game Time" selected, with LiveSplit visible in the recording. Runs on console are timed using the ingame-time.
- The exact end of the run is defined by the category.
- Regardless of the platform or category, you must show your save file in the selection menu after the run for verification purposes.

**EAC and online:**
- EAC (Easy Anti-Cheat) bypassing is required on PC: https://soulsspeedruns.com/eldenring/eac-bypass
- Regardless of the platform, you must play in offline mode. On PC, the required EAC bypass takes care of the automatically, while on console, you need to make sure you don't log in.

**Mods and tools:**
- Any modifications to the game, be it a DLL mod or external memory edit, is strictly forbidden. The only exceptions are the autosplitter plugin, as well as the FPS patch CT while it's not part of the autosplitter yet.
- You are not allowed to edit the games config file to use settings that are otherwise unavailable in-game.
- You may use external tools to rebind keys, as long as you only map input types to others of the same type. This means you can map sticks to other sticks, or buttons to other buttons. There is no restriction on the device, so you can map W on a keyboard to right click on a mouse, for example. Macros, turbo, snap-tap/socd and similar ways to alter the behaviour of a single input are not allowed.

**Quitouts and restart:**
- After reaching the main menu, you must resume gameplay as soon as possible. Any delay, even if just a few seconds, can get the run to be rejected. If the game is restarted however, you must ensure the game is visible in your recording software before you proceed (screen capture is therefore recommended over game/window capture).
- You may not force the game to close via Alt+F4, the task manager or similar ways to kill it deemed "out-of-game", unless otherwise explicitly allowed by the sub-category rules or if it's required to clear a softlock.
- Unintended crashes do not invalidate the run, as long as you resume gameplay as soon as possible and do not gain an advantage from the crash.

**FPS Patch:**
- The FPS patch and its FPS limit function are only allowed in certain sub-categories. You can find it here (scroll down for more info): https://gist.github.com/Vinjul1704/a66a73151df660dae96b945296635b68
- In sub-categories that allow the FPS limit, you may never set the FPS limit below 20 or above 60.
- In sub-categories where the patch is allowed, you must show the part of the CE window with the FPS patch state and limit in your recording. Make sure CE is not minimized!
- You must limit the use of the FPS patch to only the relevant sections of the run.
- Other external FPS limitters are not allowed, regardless of the category.

**Sub-category rules are found on the website:** (insert link, or below in this document)

## Categories

As mentioned previously, categories now simply define the **goal of the run**. This goal is the same between all rulesets/sub-categories. Similarly, rulesets/sub-categories are the same between all categories.

The console category will follow the same idea, just that the sub-category of that will be the run goal and a further sub-category of that will be the ruleset.

List of categories and their rule texts, in order:
- **Any%:** Reach the game credits. Timing stops upon reaching the credits.
- **Defeat Consort:** You must defeat Promised Consort Radahn in the DLC. Timing stops in the main menu after a quitout out after picking up the Circlet of Light.
- **All Remembrances (DLC):** Obtain all Remembrance items after defeating certain bosses, including DLC Remembrances, as well as Heart of Bayle, and then reach the game credits. Timing stops upon reaching the credits.
- **All Remembrances (No DLC):** Obtain all Remembrance items after defeating certain bosses, excluding DLC Remembrances, and then reach the game credits. Timing stops upon reaching the credits.
- **All Achievements:** Obtain all achivements in the game, and then reach the game credits. Achievement popups must be visible in the recording, so you must clear/reset them. Timing stops upon reaching the credits. Timing stops upon reaching the credits of the last ending.

## Sub-categories

Next are the sub-categories, or rulesets. Again, those are the same between categories or run goals. The whole section underneath is meant to be the entire sub-category rules page.

### Glitchless

In this sub-category, glitches are disallowed and the game version is restricted.

Game versions before 1.05, as well as 1.12.x specifically, are banned. This means for DLC runs, you must use at least version 1.13. For non-DLC runs, you must use at least version 1.05 and can't use 1.12.x, but 1.13+ is fine again.

The FPS patch is not allowed in this category.

Triggering deathcam is allowed in situations where it can be considered a purely visual change and does not alter the game, its logic and collision in any way. You must quitout and load back in as soon as possible after it was triggered and used for the relevant section.

Sequence breaks are allowed, as long as they meet the following criterias:
- They are purely based on movement and game mechanics, but don't rely on the execution of other glitches or quitouts.
- They don't go through areas that can be considered out-of-bounds.
- They do not allow you to proceed through an area without having defeated the boss(es) that would normally block progress.

Sequence break examples:
- Radahn stake skip is allowed, since it doesn't skip a mandatory boss and doesn't rely on additional glitches.
- Snowfield skip is allowed, including deathcam, but only after you have defeated Niall in Castle Sol, since the boss is a requirement to get part of the Haligtree medallion. Keep in mind that only defeating the boss is required, but you don't have to pick up the medallion.

Exceptions and clarifications to the rules above may be made by the moderation team and are listed below:
- Animation cancels, including bow cancel, are explicitly allowed.
- You may not abuse the standup animation after a quitout to break objects.
- The spear powerstance on rykard is not allowed.

### Restricted

In this sub-category, glitches are allowed, with a number of exceptions to create a balanced and interesting run:
- Zips of any kind are banned.
- Moveswaps (transfering a move from weapon 1 to be used with weapon 2) are banned. A buff being performed exclusively on weapon 1 that then affects weapon 2, even if the buff changes the weapons moveset, does not count as a moveswap (example: pre-1.05 war cry).
- Deload kills are banned.

The FPS patch and its FPS limit function are both allowed.

### Unrestricted

In this sub-category, all glitches are allowed, with the exception of zips.

The FPS patch and its FPS limit function are both allowed.

### Zips

In this sub-category, all glitches are allowed and FQWW (Force Quit Wrong Warp) is explicitly allowed.

The FPS patch is allowed, but its FPS limit function is not.