Okay, so I’ve been playing Elden Ring a lot lately. And I mean, A LOT. Like, I might have a problem. Anyway, I kept seeing people talk about this “hold” thing with Fia, the Deathbed Companion. I was like, “What the heck is that?” So, I decided to figure it out.
First Steps
First, I needed to actually find Fia. She’s in Roundtable Hold, which you get to pretty early on. You know, that place with the grumpy blacksmith and the two creepy fingers?
She’s chilling in a room, just… sitting there. So I walked up and started talking to her. She offered to “hold” me. I was a little hesitant, I’m not gonna lie. Like, what does that even mean in this game? But, I figured, “What’s the worst that could happen?” (Famous last words, right?)
Getting Held
So, I chose the option to let her hold me. She gave me a nice, warm hug. It was actually kind of… comforting? For a game that’s all about brutal difficulty, it was a surprisingly sweet moment.
After the hug, I checked my inventory and I had this thing called “Baldachin’s Blessing.” The description said it boosted my Poise, which is good for not getting staggered by enemy attacks, but it also reduced my HP! Classic FromSoftware – a gift with a catch.
The Debuff and Getting Rid Of It
I played around with the buff for a while. The extra Poise was noticeable, especially against those annoying fast enemies. But that HP reduction? It was kind of a pain. I felt squishier, especially in boss fights.
Luckily, getting rid of the debuff is super easy. You just use the Baldachin’s Blessing item from your inventory. Poof! Debuff gone. You can do this whenever you want, so you can toggle the Poise boost on and off depending on the situation.
The Cycle Continues
Here’s the cool part: you can go back to Fia and get held again! She’ll give you another Baldachin’s Blessing. So, you basically have a renewable source of this Poise-boosting item, as long as you’re okay with the temporary HP reduction.
My Final Thoughts
- Is it worth it? Honestly, it depends on your playstyle. If you like to tank hits and trade blows, the Poise boost is great. If you prefer dodging and staying light on your feet, the HP reduction might not be worth it.
- Experiment! That’s the beauty of Elden Ring. Try it out, see if it works for you. You can always get rid of the debuff if you don’t like it.
- Fia’s a bit of a mystery. There’s definitely more to her story, and letting her hold you is part of a larger questline. I won’t spoil anything, but it’s worth exploring if you’re into the lore.
So, that’s my experience with Fia’s “hold.” It’s a small thing, but it’s a neat little mechanic that adds another layer of depth to this already massive game. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go get my butt kicked by Malenia again…
