A recent video by a YouTuber has provided a possible explanation for why Elden Ring's Runebears are so difficult to fight compared to other beasts found throughout The Lands Between. Soulsborne games from FromSoftware are known for their high difficulty, and Elden Ring is no exception. The 2022 GOTY contender is filled with notorious bosses for players to fight, as well as enemies scattered throughout the world that can prove just as deadly.
One of the many wildlife whose low tier could be seen as an oversite when compared to other enemies that can be encountered in Elden Ring is the Runebear and Lesser Runebear. Players can encounter the filed-boss version of this beast at Earthbore Cave, though the encounter is completely optional. Being an optional boss it is completely possible to completely miss this field boss because Elden Ring allows areas to be explored as the player wishes, only requiring certain boss fights to progress. However, there is no escaping the Runebear because these creatures can be encountered throughout the map as Lesser Runebears, specifically in Limegrave and Mt.Gelmir.
One fan, dragon enemies in Elden Ring. The creature’s eyes have been described as reptilian in shape and a commenter on the video pointed out that the chest of the Runebear features spikes where a heart would be located. Another connection is the item dropped, the Spelldrake Talismans, which depict a dragon.
Elden Ring’s Runebear Dragon Theory Changes Everything
Even if the Runebear is not directly linked to the dragons of Elden Ring, their lore may have been intertwined at one point. This connection could have been Runebears being related to dragons based on appearances alone. The beast may have been a predator of dragons, explaining how a creature that is not a dragon could obtain the heart as even the Dragonkin Soldier in Elden Ring does not drop dragon hearts. Any possible relation may stay unknown or could be revealed in future DLC. At this time there doesn’t appear to be much in-game beyond appearance and item drops.
Elden Ring relies on environmental storytelling and dialogue choices to convey the background and doesn’t often reveal information directly even with questlines. Because of this approach to storytelling, lower-level bosses and side characters in Elden Ring that do not possess specific questlines tend to not have developed stories, and it appears this will likely be the path of the Runebear. In any case, this theory provides an interesting explanation as to why this particular enemy has proven so fearsome for the Tarnished as they explore The Lands Between.
Source: kotaku.com/elden-ring-runebear-dragon-hearts-talisman-youtube-1849592633?utm_campaign=Kotaku&utm_content=1664404050&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_source=twitter, Zullie the Witch/YouTube
