What are soft caps? While you can level up almost endlessly in FromSoftware games, there is a catch: the soft caps.

In the beginning, another point in an attribute always gives you equal improvements per level. But at a certain point, that increase begins to taper off -- what the business administration student would call "declining earnings increments."

Most attributes have multiple thresholds, at which the proportional gains per higher level each count lower. These thresholds are called soft caps. So always try to pay attention to these soft caps when assigning attributes.

These are the soft caps for each attribute:

• Vigor (Power): 40 / 60

• Mind: 55 / 60

• Endurance: 50 (for endurance); 25 / 60 (for equipment weight)

• Strength: 20 / 55 / 80

• Dexterity: 20 / 55 / 80

• Intelligence (wisdom): 20 / 50 / 80 (for weapons); 60 / 80 (for spells)

• Faith: 20 / 50 / 80 (for weapons); 60 / 80 (for invocations)

• Arcane (arcane energy): 20 / 50 / 80 (for weapons); 30 / 45 (for invocations)

With each soft cap, you strengthen yourself less per invested point. To illustrate this with randomly chosen example numbers, where our example attribute has soft caps 20 / 55 / 80:

• Attribute Level 0 - 20 (before Soft Cap 1): +5 per level

• Attribute Level 20 – 55 (after Soft Cap 1): +4 per level.

• Attribute Level 55 – 80 (after Soft Cap 2): +3 per level.

• Attribute Level 80 – 99 (after Soft Cap 3): +1 per level.

The numbers chosen here are chosen as examples to show the principle - the exact improvements depend on the attribute, the base value and the scaling. If necessary, you can also graphically visualize how the soft caps work in a reddit thread.

How do I find the right soft cap? 

The right soft cap depends on your desired build and weapon choice. For example, if you're primarily going with a Elden Ring Weapons with S scaling in Strength and only leveling Dexterity to support it, it would be smart to get Strength to 80 and Dexterity to 20.

However, if your desired build relies equally on strength and dexterity, 55 is the right choice for both values. Exceeding the highest soft cap is actually never worthwhile.

An easy way to test how best to distribute your attributes is through Rennala's Umskill menu. You can play around with the scaling-related attributes in the Succession menu until you get a good balance of stats. If you cancel the reincarnation, you will not lose a valuable Larva Tear either.

The image here roughly shows how my character stats would change with a variation of the strong Blood build if we soft cap with skill rather than arcane energy. Our main weapon R 1 is degraded by 4 points, while the alternative weapon in slot R 2 is improved by 6 attack power:

With the method you can equip up to 6 weapons (3 per hand) and observe which values change your attack power and how. This will help you to simply make the right decision.

What is the max level?

The maximum level in the Elden Ring is 713. This is achieved by getting every attribute to level 99. The rune costs get horrendously high with the higher levels, but with the right farming trick you can theoretically do it.

But besides the time investment, there is another important reason why you shouldn't do this: the meta level.

What is the meta level? 

The meta level is not a fixed size in the game. Instead, it's a level that the community has agreed on.

Because it doesn't matter whether it's for co-op or PvP: matchmaking in Elden Ring is looking for people who are about the same level as you. The exact range differs depending on the level: For example, at level 50 you will find players between level 35 and 65, at level 100 players from level 80 to 120.

In order for Elden Ring fans to find enough players with whom they can experience multiplayer, they agree on a so-called meta level in the largest forums. Anyone who wants to be serious about multiplayer for the long term should have their character at this level.

What the meta level in Elden Ring is is currently still hotly debated. The community is currently particularly divided between fans of level 150 and those who support level 125.

As of now, you're fine with both meta levels. The community tends to be more for level 150, but that's not set in stone yet. If you want to be absolutely sure, you should stop at level 125. However, if you are not interested in multiplayer anyway, you can safely ignore it.