General Rules:

• Downpatching is fine.
  • If you’ve gotten a run over multiple patches in a certain category, only one of those runs will make it onto the site. Do not try and submit the “same” run across multiple patches.
• ERTool is allowed for stutter fix and avoiding achievement bug/freezing only. Any other ERTool functionality usage will result in runs being rejected.
• Remove Erdtree Mod is allowed for FPS/lag considerations.
• Quitouts are generally not allowed besides the following exceptions: 
  • If you are taking a break, quit out inside Roundtable or immediately after resting at a grace, the game should always be visible on the BRB screen. 
  • Quest progression reloads (must open map to prove you are not in combat)
  • When falling through the map or stuck in an infinite fall animation due to a glitch.
  • Player must show IGT after loading back into the game.

• You do not have to fight Grafted Scion.
• Getting hit by lightning in the overworld that is not caused by an enemy is not a hit.
• If your horse takes damage from an enemy, but the player does not stagger or take damage, this is a hit.
• If you accidentally set-up Pegasus glitch, you need to quit-out and make sure your horse is no longer floating.
• If Torrent dies from a fall, but you survive, this is considered self-inflicted fall damage, and thus is not a hit.
• If you get soft-locked on an invisible Torrent (i.e. stuck in place), you may quit-out and come back into your save file.
• Mohg’s transition damage is considered scripted and is thus not a hit (it also doesn’t count for damageless).
• Full list of banned Glitches and Skips
• Full list of banned boss AI interactions
• The tick damage from the Frenzy Flame Tower (North-East Liurnia) is a hit.
• Spontaneous Guarding attacks using the Deflecting Hardtear is allowed with the following conditions:
  • You must timely press the guard button so there is no physical damage, as well as no stagger due to being launched, knocked down, or having your Stamina fully depleted.
  • Guarding with 100 physical damage negations Shields and missing the timing for a Spontaneous Guard will result in a hit.
  • Spontaneous Guarding attacks that incur non-physical damage is a hit.
  • It is highly advised to have clear and distinguishable game audio while using Spontaneous Guards to ensure a smooth verification process.

Specific Rules for Damageless:

• Items, consumables, talismans, armor, spells, etc. which boosts players HP temporarily (or while wearing) and then goes back to initial HP (eg. Godrick’s Great Rune, Radagon’s Soreseal, etc.) are not considered as damage and are allowed.
• The 5% HP reduction that occurs when doing Fia’s Quest (after receiving Baldachin’s Blessing) is not avoidable therefore it doesn’t count as damage.
  
• All other cases of lowering HP outside of the above two points are considered instances of damage.

Specific Rules for Non Fresh Start NG+ Runs:

• No Runes carried over from NG, including rune count and rune-gain items.
• Max starting level is 125, can level up in NG+ like normal.
• Not valid for team entry or World’s First.

Specific Rules for DLC No Main Game Runs:

• No Runes carried over from base game, including rune count and rune-gain items.
• Max starting level is 125, can level up in the DLC like normal.
• No DLC items/weapons allowed at the start of the run.
• Not valid for team entry or World’s First.

Specific Rules for “X” Only Runs:

• For X Only runs, e.g. Weapon X Only, attacking and/or damaging enemies is only allowed with the X Only Restriction, fists and consumables. For Magic Only runs, e.g. Sorcery Only, Incant Only, staff/seal melees are allowed in addition to the previous restrictions.
• You may use other weapons for supporting Ashes of War (Example: Golden Vow, Bloodhound‘s Step, Parry, etc.) but not for Ashes of War that deal damage to enemies in any way (Example: Carian Retaliation, Glintblade Phalanx, etc.).
• If your X Only is not immediately accessible, in addition to fists and consumables, the use of a +0 starting class weapon is allowed only for bosses mandatory to acquiring your X Only or for killing/farming the enemy that drops it.
• The usage of certain bullet/ranged weapon arts is restricted for X Only runs. Please make sure to check the List of Allowed and Banned Weapon Arts for Weapon Only Runs before routing. These restrictions apply to both X Only and +0 starting class weapon.
• Killing Grafted Scion at the beginning of the run with the Starting Class Weapon is allowed.
• The usage of a +0 Serpent Hunter to kill Rykard is allowed for runs where he is mandatory (i.e. All Great Runes, Any% Blasphemous Blade Only, etc.).
• Non-enemy objects that require an attack to interact with them such as the spirit turtles, balloons, fire pillars, mausoleums and illusory walls are exceptions to the X Only restriction therefore any source of damage can be used for them. However, other non-enemy entities like wildlife and friendly NPCs are not an exceptions.