As a passionate Elden Ring gamer, I live for finding and mastering the use of unique utility items that can turn daunting odds in my favor during exploration and combat. The bewitching branch is one such tool – a mystical golden bough imbued with occult power to forcibly sway enemies to your side temporarily.
But where does this arcane charm originate from? Paying homage to Celtic myth, the branch may be linked to the Greek goddess Hecate and her ability to bewitch minds. It also resembles the Golden Bough charm from Mantorok lore that could control multiple dimensions.
In Elden Ring, we know these fetishes contain potent magic that makes even normally implacable foes more susceptible to suggestion, turning them to your cause temporarily until the effects wear off.
As a consumable resource however, bewitching branches must be procured before you can unlock their considerable utility. In this guide, I‘ll share insider tips from countless hours play to help fellow Tarnished locate, loot, craft, and wield bewitching branches effectively against the Lands Between:
- Origins of the bewitching branch
- Where to get bewitching branches
- Purchasing from Nomadic Merchant
- Looting from Weeping Peninsula
- Crafting the consumable
- Stats and use analysis
- Tactics to leverage branches in combat
- First-hand experiences and discoveries
- Utility for caster builds
- Countering enemy branches as an invader
So whether you are looking to incorporate this tool into your exploration, questing and combat strategies, or want insider knowledge to counter other players wielding it – read on for Elden Ring secrets unlocked!
Origins of the Bewitching Branch
References to witchcraft and mystical charms that can control minds date back centuries in real world ancient myths and occultism. The implementation of bewitching branches in Elden Ring likely takes inspiration from such folklore.
In particular, the branch may be a nod to the Golden Bough charm used by Mantorok cultists in the Eternal Darkness lore to exert control over Multiple dimensions. It could also reference magic wands carried by Hecate, Greek goddess of witchcraft able to cast potent spells over perceptions.
True to this concept, consuming a branch in Elden Ring exerts a powerful but temporary hypnotic control over enemies. Even normally unrelenting foes like knights, misbegotten savages and raging vulgars can be enthralled.
While Duration is limited before effects wear off, skilled players can turn the tide in many deadly combat encounters by sowing chaos and discord with precise use…
Now let‘s uncover locations and methods for attaining these arcane charms in game.
Where to Get Bewitching Branches
Bewitching branches can be: purchased from a merchant, looted from the Weeping Peninsula, or crafted after obtaining a rare recipe. Here‘s how to pick these up:
Purchasing from Nomadic Merchant
The most direct method is to buy the bewitching branch from the Nomadic Merchant located along the southern cliffs under the isolated Bellum Church in Liurnia of the Lakes.
With 1600 runes a pop these don‘t come cheap, but having a reliable vendor for branches is super convenient. I suggest stealing a few hundred runes from some local guards to fund your first purchase. Consider it an investment into crafting further branches later!
Looting off Weeping Peninsula
To save money, you can loot 3x bewitching branches off a hidden cliffside corpse in Weeping Peninsula without having to battle any guard regiments.
Navigate down along the coast to this peninsula‘s western edge just above a large coastal waterfall. Look for bats guarding the secluded corpse and dispose of them quickly to grab the branches.
Note this also unlocks the site of grace here which is useful later. Enjoy the majestic views too – nice place for an ambush!
Crafting the Bewitching Branch
Once sufficient branches are secured, crafting your own from foraged ingredients allows reliable ongoing access. Here is what‘s needed:
- Fevor‘s Cookbook #7 – Acquired after defeating Lord of Blood Mohg below the Mohgwyn Palace.
- Sacramental Bud – Found on cliffs and rafters of Mt. Gelmir (marked on map).
- Miquella‘s Lily -harvest by river buds Northwest behind Carian Manor (also mapped).
- Take materials to a Site of Grace and combine with the unique cookbook recipe to craft.
With the crafting know-how I never worry about running out of branches for encounters. Maintaining adequate crafting stocks is worthwhile.
Bewitching Branch Stats and Use Analysis
Now that sources for attaining branches are covered, let‘s analyze key details around the item‘s use mechanics:
- Use Cost: 14 FP per activation
- Maximum Carried: 10 branches
- Effect Duration: Enemies charmed for ~20-30 seconds
- Max Storeable: Up to 600 branches in chests
The FP consumption is moderately low, enabling several uses if Mind attribute is leveled for greater mana pool. Duration is reasonably long for clever play too.
For example, branches used just as a formidable foe like the Fallingstar Beast draws near packs of lesser enemies will turn the tables dramatically. Then you can pick off remaining threats once the titan regains its senses eventually.
Executed well, a single branch use that separates dangerous pairings or allows mobs to soften up leaders before you engage can utterly tilt a daunting fight in your favor.
Tactics to Leverage Bewitching Branches in Combat
While enemy behaviors can sometimes be unpredictable, there are definite combat tactics branches enable:
- Separating pairs – Crucible Knights, Omen killers, and other powerful duos can be divided.
- Drawing aggro – Pull angry mobs into neutral factions to distract them.
- Disrupting ranged squads – Turn spell casters against their own guard contingents.
- Upending boss adds – Divert troublesome spirit summons and secondary threats.
- Confusing AI – Chaos from charmed enemies derails attack coordinations.
With methodical use – all of a sudden the numbers game feels very different…
But it‘s situational application during encounters that makes proper use of branches an art form. Be patient in approaching new mobs, learn their patterns, then leverage that knowledge for maximum chaos-sowing advantage once the bough is activated!
My First-Hand Experiences and Discoveries
Over three complete playthroughs and hundreds of hours now invested into mastering Elden Ring, I‘ve had many memorable bewitching branch encounters…
One that stands out was while exploring Deep Root Depths. The Putrid Tree Spirits down here are no joke – massive rotund ancient ones guarded by Cleanrot Knights with rapier combo chains that prevent even momentary respite.
But applying a branch to lure one of the knights deeper toward the patrolling ants changed the whole dynamic. With the frenzied Cleanrot temporarily allied, the rotund spirit had to fend off attacks from multiple angles. Meanwhile ants clustered on me were thinned, enabling a hit and run assault.
Soon the knight returned to hostile state but lasting damage let me ultimately prevail in a fight that initially seemed near impossible!
This exemplifies ideal branch usage – patiently learning attack rhythms, then sowing chaos and mistrust to allow divide and conquer. When outnumbered against stacked odds, always look for these force multiplying opportunities!
Another discovery that can work brilliantly is turning giants against each other with branches…
While exploring the Snow Valley Ruins, I aggroed both Fire Giant warriors guarding the approach. After repeatedly being smashed into oblivion I tried branches instead. Luring them across the lake to fight it out had me in stitches!
Eventually one giant prevailed… leaving an epic duel with a now isolated foe. It felt so devious yet glorious to watch the giants battle with my small role in orchestrating events.
Moments like these validate why mastering items like the bewitching branch offer boundless gameplay potential for enterprising Tarnished!
Utility for Caster Character Builds
While melee builds benefit greatly from leveraging branches for isolating and separating threats, spellcasters can elevate their damage potential even more with smart use.
For my Astrologer builds, drawing isolated enemies already softened by their own former allies towards ranged magical annihilation is incredibly effective. I‘ve managed to dispose of several legendary foes this way including the Draconic Tree Sentinel and Magma Wyrm Makar by bewitching spirit summons they had ignored to focus fire me.
This turned their secondary threats against them first, enabling my glintstone sorceries to capitalize once charmed effects expired.
So if playing a magic oriented build, don‘t underestimate the bewitching branch‘s capacity to enable safe aggression. Just be sure to keep enough FP in reserve once that key window of enemy isolation opens up!
Countering Bewitching Branches as an Invader
While PvE dynamics allow reliably planning around bewitching branches for advantage, this item‘s chaos potential has serious implications for PvP encounters too…
As an invader, I‘ve learned the hard way how cunning host players leverage branches against overconfident duelists and gank squad punishments. Manyarmvortex adventures have ended embarrassingly flattened between a Rock Sling sorcerer and bewitched Crucible Knight!
So beyond benefiting from the branch directly, dedicated invaders must research counters to address clever host usage:
- Attune Purify Me incantation to clear effects from players
- Use Law of Regression to dispel hostile enchantments
- Equip crystal tear for immunity to sorceries/incantations
- Kill charmed monsters quickly once their new focus breaks
While chaotic and extremely dangerous against lone phantoms, branches also consume finite enemy resources hosts rely on. So search your environments carefully, learn patrol paths, then exploit any openings from divides you create.
With the knowledge shared here now at your disposal good hunter, the outstanding pawn can sometimes thrash the careless chess master…
Concluding Thoughts
Through extensive in-game experimentation, I‘ve developed immense appreciation for consumable items like the bewitching branch that fundamentally expand tactical options. While combat encounters intrinsically favor adversaries, tools that sow confusion introduce delightful unpredictability.
So I encourage fellow Tarnished to embrace the journey of mastery not just for weapons but utility items as well. Creative application yields some of the most memorable gameplay stories – like manipulating titans into epic duels!
Hopefully these insights on acquiring bewitching branches reliably, analyzing their attributes and use cases, and sharing first-hand experiences offers fellow gamers and content creators inspiration on how to further embrace Elden Ring‘s immense possibilities.
May your quest to command the Elden Ring shine bright guided by golden boughs that make even the most unrelenting foes bend briefly to your uncanny will!
