Elden Ring: Should You Let Fia Hug You

Hugs are usually nice, but in the Lands Between, they can turn out to be a dangerous event. At first glance, Fia in Elden Ring seems like a pretty nice woman, if a bit lonely. She gives off the impression that she's someone who genuinely wants to help. But because this is a From Software game, there's always a catch. In this case, the hug comes with a secret debuff that you may not have even realized you were suffering with. As a tradeoff, though, Fia’s hug also grants you a unique item that can grant you a boon that comes in handy during major battles. Here's what to know about whether or not you should let Fia embrace you.

Elden Ring Fia’s Hug Debuff Explained

If you let Fia embrace you in Roundtable Hold, a status icon with a red square and an arrow pointing down appears below your health and FP bars. This indicates a reduction in your HP. It’s a small reduction of 5%, but it can still make a difference in most encounters, especially challenging ones such as the Margit and Godrick boss fights.

The debuff isn’t permanent, though. You can get your health back by using the item Fia gives you with the hug: Baldachin’s Blessing. Whether this is worthwhile depends on your playstyle. The hug debuff can have catastrophic effects, but the higher Poise it offers means you can withstand prolonged assaults from enemies without breaking stance. The Blessing isn’t essential, though it’s worth using if you need an extra edge in battle.

What Is Baldachin’s Blessing for in Elden Ring?

Baldachin’s Blessing is a unique item only obtainable from Fia’s hugs. It uses a small amount of FP and raises your Poise during combat. Poise is what determines how likely it is that an enemy's attacks will stagger you, breaking your defense and leaving you stunned and vulnerable. Normally, heavy armor buffs your Poise, which leaves less robust classes such as Astrologers and Confessors at a slight disadvantage.

Smart timing for using the Baldachin’s Blessing can remove the health debuff and give you an edge against tough foes without having to suffer the consequences. Consuming the Blessing is also the only way to remove that debuff. Resting at a Site of Grace has no effect, so make sure to use it at some point.

Poise can only carry you so far in Elden Ring, and Fia’s is far from the only debuff you’ll face. Poison can ruin even the best laid plans if you don’t remove the Poison status fast enough. Spending some time farming Runes is also a solid stat investment in your Tarnished’s future and the weapons they’ll find later on.