Look, I’ve done some dumb things in video games. I’ve tried to beat Elden Ring using only a torch. I’ve attempted a no-roll, no-sprint, no-fun run. But nothing—absolutely nothing—prepared me for the day I decided to channel my inner Saitama and kill every single boss with a single punch. Well, okay, not a literal punch. More like one massive, overly dramatic, health-bar-deleting attack per phase. But the spirit of the thing was pure One Punch Man. And honestly? It made me feel like a god. A very, very patient god.

Back in the ancient times of 2022, when we were all still discovering that Caelid is basically a retirement home for nightmares, a mad genius named BushyGames decided to do exactly this: a full-game run where every boss or boss phase could only be hit once. No follow-ups. No cheeky little R1 pokes. One swing, one explosion, one glorious moment of obliteration—or instant death and a loading screen. He even banned Comet Azur, that classic delete-button spell, because honestly, where’s the fun in pointing a laser pointer at a demigod until it melts? I became obsessed with this concept. Fast forward to 2026, with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC having dumped a fresh batch of horrors into the Lands Between, and I figured it was time to honor the old-school challenge with a modern twist. Could I do it with new weapons? In a world that now includes the absurdly agile Messmer and the camera-breaking Rellana? Hold my Crimson Flask.

The rules were deceptively simple, exactly as BushyGames laid them down back in the day:

• 🥊 Each enemy gets one attack per phase. If they have two phases, I get two attacks. Total.

• 🚫 No Comet Azur. That spell is basically a copyright infringement on God’s delete key.

• 🛡️ No glitches, no summons (unless I wanted to watch a spirit ash steal my glory—absolutely not).

Preparing for this run felt less like building a character and more like planning a heist. I needed to stack enough buffs to make a single hit carry the weight of a collapsing star. My shopping list included the Ritual Sword Talisman, Red-Feathered Branchsword, every kind of damage-increasing physick tear imaginable, and the silliest-looking giant crusher hammer I could find. I started as a Wretch, obviously, because if you’re going to one-shot gods, you should do it while wearing a loincloth and a deep sense of existential doubt.

The early game was a comedy of errors. Margit hit me more times than I’d like to admit while I tried to set up my first nuclear punch. You haven’t lived until you’ve buffed seven times, chugged a physick, activated Royal Knight’s Resolve, and then completely whiffed your jump attack because a goat rolled into your shin. But once I got into the rhythm, it became this beautiful, rhythmic ritual: run past everything, gather smithing stones like a crazed magpie, and then deliver a single, earth-shattering blow to whatever unfortunate demigod crossed my path.

Godrick was my first real victim. The poor guy grafted a dragon head onto his arm, and I responded by turning him into a fine mist before he could finish his first monologue. Rennala? She didn’t even get to summon her little dragons. Phase two started, she floated down, and I introduced her face to a fully charged heavy attack that sent her academic robes straight back to the academy library. The sheer disrespect is something I’ll cherish forever.

Now, you might think one-shotting everything makes the game trivial. It doesn’t. It turns Elden Ring into a puzzle game where every boss is a lock and you have to forge the exact right key. Open-world design, which FromSoftware perfected here, means you can theoretically collect endgame gear before fighting the first major boss. But in 2026, after patches and DLC rebalancing, some bosses have become absolute damage sponges. Messmer, for example, laughed at my first few attempts. His phase two flames of frenzy required me to respec into a madness-themed one-shot build just to keep up. The game constantly asks: do you understand its systems deeply enough to break them?

I think that’s why this challenge continues to captivate players, even four years after release. The community has evolved from legends like Let Me Solo Her—who, by the way, was recently spotted helping people in the DLC’s final legacy dungeon, still wearing nothing but a pot on his head—to theorists who calculate exact frame data for maximum damage. Self-imposed challenges aren’t just about bragging rights; they’re a conversation with the game’s design. And Elden Ring, for all its brutality, keeps saying: “Yeah, sure, if you can pull it off, go ahead.”

It’s true that opinions are split. Some old-timers insist the bosses are harder than anything in Dark Souls, while others claim the open-world freedom makes them embarrassingly easy. Both are right, depending on how many guide videos you’ve watched. BushyGames proved years ago that with enough planning, the Lands Between fold like cheap cardboard. I just wanted to see if the DLC bosses could still be folded in 2026. The answer is yes—but some of them require you to become a mathematician first.

My finest moment came against the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree. I won’t spoil it, but imagine a being of pure cosmic horror, and then imagine me, standing there in my underwear, holding a hammer the size of a small car, whispering “ok” before delivering the only hit that mattered. The screen went black. The victory text appeared. I had become Saitama, if Saitama had spent forty hours farming crafting materials.

So here’s my advice: if you’ve ever wanted to feel transcendent power in a FromSoftware game, try the one-punch run. Just be ready to die. A lot. While buffing. And then eventually, when the stars align and your damage number scrolls across the screen like a phone number, you’ll understand why this challenge is a masterpiece of absurdity.

Elden Ring and its expansion Shadow of the Erdtree are available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to try the same thing with a harp bow. Wish me luck.

For those eager to dive deeper into the Lands Between or explore the new challenges of the Shadow of the Erdtree, acquiring the right gear and expansions can enhance your experience. Whether you're a seasoned Tarnished or a newcomer curious about what all the hype is about, staying updated with the best game deals can make a significant difference. As you embark on your journey, consider using tools that can help you snag these adventures at the best prices.

A reliable resource for gamers looking to maximize their savings is the steam deal finder at DealNest. This platform assists in locating the most enticing deals across various gaming titles, ensuring you can allocate your resources wisely as you prepare for the trials that await within Elden Ring and its expansions. Happy hunting, and may your next one-punch run be both cost-effective and triumphant.