Elden Ring is known for its bleak tone, punishing combat, and epic world design—but anyone who has spent enough time in the Lands Between knows it’s also full of unintentional comedy. Especially when you limit yourself to “item-only” runs, where all combat and support are handled through consumables, tools, and throwable gadgets. As someone who’s done multiple item-only challenge runs, I’ve had my fair share of failures—but also some truly hilarious and unexpected moments.
Whether you're planning a quirky build or just need a good laugh, here are five of the funniest item-only experiences I’ve had in Elden Ring. If you’re planning to try something similar, having access to cheap Elden Ring Items or using Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting can make these experiments much easier (and a lot less grindy).
1. Fire Pot vs. Tree Sentinel: The Saddest DuelMy very first attempt at a throwables-only run had me facing the Tree Sentinel using nothing but Fire Pots and Kukris. Armed with about 20 Fire Pots and false confidence, I tossed one… then another… and watched it chip away maybe 1% of his health. Ten minutes and countless rolls later, I finally managed to bring him down—only to realize I had accidentally pulled a second Tree Sentinel from a different area.
I was out of pots. He charged. I died in two hits. Still worth it.
2. The Great Rune Arc Ambush Gone WrongOne time, I attempted to use a Rune Arc mid-invasion as a bait tactic—hoping to make the invader think I was about to become invincible and run. I stood confidently on a cliff, popped the Rune Arc with flair… and accidentally hit the wrong item slot, throwing a Rainbow Stone instead. The invader paused, looked at the stone, and then casually booted me off the cliff with a shield bash.
I never used flashy gestures again without double-checking my inventory.
3. Mushroom Armor + Poison Mist = Ultimate Stealth FailI once ran a “toxic ninja” build using only Poison Mist and the full Mushroom Set. The idea was to sneak into enemy camps and rot everything silently. But on one fateful attempt, I underestimated how loud Poison Mist actually is. The moment I let it out behind a Godrick Soldier, four of them turned around and charged me like I had insulted their family.
I tried to roll away, but the Mushroom Armor is hilariously heavy. I waddled out of the camp like a rotting potato and died just outside the aggro range. Never again.

4. The Glintstone Scrap Battle of Raya LucariaI wanted to defeat a Lesser Red Wolf of Radagon using nothing but Glintstone Scraps. These are, without exaggeration, one of the weakest ranged items in the game. But with over 60 of them stocked up from cheap Elden Ring Items, I figured I had a shot.
The fight was long. Like, podcast-length long. Halfway through, I ran out of stamina from dodging. The wolf glitched and got stuck on terrain. I finally landed the final Glintstone Scrap. The kill message popped up. Then the wolf's corpse launched into the air and killed me with ragdoll physics.
Worth it? Absolutely.
5. Volcano Pot + Cliff Physics = Instant RegretWhile testing out the raw power of Volcano Pots, I got the brilliant idea to fight a Crucible Knight on a cliffside in Altus Plateau. I positioned myself above, threw a pot, and cackled as it exploded in his face.
He didn’t fall. He ran straight up the incline and threw me off the cliff with a single spear jab.
This was the moment I learned two important Elden Ring truths: Crucible Knights don’t care about terrain, and hubris will always get you killed.
Final ThoughtsItem-only builds are rarely optimal, but they offer some of the best laughs and most memorable moments Elden Ring has to offer. Every mistake becomes part of the story, and every improvised victory feels twice as rewarding. If you want to try these kinds of runs but don’t want to spend hours farming, using cheap Elden Ring Items or getting a head start through Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting can keep the focus on fun.
Whether you're hurling pots at dragons or hiding in a bush dressed like a bush, Elden Ring proves that even in a world ruled by death and despair, there’s always room for comedy.
Must-Know Tips: Elden Ring Runes Farm Guides 2025: Best Ways to Get Runes Fast