The Lands Between are ever-evolving, and in 2026, the legacy of Elden Ring continues to be shaped by significant updates. One of the most memorable and surprising characters to receive expanded content is the untrustworthy yet enduring Patches. Known for his trickery across the Soulsborne universe, Patches carved out a unique niche in the Tarnished's journey, becoming a point of moral debate: to kill the deceitful merchant on sight or to spare him in hopes of future reward. A major game update transformed his narrative from a potentially short encounter into a full-fledged, multi-location questline, culminating in a unique and expressive reward for those with the patience to see it through.
The quest begins, as many troublesome things do, in a cave. Murkwater Cave houses a tempting chest that is, predictably, a trap. Opening it summons Patches for a fight. This initial skirmish is relatively straightforward, but the critical choice comes when his health drops near half. He surrenders. Killing him ends his story then and there, but sparing him unlocks the possibility of a longer, more profitable relationship. He sets up shop as a merchant in the same cave, offering various wares. Another chest in his new establishment offers a less violent surprise: it teleports the player to the Mistwood Ruins, serving as an early-game fast travel of sorts.
Patches proves to be a wanderer. Players might spot him later in Liurnia of the Lakes, but these encounters are more like checkpoints than quest progression. The narrative truly picks up at the Volcano Manor. Here, integrating Patches's personal goals with the Manor's dark business is key. Progressing through Tanith's assassination requests eventually yields a special letter intended for Patches. Delivering this missive advances his personal storyline and earns the Tarnished the Magma Whip Candlestick, a unique and powerful weapon. His journey then leads to the Shaded Castle. In this gloomy location, he provides the Dancer's Castanets, an item that, for a long time, marked the definitive end of his tale. Many players assumed that was the final interaction with the bald trickster.
However, the developers had one last surprise in store. The updated questline added a final, epic chapter that circles back to where it all began. Returning to Murkwater Cave after completing the previous steps reveals a dramatic transformation. The familiar cavern has been converted into a proper boss arena. Patches, perhaps feeling nostalgic or simply up to his old tricks, awaits for a final, more serious confrontation. This rematch is no longer the easy skirmish of the early game; it's a full boss fight against a more determined version of the character.
Defeating Patches in this climactic battle yields a reward unlike any weapon or armor: the Crouch Emote. This gesture allows the Tarnished to perform a swift, low crouch, useful for both expressive communication in multiplayer and for tactical movement in combat. It's a fitting finale—a non-violent, communicative prize earned from a character whose entire existence is built on communication, however treacherous. The questline's structure is a journey of patience versus impulse:
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Impulse Route: Kill Patches in Murkwater Cave → Quest ends immediately. Rewards: His Bell Bearing for shop access, but nothing else.
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Patience Route: Spare him, follow his journey across the continent, complete his tasks, and face him one last time → Quest ends with the unique Crouch Emote and all previous rewards.
This expanded storyline solidified Patches's role as a Elden Ring staple. It rewarded player curiosity and mercy with a narrative that spanned the entire game map, from low-level caves to high-level castles. The Crouch Emote became a badge of honor, showing that a player had not only mastered the game's challenges but also navigated the complex moral and social puzzle presented by one of gaming's most infamous characters. In the ever-expanding world of Elden Ring, the tale of Patches stands as a testament to the depth that can be found in seemingly minor encounters, proving that even the shadiest merchant can have a grand tale to tell.