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You might have noticed that Elden Ring is a humongous game unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of weeks. Players can spend hours just walking - or double jumping- around trying to explore every nook and cranny of The Lands Between.

RELATED: Elden Ring: How To Get The Mimic Tear Ashes

This game's freedom to explore is one of its major selling points, and oh boy, are the fans taking advantage of their free will. In a very unexpected turn of events, players can choose to hug a random lady found in the Roundtable Hold. As wholesome as this interaction might be, it comes with a cost, as the hugging lady will give players a permanent HP debuff. Worry not, as this guide includes everything you need to know about the hugging lady in Elden Ring and how to get rid of the HP debuff.

Updated April 10, 2022: We've updated this guide to include a video that tells breaks down all the details about Baldachin's Blessing in Elden Ring. Who doesn't love hugs?!

What Happens When You Hug Fia In Elden Ring

The first thing you need to know is that hugging Fia (that's the name of the hugging lady in Elden Ring) doesn't give you debuff. In fact, what gives you the debuff is carrying (in your inventory) the item she gives you after sharing an embrace.

This item is a single-use consumable called Baldachin's Blessing that gives you a 15 seconds boost in Poise when you use it. But, as stated before, it also gives you a -5% max HP debuff while held in your inventory.

What Is Baldachin's Blessing

Item Type Consumable
Description Favor bestowed by a deathbed companion. Protection of a hidden temple in the guise of a bedchamber. Uses FP to temporarily boost poise. The favor allows one to forget any aches and pains. In Death, 1 there is only peace, for in Death, there can be no sensation.
What it Does Uses FP to boost poise

How To Get Baldachin's Blessing

To get to the area where Fia is, you will first need to find Melina at a Shrine of Grace, as she is the one who will take you to Roundtable Hold, an area only accessible via fast travel. Below you'll find our very own video guide that showcases how to get to Roundtable Hold.

Once there, you'll find a wide assortment of NPCs, including, of course, Fia the Deathbed Companion. Talk to her, and she will offer to hold you briefly so she can feel the warmth of a champion.

If you let her hold you, you will receive the Baldachin's Blessing item in your inventory. Keep in mind that while you can only have one Baldachin's Blessing at a time on your inventory, you can hug Fia again if you like.

The second time you hug Fia, you can choose to "talk in secret" with her or leave. If you choose the first option, you'll learn a bit more about her backstory.

Is Getting Baldachin's Blessing Worth it?

While having a -5% health debuff sucks in a game as challenging as Elden Ring, the other effect Baldachin's Blessing grants you make it worth it.

For example, one of the item's effects is a buff in your Poise stat. In Elden Ring, Poise is a base stat that determines how many enemy attacks from an enemy you can withstand before collapsing and being left stunned. The higher the stat, the more enemy attacks you can block.

As you can see, increasing your Poise means your attacks won't be interrupted as easily as you won't be staggered or knocked back with each swing.

Other alternatives to increase your Poise include wearing head, chest, arm, and leg gear.

However, this buff is only temporary, so you might want to save it for more challenging bosses, like the Draconic Tree Sentinel or the Crucible Knight, or for bosses that are above your armor or level range.

If you're interested in this item, keep in mind the following considerations:

  • You can only have 1 Baldachin's Blessing in your inventory, but you can hug Fia again to get another one after using it.
  • You won't be able to store the Baldachin's Blessing item.
  • You can use Baldachin's Blessing during multiplayer mode.
  • Using this item costs 10 FP
  • Only go ahead and hug Fia whenever you're ready to engage in a boss fight, otherwise you'll be walking around with a pesky debuff for no reason.

How To Get Rid Of The HP Debuff

As with many things in Elden Ring, the game doesn't exactly tell you what to do to get rid of the HP debuff, so naturally, many players panic when they first see the red square debuff with a down arrow on the upper left side of their screens.

If you're one of those players that decided to hug Fia was a must-do, there is no need to worry too much, as getting rid of Baldachin's Blessing HP debuff is as easy as getting the item itself.

To get rid of the debuff, you need to consume the Baldachin's Blessing item to get it out of your inventory, and the debuff will just go away.

NEXT: Elden Ring: Complete Guide And Walkthrough