Elden Ring Controller vs Keyboard & Mouse

Many Soulsborne players have said Elden Ring is unplayable on Keyboard and Mouse, insisting that you must play on Controller. But is this actually true, or just a holdover from past FromSoft games? In this video we explore the pros and cons of both KBM and Controller, and I even talk about the difference between playing on an Xbox Controller vs a Playstation Controller.
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[@fletchoid]

The goofball that set up the keyboard for Elden Ring obviously never played on a keyboard. There are standard key assignments in most PC games (like space bar for jump) that make sense for people with normal hands. I reassigned as many keys as I could, but only certain keys can be assigned. My fingers are often put into awkward positions like I am playing some impossible classical piano piece. I have gotten used to these annoyances, but the worst thing is the bloody camera. Controller users can twirl around in tight circles on the spot, and still see the abomination they are fighting. The mouse control is lethargic and annoying because of the camera quirks. That being said, I am having loads of stressful fun getting ganked every few seconds, and spending hours trying to get past certain bosses. It's fun masochism.

[@zkirock7084]

What do you mean by that "My fingers are often put into awkward positions" Or you probably don't use good mouse with multiple buttons? On controller i found some really bad mechanics when i need to switch weapons / spells/ skills/ mid fight and i have to let go of the left pad for movement and i stop in 1 place like idiot ( i even upgrade to stick controller with extra 2 buttons and still i have 2 buttons less that i have to let go either right hand or left hand for movement and it's not ideal during mid fight.... I never have problem with this on keyboard. The only think i have problem on keyboard is the target lock that can be change with mouse movement/ and that's all for keyboard. Controller have more issue and one of them is super big and i can't understand why people keep saying controller is better...

[@shutdahellup69420]

When you play elden ring for the first time with keyboard and mouse, it feels like u need a phd. You have to memorize so many random keys and combos of these keys. Its ridiculous.

[@syrniaboy]

doing it from ds 3 it was natural thankfully

[@mrcheaten2938]

Its not actually its not that hard

[@Hirotoro4692]

It's not that bad, it shares a lot of controls with other games. Example: in Witcher 3 it's shift +lmb for strong attack, RMB to block, exact same as Elden ring

[@princeajk5662]

its not bro

[@zkirock7084]

Imagine playing WoW you gonna be lost.. :D anyway mouse and keyboard is much better after you learn the buttons. Especially with good mouse with multiple buttons. I still don't get it why people say controller is better when you have to let go of your movement or camera to change some activities during mid fight i never have issue with that on keyboard

[@orangeowlgreendragon8953]

Kb and mouse, many of my panic dodges escapes worked no thanks to being able to shift my camera so smoothly. Also it’s much easier to dance your fingers around keys in a heated situation full of danger and speed cheese combos than it is dancing your thumb on multiple buttons and directions.

[@Gambet]

That's a great point!

[@mirandacosg]

Great video, was looking for something like this, wanted to try playing it but don't have a working controller right now. So i guess I will give it a shot on my M&k. Super high quality mic too, great audio. Nice channel logo and name. Hope to see you grow!

[@Gambet]

Thank you! I really appreciate it.

[@ecvent0r]

Long time KB&M souls player here. More recently I made an effort to get better with the controller, and I would say I am 90% of my KB&M potential now. Things that I found over the years, KB&M has just atrocious default keybinds. You need to change them ASAP to individual keys, i.e. no key combination to perform simple action like strong attack, these are games of milliseconds and instant reaction where pressing an additional key is one too many. Bind them in such a way so that you can use as many actions without lifting your fingers. Example, as stated in the video binding the left hand actions to side buttons is actually very convenient and gives you parity with the controller, you can rest your thumb on both of them at the same time which makes reaction presses possible, then LMB becomes right hand light attack and RMB becomes the heavy. Mouse wheel press can be the lock on, that is what I use. The other great offender for KB&M implementation is the dodge functionality, specifically the fact that you dodge on button release not press, not only is it less consistent for muscle memory to remember to release quickly and consistently each time, in my testing (via human benchmark online) this on average adds around 60 ms of latency because the button can't physically register the release instantly, this is huge. I guess they originally implemented it like this in the early games due to the restriction on the number of buttons on the controller but on KB&M there is no reason for this limitation there are plenty of buttons. Now admittedly this is much harder to fix but you can do it via scripting/macros on keyboards that support it or via AutoHotKey (there are implementations online). I wrote one such script for me that basically separates the run and dodge into two separate keys. This feels extremely liberating for a long time KB&M user used to running with the Shift key for instance and dodging with Space or Alt. As a side effect you can reduce the latency of your dodge to a minimum that the game will still detect of one frame (at 60 fps), which rounded is 17 ms. The game will still register the dodge on virtual key release but you will only need to press on the physical key to perform the dodge, releasing then is just to allow you to press again. Eventually regardless whether you are playing on KB&M or controller you will want to learn how to play unlocked which gives you an advantage in positioning vs your opponents. This is superior on a mouse in two big ways. Moving the mouse does not prevent you from pressing any other keys like the dodge key, unlike on the controller where the default bindings will require you to move your thumb from the dodge button to the right stick. Secondly moving the camera with the mouse is faster even if you set the camera speed to max on the controller. The one advantage that the controller has is the analog left stick (that is unless you have a keyboard with analog keys), this gives you infinite movement directions whereas KB has only 8 distinct directions via WASD button combinations. It does offer an advantage in positioning however in practice it doesn't feel like a significant disadvantage.

[@tranngockha6562]

The auto hot key part. Can you elaborate more. I'm a keyboard and mouse player and I want to try different methods to control

[@hxjaizy511]

Im not reading allat

[@Hoyota2]

This video is exactly what I was looking for. Excellent breakdown of pros and cons. Considering that when I picked up the game I started with mouse and key, ended up switching to the xbox controller but still felt that something was missing. I agree that the game couldn't be "unplayable" on mouse and key. But moving forward I have a PS4 controller and am ready to dive back on in. This video being posted 2 years ago still proving relevant, good job man. Might even check to see alternative key bind changes on mouse and key just to see if they have updated anything to bridge the gaps.

[@shagadelic3000]

I played Dark Souls 3 with MnK and found it better than controller lol. I just didn't use any auto lock and instead used my mouse to aim at my target. I haven't played Elden Ring yet though.

[@tomiathisflex7706]

Fantastic video. This is exactly the video I was looking for.

[@sunnyschramm9650]

I play with mouse and keyboard but it still feels clunky and stuttery when you use w + "a" or "d" and then looking around with the mouse. there something working against each other and causes this weird feeling while moving around. What really frustrates me is that there is no extra binding for the horse. switching between horse and healing is so annoying...

[@sargen7713]

You don't have to switch between healing and horse, you can put horse on your pouch (right side of screen when you press ESC) then when you hold E pouch items will apear instead of regular spells/weapons/potions

[@Moonzik]

Good video ! You shared most of my thoughts regarding the comparison. I think Elden Ring is definitely better with a controller, for some technical reasons. But I also think controllers shouldn't be compared with keyboards, they are their own thing. One very important thing is the sensitivity you get with the joystick, for the movement, direction and velocity. It cannot be accomplished with the same ease on a keyboard. The controller provides a certain comfort and ease to use that really puts you somewhere else. But you can also get sweaty hands with controllers, and I find myself constantly readjusting the thumb on the joystick. And also, you cannot do more than 2-3 actions at the same time on a controller, unless you use a weird unnatural grip. The keyboard+mouse is more complex and can accomplish a lot more than a controller imo. Elden Ring was just not designed for a keyboard+mouse setup, it gives you the option to but, you can't really find a middle point since they physically work a different way. Btw, I can't wait for EVO and tournaments in general to ban every controllers possible except fightsticks.

[@AvengeButterscotch]

I just started playing (360 hours) and i played 300 of those hours on keyboard and mouse! I got used to it and eventually it felt fluid but i recently got my first controller it’s a scuf PC controller and it is so much funner imo! Playable for both options so i agree with you

[@ccrazool]

Thank you for the conversation here. This was great info, and not just some AI generated "ultimately it's up to you" nonsense. Really appreciate your insights and the way you explained things.

[@Dramatello]

Honestly I think you touched on every detail possible in this comparison. The quickness of mouse look, just as in shooter games, is superior in every way. However, specifically for this game - I feel there are some weird combo stuff you must remember. One of the biggest signs for me that this game is made for controller was the fact you have essentially 4 attack buttons. Mouse and keyboard gamers are not very used to those stuff, but it makes sense in a controller as you literally have 4 dedicated attack buttons in the front of the controller. Only thing I hate when using a controller is running especially with the horse, I need to remove my thumb from the run button often and I honestly wanna run pretty much always.

[@vincentvfx]

you got my sub. you are the first person who actually brings up all the failings of keyboard and mouse play i noticed after just a few hours of playing the game. i am trying to enjoy and play the game that is so popular, but because of all the things you are discussing i think i am really just going to stop at this point. for all i know the game might be fantastic on console with a controller, but with keyboard and mouse it is pretty bad.

[@DespoRotmg]

Or just buy a controller?

[@filippobendini]

HI! You're the only one who has covered the topic of mouse and keyboard. I had the same target problem as you on LOP. instead in Sekiro it is possible to change the target simply by using the mouse wheel. I use Logitech too! How is the PC version? I would like to play it with mouse and keyboard...greetings from Italy!

[@hinatashouyou5815]

I have over 250 hours in elden ring played on mouse and keyboard, you have to find a position of your hands on the keyboard that is comfortable for you (I use ctrl, a, w, f and space😂 a bit strange but it works for me)

[@crackersphdinwumbology2831]

I finished DS1 Prepare to Die Edition on a keyboard and mouse. When I went back to controller, it felt so much easier! I didn't get that experience with Elden Ring. I don't know if it's the raw mouse input option or what, but I don't really play any better on controller, so I stick to keyboard for ER these days.

[@lucifchristo]

games like these in general more often than not a controller, any fps deff mouse n keyboard. i utilize both. been gaming since the atari 2600 😀

[@5dollarshake263]

You must be an old phuk like me.

[@octavius9685]

I can only play sports games with controller now. MnK just sees so much better and my hands dont hurt after a long run

[@masteroak9724]

My only issue is how the game switch target by moving the mouse instead of allowing the switch through a configurable key, like any sane game with miminal effort on k+m controls would.

[@koune1os17]

I play on keyborad and mouse and the only complain i have is the camera and the weird movement(consoles have 360 movement).

[@Hirotoro4692]

Disable auto camera, problem solved

[@nuut6976]

Haven't watch the video yet but I've been on kb+m for pretty much my whole life. No experience with a souls game I was able to beat every boss in the game (I did do some rebinding). I'm considering controller right now only because looking at the game it seems more satisfying to play with a controller but I'll have to test that out.

[@viggstable305]

i suspect the next fromsoft game will have a much heavier focus on optimization of pc settings

[@zkirock7084]

They already make huge improvement for mouse and keyboard. Still have only 1 issue with switching target lock during mid fight, but that's all. Everything else is superior compare to controller..

[@fictionalcharacter0]

the sprint and roll being the same button should be a crime like please tell me im not alone if you have tried both keyboard and controller you know what pain is bc of that

[@Soy_Sauce69]

Isn’t it the same on controller? Also it’s not very weird? You hold shift to run and tap shift to roll, I don’t understand what’s so weird about it?

[@ObiJuanKenob]

Just horrible.

[@Aezay]

I've not played a single third person game with KB+M, where I've felt that lock-on was REQUIRED, until Elden Ring. Lock-on in third person games has always felt to me as a controller accessibility feature, to compensate for the lack of precision you get from a mouse. When playing other third person games with a KB+M, you automatically attack in the direction of the camera, so to attack a certain enemy, just move your mouse so that the enemy is centered in your view. In Elden Ring however, your character always attacks in the direction they're facing, and not in the direction of your camera. If this was changed, KB+M controller would be much better.

[@ecvent0r]

I found a natural fix for this is to always hold the W key when you attack that way you always attack where you are looking Edit: meant to say W not A.

[@vincentvfx]

this is my biggest gripe against the game. (and this is only for kb and mouse, i dunno about controller) - every other game i have ever played on pc, and i mean every, the A key will either strafe left, or rotate left - the D key will either strafe right, or rotate right. in Elden Ring, A immediately flips you 90 degrees left (so you are no longer facing your enemy) and D flips you 90 degrees right. for me this makes combat next to impossible. i have tried various settings on the lock on menu, nothing really helps. i just keep hitting the A and D key because i am so used to it after years of gameplay and i keep on getting faced away from the target. i find if i stay locked on all the time that then of course i cannot roll dodge away. so i have a keybind set for lock on (and then i can click it again to stop lock on) to try to use during combat ----- but my 2 cents this is about the worst combat system i have ever tried to use. and maybe the game is great on console. but it really sucks with keyboard and mouse. and the menus, interface, etc are just absolute garbage

[@xaviershaffer5835]

i find it better using MnK because i killed godfrey (shadow) in 5 attempts and when i was using controller i was never able to kill him attempts was around 12-15 so MnK for me

[@viggstable305]

i appreciate this video, thanks

[@vincentvfx]

i know i am late to the game, but is there any way to make Elden Ring combat controls with keyboard and mouse work like other pc games? or instance, pretty much every pc game out there that uses WASD, A will either strafe left, or rotate left - D will either strafe right or rotate right. ---- but in Elden Ring A makes your character immediately flip 90 degrees left, and D makes your character flip immediately 90 degrees right. i have only played the game for a few hours, but i really just cannot get into it. the lock on mechanism does not really help. what i want is combat similar to Valheim, Elder Scrolls Online, etc. where you have a reticle for the action combat and your character and camera stay pointed in the same direction. and where you can use the A and D key to maneuver around some. it is possible that maybe this game is great on console, but if you ask me it is absolute trash on keyboard and mouse. never felt like i had so little control of combat in a game as i do Elden Ring. and no i am not complaining about boss difficulty etc. i just think the combat controls (and the menus too actually) for keyboard and mouse are just trash. i tried to find a mod to make the game behave like a normal action combat like Valheim or Elder Scrolls Online, could not find one.

[@rationalrama]

Use your mouse for rotation, increase sensitivity if it feels slow. The 90-degree turn default is to help in combat, so you are quick to turn, as the game rewards dodging and rolling quite a bit. PS: It is not exactly 90 degrees.

[@shotingSTAR-nj8rj]

Not gonna lie my First time playing this game was with key board and mouse.... (Now i'm having a hard time playing it with gamepads)

[@segsii]

I started on MnK and now the controller settings feel bad

[@syrniaboy]

I bound mine to Scroll wheel. And Using E SHIFT DOWN for the quick was very easy imo. So shift scroll down would swap left wep. Or for my estus i used E, L shift Scroll down. After muscle memory very simple. Also reassigned my special to left thumb button. Thats just my settings tho. Dark souls 1 PTDE controller player, Then pref keyboard since ds 3.

[@SacredShiro]

Keyboard felt way better for me.

[@dsan17]

Same here since you never need to lockon and enemies flying all around won't mess up your camera. But now I'm trying to play the DLC with controller so I can lean back on a couch.

[@commenteroftruth9790]

Yeah, too many keys and not enough specific rebinding.

[@joshuachavez5987]

you have to make your own binds you cannot switch to mana potion from health potion with one hand with default controls, you would have to let go of your mouse then use the direction keys

[@zkirock7084]

Well that's why you have the option to change the key binds :)

[@joshuachavez5987]

@@zkirock7084 yeah and its a pain 😭😭

[@zkirock7084]

@@joshuachavez5987 Sure it's, but the whole game is design to be a pain :D. You need some strong nerves

[@joshuachavez5987]

@@zkirock7084 ikr

[@clockafx5608]

Im pretty sure that you felt the PS4 controller to be better because ps4 has a 1ms response time while xbox has 8ms. Anyway you basically summed it up arrowkeys to change items is dumb asf but other than that Im pretty comfortable on kbm so this basically made me decide its not that worth it so im sticking to kbm

[@scalesmate]

I have roll on "f"

[@tristanwegner]

The only thing I cannot work around is the unclickable map. This is so weird, because the inventory is clickable and works very fast with the mouse. With external macros, I put all functions on seperate mouse buttons (so like R1 R2 L1 L2) in a similar spacial arrangment, so it also makes sense on the horse. All quick pouch button combos got their dedicated 4 buttons. Love the setup, never having to let go of movement and camera buttons while still having full access to all functions just gives more control. But the map needs a mouse patch.

[@Hirotoro4692]

This game plays wonderfully on mouse and keyboard

[@failingup4907]

The lack of keyboard and mouse support being an after thought is exactly why I don't want to buy these games. I hate controllers.

[@billie8156]

First world problems

[@Hirotoro4692]

@@billie8156 so?

[@jaobyeden4143]

Elden ring is way better with controller.

[@LiegeMaximo]

Damn that fight near 2 minutes is so so immersive that I wasn't even listening to what you were saying lol

[@midphoenix]

I am currently playing DS1 remastered on my laptop via keyboard and mouse The problem is in other games its Press shift to run In DS1 Shift+LMB=Heavy attack WTF????!!!! I am goning to get a controller

[@Soy_Sauce69]

I had no issues with keyboard and mouse I don’t get why people say it’s unplayable? It’s not uncomfortable, the only thing that’s kinda weird is that q is to go back.

[@ObiJuanKenob]

The day MnK gets a proper MnK support where you just press a hotkey and the specific skill/magic/incantation just comes out; then everything changes. The controls are analog since they have multiple actions on the same input. Just have to pray for a mod or actual dev support. Theres an Autohot key mod that I haven't looked but you can map everything to your liking.

[@TheRustedPixel]

Just bought Elden Ring tonight. I've never played a souls game before either and since I'm a PC player this video really helped me a lot before jumping in. I think I'll try my Xbox controller (cos I don't have a PS anything). Thanks for the indepth and enjoyable video.

[@ninju7598]

DLC laughing in corner 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@alextech0x181]

It's playable, you can get arround it. BUT, be ready to miss important roll dodges because of the reaction time vs the distance the spacebar press has to travel. EMU Light allows you to roll when you press Spacebar instead of on release, still. Positioning arround bosses for the hits u can evade without rolling due to only having 8 directions to go it's VERY hard, unless you are a beast at it, but no beast plays with keyboard. It was NOT meant for it. Can you play? Yes. Will you miss dodges? Absolutly, specially the DLC. Just don't get mad if you die because the character didn't roll because %80 of the times is the Spacebar issue, or whatever key you are using. Since in this game you can't spam roll, you have to be even more aware of how long the Spacebar press takes with the tiny window you have to dodge and not get hit. Also, after a charged attack, you will throw a light attack when you didn't want to unless your timing holding Shift after release the LMB is perfect because the same buttons are used for all of that, and you will die. It's very bad in that sense. Not recommended for keyboard.

[@rcsverige]

I have played for over 500 hours solely with K&M and havent experienced any of these issues. I am able to get the back stab, able to dodge (bound it to shift and mouse button 4) easily. For Elden Ring is works fine but needs some adjustment. My pouch is super easy to access, I can hard swap very easy and quick, and I dont have to use claw grip at all. K&M just feels more fluid because of the controls not being in a position where you are forced to either remove your finger from the joystick or suffer the clawgrip (I have tried multiple times with claw grip and it is just god awful contortion of the hands that cannot be good for long periods of time). I am trying to get into controller again now but it is a struggle and I often find myself wanting to go back to M&K. Ever since I left console I really havent looked back because the advantages I have far outweigh being able to roll in a circle precisely. At the same time however, I do recognize that controller does feel nice when you get a dodge but I just cant justify that over how easy it is for me to use K&M

[@SanguinetheWOlf]

I been using kbm on ER and having a blast, and surprisingly... I tend to die alot less then people whom are playing with controller so go figure. I hhave yet to face a boss where I am stuck for extensively and I am currently at mountain of giants XD

[@lakatos0823]

i've rebound my dodge sprint and heavy attack to shift, and jump to space, lol. it may seem very clunky at first, but once you get used to it, it'll be hella comfortable. E is interact and R in for consumeables

[@Soy_Sauce69]

Exactly it’s really confortable

[@ian1551]

i have a logitech g600 so ive had no shortage of keybinds for things my main question about mouse vs controller was free aiming and movement. and the map thing and forced keybinds for menus is really annoying

[@TheSandkastenverbot]

I've played Elden Ring on kb&m - until now. I've always been really bad at dodging and moving but blamed myself. Now I don't think so any more. You just can't move around enemies well with awsd and dodging with the pinky finger is also slow. On top of that I spend too much time looking on my keyboard instead of the display because you need all kinds of keys during a fight. Sometimes my fingers accidentally don't return to awsd but shift to the right or bottom. Actually, I think I'll even buy a ps4 controller after hearing your review 🙂