Elden Ring is a huge game with many unexplained parts. A returning stat, Poise may trouble you early on. Here's how it works and how to increase it.
What is Poise in Elden Ring?
Poise is an incredibly important stat, depending on your build. It is essentially your ability to tank hits without being staggered. In Elden Ring, if you have low poise, you will get knocked back when hit, negating any action you were doing at the time. If you have a particularly slow moveset, high poise is incredibly important.
This being said, poise can be great for almost any class. Even if you play a class that favours distance, you can still get hit with a lunge attack and being able to tank that to get a good spell off is worth it.
You can increase your poise stats by levelling up or by wearing the right gear. If you want high poise, you should sink some of your points into Endurance and then wearing heavier armour. This will not only raise your poise but generally increase the damage you can take.
No matter what class you play, endurance is a stat worth investing in. It upgrades your equip load and gives you a higher pool of stamina. Even if you plan on dodging every single attack, having better stamina is a good way of doing so.
Should You Hug Fia?
Fia is a character you can meet very early on who offers to embrace you. In return for a 5% drop in your HP, you get a consumable called "Baldachin’s Blessing". Using it will remove the debuff and give you a temporary boost in poise. If you are planning on taking on a boss and want a little extra poise, this may be worth trying. If not, the extra health may be the way to go.