If you’re starting Elden Ring, one of the first things you’ll want to unlock is Torrent, your spectral steed. The Lands Between is enormous, and while exploring everything on foot is possible, you’ll quickly realize just how much easier life becomes once you have your trusty mount.
Torrent isn’t just a faster way to travel, either. He can double-jump, launch you through Spiritsprings, help you escape dangerous enemies, and even fight alongside you in mounted combat.
There are a few things about riding Torrent that the game doesn’t explain particularly well, though, so here’s everything you need to know.
Elden Ring Tarnished Torrent Guide – Unlock Spectral Steed
Getting Torrent is actually pretty easy and happens very early in the game.
First, travel to the Gatefront Ruins Site of Grace in Limgrave and rest there. During the interaction, you’ll meet Melina.
Agree to let Melina act as your maiden, and she’ll give you the Spectral Steed Whistle.
That’s the item you’ll use whenever you want to summon Torrent.
I’d recommend putting the whistle somewhere convenient, such as your quick items or pouch. You’ll be using it constantly while exploring the open world, so having to dig through your inventory every time gets old very quickly.
How to Summon and Dismount Torrent
Once you have the Spectral Steed Whistle, use it to summon Torrent.
You can also use the same whistle to dismount.
The exact controls depend on your platform, but the basic idea is the same: use the Spectral Steed Whistle to call Torrent and use it again when you want to get off.
One important thing to remember is that Torrent isn’t available everywhere. You can’t ride him inside most dungeons, and mounted combat isn’t available during PvP or co-op sessions.
How Fast Is Torrent?
Torrent’s normal movement is roughly comparable to your running speed on foot, but his dash makes a huge difference.
Repeatedly dashing allows Torrent to move at roughly twice the normal speed, making him vastly more useful for crossing large areas.
His speed is also one of his best defensive tools.
Torrent’s dash doesn’t provide invulnerability frames, so don’t treat it like a dodge. However, he’s fast enough to outrun many enemies and can get you out of dangerous situations before an attack connects.
Torrent’s Double Jump
One of Torrent’s most useful abilities is his double jump.
You can jump once and then immediately jump again, allowing Torrent to cover significantly more distance vertically and horizontally than you can on foot.
This is particularly useful when exploring cliffs and uneven terrain.
The second jump can also be used to change direction, which is incredibly handy when you’ve accidentally ridden past your destination and need to turn around quickly.
It isn’t just a movement gimmick, either. The double jump can help you avoid certain attacks and reach areas that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to access.
Torrent’s Mounted Controls
Combat works a little differently while you’re riding.
You can only actively wield one weapon at a time, although you can switch between your right- and left-hand weapons.
You also cannot two-hand a weapon while mounted.
That’s worth remembering when choosing your equipment. If you only meet a weapon’s Strength requirement because you’re two-handing it, you won’t be able to use that setup while riding Torrent.
Mounted Attacks
Your mounted attacks come from either side of Torrent.
Light attacks produce quick swings, while heavy or drag attacks can be held as you ride past an enemy before releasing them for a stronger hit.
The drag attack is particularly useful with larger weapons because you can essentially sweep the weapon along the ground as you ride past enemies.
With some large weapons, a well-timed drag attack can even launch enemies into the air.
Can You Use Magic on Torrent?
Yes.
If you’re holding a Glintstone Staff or Sacred Seal, your mounted attack can become a spell or incantation instead of a normal weapon swing.
This makes Torrent surprisingly useful for ranged builds.
You can ride around an enemy, maintain your distance, and cast while constantly repositioning yourself.
Bows, light bows, and crossbows can also be used while mounted, although their normal controls apply and their weapon Skills cannot be used in the same way.
Shields, greatbows, and ballistas aren’t particularly useful on horseback and function differently when you’re mounted.
Mounted Combat: When Torrent Is at His Best
Mounted combat can make certain encounters dramatically easier.
Torrent’s speed lets you attack, create distance, heal, and reposition much faster than you could on foot.
He also has his own health bar, meaning some attacks aimed low enough can hit Torrent instead of you.
That can occasionally save you from taking damage.
But mounted combat isn’t automatically better.
Fighting Large, Slow Enemies
Against large enemies with slow attacks, the easiest approach is usually hit-and-run combat.
Ride toward the enemy while preparing your attack, land the hit as you pass, and immediately keep moving.
Don’t stop directly in front of them.
Once you’ve created enough distance, turn around, allow your stamina to recover, and repeat.
This works particularly well because you can’t rely on normal dodging or guarding while mounted.
Dealing With Groups of Enemies
If you’re surrounded by weaker enemies, don’t ride directly into the middle of them.
Stay around the outside of the group and use your drag attacks to hit several enemies as you pass.
Getting trapped in the center is a quick way to get knocked off Torrent.
Fighting Ranged Enemies
Against archers and other ranged opponents, lock onto the enemy and spiral toward them rather than riding in a straight line.
The constant movement makes it much harder for them to land their projectiles while you’re closing the distance.
Fighting Fast Enemies
Fast enemies can be more troublesome because they can keep up with you.
Try to get close enough to repeatedly attack and stagger them, but always keep enough stamina available to escape.
If you spend your entire stamina bar attacking and the enemy survives, you may find yourself unable to create distance when you need it most.
Torrent Can Be Knocked Off
Torrent has his own stance bar.
Repeated attacks can fill it, causing you to get knocked from the saddle.
This is dangerous because getting knocked off leaves you vulnerable for several seconds while you recover.
This is one of the biggest reasons not to ride directly into a group of enemies.
Some enemies are especially annoying on horseback, including those using Torchpoles, because their attacks can connect multiple times from surprisingly long range.
How to Heal Torrent
Torrent has his own health pool, so you’ll occasionally need to heal him.
You can use several items, including:
- Rowa Raisins
- Sweet Raisins
- Frozen Raisins
- Flask of Crimson Tears
So don’t ignore Torrent’s health bar just because your own HP is still looking healthy.
If he takes a beating and you keep riding into another fight, you may eventually find yourself without your mount at the worst possible moment.
What Happens If Torrent Dies?
If Torrent’s health reaches zero during combat, you’ll fall from him and become stunned for several seconds.
You can summon Torrent again, but there’s a cost.
You’ll need to spend one charge of the Flask of Crimson Tears to revive him.
You’ll also have to confirm the revival prompt before he comes back.
There is one useful distinction, though: if Torrent was merely stance-broken and knocked off, you can summon him again without spending a Flask charge.
So don’t confuse being knocked off with Torrent actually dying.
Spiritsprings: How to Use Torrent’s Special Jump
While exploring the Lands Between, you’ll eventually encounter large swirling columns of air called Spiritsprings.
These are essentially natural launch pads for Torrent.
Ride into one while mounted and jump into the Spiritspring. The current will launch Torrent high into the air, allowing you to reach areas at significantly different elevations.
They’re especially common around cliffs and mountainous areas.
There’s another great benefit: landing near a Spiritspring after jumping from a great height prevents you from taking fall damage.
So if you’re looking at a huge cliff and see one of these swirling air currents nearby, there’s a very good chance the game expects you to use it.
Best Torrent Tactics for Exploration
Torrent is at his most useful when you stop thinking of him as simply a faster horse.
Use him to:
- Quickly cross large areas
- Escape enemies you aren’t ready to fight
- Reach high or distant locations
- Explore cliffs and open terrain
- Traverse dangerous enemy camps
- Circle large enemies during combat
- Reposition quickly after attacking
- Use Spiritsprings to reach higher areas
If something looks too dangerous, don’t feel obligated to fight it just because you’re already there.
Sometimes the best use of Torrent is simply getting away.
Torrent and Dungeons
One thing new players often discover the hard way is that Torrent isn’t available everywhere.
You generally cannot ride him inside dungeons.
So if you’ve been using Torrent to zip around the open world and suddenly find yourself entering a dungeon, don’t be surprised when the game takes away your favorite mode of transportation.
This is also why you should get comfortable fighting on foot. Torrent is an incredible tool, but he isn’t a replacement for your normal combat skills.
Torrent and Online Play
Torrent also isn’t available during PvP or co-op sessions.
Mounted combat is primarily an open-world solo tool.
If you’re playing with another person or participating in PvP, you’ll need to rely on your normal movement and combat mechanics instead.
A Useful Early-Game Torrent Tip
After obtaining Torrent, there’s another useful early-game interaction you can do.
Return to the Church of Elleh in Limgrave and rest at the Site of Grace.
You can encounter the witch Renna, who can give you the Spirit Calling Bell.
The bell is important because it allows you to summon spirits during eligible encounters.
So once you’ve unlocked Torrent, it’s worth making a quick trip back to the Church of Elleh rather than immediately riding off into the sunset.
A Fun Crossbow Trick
There’s also an interesting mounted crossbow technique.
When galloping with a crossbow, you can fire while Torrent is airborne. Under the right timing, this can allow you to fire again shortly after landing without performing the usual reload sequence between shots.
The Pulley Crossbow is excluded from this behavior.
It’s a fairly niche trick, but if you’re playing a ranged character who spends a lot of time on horseback, it’s worth knowing about.
Torrent’s Story and Former Master
There’s also a little mystery surrounding Torrent himself.
When Renna gives you the Spirit Calling Bell, she explains that it was entrusted to you by Torrent’s former master.
The identity of that former master has been a long-running point of discussion among Elden Ring players, especially because promotional material for Shadow of the Erdtree shows Miquella riding a horse resembling Torrent in the Realm of Shadow.
The game deliberately leaves room for speculation about the connection, which is part of what makes Torrent more interesting than simply being your transportation.
Torrent Spectral Steed Attire
If you’re playing with the newer Tarnished Pack content, you can also customize Torrent’s appearance.
The pack adds three Spectral Steed Attires:
- Tree Sentinel Spectral Steed Attire — Stormveil Castle
- Silver of Caria Spectral Steed Attire — Liurnia of the Lakes
- Funereal Night Spectral Steed Attire — Altus Plateau
These are cosmetic only, so they don’t change Torrent’s speed, health, or combat performance.
Once you obtain an attire, you can change Torrent’s appearance through the appropriate option at a Site of Grace.
Torrent is one of the most useful tools you’ll get in Elden Ring, but the key is learning when to use him and when to get off.
For exploration, he’s fantastic. For large open-world enemies, mounted hit-and-run tactics can make fights much easier. For cliffs and vertical areas, his double jump and Spiritsprings are invaluable.
But when you’re fighting in a cramped space or dealing with enemies that can easily stagger you, sometimes two feet on the ground are better than four.
Take care of your spectral steed, keep some healing items handy, and don’t be afraid to use his speed to escape a fight that isn’t worth taking.
After all, there are plenty of enemies in the Lands Between willing to kill you. There’s no reason to make their job easier.