What Carries Over to NG+
In New Game Plus, you keep your levels, weapons, armor, spells, and most key items. Consumables, quest items, and keys are lost. Your soul level carries over, but enemy souls scale up by roughly 50%. This means you will level faster in NG+. Upgrade materials also carry over, so stock up on Ancient Alloys and Void Crystals before starting NG+. The Blacksmith keeps his upgrade progress, so your +10 weapons stay +10.
Important items that carry over include: all weapons and armor (including unique items), all spells and abilities, your soul level and stat allocations, upgrade materials, gold/souls, and key items related to the true ending. Items that do NOT carry over: quest items, keys, consumables (potions, herbs, etc.), and the Homeward Bell. Make sure to use or sell everything you can before starting NG+.
New Enemies & Challenges
NG+ introduces new enemy variants. The most notable are the "Cursed" versions of regular enemies — they have more health, deal more damage, and have new attack patterns. Cursed skeletons can summon additional skeletons. Cursed mages have faster cast times. There are also new mini-bosses that appear in specific locations. The Cursed Knight appears in the Scorched Valley and drops a unique ring that increases all damage by 10%.
Each zone has at least one Cursed enemy type. The Forgotten Catacombs has Cursed Skeletons. The Scorched Valley has Cursed Fire Wraiths. The Moonlit Gardens has Cursed Apparitions. The Twilight Pass has Cursed Mages. The Abyssal Depths has Cursed Horrors. These enemies are tough but drop significantly more souls and have higher material drop rates. They are worth farming for quick progression.
Exclusive NG+ Items
NG+ exclusive items are worth the extra difficulty. The "Void Crown" is found in the Abyssal Depths — it increases magic damage by 30% but reduces physical defense. The "Eternal Blade" is a reward for defeating all Cursed bosses — it has infinite durability and scales with your highest stat. The "Ring of the Ancients" doubles soul drops and is found in a new chest in the central hub.
Other NG+ exclusives include: "Cursed Armor Set" (dropped by Cursed Knights, provides high defense but reduces movement speed), "Phoenix Staff" (found in a new area in the Scorched Valley, casts powerful fire spells), and "Amulet of the Void" (reward for completing the true ending questline in NG+, grants immunity to void damage). These items make NG+ significantly easier once you acquire them.
Difficulty Changes Explained
Enemy damage and health are increased by roughly 75% in NG+. Bosses have new attack patterns and phases. The Giant Rat, for example, gains a poison breath attack. The Skeleton Lord summons additional skeletons at low health. Boss soul rewards are doubled, making NG+ an excellent way to reach max level. Enemy resistances are also higher — elemental damage is about 20% less effective.
The biggest difficulty spike comes from the new enemy placements. NG+ rearranges enemy positions, so you cannot rely on muscle memory. Traps are more frequent and deal more damage. Environmental hazards like lava and poison deal damage faster. However, the core mechanics remain the same, and your upgraded gear from the first playthrough gives you a significant advantage.
Preparation Tips Before NG+
Before starting NG+, make sure you have completed everything you want in your current playthrough. This includes all side quests, hidden bosses, and achievements. Stock up on upgrade materials — at least 50 Ancient Alloys and 100 Void Crystals. Buy all unique items from merchants, as their inventories reset in NG+. Finally, equip your best gear before triggering NG+ — you start in the tutorial area and face enemies immediately.
I also recommend farming at least 100,000 souls before starting NG+. This gives you a buffer for purchasing items and upgrading gear early on. Complete the true ending questline in your first playthrough if possible — the rewards carry over and make NG+ significantly easier. And do not forget to use or sell all consumables and quest items before starting, since they do not c
arry over and will be lost.