Before there was Elden Ring, before there was Bloodborne, even before there was Dark Souls, FromSoftware established itself as an authority in the Mecha genre with Armored Core. Unfortunately, the franchise has been mostly inert for about a decade, but now it looks to be returning in grand fashion. The reveal trailer for Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon looks stunning, but fans may wonder if an Elden Ring character could really make an appearance in the game. After all, it’s hard to imagine characters like White Mask Varré or the fearsome Malenia in a mech suit.
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Patches’ Origins in Armored Core
Patches, the dastardly merchant with a penchant for kicking players off ledges and trying to make off with everything they own, could really make an appearance in Armored Core 6. Even as a merchant, it may seem like a stretch to include Patches in a Mecha game, but it makes a lot more sense when players realize that the character’s first-ever appearance in a FromSoftware game was actually in the Armored Core franchise. Patches and his moral compass, or lack thereof, was conceived in 2008 for Armored Core: For Answer. In this title, Patches is a mercenary called Patch the Good Luck.
Players encounter Patch the Good Luck during a mission and find that he has a very strange NEXT called No Count. Perhaps the most unique thing about this NEXT is the fact that its legs are installed in reverse, making it easier for him to run away. He prefers to use stealth and long-range tactics, and when all of his allies are defeated, he will actually beg for mercy. The player can then choose to kill Patches or spare him, with the latter option seeing him boost away, never to be seen again.
A History of Patches’ Appearances in the Souls Games
Since that encounter, Patches has become something of a tradition in FromSoftware’s catalog, kind of similar to how the Moonlight Greatsword appears in almost every FromSoftware game. Showing up in the most unexpected places, Patches will usually try to trick the player with the goal of either killing or trapping them. When this inevitably doesn’t work, he apologizes profusely and becomes a merchant. Killing him for his transgressions is always tempting, but he usually has unique wares that players won’t want to pass up.
Patches appears in Patches the Hyena in Demon’s Souls, in Dark Souls as Trusty Patches, again in Dark Souls 3 as Unbreakable Patches, and even in Bloodborne as Patches the Spider. In fact, the only recent Soulslike games he hasn’t appeared in are Dark Souls 2 and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. His appearance, mannerisms, and function are mostly the same in all of these games, except for Bloodborne, where he actually is a spider with Patches’ face. It seems that Patches is here to stay, as he was also included in Elden Ring as Patches the Untethered.
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Patches’ Appearance in Elden Ring
Staying true to his depictions in Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, and Dark Souls 3, Patches in Elden Ring tries to kill the Tarnished when the two first meet in the Murkwater Cave in Limgrave. Patches uses his trademark spear and shield to space out the player, and his use of an Acid Spraymist item shows he isn’t concerned with fighting fair. He even has a boss health bar, but it disappears when players get his health low enough. Once it’s clear he can’t win, Patches cowers and offers to sell his wares instead. Notably, his shop is the only place players can buy Margit’s Shackles in Elden Ring, an item that makes the Margit boss fight much easier.
He invites the player to open up a chest nearby his shop, which is predictably trapped, and teleports players to an area near Mistwood Ruins that is full of deadly Rune Bears. Players can also encounter Patches again during the boss fight against the Shardbearer Starscourge Radahn, this time as one of many NPC phantom summons the player can use to add them against the behemoth boss. In true Patches fashion, he abandons the player almost immediately after seeing Radahn’s terrifying power, separating from their world entirely.
Will Patches Be in Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon?
Of course, Patches is in no way confirmed to appear in Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, but given his history with the franchise and From Software’s dedication to the character, it seems quite likely. Whether he will act solely as a merchant or he’ll pilot an Armored Core of his own against the player once again remains to be seen, however. It is worth noting that the character of Patch the Good Luck did not make an appearance in Armored Core 5.
If players do run across Patches again, at least it will be a familiar face in the desolate world showcased in the Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon reveal trailer. There’s no doubt that many players picking up the new Armored Core game will be new to the franchise, so a bit of familiarity will go a long way, even if it comes in the form of this backstabbing character. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon’s release date is not set in stone, although it could be by the end of 2023. This means that players should know whether Patches’ legacy will continue in this game by the end of the next year.
Elden Ring is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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