Man, I’ve seen so many PS4 players struggle with sprinting in Elden Ring – including myself at first. Took me ages to figure it out properly, so here’s exactly what I did step by step.
My Button-Mashing Phase
Started off thinking sprint was tied to circle button cause that’s dodge roll. Spammed circle while pushing left stick forward like an idiot. My character just kept doing awkward rolls until stamina drained completely. Felt real dumb when I kept getting wrecked by basic enemies cause I couldn’t run away.
The Discovery Moment
Accidentally found the solution when I rested my thumb on the controller. Noticed my finger naturally hovered over L3 (left stick button). Pushed it while moving forward and bam – character started proper sprinting. Felt like unlocking secret tech!
Testing It Properly
Went to Limgrave’s open field to practice:
- First pushed left stick fully forward to walk
- Then firmly clicked L3 while keeping forward pressure
- Immediately saw stamina bar start draining smoothly
- Released L3 but kept moving – character automatically went back to walking
Biggest lightbulb moment? Realized sprint doesn’t work if you’re:
- Holding block (L1)
- Locked onto enemies and trying to dodge
- In mid-attack animation
Mastering Sprint-Dodge Combos
Practiced combining sprint with dodges against Godrick soldiers:
- Sprint toward enemy until last second
- Release L3 completely
- Immediately press circle for dodge roll
Took 20+ tries to stop fat-rolling with heavy armor. Finally got consistent when I timed the L3 release half-second before pressing circle.
Now I use sprint constantly – escaping ambushes, closing distance for backstabs, even during Radahn’s meteor attack. Changed my whole playstyle once muscle memory kicked in. Still screw up sometimes when panic hits though!