Elden Ring DLC Guide: Shadow of the Erdtree Complete Walkthrough
Elden Ring DLC Guide: Shadow of the Erdtree Complete Walkthrough
Shadow of the Erdtree is the massive expansion for Elden Ring that takes you to the Realm of Shadow, an entirely new landmass with its own bosses, weapons, and storyline. This guide covers everything you need to know to access the DLC, navigate its challenges, and find its best rewards.
How to Access the DLC
Before you can enter the Realm of Shadow, you must defeat two mandatory bosses in the base game. First, defeat Starscourge Radahn at the Redmane Festival in Caelid. Second, defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood in his dynasty mausoleum beneath Mohgwyn Palace. Once both bosses are defeated, travel to the cocoon in the back of Mohgwyn Palace and interact with the withered arm to be transported to the DLC area.
The DLC is balanced for characters at level 120 to 150 with fully upgraded weapons. If you are below this range, consider spending time farming runes and upgrading your preferred weapon before entering. The Realm of Shadow uses a separate Scadutree Blessing system that provides damage and defense bonuses unique to the DLC area.
Key Areas in the Realm of Shadow
The Realm of Shadow is divided into several major regions, each with its own visual identity and difficulty curve. The Gravesite Plain is the first area you encounter and serves as the DLC’s equivalent to Limgrave, with moderate enemies and several early dungeons. The Cerulean Coast stretches along the southern edge with beautiful but dangerous landscapes.
Scadu Altus is the central plateau and the DLC’s mid-game zone, containing the Shadow Keep, which serves as the DLC’s main legacy dungeon. The Abyssal Woods and the Hinterlands offer late-game challenges with some of the toughest enemies in the entire game. Charo’s Hidden Grave and the Jagged Peak are optional areas with unique bosses and powerful rewards.
New Weapons and Builds
The DLC introduces over 100 new weapons, many with entirely new weapon categories. Martial Arts weapons offer a completely new melee playstyle focused on rapid combos. The Perfume Bottles create unique support and damage options. The Backhand Blades and Light Greatswords fill gaps in the existing weapon roster.
Several new weapons have become dominant in both PvE and PvP. The Milady Light Greatsword offers an incredible balance of speed and damage. The Great Katana combines the reach of a greatsword with katana speed. The Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword is one of the strongest colossal weapons in the game. Many DLC weapons pair exceptionally well with new Ashes of War that are also found in the Realm of Shadow.
Scadutree Blessing System
The Scadutree Blessing is a DLC-exclusive progression system. Finding Scadutree Fragments scattered throughout the Realm of Shadow increases your blessing level, which boosts your damage output and damage resistance within the DLC areas. This system is separate from your regular character level and means that even high-level characters will feel challenged when first entering the DLC.
Revered Spirit Ashes serve a similar purpose for your summon allies. Finding these upgrades makes your spirit summons significantly more effective in DLC content. Both systems encourage thorough exploration, as the fragments are hidden in ruins, churches, and behind mini-bosses throughout the Realm of Shadow.
Tips for Success
Explore thoroughly before rushing the main path. The DLC rewards exploration with Scadutree Fragments that make you significantly stronger. Do not ignore the side dungeons, as they contain unique weapons and armor sets that cannot be found elsewhere. Use the new Revered Spirit Ashes to upgrade your summons for the tougher boss fights.
Bring a variety of damage types. Many DLC enemies are resistant to specific elements, so having a backup physical damage weapon or a different elemental affinity can save you from frustrating encounters. Holy damage, which was dominant in the base game, is significantly less effective against many DLC enemies.