Descending into the shadowy depths of Scadu Altus in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is no simple feat. Hidden beneath the sprawling meadowlands lies a treacherous path through the Shadow Keep, guarded by vicious foes and riddled with secrets. From navigating waterfalls to uncovering cryptic passageways, this guide reveals the only safe route to the lower Scadu Altus—where forgotten ruins, deadly bosses, and legendary treasures await your Tarnished journey.
Fighting the Golden Hippopotamus
Fighting the Golden Hippopotamus
The Golden Hippopotamus serves as the first major boss encounter in the Shadow Keep of Scadu Altus, a key region in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. This massive and deceptively fast foe guards the main gate, forcing players to confront it to progress deeper into the dungeon. Known for its wide-sweeping attacks and limited movement space during the fight, it can be a challenging opponent. To defeat it, players should focus on timing their dodges carefully and exploiting its recovery windows. Upon victory, the Golden Hippopotamus drops two Scadutree Fragments and the Aspects of the Crucible: Thorns incantation, while also unlocking access to the Ancient Ruins of Ruah.
The first step on the way to the lower parts of Scadu will, of course, be unlocking the region. You will gain access to it after defeating Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, who resides at the end of Castle Ensis. More information about fighting her can be found on the guide page: Rellana, Twin Moon Knight.
Mount Torrent and run through the open space of Scadu. Head towards the castle visible on the horizon – the Shadow Keep. Along the way, you’ll pass many armed horsemen, a soldier camp, and even a flaming golem, so be careful.
After entering the keep, use the elevator and then activate the Site of Grace in the upper room. Get ready for a boss fight.
Golden Hippopotamus is a rather peculiar, but relatively easy to defeat boss. If you are interested in more information about it, visit the guide page: Golden Hippopotamus.
How to get through the Shadow Keep?
To get through the Shadow Keep in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, players must navigate its intricate layout, defeat challenging enemies, and uncover hidden paths. Start by entering the keep from the Highroad Cross Site of Grace, where you’ll face camps of Messmer Soldiers and a Furnace Golem before reaching the Main Gate Site of Grace. Progress through the dungeon by exploring its multiple sections, including hidden illusory walls that reveal secret routes. Key encounters include two major boss fights—Messmer the Impaler and the Golden Hippopotamus—both requiring strategic preparation. Additionally, interacting with a coffin near an illusory wall grants access to lower Scadu Altus, unlocking new areas and advancing the story.
After defeating the Hippopotamus, activate the Site of Grace that will appear in the center of the arena. Then exit through the newly opened door on the left.
Walk through the armories and you will reach the outer part of the castle complex. In this section, you will encounter many lesser enemies, usually patrolling the area in pairs. However, you will be able to eliminate some of them quite easily by simply throwing them into the abyss. When you notice opponents resting near the edge, sneak up on them and then push them with a quick series of attacks. This strategy will allow you to avoid many unnecessary problems.
Keep heading up the wooden stairs. Be careful, because this space is very narrow and it is easy to fall down. With this in mind, we recommend that you aggro individual opponents, escape to one of the wider balconies and eliminate them one by one. A fight with a group of enemies over a dangerous abyss can easily end with you falling and dying.
After reaching the top floor, you will stand in front of the entrance to the feast hall. Be careful, however, because at the other end of the room there will be an enemy waiting with a bow aimed straight at the entrance. What’s worse, right behind the door there is a strong opponent with a large hammer. Lure the hammer-wielding enemy out of the room and defeat him on one of the stone balconies below. Then, sprint into the feast hall and deal with the archer as quickly as possible.
Leave the room through the exit to the left of the fireplace. This way you will get to the wide castle walls. While traveling through them, you will certainly be attacked by little men throwing poisonous bombs. They are not very dangerous on their own, but in a group they can easily corner you.
About halfway through the wall you will reach an intersection. It is worth turning right and going down the stairs. At the bottom you will find a gate. After opening it, you will permanently unlock a shortcut leading from the Hippopotamus arena to the castle walls.
How to pass the sewers?
To pass through the sewers in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and reach the lower Scadu Altus, start at the Shadow Keep Main Gate Plaza site of grace. Head west, clear out the vulgar militiamen, and ascend the large staircase. At the top, turn right and eliminate more enemies to find a small opening in the wall on the north side. Descend the ladder inside and proceed left, then left again under a waterfall to uncover a secret passageway leading into the sewer. Follow this path until you encounter a large drop with a coffin. Interact with the coffin to trigger a cutscene that transports you to the lower Scadu Altus near the Castle Watering Hole site of grace.
Standing on the walls (with your back to the stairs), turn right. On the left wall (the one facing north) you will find a small notch with a ladder leading down. Go down.
At the bottom, to the right of the ladder, you will find a passage under the waterfall. After going inside and climbing another ladder, you will reach a room with lots of chests and a mysterious painting in the corner.
Interact with the painting depicting dragons and then approach the empty part of wall opposite the easel with the painting. A secret passage will open for you.
Walk through a short section of sewers until you reach a coffin standing over a cliff. After interacting with it, your character will lie down inside.
After a short cut-scene showing the sarcophagus floating down, you will wake up in another part of the sewers.
After leaving the dark room, you will finally find yourself in the lower part of Scadu Altus. Activate the Site of Grace located right next to the exit so that you can return to this place at any time.
What are the main challenges when reaching the lower Scadu Altus
Reaching the lower Scadu Altus in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree presents several main challenges:
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Navigating the Shadow Keep: Players must first progress through the Shadow Keep legacy dungeon, which involves defeating the Golden Hippopotamus to unlock the Shadow Keep Main Gate Plaza site of grace.
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Finding the hidden path: After clearing out groups of vulgar militiamen, players need to locate a small opening in the wall and a ladder on the north side of the keep.
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Traversing treacherous terrain: The path involves descending ladders, navigating under a waterfall, and following a secret passageway through sewers.
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Overcoming environmental hazards: The lower Scadu Altus is a large, flooded area, which can make movement and combat more challenging.
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Facing powerful enemies: The area is home to formidable foes, including
What are the best strategies to defeat the Golden Hippopotamus
To defeat the Golden Hippopotamus in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, players should employ the following strategies:
General Tips
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Avoid Lock-On: The camera angle is problematic during this fight, so avoid locking onto the boss to maintain better control.
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Use Spirit Summons: Summoning Spirit Ashes like Redmane Freyja or Hornsent can help distract the boss and reduce its aggression toward you.
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Stay Mobile: Constantly move in circular patterns to avoid being cornered against walls, as the boss uses powerful slam attacks that exploit tight spaces.
Phase 1 Strategies
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Dodge Key Attacks:
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Charging Bite: Roll sideways at the last second to avoid its grab attack.
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Ground Slam: Sprint sideways when it rises on two legs and jump to avoid the shockwave.
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Head Slam Combo: Double-dodge roll sideways before each slam; avoid rolling backward to prevent getting stuck against walls.
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Spike Rain: Sprint in any direction to evade falling spikes.
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Attack Opportunities:
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Stay near its side and strike after it completes an attack. Use fast-hitting weapons for multiple strikes or heavy weapons for stagger damage.
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Bleed builds are highly effective for quickly depleting its health.
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Phase 2 Adjustments
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The boss becomes more aggressive, so focus on dod
