The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC looms on the horizon, promising a treacherous new realm filled with deadly bosses, mysterious biomes, and powerful weapons. Are you ready to face Miquella’s shadowed domain? Whether you’re wielding a fresh blade or a battle-worn arsenal from New Game+, preparation is key to surviving Elden Ring’s ultimate challenge. Here’s how to ensure you’re not just another Tarnished lost to the dark.
Access to the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion requires defeating two challenging bosses, which we described on a separate page of the guide. This means that it was designed for experienced players who have either completed their adventure in the Lands Between or are very close to it. On this page of our guide, we described how to effectively prepare for Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring.
Remember the combat system
Remember the Combat System
Before diving into Shadow of the Erdtree, it’s crucial to reacquaint yourself with Elden Ring’s intricate combat mechanics. Mastering dodging, parrying, and guard counters is key to surviving the punishing enemies and bosses in the DLC. Jump attacks and strong attacks are especially effective for breaking enemy posture, allowing for critical strikes. Additionally, understanding weapon scaling, Ashes of War, and ranged options like bows can provide versatile strategies to tackle new challenges. Practice against familiar foes in the base game to refine your timing and adaptability, ensuring you’re prepared for the unforgiving encounters ahead5.
Before starting the expansion, it’s worth reviewing the combat system, especially if it’s been a long time since you last played Elden Ring – mastering your build again will definitely come in handy. You can fight normal enemies, help other players fight bosses as a summon, or face optional bosses you haven’t fought yet.
Upgrade your weapons to the maximum level
Upgrading your weapons to the maximum level is essential to prepare for the challenges in Shadow of the Erdtree. Normal weapons can be upgraded to +25, while special weapons cap at +10, using Smithing Stones, Somber Smithing Stones, and their Ancient Dragon variants. To streamline this process, ensure you have acquired all Smithing Stone Bell Bearings, which allow merchants to sell most upgrade materials. However, Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones remain limited, so prioritize your favorite weapons. Max-level upgrades not only boost base damage but also improve stat scaling, making your arsenal formidable enough to face the DLC’s powerful enemies and bosses.
Make sure your weapons are fully upgraded – to level 25 for regular weapons and 10 for special weapons. For this you will need smithing stones and the rare ancient dragon smithing stones. If you use ashes, i.e. summons that support you during combat, you should also upgrade them.
Stock up on Larval Tears
Larval Tears are essential for players preparing for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring. These rare items allow you to respec your character’s stats by offering them to Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, at the Academy of Raya Lucaria. This flexibility is invaluable when adapting your build to tackle the DLC’s new challenges, such as powerful bosses and unique mechanics. Since Larval Tears are limited and often hidden in difficult or late-game areas, it’s wise to gather as many as possible before starting the DLC. Prioritize exploring regions like Nokron, Eternal City, or completing key side quests to ensure you have enough for multiple respecs3.
While playing through the base game, you should find some larval tears, items that allow you to respec the character – you can use them when talking to Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon after defeating her. There are many new weapons in the expansion, so it’s worth having a few larval tears with you in case you find a new weapon that you really like, but which you can’t use due to the current statistics.
Be at a high level
To be at a high level for Shadow of the Erdtree, preparation is key. Aim to have your character between Level 100 and 150, as this range ensures you are equipped to handle the DLC’s challenges without being underpowered. Focus on farming runes in high-yield areas like Mohgwyn Palace to level up efficiently. Upgrade your weapons and Spirit Summons to their maximum levels (+25 for regular weapons or +10 for special ones) to maximize your combat effectiveness. Stockpile essential resources such as Golden Seeds, Sacred Tears, and Larval Tears for flask upgrades and build adjustments. Additionally, consider refining your build by acquiring powerful talismans, buffs, and consumables to enhance your survivability and damage output. Whether you choose to enter with a fresh character or a seasoned New Game+ one, ensure you’re prepared for the intense difficulty and unique mechanics of this expansion5.
The expansion was designed for players who have already completed the base game or are close to finishing it. Before starting the expansion, you should be at least level 150 – this is the level at which the playable characters were during the pre-release shows. If you want to quickly increase your character level, you can use one of the many available rune farms, which we have described on a separate page of the guide.
Have 60 Vitality
Having 60 Vitality (Vigor) is essential for tackling the challenges in Shadow of the Erdtree. This DLC introduces tougher enemies and bosses that can deal massive damage, making a high health pool critical for survival. A Vigor stat of 60 ensures you can withstand powerful attacks, giving you more opportunities to learn enemy patterns and avoid one-shot deaths. Additionally, higher Vitality synergizes well with talismans like Erdtree’s Favor and Dragoncrest Greatshield, further enhancing your survivability. Prioritize leveling up Vigor as part of your preparation to confidently face the brutal encounters awaiting in the Land of Shadow.
Vitality is a statistic that affects your health level. The damage dealt by enemies increases dramatically at the end of Elden Ring – you need to have a lot of health, otherwise you will die from just a few hits. Before you start the expansion, make sure you have 60 vitality points – further investment in this statistic significantly reduces the health you gain, but stopping at 60 points will give you a lot of room for maneuver. You can get more stat points by spending runes or the above-mentioned larval tears.
Fully upgrade your Flasks of Crimson Tears
To fully upgrade your Flasks of Crimson Tears in preparation for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you’ll need to maximize both their charges and healing potency. This requires collecting Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears scattered across the Lands Between. Golden Seeds, found near small golden trees, increase the number of flask uses, with progressively more seeds needed for higher upgrades. Sacred Tears, typically located in churches with statues of Marika, enhance the amount of HP restored per use. The maximum number of charges is 14, and the highest healing potency is +12. Be sure to visit Sites of Grace to apply these upgrades, ensuring your flasks are at peak performance for the challenges ahead.
Before you approach the expansion, you should fully upgrade your health and mana restoration flasks – both the number of uses and the effectiveness. For this you need Golden Seeds, found under tiny golden trees scattered around the world, as well as Sacred Tears, found in various churches. The maximum number of flask uses is 14 and its maximum level is 12.
Get useful talismans
To prepare for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring, acquiring the right talismans is essential for enhancing your build and surviving tougher encounters. Talismans like the Blessed Blue Dew Talisman, which slowly regenerates FP, and the Boltdrake Talisman +3, which provides maximum lightning damage negation, are invaluable for both offense and defense. For melee-focused players, options such as the Blade of Mercy, which boosts attack power after critical hits, or the Two-Headed Turtle Talisman for faster stamina recovery, can significantly improve combat effectiveness. Explore the Lands Between and the new DLC areas thoroughly to find these powerful accessories and tailor your loadout to your playstyle.
Talismans are one of the most important elements of your build in Elden Ring. Before you start the DLC, you should get a full set of them – on a separate page of the guide, we have listed all the legendary talismans that may be useful to you and strengthen your character.
Be ready for a bigger challenge in NG
Be ready for a bigger challenge in NG
Venturing into Shadow of the Erdtree in New Game+ (NG+) mode will test even the most seasoned Elden Ring players. Enemies scale significantly in difficulty with each NG+ cycle, making preparation crucial. Ensure your character is equipped with fully upgraded weapons, Spirit Ashes, and maxed-out flasks using Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears. Additionally, consider farming runes to reach a level between 150-200 for better survivability. While NG+ offers the advantage of a well-stocked inventory and flexibility to respec using Larval Tears, the DLC’s unique leveling system ensures balanced challenges for all players, requiring adaptability and strategic planning.
The most balanced experience is completing the expansion in New Game. If you have already completed Elden Ring and started New Game Plus, all enemies and bosses will be stronger – this also applies to Shadow of the Erdtree. If you can, do the expansion with a character who hasn’t started a NG yet.
Defeat two bosses
Defeat Two Bosses
To access the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, players must first conquer two formidable bosses: Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood. Radahn, a legendary figure in Elden Ring’s lore, is a challenging foe whose defeat impacts multiple NPC questlines and alters the game world. Mohg, on the other hand, guards the DLC’s entrance at Miquella’s Egg in Mohgwyn Palace. To reach Mohg, players can either complete Varre’s questline or traverse the Consecrated Snowfields to find a waygate near Yelough Anix Tunnel. Both battles demand preparation, including leveling up, optimizing builds, and mastering combat strategies to overcome these iconic adversaries and unlock the Land of Shadows.
A passage to Shadow of the Erdtree is hidden behind two bosses that you must defeat before the expansion begins – Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood. Only after defeating these bosses can you reach the area from the expansion. The process is described in more detail on a separate page of the guide.
What are the key differences between starting fresh and using a New Game+ character for the DLC
Here are the key differences between starting fresh and using a New Game+ character for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC:
Starting Fresh
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Pros:
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Allows exploration of new classes and builds, offering a fresh gameplay experience.
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Avoids the increased difficulty scaling of enemies and bosses present in New Game+ cycles4.
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Provides an opportunity to relearn mechanics without overwhelming challenges from scaled enemies.
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Cons:
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Requires significant time investment to level up and gather essential items like Golden Seeds, weapons, and Sites of Grace before entering the DLC.
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May lead to burnout due to the need to replay early game content quickly4.
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A fresh character might struggle with the DLC’s endgame-level difficulty without adequate preparation.
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Using a New Game+ Character
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Pros:
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Retains all items, weapons, spells, and upgrades from previous playthroughs, ensuring readiness for challenging DLC content.
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Higher rune rewards from enemies in NG+ make progression faster.
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Avoids the grind of rebuilding a character from scratch4.
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Cons:
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Enemies in NG+ cycles have increased health and damage output, making the already difficult DLC even harder4.
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Some players may feel that NG+ scaling detracts from the intended experience of the DLC4.
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Ultimately, using a New Game+ character offers convenience and preparation for high-level content but comes with added difficulty. Starting fresh provides a clean slate but requires significant effort to reach endgame readiness.
What are the main benefits of using a New Game+ character for the DLC
Using a New Game+ character for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC offers several advantages:
Main Benefits
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Retained Gear and Items: Players can carry over their leveled-up weapons, armor, spells, and consumables, ensuring they’re equipped to face the DLC’s challenging content without needing to farm or grind for upgrades.
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Higher Rune Rewards: Enemies and bosses in New Game+ drop more runes, making it easier to level up further as you progress through the DLC.
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Endgame-Level Build: The DLC is balanced around endgame-level builds, meaning New Game+ characters are already prepared to tackle its difficulty curve without additional grinding.
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Convenience: Players avoid the time-consuming process of starting fresh, such as collecting Golden Seeds, unlocking Sites of Grace, or acquiring essential gear.
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Flexibility for Respec: Using a New Game+ character allows players to utilize Larval Tears to adapt their build if new weapons or mechanics in the DLC inspire changes2.
While the increased difficulty scaling in New Game+ adds a layer of challenge, these benefits make it a practical choice for most players entering the DLC.
