What to Expect in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC
Learn about the new overworld areas and challenging bosses in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC. Defeat powerful enemies to access the parallel realm and freely warp between DLC and main game. Discover the unique leveling system and optional encounters in this highly anticipated expansion.
What to Expect in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC
The highly anticipated game, Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree, is set to release in June 2024. However, players may not be able to access the DLC expansion’s new overworld areas and dungeons immediately. In a recent interview with Famitsu, Hidetaka Miyazaki, the Elden Lord at FromSoftware, revealed that players must first defeat two of the game’s toughest bosses to gain access to these new areas.
( Credit to: Rockpapershotgun )
The interview, translated by Frontline Gaming Japan, also provided some background information on the game. Shadow Of The Erdtree takes place in a parallel, primordial realm characterized by denser and richer location design. The realm appears to be covered by a veil, which can be seen draping the branches of the Erdtree in the video thumbnail.
Defeat Challenging Bosses to Access New Areas
To enter this shadow reality, players must defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood. Radahn is a formidable opponent, a large man mounted on a nimble horse who can shoot spears and transform into a meteor. He can be found in Caelid. Mohg, on the other hand, is a trident-wielding enemy specializing in bloodflame and bleed effects. He resides in Mohgwyn Palace and plays a potentially important role in the DLC’s plot.
Once these bosses are defeated, players can access the other realm by touching the withered arm hanging from the cocoon in the Mohg fight arena. From then on, they will be able to freely warp between Sites of Grace in the DLC and the main game, similar to previous Souls expansions.
A Challenging Journey for Newcomers
Defeating Radahn and Mohg may seem like a challenging task, but dedicated players who are eager to play Shadow Of The Erdtree have likely already accomplished this feat. However, newcomers specifically purchasing the game for the Erdtree expansion will face a long and challenging journey. The DLC itself will be difficult but will also offer the freedom to avoid tougher enemies initially, allowing players to grind or discover new equipment before taking on the bosses. Additionally, some of the DLC’s bosses are optional. It’s worth noting that the story of Shadow Of The Erdtree does not affect the main game’s ending, and progress in the main game does not impact the expansion, giving players the flexibility to switch between them as they please.
Unique Leveling System and Standalone Progression
The difficulty of Shadow Of The Erdtree seems to rely on its new, standalone leveling system, which applies only within the DLC areas and is independent of players’ other stats. This system prevents players from excessively grinding in the main game and overpowering the DLC bosses. Higher-level players will find themselves lower-level in the Erdtree progression system, allowing them to experience the expansion as a first run of the main game, facing the challenging bosses as intended. Players can then return later with new DLC weapons, such as the Dueling Shield. These observations are based on reading between the lines of the interview.
A World of Exploration and Freedom
While there is more information in the full interview, it’s best not to reveal too much. Elden Ring is already highly regarded as one of the best PC games and one of the best open-world games. FromSoftware has a history of delivering great DLC expansions, and Shadow Of The Erdtree is expected to continue that trend. Players can look forward to a world that is less design-by-spreadsheet, with more optional dungeons and encounters. Thanks to PCGamesN for highlighting the Famitsu piece.