Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree appears to be significantly harder than the base game and has caught many returning players off guard. Entering a new realm filled with hostile NPCs that resemble mini-bosses can be overwhelming. Players with OP builds from the base game may be disheartened after realizing that many of these builds are less effective against the new adversaries and bosses.
Despite the challenge, there's a vast world to explore, allowing players to discover new builds using items and weapons from the Land of Shadow. If you, like so many, are finding the DLC too hard, preparing and adapting can make the DLC experience more manageable and enjoyable.
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10 Level Up Your Stats
Prioritize Vigor & Stamina To Last Longer
The DLC is accessible from the mid-late game, so level 100+ is the level you should be for Elden Ring:Shadow Of The Erdtree. The content is balanced for late-game characters, and lower-level players may struggle due to high stat requirements for new weapons.
All players should focus on leveling up Stamina and Vigor to increase HP. These essential stats are crucial for keeping up with enemies and boss fights. Even skilled players will take damage from strong and fast enemies, so leveling these stats is vital. It allows for quick dodging, sustained weapon use, and the ability to tank occasional hits, extending your survival in fights.
While more health is beneficial, it often means sacrificing damage output. Balancing your stats and using external items, like Talismans in Elden Ring, can help offset this loss.
Prioritize Endurance To Lighten Equip Load
Another useful stat to level up is Endurance, which directly increases your maximum Equip Load. Equip Load soft caps at 25 and 60 Endurance. The Equip Load system limits the weight of the armor and weapons you can carry, making leveling Endurance necessary, especially for those wearing heavy armor to improve movement.
Equip Load and Stamina consumption determine your roll status. Staying under 70% Equip Load in Elden Ring is recommended for a normal roll while going under 30% allows for even more effective rolls.
These general stats suit any playstyle, but some are specific to certain builds. Magic users should prioritize Mind to increase FP, and Faith users should level up Faith. Melee fighters should focus on Endurance and the stats that scale with their weapons. Strength-based players should level up Strength and Vigor.
9 Increase Your Poise
Prevents Being Staggered By Attacks
Poise is crucial for both melee and magic players, especially for tank strategies. It determines when you'll be interrupted by enemy attacks. Poise is essential for PvP in Elden Ring and winning boss fights. High poise is necessary to resist staggering from massive attacks, though numerous small attacks can also break your posture. This mechanic affects both you and your enemies.
You can't level up poise directly but can increase it through equipment or consumable items.
Notable gear includes the heavy Bull Goat armor set in Elden Ring for maximum poise, the Bull Goat Talisman, which boosts poise by 33%, and consumables like 
Baldachin's Blessing , 
Ironjar Aromatic , and 
Leaden Hardtear in the Wondrous Flask of Physick.
8 Collect Scadutree Fragments
Bolsters Scadutree Blessing
Specific to the Elden Ring DLC, Scadutree Fragments are new upgrade materials that enhance offensive and defensive capabilities at any Sites of Grace. They are a permanent boost to all damage dealt and damage negation within the Land of Shadow, making the DLC more manageable. These fragments are scattered throughout the Land of Shadow for players to find.
These consumables only affect gameplay within the DLC and do not impact the base game.
Once you gather enough fragments, you can rest at any Sites of Grace to enhance the Shadow Realm Blessing. To find every Scadutree Fragment in Elden Ring, explore Gravesite Plains, where many are located. There are more fragments throughout the realm, but begin your search in the DLC's starting area.
Scadutree Fragments | Nearest Site of Grace |
|---|---|
1 & 2 | Dragon's Pit |
3 | Cliffside Terminus |
4 | Ellac River Downstream |
5 | Main Gate Cross |
6 | Three-Path Cross |
7 | Pillar Path Cross |
Scadutree Fragments | Nearest Site of Grace |
|---|---|
8 | Castle Front |
9 | Castle Ensis Checkpoint |
10 | Belurat Gaol |
11 | Spiral Rise |
12 | Spiral Rise |
13 | Spiral Rise |
14 | Cleansing Chamber Anteroom |
7 Collect Revered Spirit Ashes
Bolsters Revered Spirit Ash Blessing
Another DLC-exclusive item in Elden Ring is the 
Revered Spirit Ash , which enhances the Shadow Realm Blessing at any Site of Grace. While Scadutree Fragments boost your offensive and defensive capabilities, Revered Spirit Ashes improve your Spirit Summons' and Spectral Steed's abilities.
These upgrades are also effective only within the DLC and do not affect the base game. Like the popular 
Mimic Tear Ashes, summons become more powerful with Revered Spirit Ashes, further aiding in tough battles if you're struggling. You can find every Revered Spirit Ash in Elden Ring throughout the Land of Shadow, starting with the Gravesite Plains for your initial collection.
Revered Spirit Ashes | Nearest Site of Grace |
|---|---|
1 | Dragon's Pit |
2 | Cliffroad Terminus |
3 | Ellac River Cave |
4 | Greatbridge, North |
5 & 6 | Main Gate Cross |
7 | Stagefront |
8 | Belurat Gaol |
9 | Gate of Divinity |
10 | Gate of Divinity |
11 & 12 | Spiral Rise |
6 Summon Players Or NPCs
Get Extra Help In Boss Fights
Aside from Spirit Summons, you can summon NPCs by interacting with gold summon signs usually found outside boss fog gates. Alternatively, to summon other players for co-op in Elden Ring, use the Furlcalling Finger Remedy.
This helps make boss fights in Shadow of the Erdtree less daunting. If you're struggling with a boss, other players have likely faced the same challenge and can offer support. Co-op introduces new strategies, such as an archer teaming up with a tank to draw the boss's attention, making combat more manageable.
Summoned players increase boss health, but you can also summon Spirit Ashes like the Mimic Tear, creating a 3-vs-1 battle, which eases DLC fights.
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Belurat, Tower Settlement is a dungeon in the Elden DLC, presented with many twists and turns, culminating in a boss fight against the Dancing Lion.
5 Use DLC-Compatible Mods
Syyyke's All-In-One Cheat Version (Easy Mode)
While an unconventional stance to take, helpful mods in Elden Ring can make Shadow of the Erdtree easier. They are worthwhile if your struggle is ruining your experience and can enhance your playthrough until you become more confident.
The RPG lacks difficulty settings, but mods like Syyyke's All In One Cheat Version (Easy Mode) for update 1.12.2 offer customizable difficulty. This mod lowers game difficulty without outright cheating, providing benefits like free upgrades, keeping Runes, and blocking without Stamina depletion.
These adjustments create an 'easy mode' for the DLC, letting you explore Shadow of the Erdtree without frustration. Below is a table of some top DLC-compatible features from the mod, with more details on the mod's official page:
Mod | Features |
Syyyke's All In One Cheat Version |
|
4 Try A Ranged Playstyle
Mage or Faith Builds
Ranged builds in Elden Ring, particularly Mage/Faith playstyles, are often considered the easiest builds compared to melee or strength-based builds. This opinion is controversial in the FromSoft community and the gaming industry, but the notion has merit.
Casting spells or Incantations allows you to deal significant damage from a distance, reducing your risk of being hit. The wide variety of spells means you can adapt to different situations without leveling multiple weapons, such as switching to fire-based spells against fire-susceptible bosses.
You also gain extra healing methods through healing and protection. Incantations offer advantages that non-spellcasters lack. These playstyles can make the DLC significantly easier. For a powerful Faith build, follow Arekkz Gaming's guide, specifically designed for Shadow of the Erdtree.
Those who prefer melee builds in Elden Ring should choose weapons with a long reach, like a Longsword. This allows you to dodge attacks with maintained space while still landing effective hits, making the gameplay more manageable.
3 Utilize Buffs In Combat
Body Buffs, Aura Buffs, Weapon Buffs, & Special Buffs
Buffs, especially when stacked, can create powerful combos for every Tarnished in Elden Ring, making DLC boss fights easier. Almost any damage type can become extremely strong and effective with the right customization.
There are four types of buffs in Elden Ring, with many within various forms, such as Incantations, weapon attributes, Ashes of War, Talismans, and Consumables. These buffs provide temporary status effects and can be applied to yourself and allies.
You can stack one of each buff type plus multiple special buffs. Ensure compatibility, as not all buffs stack.
AlphaSeagull offers a comprehensive guide on how buffs work and recommends 
Rallying Standard Skill , a skill equipped on the Commander Standard. This buff boosts damage output and damage negation by 20% for 30 seconds, benefiting you and your allies.
2 Equip The Best Talismans
Find Talismans In The Land Of Shadow
Elden Ring has many powerful Talismans, with some having upgraded variants. However, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has introduced new Talismans with more variants available to equip.
Not only does this make boss fights more manageable, but the Talismans you find within the Land of Shadow are specifically designed to scale against the enemies within the DLC. This is important to consider, as most Talismans that are effective in the base game may not necessarily support you enough in the Land of Shadow.
For example, while the base game features the Crimson Amber Medallion +2 (raising Maximum HP by 8%) near Leyndell, Ashen Capital, the DLC offers a +3 variant (raising Maximum HP by 10%) near Fog Rift Catacombs in Gravesite Plains.
Exploring the DLC to find new Talismans is worthwhile for enhancing your combat efficiency. Early on, you can also obtain the 
Two-Headed Turtle Talisman in Gravesite Plains, which significantly raises Stamina recovery speed.
1 Use Weapon Skills & Ashes Of War
Bloodhound's Step
Similar to buffs, an Ash of War in Elden Ringgrants your armaments special skills and affinities, enhancing your combat abilities. One of the best Ashes of War is 
Bloodhound's Step , a skill for melee weapons.
Dropped by a Night's Cavalry at the bridge in front of Lenne's Rise in Dragonbarrow, Bloodhound's Step in Elden Ring uses minimal FP to make you temporarily invisible while dodging at high speed, almost instantaneously.
Ineffective dodging is players' most common cause of death, especially in the DLC. Bloodhound's Step replaces the standard roll with a faster, more reliable dodging mechanic, making it easier to avoid attacks. With correct timing, you'll rarely be hit by bosses. For survivability, this is essential for making Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree easier.
Source: Arekkz Gaming/YouTube, AlphaSeagull/YouTube
Elden Ring
- Platform(s)
- PS5 , Xbox One , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC
- Released
- February 25, 2022
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment , From Software
- Genre(s)
- RPG , Action
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op , Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Proprietary
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 58 Hours
- Metascore
- 96
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PS4 &PS5 and Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
