Elden Ring: How to Access Shadow of the Erdtree – A Comprehensive Guide
Shadow of the Erdtree, the highly anticipated expansion for Elden Ring, is almost here, and Tarnished everywhere are eager to delve into its mysteries. But before you can explore the Land of Shadow, you’ll need to meet specific requirements and access the DLC. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to do to prepare for and access Shadow of the Erdtree, ensuring you’re ready to face the challenges that await.
## Pre-requisites: Preparing for the Land of Shadow
Before you even think about finding the entrance to Shadow of the Erdtree, you need to ensure your character meets two crucial prerequisites. These involve defeating specific bosses within the base game and are essential for unlocking the DLC’s starting point. If you haven’t already accomplished these feats, now’s the time to level up your character and sharpen your skills.
### 1. Defeat Starscourge Radahn
Starscourge Radahn is one of the Shardbearers, and defeating him is a mandatory step to progressing through Elden Ring’s main story. However, he is also required to access the DLC. If you’ve already beaten him, great! If not, here’s how to find and defeat this formidable foe:
* **Location:** Radahn is located in Caelid, specifically in Redmane Castle. This castle is in the southeastern part of Caelid.
* **Triggering the Festival:** To fight Radahn, you need to trigger the Radahn Festival at Redmane Castle. This can be done in a few ways:
* **Progressing Ranni’s Questline:** Reaching a certain point in Ranni the Witch’s questline will automatically trigger the festival.
* **Reaching Altus Plateau:** Activating two Great Runes or finding both halves of the Dectus Medallion and using the Grand Lift of Dectus to reach Altus Plateau will also trigger the festival.
* **Navigating Redmane Castle:** Once the festival begins, the castle will be filled with NPCs preparing for the fight. Speak to the announcer, Jerren, in the main plaza. He’ll tell you about Radahn and open the way to the teleporter that leads to the battlefield.
* **The Fight:** Radahn is a challenging boss known for his gravity magic and devastating attacks. He starts the fight at a distance, firing volleys of gravity arrows. Summoning various NPC allies scattered around the battlefield is crucial for distracting Radahn and dealing damage. Use Torrent to quickly move around and avoid his attacks. In his second phase, Radahn becomes even more powerful, using meteors and enhanced gravity magic. Continue summoning allies and chipping away at his health until he’s defeated.
**Tips for Defeating Radahn:**
* **Level:** Aim to be at least level 70-80 before attempting this fight.
* **Weapon Upgrade:** Upgrade your weapon as much as possible. A +15 regular weapon or a +6 somber weapon is recommended.
* **Summons:** Utilize the many NPC summons available on the battlefield. They are essential for distracting Radahn and absorbing damage.
* **Torrent:** Use Torrent to quickly move around the battlefield and dodge Radahn’s attacks.
* **Bleed and Frostbite:** Weapons and skills that inflict bleed or frostbite can be very effective against Radahn.
### 2. Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood
The second mandatory boss is Mohg, Lord of Blood. While he’s an optional boss in the base game, you absolutely need to defeat him to access Shadow of the Erdtree. Mohg is a challenging fight, but with the right preparation, you can overcome him.
* **Location:** Mohgwyn Palace. This area is accessible in two ways:
* **White Mask Varré’s Questline:** Completing Varré’s questline is the most straightforward way to reach Mohgwyn Palace. Varré is the first NPC you encounter when leaving the Stranded Graveyard at the beginning of the game. Follow his questline, which involves invading other players’ worlds, until he gives you the Pureblood Knight’s Medal. Using this medal will teleport you to Mohgwyn Palace.
* **Hidden Teleporter in the Consecrated Snowfield:** There’s a hidden teleporter in the western part of the Consecrated Snowfield that leads to Mohgwyn Palace. This area is only accessible after obtaining both halves of the Haligtree Secret Medallion and using them at the Grand Lift of Rold.
* **Navigating Mohgwyn Palace:** Once inside Mohgwyn Palace, you’ll need to navigate through the blood-soaked landscape, avoiding enemies and finding the path to Mohg’s arena. The path is fairly linear, leading you through the Dynasty Mausoleum Midpoint site of grace and eventually to Mohg’s boss room.
* **The Fight:** Mohg is a formidable opponent who uses bloodflame attacks and has a devastating Bloodboon Ritual. This ritual deals massive damage and heals Mohg significantly. To counter this, you’ll need the Purifying Crystal Tear.
**Obtaining the Purifying Crystal Tear:**
* **Location:** Found in the Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum, near the Dynasty Mausoleum Midpoint Site of Grace. Head towards the exit, but instead of going outside, look to your left. You will see a corpse slumped against a pillar. The Purifying Crystal Tear is on this corpse.
* **Using the Tear:** Mix the Purifying Crystal Tear into your Flask of Wondrous Physick. Drink the flask just before Mohg begins his Bloodboon Ritual. The tear will negate the effects of the ritual, preventing the damage and healing.
**Tips for Defeating Mohg:**
* **Level:** Aim to be at least level 90-100 before attempting this fight.
* **Weapon Upgrade:** Upgrade your weapon as much as possible. A +20 regular weapon or a +8 somber weapon is recommended.
* **Fire Resistance:** Mohg deals fire damage, so equip armor and talismans that increase your fire resistance.
* **Bleed:** Mohg is susceptible to bleed, so use weapons and skills that inflict bleed to deal significant damage.
* **Purifying Crystal Tear:** This is essential for surviving Mohg’s Bloodboon Ritual. Do not attempt the fight without it.
* **Mimic Tear Ash:** The Mimic Tear ash is incredibly useful for this fight, as it can distract Mohg and deal significant damage.
## Finding the Entrance to Shadow of the Erdtree
Once you’ve defeated Radahn and Mohg, you’re ready to find the entrance to Shadow of the Erdtree. The entrance is located in Mohgwyn Palace, specifically at the location where you fought Mohg.
### Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. **Travel to Mohgwyn Palace:** Use the Pureblood Knight’s Medal or the teleporter in the Consecrated Snowfield to reach Mohgwyn Palace.
2. **Navigate to Mohg’s Boss Room:** Make your way back to the arena where you fought Mohg, Lord of Blood. You should already have the Dynasty Mausoleum Midpoint Site of Grace unlocked, making this process much faster.
3. **Interact with the Cocoon:** In the arena, you’ll find a large, petrified cocoon with a withered arm reaching out. This is located behind the altar where Mohg was originally sitting. Interact with the cocoon. A prompt will appear, allowing you to “Touch the withered arm.”
4. **Enter the Land of Shadow:** After touching the withered arm, you’ll be transported to the Land of Shadow, the new area introduced in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Congratulations, you’ve successfully accessed the DLC!
## Important Considerations and Tips
* **Level Recommendation:** Shadow of the Erdtree is designed for high-level characters. It is highly recommended to be at least level 120-150 with fully upgraded weapons before entering the DLC. The enemies in the Land of Shadow are significantly stronger than those in the base game, and you’ll need strong stats and equipment to survive.
* **Weapon Upgrade:** As mentioned above, ensure your weapon is fully upgraded (+25 for regular weapons, +10 for somber weapons). This will significantly increase your damage output and make the DLC much more manageable.
* **Flask Upgrades:** Maximize your Flask of Crimson Tears and Flask of Cerulean Tears. Having plenty of healing and FP will be crucial for surviving the challenging encounters in the Land of Shadow. Also, ensure you have the maximum number of Flask charges by finding all the Golden Seeds.
* **Great Runes:** Activate and equip Great Runes that provide useful benefits, such as increased health, stamina, or attack power. These can give you a significant edge in combat.
* **Talismans:** Equip talismans that enhance your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses. For example, talismans that increase your attack power, defense, or resistance to specific types of damage can be very helpful.
* **Spirit Ashes:** Spirit Ashes can be invaluable allies in the Land of Shadow. Experiment with different Spirit Ashes to find the ones that best complement your playstyle and can effectively distract enemies or deal damage.
* **Explore Thoroughly:** The Land of Shadow is a vast and intricate area filled with secrets, hidden paths, and valuable items. Take your time to explore thoroughly and uncover everything it has to offer.
* **Prepare for a Challenge:** Shadow of the Erdtree is designed to be challenging, even for experienced Elden Ring players. Don’t be discouraged if you encounter difficult enemies or bosses. Experiment with different strategies, summon allies, and don’t be afraid to level up and upgrade your equipment if needed.
## Troubleshooting Common Issues
* **Cannot Interact with the Cocoon:** If you cannot interact with the cocoon in Mohg’s arena, double-check that you have defeated both Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood. These are mandatory requirements, and the interaction prompt will not appear if you haven’t met them.
* **Unable to Access Mohgwyn Palace:** If you’re having trouble reaching Mohgwyn Palace, ensure you have either completed White Mask Varré’s questline or found the hidden teleporter in the Consecrated Snowfield. Follow the steps outlined earlier in this guide to access the area.
* **DLC Not Loading:** If you’ve met all the requirements but the DLC is still not loading, ensure that you have purchased and installed the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Check your platform’s store (PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Steam) to verify that the DLC is installed correctly. Also, make sure your game is updated to the latest version.
* **Game Crashing:** If you’re experiencing game crashes after entering the Land of Shadow, try lowering your graphics settings. The Land of Shadow is a visually demanding area, and your PC or console may struggle to run it at high settings. Lowering the graphics settings can improve performance and reduce the likelihood of crashes.
## Class and Build Recommendations
While any class can theoretically tackle Shadow of the Erdtree, some classes and builds may have an easier time than others. Here are a few recommendations based on the DLC’s expected challenges:
* **Strength Build:** A Strength build focuses on wielding heavy weapons and dealing massive physical damage. This can be effective against enemies with high health pools and armor. Equip weapons like colossal swords, great hammers, and great axes, and focus on increasing your Strength stat. Talismans like the Green Turtle Talisman (for stamina recovery) and the Great-Jar’s Arsenal (for increased equip load) can be very useful.
* **Dexterity Build:** A Dexterity build focuses on wielding fast and agile weapons and dealing quick bursts of damage. This can be effective against enemies with fast attack patterns. Equip weapons like katanas, curved swords, and twinblades, and focus on increasing your Dexterity stat. Talismans like the Radagon’s Soreseal (for increased Vigor, Endurance, Strength, and Dexterity) and the Marika’s Soreseal (for increased Mind, Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane) can be very useful, but be aware of the increased damage taken.
* **Intelligence Build:** An Intelligence build focuses on casting powerful sorceries and dealing magical damage. This can be effective against enemies with weaknesses to magic. Equip staves and sorceries that deal a variety of damage types, and focus on increasing your Intelligence stat. Talismans like the Cerulean Amber Medallion (for increased FP) and the Graven-School Talisman (for increased sorcery potency) can be very useful.
* **Faith Build:** A Faith build focuses on casting powerful incantations and providing healing and support. This can be effective for both offensive and defensive purposes. Equip seals and incantations that deal a variety of damage types and provide healing and buffs, and focus on increasing your Faith stat. Talismans like the Erdtree’s Favor (for increased HP, stamina, and equip load) and the Sacred Scorpion Charm (for increased Holy damage) can be very useful.
* **Hybrid Builds:** Hybrid builds that combine elements of different classes can also be very effective. For example, a Strength/Faith build can wield heavy weapons and cast powerful incantations, while a Dexterity/Intelligence build can wield fast weapons and cast powerful sorceries.
Ultimately, the best class and build for Shadow of the Erdtree will depend on your playstyle and preferences. Experiment with different options and find what works best for you.
## Conclusion
Shadow of the Erdtree promises to be an epic expansion to an already legendary game. By following this guide, you’ll be well-prepared to access the Land of Shadow and face the challenges that await. Remember to defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood, find the entrance in Mohgwyn Palace, and level up your character and equipment. Good luck, Tarnished, and may the Greater Will guide you on your journey!