Top Tips Before You Play Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Game developers FromSoft have earned a long-lasting reputation for creating some of the most challenging games in the business. Still, their latest installment, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, has been so difficult for some players that they’ve even left bad reviews as a result! 

Fear not – if you’ve yet to venture into the beautiful and insanely difficult realm of the Land of Shadow… we’ve been getting our butts kicked by bosses (and, to be truthful, regular foes) since its release, and it’s time to share what we’ve learned.

With further ado, here are our top tips before you play the latest esports sensation; Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

You Don’t Need the Ultimate Build

Many players will be looking to reach the Shadow of the Erdtree without having spent hours on the original game, but most diehards will have a respectable build by the time they reach it. There’s a good chance you’ll ever have a god-beating titan, particularly those who’ve been playing in NG+. As the DLC approached, a lot of advice circulating suggested to players “how to prepare” by having the correct items and the perfect builds, but it’s completely ok to ignore this advice.

Erdtree has a plethora of new weapons, extra larval tears, and smithing stones, so it’s unnecessary to hoard items from the base game. With all the looting and exploration ahead, there’s no need to worry about bringing those base game items with you. Instead, scrap your overpowered NG+ build, and you’ll likely find your playing time much more enjoyable.

The enjoyment and often difficult aura of a FromSoftware could be damaged with your OP build, so experimenting with new ones that involve Erdtree-specific weapons is the answer.

Mixed Martial Arts via Dryleaf Arts

No overly sized swords or weapons, you say? Yes, that’s exactly what the new Erdtree weapon choice ‘Dryleaf Arts’ is. However, it technically isn’t a weapon, as you’re combating enemies with your fists and feet, like a true mixed martial artist… Dana White and the UFC would be proud!

The kicker is – pun intended – that it’s so much fun beating the crap out of bosses and being forced to get right in their faces. Sure, the dodge command will be required to avoid getting bullied, but that’s part of the enjoyment… We’ve never had the opportunity to play a FromSoftware game in this manner, and it’s a great touch.

Get to Know the Dungeon’s Sooner Rather than Later

The dungeons in Elden Ring ranged from tunnels to caverns to catacombs, each with its own unique assortment of loot. The Erdtree expansion introduces two new varieties of dungeons, and you’ll want to become acquainted early on.

Hammering stones and the new Smith script-throwing weapons that reappear in your hand may be found in forges, which substitute tunnels. As an entertaining quirk, they also do not have final bosses.

The Gaol is the second new kind of dungeon. Players will discover Spirit Ashes and craft supplies connected to pots, among many other things. Last but not least, you’ll come across mausoleums, one-time confrontations between NPC bosses that grant access to new weapons and gear.

One of the first dungeons you come across in Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is the Belarut Gaol.#EldenRing pic.twitter.com/qPOmV3fWge

— Sportskeeda Gaming (@skesportsgaming) June 21, 2024

Bombs Away with Greater Potentate Cookbooks

You may not enjoy crafting, but trust us, it will be a necessary venture at some point, as the Greater Potentate’s Cookbooks (those large pots that allow you to craft) are critical when fighting specific enemies.

To begin crafting those damage-dealing bombs, go to the Belurat Gaol beneath Belurat, Tower Settlement.

Tears and Smithing Stones for Everyone

So, you consumed all of your Larval Tear items in your base game run. Fear not; Erdtree allows you to find as many Tears and Smithing Stones as you desire. Upgrading weapons has never been easier, and you won’t be spending a bunch of runes at the Roundtable Hold Shop.

Don’t go wild by respecting all your stats with a comfortable collection of Larval Tears from the base game, but don’t be afraid to get a little crazy on upgrading those weapons you can already use.

Don’t Forget Map Markers

Particularly as you get farther into the DLC, it becomes a challenge in itself to remember which way to go. You can easily become confused about which forked paths to follow because there are so many.

Make sure you don’t make such mistakes, and use the pins or stamps that Elden Ring provides to mark off areas of the map that you haven’t yet examined. If you cannot locate a direct path to your destination, you will know exactly where to look since, more often than not, you will have missed it previously!