Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is nearly upon us, launching on June 21st for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. It’s a massive experience, as FromSoftware has noted prior, but the scale and extent haven’t truly been glimpsed. That is, until various previews and hands-on impressions went live recently, with several outlets going through the initial parts of the region and facing its new threats.
Based on those, here are 15 new details that you should know about Shadow of the Erdtree, from its weapons and summons to some of the bosses that await.
Miquella and Guiding Players
Players pursue Miquella, Malenia’s brother, into The Land of Shadow with the new expansion, but his journey also serves as a way to guide them. You encounter various landmarks acting as footprints, leading to different dungeons and points of interest. Of course, as with the base game, you can explore freely (though it might not always be the best option).
Increased Difficulty
Those who went hands-on with expansion recently reportedly had pre-made builds that started at level 150…and were still having a tough time with the expansion. Regular enemies pose a threat from the get-go, and provoking some of the more challenging ones (which we’ll get to in a bit) without a plan isn’t the best idea. Still, the likes of Windows Central have noted them to be “tough but fair.”
New Enemies
Some new enemies are already known, like the Wicker Basket giants roaming the region who emit homing fire projectiles and slam down if you provoke them. However, there are also unrelenting Gravebirds, the Blackgaol Knight (which are apparently similar to the Crucible Knights), large foes decked out in Carian Armor, giant scorpions, and even a dragon that emits black flames. Remember that these are only the ones discovered in the initial parts of the region – the latter sections probably host deadlier foes.
Size and Scale of the New Map
FromSoftware has said that The Land of Shadow is larger than Limgrave in “pure surface area,” though it wanted to present “a denser and richer level design, which brings these types of layouts together a little more seamlessly.” Though the recent previews haven’t indicated its exact scale, Xbox Wire did note that “much of the map was still shrouded in fog” even after spending several hours roaming it.
New Characters
You’re not the only one pursuing Miquella, as you’ll discover when first entering The Land of Shadow. Furled Finger Needle Knight Leda will meet you before diving in. Other followers like Freya, a former ally of General Radahn, and Hornsent, who provides a map, also dot the region, attempting to discern Miquella’s purpose but following all the same.
New Dungeons
Details on two new dungeons are available, and they’re both incredibly intriguing. Belurat is between Stormveil and Castle Morne in scale, with numerous nooks and crannies to explore. Then there’s Castle Ensis, akin somewhat to Caria Manor. IGN also noted “at least one other” dungeon that they missed but had a “seemingly exciting boss fight.” The number of Legacy Dungeons is still to be determined, but it seems there are plenty of regular dungeons to experience.
New Major Bosses
What would a FromSoft game be without the boss fights? Aside from Messmer the Impaler, players encounter entities like the Beast, Dancing Lion, in Belurat, who attacks wildly before unleashing lightning and ice attacks. Meanwhile, Castle Ensis has Relanna, Twin Moon Knight. If the name wasn’t a dead giveaway, he also has an attack that reminds one of Rennala’s Full Moon. Don’t underestimate his melee skills, as Relanna also wields dual swords and unleashes fire when striking.
New Minor Bosses
Despite over ten new bosses being confirmed, that figure seems to encompass the “major” bosses in the expansion and doesn’t include the optional bosses. GamesRadar recently asked for clarification on the same, and publisher Bandai Namco responded, “Just like in Elden Ring, not all bosses need to be defeated, but there will still be plenty of difficult challenges for the brave Tarnished who wish to test themselves.” The final figure remains to be seen, but if you seek stronger opponents, The Land of Shadow may be just your thing.
New Weapons
Fortunately, plenty of new weapons make those challenges more inviting. Milady is a light Greatsword, which hits hard yet swings faster than other weapons of the archetype. The Heavy Smithscript Axe is true to its name but can also be thrown to nail distant opponents. The Backhand Blade can split into dual blades, and a new weapon type emphasises more beat ’em up style combat (the techniques shown in the first trailer are known as Dryleaf Arts and even include a sweeping kick).
New Weapon Arts
Of course, these new weapons also have Weapon Arts to increase their potency. The Backhand Blade lets you dash to the side and stab an opponent, while Milady activates a stance for various follow-up attacks. There’s a dagger with a counter on guarding that unleashes a throwing knife (though it’s unknown if this is Weapon Art per se). Together, alongside all the spells and such revealed till now, build-crafters will have a field day with the expansion.
Around 100 New Weapons
In case you’re worried about the number of weapons, Bandai Namco told GamesRadar that there are “Around 100 new weapons, including eight new categories, each with several variations.” Compared to FromSoftware’s previous expansions, that’s a pretty hefty total and should provide even more impetus to explore. Best of all, they can be used outside The Land of Shadow, freshening up the base game experience.
New Spirit Ashes
But wait, there’s more. Players who favor the support from Spirit Ashes will also have some new summons. The annoying Gravebird can serve you and attack from above alongside the Fingercreepers from the base game. There’s also Black Knight Commander Andreas, and while we won’t spoil his role in the lore, the description of the Spirit Ashes (courtesy of VaatiVidya) notes him to be “endowed with great strength and command over the powers of the crucible.”
Scadurtree Fragments
Everything hurts in The Land of Shadow, but the new Scadurtree Fragments can ease some of that. Upon use, they reduce the damage dealt by enemies in the new region alone. You discover them while exploring, but the number required increases with each upgrade. Of course, if you want to forego them for the sake of challenge, that’s also an option.
Revered Spirit Ashes
On the other hand, there are the Revered Spirit Ashes. These will increase the damage dealt by your Spirit Summons and Torrent while negating the damage received by the latter. Once again, these can’t be used outside The Land of Shadow, but even if you’re not a fan of summons, reinforcing the spectral steed is always a nice bonus.
Quality of Life Changes
Shadow of the Erdtree should offer its range of bug fixes and improvements, but there are also some great quality-of-life changes. According to GameSpot, your inventory has a new Recent Items tab, which will help when sorting. Furthermore, new items have an exclamation point so you can tell at a glance, which is bound to be helpful when collecting all the new stuff.
Share Your Thoughts Below (Always follow our comments policy!)