How to prep for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC

The highly-awaited Shadow of the Erdtree expansion for Elden Ring is right on the horizon. So, here’s how you can prep for the DLC’s arrival and ensure that your Tarnished is ready to venture through the Land of Shadow.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdree looks primed to be the biggest expansion from FromSoftware yet. The DLC will expand upon the story of the demi-god Miquella and introduce players to the mysterious figure of Messmer. It will also add a brand-new open-world region filled with dangerous enemies, dungeons, bosses, and more.

Aside from all this, you can expect Shadow of the Erdtree to ramp up the difficulty curve, so it’s necessary to prepare accordingly. With this in mind, here’s how you can prep for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

How to prepare for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Here are 6 important things to help you prepare for Shadow of the Erdtree:

Defeat Mohg and Radahn

During an interview with Famitsu, Hidetaka Miyazaki confirmed that you’ll need to beat Mohg, Lord of Blood, and Starscourge Radahn to access Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. The Omen demi-god can be found within Mohgwyn Palace, while Radahn patrols the battlefield at the Wailing Dunes Site of Grace.

To start the expansion, the Tarnished will need to come in contact with the withered arm hanging out of the cocoon in Mohg’s boss room.

Both bosses make for challenging battles, although you’re likely to encounter Mohg near the end game. Given their various resistances and expansive movesets, both fights should help you sharpen up your offense.

Upgrade to level 120

The recommended levels for Elden Ring’s late-game is between 120-150. Naturally, your Tarnished should fall somewhere in that range before starting Shadow of the Erdree. Judging by the difficulty spike in FromSoftware’s older expansions, you can expect the DLC’s bosses to be as lethal as Malenia and Malekith.

No matter the stat your build is based around, it’s ideal to have at least 60 Vigor. In case you’re looking to gain levels quickly, check out our Rune Farming guide.

Collect the best Talismans

Talismans in Elden Ring provide bonuses that supplement your build and help manage your weight among other things. The best Talismans are also quite versatile and gel seamlessly with your play style. Our picks for the most essential Talismans you need to have include Great-Jar’s Arsenal, Crimson Amber Medallion +2, Erdtree’s Favor +2, Golden Scarab, and the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman.

Make sure to unlock all four Talisman slots, which require you to defeat both Margit and Godfrey.

Scale up your weapons

It’s important to max out the upgrades for your primary armament till at least +24 or +9. By the time you’re ready to take on Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, you’ll likely have settled on a build and your preferred set of weapons. Once the upgrades are done, try testing out the weapons in late-game areas. If you find yourself melting through foes, you should be in a solid spot for the DLC.

As for upgrade materials, make sure to gather all the Smithing and Somberstone Bell Bearings in the game. They’ll effectively give you an infinite source for base weapon upgrade materials. It’s also worth collecting all the Whetstone Knives in the game, giving you the option to change your weapon’s affinity and transform your build.

Top up your Flasks

It’s ideal to have as many Flasks as possible, and for that, you’ll need to gather Golden Seeds. To increase the potency of each Flask, you’ll need to stock up on Sacred Tears and upgrade them. Both items can be found throughout the Lands Between. The maximum charge for a flask is 14 and its potency can be upgraded to +12.

A single swig from your Flask in Elden Ring can be the difference between life and death. The consumable can immediately restore your confidence as you patiently stalk the boss that has bested you for hours and it can also give you a bit of leeway to run away from a chasing pack of enemies. So, make sure that you’re carrying the maximum amount of Flasks.

Try out different builds

It’s difficult to part with the build you’ve completed Elden Ring using. But it’s also worth trying out a new setup with different weapons to judge which one’s more effective. With Shadow of the Erdree still weeks away, this is as good a time as any to jump out of your comfort zone and try out different playstyles.

If you’re primarily a melee player who pools points in STR/DEX, perhaps it’s time to go the INT/FAI route and see if the various Incantations and Spells can outperform the Greatswords in your arsenal.

The easiest way to change your stats is by heading to Rennala at the Raya Lucaria Grand Library and re-specing your character using a Larval Tear.

Those were our recommendations to help you prepare for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. For more on the game, check out:

Where to find Castle Sol in Elden Ring | All Elden Ring achievements & trophies | Elden Ring progression: Best route & recommended levels | Who is Vyke in Elden Ring? | How to get Zweihander in Elden Ring & best builds | Is Elden Ring harder than other soulsborne games?