Elden Ring: Try Some New Builds Ideas In Shadow Of The Erdtree!

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is widely considered one of the best DLCs in recent years, not only because it adds a variety of new bosses, armor, weapons, and new areas for players to explore, but also because it provides players with a lot of different lore stories from the base game. FromSoftware, the developer of Elden Ring, has always been known for having some of the most complex and dark backstories, and this DLC does not disappoint. If you think about some of the lore in Shadow of the Erdtree, you will find that it is actually very interesting. This guide will list a few for you. Romina And Scarlet Rot Players who have played Shadow of the Erdtree will definitely know that Saint of the Bud Romina is not the most tough boss in the game. But her creepy design and always unpredictable attacks will make you always a little annoying when facing her. In addition, she will cause a lot of Scarlet Rot, which will make your fight with her more difficult. Have you ever wondered why she could cause this passive effect? ​​And how did she get this deadly plague that defeated Caelid before? In fact, if you explore Land of Shadow carefully, it is not difficult to find that she has a mission to protect Church of the Bud from Messmer. But more players are more inclined to believe that she came across the divine elements of Scarlet Rot at some point and used it to protect herself and her beloved church. This allowed her to keep most of the church intact successfully, but the price paid was too high, as she transformed into the creepy crawler that players encountered in their travels. Players also believe that she is fully responsible for the spread of Scarlet Rot in Land of Shadow, and may even have played a role in spreading it to Middle Land. Miquella Since the base game of Elden Ring, Miquella has always been a very mysterious main character. Players know nothing about him except that he is Malenia’s brother and that he is trapped in Empyrean Cocoon in Mohgwyn Palace. Fortunately, in Shadow of the Erdtree, some of Miquella’s story, personality, and true intentions are unfolded in front of the player page by page, like a book. However, these differ completely from Miquella that players have imagined before, and even destroy the pure and noble image of Miquella in the players’ minds. As players explore Land of Shadow, they will find that this area has become one of the last resting places of Golden Order. Miquella’s intentions appear to be to create a new world of peace, justice, and harmony, but beneath this layer of appearance, he wants to do something improper. He is willing to do anything to achieve this goal, pretending that the end can justify the legitimacy of the means. In Miquella’s pursuit of this whitewashed goal, he lied, deceived, and manipulated many people, including his relatives. Mohg, who was used as a pawn by him, finally succumbed to his “master plan” so that Miquella would look more kind. Gate Of Divinity When Elden Ring first came to players’ attention, there was very little information about Empyreans in the game and how they ascended to godhood. Players only knew that the demigod Ranni was one of the top choices to replace Marika, and there were only a few other candidates on the waiting list, but that was it. Shadow of the Erdtree also answered many of the questions players have been asking for nearly two years, revealing the divine process of becoming a god in Lands Between. And in the last part of the DLC, players will reach the so-called Gate of Divinity, which sounds interesting and epic even without any background to it. Gate of Divinity is not only the battlefield for the last confrontation between players and Radahn Promised Consort in the DLC, but also the place where Empyreans ascended to godhood. While the actual process is unclear, it can be easily inferred that Miquella is the mastermind behind it all. He is looking for the ideal conditions to ascend and transform to reclaim his birthright. Jar Innards Many players may ignore Jar Innards enemies in Shadow of the Erdtree because they are ugly and very ordinary. They are just NPCs that players must defeat to unlock a certain area, and some players even just use them as a tool to obtain Elden Ring Runes. But if you watch their introduction carefully or understand their story, you will find that they were shamans before they were hunted by Hornsent and subjected to many cruel experiments. During the experiment, Hornsent would first chop them into pieces, then put them in a jar and deprive them of their sanity, turning them into mindless creatures that can only attack. This not only fully illustrates the nature of Hornsent but also how cruel Lands Between and Land of Shadows are. So you can always think about this question with every creature of Defiled you encounter in the subsequent games: Are they pure evil, or once noble tortured souls? Reasons For The Fight Between Malenia And Radahn In addition to the fact that players will completely change their views on Miquella in the DLC, Radahn will also change because players will learn a terrible truth. In the base game, players know that Caelid has always been influenced by the previous battle between Radahn and Malenia. When this epic battle ended in a draw, Malenia unleashed Scarlett Rot on the area, becoming the phenomenon of all corruption in the player’s eyes. This not only made Caelid one of the most tough places to explore but also destroyed Radahn’s mind, turning him into a meaningless beast. But the story does not seem to end yet. It has been established that Miquella is not a so-called “good guy”. He is manipulative and has evil intentions. In order to fulfill his birthright as a god, he needs to meet the appropriate conditions, one of which is to make his half-brother Radahn his spouse. Not surprisingly, Radahn refused this plan, which triggered this long-standing conflict. Perhaps in the subsequent base game or DLC, the developers will have a clearer explanation of the details of this battle. The above is some interesting lore in Shadow of the Erdtree. If you have already explored the main content of the DLC, you might as well explore it carefully in Land of Shadows. You may find unexpected surprises! If you find something more interesting, welcome to iGMeet Discord and share it with many players!

While Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC was a success overall, as it gave players a lot of new content to explore, many players felt cheated by the developers after experiencing the DLC, as it did not live up to its promises. During the promotion, the developers said that Shadow of the Erdtree included a lot of important revelations and basic backgrounds from the base game, and completely redefined most of the base game. But this is not the case. This article will list a few examples of developers “cheating” players, hoping that late DLCs can be improved. The Earliest Trailer Image In the earliest trailer image of Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Miquella was riding Torrent. However, after players completed the entire DLC’s quests and main storyline, they found that Miquella and Torrent had never appeared or been described together in the game. Although the figure in the picture only has a back view, based on the special length and braids, as well as the white clothing, it is roughly Miquella. The white wildebeest is also believed to be Torrent, because no other such creature appears in the base game of Elden Ring. Therefore, many players will think that some clear connection between Torrent and Miquella will be explored in Shadow of the Erdtree, but in the actual game content, it has not yet. Although Miquella and Torrent both appear in the DLC, their identities are completely different. There is also no indication that they have been seen before, let alone Miquella will ride Torrent through Shadow Land, as shown in the picture. Although the DLC is very interesting in terms of new content, this will still disappoint some players, because there is also less explanation about Torrent in the base game, making it more mysterious. Very Little About Torrent As mentioned earlier, there is no further explanation of Torrent’s lore in Shadow of the Erdtree, and a brief explanation in the base game, which makes players know nothing about Torrent’s mystery. However, based on the concept of art in the trailer, we can infer something about this Elden Ring’s spectral steed. At the beginning, Melina gave them a Spectral Steed Whistle when she first met the Tarnished to summon Torrent. But her mind is more than just a simple gift, because before meeting Melina, Torrent had already chosen Tarnished to help him seize the Elden Ring. In the final storyline of the DLC, Melina admitted this after defeating Godrick. So, although Torrent seems to be on Melina’s side, it already has its own thoughts, conscience, and preferences to help him make the right decision. Witch Ranni is one of the few NPCs who knows Torrent’s name, both in the base game and in the DLC. When you talk to Ranni after Tarnished is first in Church of Elleh, she will reveal Torrent’s name to you. Read More: How To Defeat Promised Consort Radahn In Elden Ring? - Five Builds For You During the conversation, she will hear that the enemies are riding a spectral steed, which triggers Torrent’s name, and will give Tarnished a gift said to be from Torrent’s previous owner - Spirit Calling Bell. This item will allow you to summon Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring. In addition to this, Ranni will tell you two important pieces of information: the first is that Torrent once had an owner, and Ranni knows him. The second is that if you can find that owner, it will only benefit Tarnished’s success. But when the same Tarnished begin to follow Miquella's soldiers, posing a threat to them, Miquella is forced to join, becoming the enemy you need to fight in the game, and will provide you with a tons of Elden Ring Runes and the ultimate weapon. In the concept art of Shadow of the Erdtree - the teaser image, it may be hinted that Miquella is Torrent’s previous owner. At the end of Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Miquella will tell you that she and Tarnished have the same goal - to end Golden Order’s tyranny and usher in a new era. Many players will guess that when Torrent was running around Land of Shadow, he left his former master in Lands Between, and could find Tarnished by smell and form an alliance in Land of Shadow. But when the same Tarnished began to follow Miquella’s soldiers and posed a threat to it, Miquella was forced to join and become the enemy you need to fight in the game. In these hints, the connection between Miquella and Torrent has always been subtle, vague, and contradictory. But I believe that players who often come into contact with FromSoft’s series of games should have become accustomed to this kind of vague and contradictory legend, and are accustomed to relying on these discontinuous points to piece together the complete storyline. In Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, there are still many mysterious things waiting for you to explore, and I hope to see you in Land of Shadow!

In Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, besides providing players with a new area, some new bosses, and some new armor, some ranged weapons have been added, including bows, crossbows, and Repeating Crossbow, which allow you to defeat enemies without getting in close contact in combat. Among the new ranged weapons in DLC, there are bows with high damage and great scaling, and some of them can fire multiple arrows after a single reload. In addition, there are some Talismans that are more effective when used with some of them. Here are the new ranged weapons added to Shadow of the Erdtree. Repeating Crossbow Status Requirements: 13 Strength & 15 Dexterity Max Damage (+10): 259 For Physical Repeating Crossbow does exactly what it says, firing multiple arrows in rapid succession when using Repeating Fire skill, which means it can deal continuous damage to enemies. Like the other Crossbows in Elden Ring, it doesn’t follow any of your stats, but if you feed it enough Somber Smith Stone, it can go from a backup weapon to your major weapon. Want to know where this powerful weapon is? You need to go to Site of Grace south of Moorth Highway and then walk north. Here you can find Repeating Crossbow next to Ghostflame Dragon and some Elden Ring Runes. Igon’s Greatbow Status Requirements: 23 Strength & 16 Dexterity Max Scaling (+25): C Strength & E Dexterity Max Damage (+10): 294 For Physical If you want to use your Strength build to fight the enemy, Igon’s Greatbow will be your best choice. Not only because of its excellent scaling and high base damage but also because it has Igon’s Drake Hunt, a wonderful skill in the game. In this weapon, because it is an advanced version of Through and Through, you can twist the bowstring to increase its power. In addition, you can also match it with Igon’s Harpoons to get the maximum damage to the enemy. Unlike Repeating Crossbow, Igon’s Greatbow only needs Smith Stones to upgrade, so the upgrade conditions of this weapon are simpler. Since it is Igon’s Greatbow, you must summon Igon. However, you don’t summon it to fight it, but to let it help you defeat Bayle The Dread, a dragon entrenched in Jagged Peak. After you win, Igon will leave its bow and armor to you. Spread Crossbow Status Requirements: 11 Strength & 17 Dexterity Max Damage (+25): 272 For Physical Spread Crossbow provides you with the easiest way to counter the various status effects generated by the boss. This is because the most basic attack of Tarnished is to fire multiple arrows at once, and can make the boss suffer sleep or blood loss effects depending on the type of arrows. Its skill, Kick is not surprising, but fortunately its upgrade material is also Smith Stones that can be found everywhere, which can make it slightly more useful. However, you still need to be careful that you need to have enough arrows equipped, because Spread Crossbow will consume arrows very quickly. Spread Crossbow is guarded by Messmer Soldiers on the right side of Ellac Greatbridge. You need to cross the bridge (or river) and defeat them to obtain this weapon. Ansbach’s Longbow Status Requirements: 9 Strength & 43 Dexterity Max Scaling (+10): D Strength & D Dexterity Max Damage (+10): 181 For Physical Thanks to its ability, Fan Shot, Ansbach’s Longbow is one of the best Longbows in the game. It can fire 8 arrows at once, and with some stats, even the biggest bosses will be affected by bleeding or rot. Although it may seem that this weapon requires very little Strength, don’t forget that you need to reach 43 Dexterity to use it. Check your Dexterity now! Like Repeating Crossbow, as long as you use enough Somber Smith Stones, you can get a better chance of winning in battle. Before you can get Ansbach’s Longbow, you need to make sure you have completed Ansbach’s quest in Shadow Keep. Completion here means that it is possible to kill him directly or help him fight invaders. Bone Bow Status Requirements: 8 Strength & 11 Dexterity Max Scaling (+10): D Strength & D Dexterity Max Damage (+10): 161 For Physical Although Bone Bow is not as outstanding in terms of damage compared to other weapons, it can stand out in Light Bow category with its own skill Rancor Shot. Light Bow allows players to fire a series of energy-infused arrows and is difficult to miss. In addition, its long range and lightweight are also plus points for it. Somber Smith Stones mentioned above are also its upgrade materials. Remember to pick up more Somber Smith Stones during the exploration process. The location of Bone Bow is in Belurat Tower Settlement you will see when you first enter DLC, or more specifically, in a tower with a broken spiral staircase. The process of taking it is not smooth sailing, but don’t worry, Spider-Scorpions inside are no match for you. Hopefully, these ranged weapons will play an important role in your battles. Have fun playing Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree and exploring more stories!

For a Samurai build who wants to level up quickly in the latest expansion, I prefer to prioritize finding one of the newest weapons that fits our play style, Great Katana. Many players are also looking forward to getting this weapon. If you want to get Great Katana as early as possible in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree without being spoiled, then don’t miss this guide. In this guide, I tell you the best way to get the earliest Great Katana in the game, as spoiler-free as possible so that you can get a fresh experience before venturing into the core of DLC. At the same time, here I also provide my first impressions of Great Katana. Without further ado, let’s get started! Great Katana Breakdown Great Katana is a new weapon in Shadow of the Erdtree. This Heavy weapon is a sound choice for those who like to use Katana but want to stance-break more effectively and deal more damage at the same time. Great Katana scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity, making it one of the best weapon choices for Dexterity and Arcane Builds. In addition, this weapon comes with Ash of War: Overhead Stance. When using Ash of War, you can enter a stance that holds Katana high above your head. Normal attacks will push you forward for a downward slash, while heavy attacks will do a series of overhead slashes. Location To get this super cool weapon, we still need to access DLC. You need to first defeat Starscourge Radahn, then go to Mohgwyn Palace and defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood. Once you’ve completed both of these steps, you can interact with Miquella’s Cocoon, which is located in Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum, where you’ll fight Mohg, thus entering Land of Shadow and starting DLC. Although we need to enter DLC to get this weapon, luckily, we don’t have to fight any bosses in Land of Shadow. Once you enter DLC area, we just need to head straight to it. This is a real Godsend, as it’s not far from your first Site of Grace, Gravesite Plain. From Gravesite Plain Site of Grace in DLC, we need to head north. To speed things up, you can ignore all the enemies you may encounter along the way. Of course, if you’re not in a hurry, you can just hack and slash around to collect some Elden Ring Runes. Our goal is to reach a lake located just north of our current location. Now, if you look at the map, you’ll see that there are three large lakes around this area, but the one we need to go to is the middle one. Once you reach the location, you’ll notice a sleeping dragon. You don’t need to fight this mini-boss, as you can get around it by crouching down. Note that there is a corpse near the dragon, and that’s the corpse we need to loot. Slowly crouch down close to the corpse and loot it to get Great Katana. It’s totally simple and easy. Personal Impressions Great Katana looks and feels great when wielded. I knew this weapon would resonate with me the first time I saw it, and it didn’t disappoint. All of its current moves are really refreshing. Its normal attack reminds me of Monster Hunter’s Longswords, especially when performing an upward swing. Its basic skill Overhead Stance is definitely familiar and Sekiro players will notice it immediately because it is similar to Ichimonji Combat Arts. There is no doubt that this skill hits like a truck. However, because of its long preparation time, doing this stance may be intimidating to some people. But since I go for skill, I am happy with it. Of course, if you don’t like this skill, you can always change it. Not to mention that we will see a lot of new Ashes of War in DLC area, which makes this weapon have a longer range, so I think it will be a deadly tool when playing PVP. As for damage, Great Katana hits hard at the maximum upgrade, but its slow attack speed is very obvious. When dealing with fast-moving targets or bosses, such as Maliketh, the Black Blade and others, the safest attack we can perform per opening is two or three hits. Conclusion Overall, Great Katana feels really good so far and it hasn’t been disappointed. I can’t wait to build around it, and just thinking about the different Samurai theme setups we can get from it makes me excited. So, expect me to provide an early Samurai Build in case you want to use such a build for your first play with this weapon in DLC. My major goal is to get you to master this weapon, so stay tuned. Anyway, I hope you found this quick guide useful. Of course, this is not a be-all and end-all guide for Great Katana, as we’re sure to discover more potential for this legendary weapon as time goes on. Do you think this DLC is worth trying so far? If you already own this weapon, please share your experience with us!