Browse Games
How to Start Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC?
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is finally here after what seemed like an endless waiting period. Fortunately, this new DLC is worth every second that we spent waiting for it. This new expansion is more like a whole new game, with new weapons, skills, bosses, map, and a long array of despicable enemies. The only problem is that despite purchasing the new DLC right on launch day, countless players are still struggling to access it in the game.
Well, Elden Ring is a FromSoftware title, and they don’t give away the good stuff so easily, what did you expect? So, if you are wondering how to start the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you are not alone. Don’t worry, we have got you covered, as always, this article explains all the important steps that you must complete to access the new expansion, let’s get started:
Table Contents
How to Start Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC?
The new Elden Ring expansion DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree has several prerequisites that you must complete to teleport to the new realm. So, if you have been rocking the Lands Between since 2022, chances are that you have already completed all the requirements. However, if you are new to the game or are playing as a new character, you must spend a few hours in the original game to unlock the new content.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Prerequisites:
It is hard to put a time frame on how long does it take to unlock Shadow of the Erdtree, considering the challenges that you must face to unlock the new realm. For instance, you must complete more than half of the original game, defeat two of the hardest bosses, and touch a special monument in a very late-game area. Here are all the prerequisites of playing Shadow of the Erdtree expansion:
Purchase the DLC
The first step in unlocking the new Elden Ring DLC 2024 is obviously to purchase it. The new Shadow of the Erdtree doesn’t come as a standalone title but as an expansion DLC. So, you must purchase and install both the original Elden Ring and the DLC to play it. Oh, and we don’t recommend jumping straight into the DLC without gaining some experience in the original game, as it is quite a challenging update.
Update the Game
If you already have the original Elden Ring installed on your device and still can’t access your newly purchased Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, chances are that your game is outdated. According to the game notes, the new expansion DLC is only supported by Elden Ring Patch 1.12 and above. Therefore, it is important to update your client to the latest patch before installing the expansion content.
Defeat Starscourge Radahn
Once you have fulfilled the above requirements, next comes the fun part; the in-game requirements. The good news is that you don’t need to completely finish the main story to access the expansion content. However, you must still defeat two of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring, and that requires playing through about 60% of the main story.
The first step is to find and defeat Starscourge Radahn in the Redmane Castle in Caelid. To start this fight, you must complete both Blaidd’s and Ranni’s questline to start the Radahn Festival. Next, head to the dungeons of the Redmane Castle and defeat Starscourge Radahn to unlock the underground cities of the Land Between and of course, the path to the next compulsory boss, Mohg.
Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood
Defeating Starscourge Radahn is no easy task, considering his blood-loss attacks, lightning-fast mobility and oversized weapons. However, once you defeat him, you can access the underground sections of the Lands Between and use the teleporter to the Mohgwyn Palace. Long story short, you must either use the teleporter by completing Varre’s questline or use the Grand Lift of Rold using special Medallions in the Concentrated Snowfields and use the Waygate there to proceed.
In any case, once you reach the Mohgwyn Palace, head to the underground sections until you reach the Dynasty Mausoleum Midpoint Site of Grace. Finally, use the elevator in front of you reach the Mohg, Lord of Blood battle arena. Once you defeat the boss, head to the Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace and rest there to spawn a new NPC near the trapped Miquella (statue or something).
Teleport to the Realm of Shadows
After completing all the above prerequisites, i.e., purchase the DLC, update the game, defeat the two bosses, and rest at the Site of Grace, you will find a new NPC, Leda a follower of Miquella. She asks you to touch Miquella’s Withered Arm to proceed to the Realm of Shadows. Finally, head to the statue behind Leda and select ‘Yes’ and you will be instantly teleported to the new Land of Shadows in Gravesite Plain.
How to Access Shadow of the Erdtree in NG+?
Some players have reported that they can’t access the new DLC expansion even though they defeated both bosses in their first playthrough. We investigated this issue, and you may or may not like our findings. Basically, the game measures the prerequisites based on your current playthrough’s progress. So, when you start the Elden Ring NG+ mode, you reset the progress and only get to keep a few souvenirs for your next run.
As a result, the only way to access the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion in NG+ mode is to replay the game until you have defeated both Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood for a second time. Finally, rest at the Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace and speak to Leda to access the Shadow Realm in NG+ mode.
Conclusion
That’s it! If you followed this guide, you are probably already wandering in the new Real of the Shadows. However, if you still can’t access the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, we recommend starting a new game and playing until you finally unlock it. If you have any questions or would like more such guides, feel free to reach out in the comments section below.
