Elden Ring‘S Shadow of the Earth Tree The expansion is just around the corner, which means time is running out to prepare for its arrival.
Shadow of the Earth Tree is said to be absolutely massive; according to director Hidetaka MiyazakiThe expansion will be approximately the size of the starting area of Elden Ring, Limgrave. In other words, you’ll have a lot to do starting June 21st, including finding out what happened to the game’s most mysterious demigod – but only if you’re prepared.
If you’re not sure how to prepare for the expansion or simply haven’t played the base game in ages, don’t worry. Everything you need to do is here Elden Ring Before Shadow of the Earth Tree.
Reach and defeat Mohg to gain access
While you don’t have beat the game, accept it Shadow of the Earth Tree, you have to reach a certain level of progress before you can get in. FromSoftware has announced that the upcoming content will exist on a brand new map separate from the main game. Based on the information released so far, you can access this region via Mohg’s Palace (and to that end, by defeating Mohg).
Finally, we know that Mohg kidnapped Miquella, one of the main protagonists of the DLC. In the base game, Miquella is housed in an egg that you can interact with once you defeat Mohg. But the mummy-like remains are currently doing nothing Shadow of the Earth Treeis the only trailer shows Miquella’s egg seemingly coming to life.
Aside from the importance of the story, there are many other reasons to visit Mohg’s Palace before the DLC releases. For one, there are Albinaurs in the cliff area in front of the blood-soaked map that drop a staggering amount of XP. Mohg probably used them as food for his blood god. By stocking up on items that boost your runes, like the Golden Inlaid Bird’s Foot and the Golden Scarab Talisman, you’ll be able to level up these enemies in no time.
It’s possible to complete dozens of levels within minutes if you farm the enemies repeatedly. Luckily, you can fast travel to the start of the level once you kill the Albinaurics to force the game to resurrect them all. Make sure to shoot the bird that roams the Lake of Blood visible from the cliff – it can’t really harm you and is also a great source of XP.
Find out about Miquella’s story
Miquella is mentioned frequently throughout Elden Ring, but you never actually see or speak to the light-haired Empyryan. And like most Souls games, the overall storytelling is pretty subtle, so it’s entirely possible not to know what’s going on with Miquella – or to miss the smaller details that will likely be fleshed out in the DLC. Check out lore videos (like the one above from popular content creator FromSoftware). VaatiVidya) is a good way to fix this problem.
Explore Volcano Manor
One of the main topics for Shadow of the Earth Tree seems like blasphemy. Eventually, the Earth Tree will be associated with light, and you will wade in the shadows, possibly after the destruction of the Earth Tree. The DLC’s main antagonist appears to be related to snakes, which are repeatedly associated with enemies of the faith in the base game.
So the chances are good Shadow of the Earth Tree I’m going to make a few callbacks to Volcano Manor. The manor is home to Ryckard, a demigod who betrayed the Golden Order by allowing himself to be devoured by a powerful serpent. It appears that Shadow of the Earth Tree‘s big bad follows a similar path; In the trailer, he asks an unnamed mother if she would really sanction someone as cursed as him. While the jury is still out on whether this villain is actually another of Miquella’s half-siblings who has fallen out of favor with his family, Volcano Manor’s connection to blasphemous snakes is reason enough to take a look. We may be dealing with the same external god in the DLC.
Additionally, Volcano Manor features a number of unusual quests that have you hunting other Tainted. Volcano Manor can do more than just get you in the right mindset for what you’re about to see Shadow of the Earth Treeit’s a great change of pace from the rest of the game – assuming you’re willing to be a little evil, of course.
Complete optional dungeons
You should also look into dungeons that aren’t on the game’s golden path, such as Castle Sol – an area whose theme is entirely about the solar eclipse that arrives here Shadow of the Earth Tree. There you’ll learn about Miquella’s followers and their apparent attempt to revive him, tidbits that will likely return in the expansion.
But be warned: Castle Sol is one of the most difficult areas in the game. Don’t be surprised if you visit Mohg’s Palace first to strengthen your character, because even the basic enemies in this area are tough.
Get the best equipment
What is considered “best” depends heavily on what build you are using and your gaming preferences. However, we have some suggestions for you.
- For Intelligence builds, Slingshot sorcery and its anti-gravity properties pair nicely with things like the Moonshroud Katana or Wing of Astel. (For the former, check out our guide on how to get the Moonveil Katana.)
- Strength builds offer numerous options, but I like the Great Stars, which heal you with every hit, although the classic Greatsword is also a good choice.
- Followers of the faith agree that the best weapon is the Blasphemous Blade, a greatsword that can deal additional fire damage.
- Dexterity builds, meanwhile, have two strong options available early in the game: Bloodhound’s Fang and Uchigatana.
- Those of you trying out an Arcane build might want to look at the Naginata, which pairs well with bleed effects, or the Star Fists.
As for armor, your choice will depend on the weight class of your choice. If you’re interested in light armor, you’ll be happy with options like the Godskin Noble set or the Ronin set, both of which have strong stats. If you’re using medium armor, check out the Gelmir Knight set or a Knight set in general. And if you prefer heavy armor, you can use one of the most broken pieces of equipment in the game: the Bull-Goat Set, equipment so powerful that it’s a mainstay in PVP.
Granted, weapons and armor aren’t the only things you can equip in Elden Ring – but everything else really depends on how you want to play. However, one thing applies to all of them: the Mimic Tear that populates a CPU version of your character is awesome.
And if you really want to become powerful as quickly as possible, contact our Elden Ring Guide to Rune Farming.
Defeat Malenia
You’ll definitely want to defeat Malenia, the optional boss who resides in Miquella’s hidden kingdom. While Malenia is notoriously difficult, she is also Miquella’s twin sister, so you should learn as much about her as possible. Also seen in the trailer is a water dancer who looks suspiciously similar to the aforementioned character in Malenia-themed gear.
Despite this, she is one of the toughest bosses in the game; Most players save them for the latter parts of their playthroughs, and for good reason. If you’re having trouble, here’s our guide on how to beat Malenia Elden Ring can help.
Complete the game
This may seem obvious, but then again, we’re talking about a Soulslike game here. It’s easy to get stuck somewhere with a boss or give up before you’ve met the requirements for one of them Elden Ring‘s esoteric endings. Aside from meeting important characters who may play a role in the expansion, playing through the game can ensure that your character is strong enough to withstand any new threats Elden Ring throws you in the way.
Try the new Game Plus
New Game Plus has no apparent connection to Shadow of the Earth Tree: The mode simply makes the game more difficult and in return gives greater rewards if you survive. But if you’ve already done everything there is to do in Elden Ring, it might not be a bad idea to give NG+ a try: if nothing else, it can help you get back into the game’s groove. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time Shadow of the Erdtree, which means your muscle memory may need a refresher. The good news is that you keep many of your non-quest related items and runes, so you don’t have to search for your favorite gear again.
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