ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition Wiki

Shadow of the Erdtree

Everything about Shadow of the Erdtree — how to start the DLC, Scadutree Fragments, the Land of Shadow and new bosses like Messmer the Impaler.

100+

New Weapons

20+

New Bosses

120-150

Recommended Level

On This Page:Introduction·DLC Quick Reference·DLC Highlights·Core Mechanics·Advantages·Challenges·FAQ·Quick Tips·Articles·Explore More

Introduction

Shadow of the Erdtree is the massive expansion bundled with ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition, adding the Land of Shadow — an entirely new region comparable in size to the base game's Limgrave and Liurnia combined. The DLC introduces over 100 new weapons, armor sets, talismans, sorceries and Spirit Ashes, along with more than 20 new bosses including the expansion's flagship villain Messmer the Impaler and the Promised Consort Radahn. Its defining mechanic is the Scadutree Fragment system: fragments collected across the Land of Shadow permanently boost your damage and damage negation within the DLC, meaning even a high-level character must gather them to survive. This section covers how to start the DLC, the recommended level, the Scadutree Fragment locations, every major boss and the new gear you can find.

DLC Quick Reference

Topic	Requirement	What You Need To Know
Access	Beat Radahn + Mohg	Touch Miquella's cocoon in Mohgwyn Palace
Level	120-150	Scadutree Blessing matters more than level
Power	Scadutree Fragments	Each level boosts damage and negation in the DLC
Key Boss	Messmer the Impaler	Fire-and-spear duel guarding the path to Miquella
New Gear	100+ items	Weapons, armor, talismans, sorceries and Spirit Ashes

DLC Highlights

Scadutree Fragments

Core Mechanic

The DLC's blessing system — the key to survival

How It WorksEach Scadutree Fragment you consume at a Site of Grace permanently raises your Scadutree Blessing level, which increases both your damage and your damage negation inside the Land of Shadow. The blessing is completely independent of your character level — it exists so the DLC can challenge endgame players while remaining fair for thorough explorers.

Where To FindFragments are scattered across the entire DLC — at Miquella's Crosses, statues, ruined villages and along the golden light paths the game points you toward. The most efficient approach is to follow the main path first, collecting every fragment you pass, then backtrack to clear the optional regions. Missing fragments is the most common cause of the DLC feeling impossible.

Messmer the Impaler

Flagship Boss

The fire-and-spear duelist guarding Miquella

Attack PatternMessmer fights with a spear and fire magic, mixing fast thrusts, wide sweeps and delayed fire attacks designed to punish panic rolling. His second phase adds serpent fire and more aggressive combos. He has extremely long combos but clear recovery windows — the key is learning which attacks to roll through versus which to keep distance for.

StrategyBring a high Scadutree Blessing and a weapon with strong poise damage — his stance breaks easily with heavy attacks. Use a Spirit Ash to split aggro, and roll forward through his thrusts to stay close, since his ranged fire attacks are the most dangerous. A bleed or frost build with the Mimic Tear is the most reliable counter for most players.

Land of Shadow

New Region

An entirely new map comparable to Limgrave plus Liurnia

What's ThereThe Land of Shadow is a huge, layered region with surface fields, castles, caves and an underground network, all themed around the Erdtree's shadow. It is home to over 100 new weapons and armor pieces, dozens of dungeons and the DLC's hardest bosses. The geography deliberately twists the base game's open-world structure into something denser and more vertical.

Exploration TipsThe region is designed to be explored on foot and on Torrent, with hidden paths and Miquella's Crosses marking the route. Look for the golden light trails — they lead to major objectives and fragment clusters. The layered underground sections are easy to miss, so investigate every lift and well you find.

New Weapons & Gear

Loot

Over 100 new items to discover

What's IncludedThe DLC adds over 100 new weapons, armor sets, talismans, sorceries, incantations and Spirit Ashes. Many of the new weapons have unique skills that define new builds, and several talismans directly support the DLC's new mechanics. The new armor sets range from heavy poise tanks to light caster sets, all found through exploration and boss rewards.

How To GetMost new gear is found in chests, on corpses or as boss drops across the Land of Shadow. The DLC's remembrance weapons come from its major bosses — including Messmer and the Promised Consort — and are exchanged at the Roundtable Hold. Some of the strongest new pieces are tied to the DLC's optional areas, so thorough exploration is rewarded.

Promised Consort Radahn

Final Boss

The DLC's hardest and final challenge

Attack PatternThe Promised Consort Radahn combines the base game's gravity magic with the DLC's aggressive tempo — massive area attacks, fast combos and a second phase that adds holy damage and new moves. He is widely considered the hardest boss in the entire game, punishing every mistake with huge damage.

StrategyMax out your Scadutree Blessing first — this fight is the ultimate check on the DLC's blessing system. Use a high-poise weapon to stance-break him, bring a Mimic Tear or Black Knife Tiche, and consider holy-resistant armor and talismans. Learn his phase-two tells carefully; panic rolling is the #1 cause of death in this fight.

Core Mechanics

The Land of Shadow is governed by its own progression system: the Scadutree Blessing. Scadutree Fragments are scattered across the DLC — in Miquella's Crosses, at the feet of statues, in villages and on the paths between major areas — and each fragment you consume at a Site of Grace permanently raises your Scadutree Blessing level, increasing both your damage and your damage negation inside the Land of Shadow. The blessing is entirely separate from your character level: a level 150 character with no fragments will take noticeably more damage and deal noticeably less than the same character with a Blessing of +10. This system is designed to ensure the DLC challenges players regardless of their base-game progress, while also giving lower-level characters a fair chance if they explore thoroughly. The DLC map is layered — you will navigate a mix of surface areas, caves, castles and the Shadow of the Erdtree's own version of the underground, all connected through the new region's geography.

Advantages

The Shadow of the Erdtree section compresses the DLC's most important knowledge into an actionable guide. It tells you exactly how to access the expansion and the recommended level, saving you the frustration of showing up underpowered. The Scadutree Fragment system, which is the DLC's single most important mechanic, gets a dedicated explanation — you learn why a blessing level is worth more than 20 character levels, where the fragments cluster, and how to raise your blessing efficiently. The boss coverage focuses on the fights that actually block progress, especially Messmer the Impaler and the Promised Consort Radahn, with strategies built around the DLC's new mechanics. For Switch 2 owners, the section also confirms that the full expansion is included in Tarnished Edition at no extra cost.

Challenges

The DLC is the hardest content in the game, and the guide cannot change that. Even with a high Scadutree Blessing, bosses like Messmer and the Promised Consort Radahn demand precise timing and strong builds, and some strategies require DLC-specific weapons or incantations you will need to collect first. The exact locations of many Scadutree Fragments are still being refined by the community, and early guides may differ slightly from the final map. The DLC also changes how your base-game gear performs — some previously powerful weapons feel weaker against DLC bosses, so you may need to adapt your build rather than rely on what carried you through the base game. Finally, the DLC assumes you have beaten the base game's hardest challenges, so starting it before level 120 is likely to be a miserable experience no matter how good the guide is.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC?+

First, defeat Starscourge Radahn in Caelid and Mohg, Lord of Blood in Mohgwyn Palace — both are required. Then travel to Mohg's arena and touch the withered arm hanging from Miquella's cocoon. You will be transported to the Land of Shadow. The game strongly recommends being around level 120-150 with a decent weapon upgrade before entering. Once inside, your top priority should be collecting Scadutree Fragments, since the blessing levels they grant dramatically affect both the damage you deal and the damage you take within the DLC.

What are Scadutree Fragments and where do I find them?+

Scadutree Fragments are the DLC's progression item. Each fragment raised your Scadutree Blessing level at a Site of Grace, and every level increases your damage and damage negation within the Land of Shadow — the single most important power-up in the DLC. They are found throughout the region: at Miquella's Crosses, near statues and ruins, in villages and along major paths. The best strategy is to explore thoroughly and follow the golden light trails toward Miquella's path, since the fragments cluster around the areas the game's guidance points you toward. Missing fragments is the most common reason players find the DLC unreasonably hard.

Who is the hardest DLC boss?+

The community consensus is that the Promised Consort Radahn is the hardest boss in the DLC, followed closely by Messmer the Impaler. The Promised Consort is the DLC's final boss, combining massive damage, fast combos and an aggressive second phase. Messmer, the expansion's flagship boss, is a brutal fire-and-spear duelist who punishes panic rolling. Both fights demand high Scadutree Blessing levels, a strong build and precise timing. Among optional bosses, Bayle the Dread and Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame also rank among the toughest, each requiring dedicated strategies.

Quick Tips

💡

Collect Scadutree Fragments before you fight any major DLC boss. The blessing is the DLC's core power system — each fragment is worth more than several character levels in terms of the damage you deal and the hits you survive. Explore the region thoroughly and follow the golden light paths to Miquella's Crosses, where fragments cluster.

💡

Bring a maxed-out weapon and a strong Spirit Ash. DLC bosses have enormous health pools and hit hard even at high levels. A fully upgraded weapon with a good affinity, plus a Mimic Tear or Black Knife Tiche to split aggro, gives you the best chance on your first attempts — this is not the place for an unupgraded off-meta weapon.

💡

Explore the DLC's optional areas before rushing the main path. The Land of Shadow is packed with talismans, new weapons and armor that directly counter its toughest fights. The DLC's best gear is often hidden in the hardest-to-reach corners — and the reward for finding it is usually a boss you would have struggled with suddenly becoming manageable.

Featured

ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition DLC Areas & Fragments

Explore every DLC area in the Land of Shadow for ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition, with recommended levels and Scadutree Fragment requirements to progress.

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ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition DLC Sorceries: Best Spells

Find the best DLC sorceries in Shadow of the Erdtree, from new glintstone spells to their locations across the Land of Shadow for your build.

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ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition Igon Quest & Bayle Fight

Complete Igon's quest in Shadow of the Erdtree, summon him for Bayle the Dread, and claim his armor, bell, and other unique rewards along the way.

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ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition Shadow of the Erdtree Guide

Start the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion in ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition, enter the Land of Shadow, and follow the DLC walkthrough to Miquella.

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ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition Use Scadutree Fragments: Guide

Use Scadutree Fragments to raise your Shadow Realm Blessing in the DLC, and learn where to collect them across the Land of Shadow for maximum damage output.

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ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition Messmer the Impaler: Boss Guide

Defeat Messmer the Impaler in Shadow of the Erdtree with phase tactics, the right Scadutree level, and weapons that punish his fire openings.

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ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition DLC Difficulty: Bosses Ranked

Rank the Shadow of the Erdtree boss difficulty in ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition and learn how the DLC scales with your character's level and build.

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Explore More

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Bosses

Defeat every foe in ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition — strategies, weaknesses and cheese tactics for Margit, Radahn, Malenia, Messmer and over 100 bosses.

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Weapons

Discover the strongest weapons in ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition — Moonveil, Rivers of Blood and Tarnished Pack gear, with locations and upgrades.

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Locations

A region-by-region guide to the Lands Between — Limgrave, Caelid, Liurnia, the Altus Plateau, underground cities and every area in the game.

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