Elden Ring players weren’t ready for just how hard Shadow of the Erdtree would be

Despite the devs recommending to not go into the expansion until reaching a higher level, Elden Ring fans have found out just how unprepared they were for the difficulty of Shadow of the Erdtree.

With the requirements needed to access the new DLC, it was clear that the new area and enemies were going to be pretty tough, and it wouldn’t be a good time for anyone trying to get there without leveling up properly.

However, it looks like it’s much more difficult than the Elden Ring community was prepared for, as players have shared their pain across social media.

On the game’s subreddit, after finally spending time with Shadow of the Erdtree, and fans found out just how brutal the new enemies are.

As one user said: “Everything hits like a bus. I guess it’s to be expected since it’s FROM DLC, but still.”

Another fan explained how their build is made for tanking and poise, meaning that they won’t easily be staggered even from the base game’s final boss, the Elden Beast. Now, though, they say that the normal enemies in the DLC are taking half their health with attacks.

Having some tough enemies in Shadow of the Erdtree was expected, but FromSoftware really took it to another level, it seems.

One fan even mentioned that one of the first enemies you encounter caused them a ton of trouble. As they explained: “When people said the gargoyle birds were hard and I slapped one in three hits I was like, ‘Okay, they’re exaggerating.’ Then I actually got hit, and it chained me to like 10% of my HP.”

To counter this, many people have pointed out that people need to collect some more of the DLC-specific items that will give them a boost while in the Realm of Shadow.

By exploring the first area of the new map, players can find these items (called Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ash) and use them to power their character up.

Shit is Tough out here
byu/datboi_salami inEldenring

With these new collectibles, it would seem that this spike in difficulty for Elden Ring’s expansion is intended, even though it is still giving players plenty of trouble.

However, this difficulty is clearly not enough to deter anyone from playing the DLC, as Shadow of the Erdtree as already passed The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine as the highest-rated DLC ever released.