Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Summary
One of the big full stop of contention for histrion go throughElden hoop : Shadow of the Erdtreehas been the DLC ’s crush difficultness compare to the base secret plan . Enemies and emboss inShadow of the Erdtreedeal extremely eminent impairment , and have onset design that can be difficult to learn for many players , at some point even take in equivalence to Malenia from the al-Qa’ida game - certainly amongElden Ring ’s hardest bosses , and widely considered to be one of , if not the most difficult boss in any FromSoftware biz . For most ofSOTE ’s bosses , however , one trick for making bosses well-fixed might be flee under the radar .
While the early Soulsborne biz in FromSoftware ’s catalogue , likeDemon ’s Soulsand the firstDark Soulsfavored blocking and dodging comparatively equally , more late games likeDark Souls 3andElden Ringhave significantly improved dodging , making it faster , more responsive , and less draining on stamina . As a outcome , put off has become the default way for many players to avoid fire , with shields falling more and more to the roadside as the serial publication has progressed . With how some of the bosses inShadow of the Erdtreefunction , however , it might be clip for some players to exchange maneuver .
Elden Ring ’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is a victory circle for FromSoftware , bringing in elements from past games without losing what made it particular .

Using A Shield Will Make Shadow Of The Erdtree’s Bosses Easier
For Players Struggling With SOTE, Blocking May Be The Answer
block with a shield , especially a greatshield , can verify bosses much easier to manageinShadow of the Erdtree , commit players at less risk and giving them much more breathing way than if they swear strictly on dodging every attack . sure bosses , like Rellana and Messmer , have foresighted and wide-ranging combo strings which , while potential to dodge , can take a recollective clock time to grow accustomed to - and give the high-pitched harm carry on by enemy in the DLC , getting hitch just once or twice can allow actor at hazardously low health , or even kill them outright .
Meanwhile , although many bosses can deal elemental equipment casualty that will chip away at health Browning automatic rifle through carapace , the barrier for execution of instrument is far lower , andElden Ring ’s Guard Counter mechanic give players a room to tap openings for heavy damageand potentially even stance breaks . Especially for players using a in full - advance greatshield , many attack drawing string that would otherwise pose high risk of exposure become easy manageable , asElden Ring ’s full greatshields , like the Fingerprint Stone Shield , make most enemy attacks run out minimum stamina . Additionally , the few grab and other carapace - ignoring onrush inSOTEare heavy telegraphed and easy to skirt .
Further encourage a blocking playstyle is the newly lend Deflecting Hardtear , whichintroduces a " deflect " feature toElden Ring , granting players a five - minute caramel that almost completely neutralise chipping wrong and stamina drain from well - timed cube . Using this caramel for boss allow players to defend them almost like a chief fromSekiro , and make even block off with weapons instead of shields a viable option . And give that the rent also burnish guard counters while it ’s active , it even rewards players with additional equipment casualty , making it perchance one of the DLC ’s most potent young addition .

Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic
Greatshields can be very useful inShadow of the Erdtree , but for players without the stats to habituate them , a medium buckler with the Barricade Shield Ash of War and/or the Greatshield Talisman can be a good second-stringer .
Shields Are Better Against Some Shadow Of The Erdtree Bosses Than Others
Blocking Is Especially Useful Against Bosses Like Rellana
However , while block is a powerful option against many ofShadow of the Erdtree ’s bosses , results will vary depending on the boss . Using a shield against Rellana , for example , is highly helpful for dealing with her degenerate attacks and identifying openings , peculiarly since she has no grabs to add into the commixture , but the sundry damage types she starts to use in her 2nd form may start to deal important flake harm . On the other hand , for political boss like Romina or Midra , whose attacks inflict Scarlet Rot and Madness , severally , players may still want to rely more on dodging than block .
In particular , though , some bosses have fire that are on the face of it impossible to dodge , or else call for nigh figure - perfect precision . The terminal boss , for representative , has a dual - swipe attack that seems almost out of the question to fully avoid by dodging , as rolling through or aside from the first smasher almost always result in getting hit by the second . For this onrush , and some others , embarrass or deflecting seems to be one of the few ways to to the full deflect drive damage .
However , it should also be notice thatcertain plan of attack should n’t be occlude , even though they technically can be . Some gaffer have particularly potent attacks or combo finisher which , if stuff , will put players into a extra stunned animation where they get crusade back , often costing them the opportunity to punish the openings entrust by these attacks . In these circumstances , even when using a shield , it ’s better to dodge , as it will often lead to more scathe .

Players venture into the shadowed realm of the Land of Shadow to confront new biomes, dungeons, and formidable bosses. Guided by the enigmatic Miquella, they face the terrifying Messmer the Impaler and uncover the dark secrets shrouded beneath the Erdtree’s influence, featuring new weapons, magic, and challenges.
Elden Ring players took to societal medium to talk over the unexpected , yet unsurprising difficulty of the game ’s crushing Shadow of the Erdtree DLC .
Blocking Isn’t The Only Solution In Shadow Of The Erdtree
Shields Can Make Elden Ring’s Expansion Easier, But Alternatives Exist
While it is the safest and loose option for debar certain attacks , holding up a shield is n’t the only possible solvent . Somenew Ashes of War insert in the DLC , like Blinkbolt , Blind Spot , and ramp Beast give substantial invincibility frames , allowing players toavoid attacks while dealing damage at the same clock time , and even base game science like Bloodhound Step can still be very useful . Even some Ashes that do n’t give i - frames , but take the player luxuriously up before attacking , like Aspect of the Crucible : flank , can still be used to avoid certain low - hitting blast .
One newfangled type of shield added inShadow of the Erdtree , the Dueling Shields , can also be used like traditional weapons , and will automatically block incoming damage after or before sure attack . While the shields ' block stats are n’t perfect , players who overcome this playstyle can basically squeeze trades that are hard in their favour , as most attack will deal only minor chip damage through the Dueling Shield ’s safety equipment . While it ’s still technically blocking , the playstyle is different enough from traditional shell use to differentiate it .
Shadow of the Erdtree , for many participant , offer some of the most difficult content in any FromSoftware biz to day of the month , and some may need to change their playstyle to make it through . Using a shield , particularly in combination with the Deflecting Hardtear , can make many of the DLC ’s bosses importantly loose to manage , putting players at less risk and giving them approach to some exploitable openings . While it may not be an end - all root , players having a hard time withElden Ring : Shadow of the Erdtreeshould think pull out a shield for its toughest bosses .

Players venture into the shade realm of the Land of Shadow to confront new biome , donjon , and formidable boss . head by the puzzling Miquella , they front the terrifying Messmer the Impaler and uncover the dark secrets shroud beneath the Erdtree ’s influence , featuring new weapons , illusion , and challenges.



