Summary
Elden Ring’s highly anticipated DLC,Shadow of the Erdtree, has brought new locations and fresh challenges to its eager fanbase. Releasing to critical acclaim, this huge expansion has provided players with hours of additional content, pushing both the narrative and difficulty to new places.
Shadow of the Erdtreefollows on from the base game, with a large yet condensed map split into different areas. One of the central regions in the game is Scadu Altus. This diverse region is the gateway to many of the DLC’s secrets and contains some of the toughest challenges andmost memorableboss fights. Players can reach the area through Caste Ennis or by using a Spiritspring that takes players directly into the Fort of Reprimand.
13Commander Gaius
A Tedious And Overly Aggressive Boss
Shadow of the Erdtreeis undoubtedly a great addition to an already brilliant game. Unfortunately, not every boss encounter lives up to the high standard set by so many other enemies. Commander Gaius is found at the back entrance of the Shadow Keep and is guarding the way to the Scadutree Chalice.
As soon as players enter the boss area, Gauis charges,leaving little room to move. Players can use Torrent in the battle. However, the aggression and speed of the boss make the mount all but unusable. Charge attacks can be very hard to dodge in the fight and mistakes are punished extremely quickly. All these issues create a frustrating boss that many players may decide to leave entirely.
12Golden Hippopotamus
A Small Arena And Highly Aggressive Boss
The Golden Hippopotamus greets players as they enter the courtyard of the Shadow Keep, one of the largest Legacy Dungeons in the DLC. While this boss is certainly a challenge, its questionable hit-boxes, ultra aggression, and small arena create more frustration than fun.
Much of the struggle with this encounter comes from camera issues during combat, as the small arena gives little room to maneuver for such a large enemy. Players may also find they teleport into its charging mouth after a seemingly successful dodge. While the second phase of the fight is spectacular with its golden spines, the fight is one of the few disappointments in an otherwise stunning expansion.
11Ghostflame Dragon
Forgettable Field Bosses Offering Decent Loot
There are three Ghostflame Dragons scattered throughout the Land of Shadow. The Scadu Altus Dragon can be found near the Fort of Reprimand, fighting with Messmer’s Soldiers. The Ghostflame Dragons are very similar to many of the field boss Dragons found throughoutElden Ring, with a couple of additional attacks.
TheseDragons are best attackedfrom below, hacking away at their feet and avoiding their deadly charges that easily kill players. While these Skeletal enemies look cool, they’re largely forgettable and only worth taking on for the Runes or Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
10Ralva The Great Red Bear
A Supercharged Runebear With Additional Attacks
While manyShadow of the Erdtreebosses are unique to the DLC, a few are re-skins from the base game. Ralva the Great Red Bear is one of these. While this doesn’t make it a bad fight, it does feel familiar and most players will have little issue defeating Ralva.
Players will find the Great Red Bear northeast of the Highroad Cross Site of Grace, in a small wooded area. While the fight isn’t the most memorable in the DLC, the Pelt of Ralva is a great addition to the player’s armor collection.
9Black Knight Garrew
A Solid And Enjoyable Challenge
The Black Knights are found throughoutShadow of the Erdtreeand make up the core of Messmer’s army. In the Scadu Altus region, there are two powerful Black Knights to challenge the player’s skills.
Black Knight Garrew is found in Fog Rift Fort and is a solid mini-boss fight for a small side area. Garrew attacks with the same moves as other shield-carrying Black Knights, with one additional attack. The boss spits out a golden tongue that can attach to the player and drag them toward the enemy,dealing damage. While this move is easily dodged, it makes the encounter unique enough to be memorable.
8Black Knight Edredd
A Fast-Paced Challenge With A Worthwhile Reward
Black Knight Edredd is the second of the Black Knight bosses found in the Scadu Altus region. Players will encounter this enemy in the Fort of Reprimand. He is a fast and aggressive boss that will test player’s reactions.
While most players will overcome this challenge within a few attempts, the encounter can be tricky. Black Knight Edredd uses the Aspect of the Crucible: wings to fly into the air and dive towards the player. Defeating the boss rewards players with this unique Ash of War that also infuses the weapon withadditional holy damage.
7Rakshasa
A Challenging Mini-Boss Off The Beaten Track
Many players may miss this mini-boss altogether as it requires exploration of the lower section of Scadu Altus. Once players have found their way to the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum, they will encounter Rakshasa. This boss uses a Great Katana, one of the DLC’s new weapon classes. There are three Great Katanas inShadow of the Erdtree, which are all formidable weapons.
To claim the sword, though, players must get past Rakshasa.This boss won’t cause playersmany issues. However, his weapon can deal high amounts of damage. His moveset is simple and is mainly a showcase for the Great Katana.
6Dryleaf Dane
A Brand New Form Of Combat
Players will find Dryleaf Dane standing right next to the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace. To challenge Dryleaf Dane, players must perform the “May the Best Win” Gesture, which will trigger the fight. Dryleaf can be a tough opponent, as he attacks aggressively and quickly. However, players will have little issue with the monk.
The battle is mainly a showcase for the new fighting style introduced in the DLC. The unarmed combat style uses fast punches and kicks to take on enemies and is a great new addition toElden Ring’s arsenal. Defeating Dryleaf Dane will reward players with the Dryleaf Arts.
5Curseblade Labirith
An Atmospheric And Challenging Mini-boss
The Curseblades aretricky enemies found throughoutthe Land of Shadows. Players encounter one almost as soon as they start the DLC. They act as waiting assassins, ready to pounce and chase down players in specific locations. Curseblade Labirith, however, is a tougher version, found at the end of Bonny Gaol.
Entering the boss room and starting the fight, Labirith seems like any other Curseblade in the game. However, this encounter is a lot tougher. Curseblade Labirith will eventually turn invisible, forcing players to guard against its oncoming attacks. While challenging, most players will overcome Curseblade Labirith within a few tries. The fight is full of atmosphere and a worthy battle at the end of the dungeon.
4Count Ymir, Mother Of Fingers
A Satisfying End To The Questline
While Metyr, Mother of Fingers is the finale of Count Ymir’s questline, it is not the end. Defeating the larger boss will unlock a smaller boss fight. Count Ymir takes on the power of Metyr and attacks the player after returning to the Cathedral.
Players must first defeat Swordhand of Night Jolan, who invades the player after approaching the central chair. After this, Ymir will attack. The boss can summon various Fingercreepers and sorceries, and teleport away from the player. However, at this stage in the game, players will have little trouble dispatching the boss and ending the questline for good.
