The shortest practical route is to activate the Radahn Festival by entering Altus Plateau and resting at a Site of Grace, defeat Starscourge Radahn, use White Mask Varré’s Pureblood Knight’s Medal to reach Mohgwyn Palace, then defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood. Touch the arm hanging from the cocoon after the fight to enter the Realm of Shadow. Both boss kills are required; the route to each fight has alternatives. Bandai Namco confirms the requirements, but does not publish a timed fastest route.
What you need before you can enter the DLC
To access Shadow of the Erdtree, you must defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood. After Mohg falls, interact with the arm extending from the cocoon in the boss arena at Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum. Bandai Namco’s Realm of Shadow guide confirms this sequence.
You also need the Elden Ring base game. The expansion does not replace it; check the platform and edition details on the official Shadow of the Erdtree page before buying.
A low-detour route to the two required bosses
1. Activate the Radahn Festival through Altus Plateau
Reach Altus Plateau and rest at any Site of Grace there, then return to Redmane Castle. Bandai Namco lists this as a way to activate the Radahn Festival without first progressing through the quest steps it also describes.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
![ELDEN RING - Shadow of the Erdtree - Xbox [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41oWZz2OeeL._SL160_.jpg)
- Playable on 21st June 2024.
- Pre-order now and get the following bonus content for the expansion: ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree Bonus Gesture
- Winner of hundreds of accolades including The Game Awards Game of the Year and Golden Joystick Awards Ultimate Game of the Year, ELDEN RING is the acclaimed action RPG epic set in a vast, dark fantasy world. Players embark on an epic quest with the freedom to explore and adventure at their own pace.
- The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion features an all-new story set in the Land of Shadow imbued with mystery, perilous dungeons, and new enemies, weapons and equipment.
- Discover uncharted territories, face formidable adversaries, and revel in the satisfying triumph of victory. Dive into the riveting interplay of characters, where drama and intrigue intertwine, that create an immersive experience to savor and enjoy.
The alternative is to progress Ranni and Blaidd’s questlines until Sorceress Sellen explains that Radahn must fall to reach Nokron, or to start Ranni’s quest and follow the festival path involving Witch Hunter Jerren and Blacksmith Iji. Those are optional ways to trigger the festival; defeating Radahn is not optional for DLC access.
2. Defeat Starscourge Radahn
Once the festival is active, fight Radahn at Redmane Castle. His defeat is one of the two mandatory boss requirements for entering the expansion.
3. Take Varré’s medal route to Mohgwyn Palace
Complete White Mask Varré’s quest to obtain the Pureblood Knight’s Medal, which transports you directly to Mohgwyn Palace. This avoids the longer approach through the Consecrated Snowfield. The medal route still requires completing Varré’s quest, and reaching Mohg may be difficult if your character is not ready for the area.
Bandai Namco also lists a Sending Gate in the Consecrated Snowfield as an alternative way to reach Mohgwyn Palace. Choose that route if you have already opened the area or would rather not pursue Varré’s quest.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →4. Defeat Mohg and enter the Realm of Shadow
Make your way through Mohgwyn Palace to Mohg, Lord of Blood, and defeat him. Then interact with the arm hanging from the cocoon in the arena. That interaction transports you to the Realm of Shadow.
Rest at a Site of Grace in the new realm to enable map fast travel between it and the Lands Between. If you die before touching a Site of Grace there, return to the cocoon to enter again.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which route should you choose?
| Goal | Route | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger the Radahn Festival | Enter Altus Plateau and rest at a Site of Grace | The simplest trigger listed in Bandai Namco’s guide that avoids the described Ranni-related quest progression. |
| Reach Mohgwyn Palace | Varré’s quest and Pureblood Knight’s Medal | Direct travel to the palace, but requires completing Varré’s quest. |
| Reach Mohgwyn Palace | Sending Gate in the Consecrated Snowfield | Alternative listed by Bandai Namco; requires reaching the Snowfield. |
These are route optimizations, not a measured speedrun. Bandai Namco confirms the requirements and access options but provides no comparative completion times, so the fastest choice for your character depends on your current progress and which fights or areas you can handle comfortably.
Quick Recap
Quick checklist
- Own and install the expansion, and have the Elden Ring base game.
- Activate the Radahn Festival and defeat Starscourge Radahn.
- Reach Mohgwyn Palace by Varré’s medal or the Snowfield Sending Gate.
- Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood.
- Interact with the arm at the cocoon to enter the Realm of Shadow.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
