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To enter Shadow of the Erdtree, defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood in the base game, then touch the arm hanging from Miquella’s cocoon in Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum. Rest at any Site of Grace in the Realm of Shadow immediately afterward; this unlocks map travel between the expansion and the Lands Between.
This walkthrough gives a safe progression method rather than pretending there is one mandatory route. It covers access, map reading, Scadutree progression, exploration, NPC conversations, equipment, dungeons and boss preparation while keeping named late-story details to a minimum.
Before you enter the Realm of Shadow
The expansion requires the Elden Ring base game. If you do not own it, Bandai Namco’s combined Shadow of the Erdtree Edition packages the base game and expansion; owners of the base game can use the compatible standalone DLC listing for their platform. Edition contents, price and availability vary by store, so check the current listing rather than relying on launch information.
Access checklist
- Defeat Starscourge Radahn.
- Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood.
- Travel to Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum and interact with the arm at Miquella’s cocoon.
- Rest at a Realm of Shadow Site of Grace. Bandai Namco Europe states that this rest enables fast travel between the two realms through the map.
Bring a completed build, enough upgrade materials for your preferred weapon and several spare flask charges. The expansion is balanced around characters who have already advanced substantially in the base game, but its own blessing system is the important measure of power once you arrive.
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Your first steps after arrival
- Activate the first Site of Grace. Rest before attempting a long detour so the cross-realm map connection is available.
- Find the nearby map fragment. The starting map is obscured until its fragment is collected. PlayStation’s spoiler-free guidance describes a single bright spot in the darkness; use it as an orientation clue, not as a promise that every path is visible.
- Search vertically. Roads shown on the map may sit above caves, ravines or lower terraces. Check ledges, elevators, springs and paths that disappear behind cliffs before deciding an area is a dead end.
- Collect early Scadutree Fragments. They improve your attack power and damage negation in the Realm of Shadow, making exploration and bosses substantially more forgiving.
- Mark unresolved points. Use map markers for sealed doors, high platforms, NPCs, dungeons and branches that require a later ability or key item.
- Return to characters after major discoveries. The expansion’s NPC arcs advance through conversations, deliveries and specific actions, and characters can provide items or become battle companions.
How Shadow Realm progression works
| System | What it improves | Where it applies | How to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scadutree Blessing | Player attack power and damage negation | Realm of Shadow only | Spend Scadutree Fragments at a Site of Grace. The bonus does not carry into the Lands Between. |
| Revered Spirit Ash Blessing | Spirit Ash strength | Realm of Shadow only | Use Revered Spirit Ashes at a Site of Grace before relying on summons for difficult encounters. |
| Normal character and weapon upgrades | Stats, weapon scaling and equipment performance | Both realms | Continue using runes, smithing resources, talismans and spells as you would in the base game. |
Do not judge your damage by returning to a familiar Lands Between enemy. Blessing effects are deliberately regional, so a weapon that feels powerful in one realm can feel very different in the other. If a boss seems overwhelmingly durable, search the current region for more fragments before grinding levels indefinitely.
Build a route without losing NPC progress
There is no evidence of a single required order for every side area. A safer approach is to keep the main route moving while making deliberate returns to characters.
NPC conversation protocol
- Speak to every named character until dialogue repeats.
- Record requests for items, destinations or meetings in your notes or map markers.
- After entering a new region, defeating a major boss or obtaining a requested item, revisit earlier characters before pushing deeper.
- Deliver requested items only after reading the full conversation and checking nearby dialogue; the reward may be an item, information or a temporary battle companion.
- If a character disappears, do not assume the quest has failed. Search the next region and revisit known meeting points.
PlayStation’s official tips confirm that conversations, deliveries and the right actions can advance story arcs. Exact irreversible triggers are not established consistently enough to publish a universal “never do this” list, so treat every unexplained NPC instruction as a potential milestone.
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A practical quest ledger
- Character: name and first location.
- Last dialogue: the final line before repetition.
- Request: item, location or action.
- Next check: the Site of Grace or region to revisit.
- Status: waiting, delivered, moved or unresolved.
Reading the map and choosing your next destination
Use the map as a layer of information, not a complete terrain model. A fragment reveals the broad geography, while vertical routes and hidden approaches remain physical discoveries. When a route appears blocked, inspect the elevation around it before abandoning the region.
| Choice | Best when | Benefits | Costs and cautions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main-route push | You have enough Scadutree Blessing for current enemies and no urgent NPC request. | Advances mandatory progression with less backtracking. | More story exposure and fewer opportunities to collect optional gear first. |
| Exploration sweep | You are finding enemies too resistant or missing map detail. | More fragments, equipment, dungeons and upgrade materials. | Greater chance of overlooking an NPC conversation; keep markers and return visits. |
| NPC detour | A character has given a specific destination or delivery. | Can unlock items, information or a battle companion. | The correct action is sometimes unclear; record dialogue before experimenting. |
| Backtrack to a blocked branch | A previously marked door, lift or ledge now appears reachable. | Converts earlier exploration into shortcuts and optional rewards. | Travel time is higher, especially if you did not mark the original location. |
Dungeons and side content
Clear side areas when they serve one of three purposes: they contain a blessing resource, answer an NPC request or provide equipment that fits your build. Otherwise, leave a marker and return when the main route exposes a nearby shortcut.
Dungeon checklist
- Activate every Site of Grace before taking a long branch.
- Check both upper and lower levels; the expansion frequently hides progress through elevation changes.
- Open shortcuts before attempting the local boss repeatedly.
- Spend runes or bank them before a dangerous one-way descent.
- After the boss, inspect the arena and the route back for NPC or item interactions.
Equipment and build preparation
Use the expansion’s new weapons, armor, talismans, spells and ashes when they support your existing attributes, but do not respec solely because an item has a higher displayed number. Check requirements, scaling, status effects, weight and upgrade cost together.
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Before a difficult encounter
- Upgrade the weapon you can use reliably, not just the weapon with the highest base damage.
- Carry a physical option and a way to apply your preferred elemental or status damage if your build permits it.
- Adjust talismans and defensive gear to the damage type you are actually taking.
- Set your flask allocation and quick items before entering the fog gate.
- Raise the relevant regional blessing before spending hours on level grinding.
Spirit Ashes are especially sensitive to the Revered Spirit Ash Blessing. If a summon dies immediately in a Realm of Shadow fight, improve that blessing or change the summon rather than assuming the entire build is unusable.
Boss walkthrough method
This guide does not invent a complete boss-by-boss route or list precise weaknesses that were not verified. Use the following runbook for every major fight, including optional encounters.
- Scout once without spending resources. Identify arena size, elevation, delayed attacks, projectiles and whether the entrance allows a summon.
- Choose one defensive adjustment. Change a talisman, armor piece, shield, damage-negation spell or flask mix that addresses the attack killing you most often.
- Keep the first successful objective small. Learn the opening sequence and survive long enough to see the second phase or major pattern change.
- Summon only after confirming the arena. A spirit can draw pressure away, but its survival depends on your regional blessing and the fight’s movement pattern.
- Use the map and Sites of Grace. If repeated attempts consume all your runes or supplies, leave, explore for fragments and return with a stronger regional blessing.
Story-spoiler warning: late-game decisions
Major story details are intentionally omitted below. Before entering an unfamiliar late-game area or accepting a dramatic NPC instruction, finish outstanding conversations and deliveries in regions you have already visited. The sources confirm that actions and interactions can advance NPC arcs, but they do not establish one reliable list of universal lockout triggers. Keep a manual record of unresolved quests and make a backup save according to your platform’s normal save tools if you want to preserve alternate choices.
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After a major victory
Do not rush straight to the next visible objective. Rest, check the map for newly accessible vertical routes, revisit NPCs, spend blessing items and clear any marked branch near the defeated boss. This short reset catches dialogue changes and lets you convert a victory into permanent exploration progress.
Troubleshooting common problems
Fast travel between realms is unavailable
Rest at a Site of Grace in the Realm of Shadow first. The cross-realm map function is enabled after that rest, not merely after touching the cocoon.
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Locate the bright map-fragment marker and explore toward it. Once the fragment is collected, continue checking elevation; revealed roads do not show every cave, ledge or lower route.
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Enemies hit too hard or take too little damage
Collect more Scadutree Fragments and raise the Scadutree Blessing. The effect is limited to the Realm of Shadow, so testing the same build in the Lands Between will not show the change.
An NPC has stopped appearing
Review your dialogue ledger, revisit the last known location and check the next region suggested by the character’s request. Avoid declaring a quest failed unless the game provides clear evidence; precise fail states vary by arc.
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