To reach the end of Shadow of the Erdtree, defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood, enter the Land of Shadow through the cocoon at Mohg’s arena, then follow the main route through Castle Ensis, Shadow Keep and the Ancient Ruins of Rauh. Defeat Messmer and Romina—in either order—and burn the Sealing Tree to enter Enir-Ilim. Before that last step, finish any exploration you want to do in the areas before Enir-Ilim.
Before you start: unlock the Land of Shadow
Shadow of the Erdtree requires the Elden Ring base game. The expansion becomes accessible after you defeat both Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood.
- In the base game, defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood.
- At Mohg’s cocoon in Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum, interact with the arm hanging from it to travel to the Land of Shadow.
- Touch a Site of Grace in the Land of Shadow. This unlocks map travel between the Shadow Realm and the Lands Between. If you die before touching one, return to the cocoon to enter again.
Bandai Namco’s official entry guide explains the requirements, alternate routes to Mohg, and ways to trigger Radahn’s festival.
Main story route at a glance
| Order | Area or gate | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gravesite Plain | Reach the first Sites of Grace, collect the local map, meet Miquella’s followers and explore for blessings and supplies. |
| 2 | Castle Ensis | Cross the castle and defeat Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, to continue toward Scadu Altus. |
| 3 | Shadow Keep | Defeat the Golden Hippopotamus at the entrance and progress through the keep to Messmer. |
| 4 | Shadow Keep / Church of the Bud | Defeat Messmer and collect Messmer’s Kindling; defeat Romina in the Ancient Ruins of Rauh. These two bosses can be defeated in either order. |
| 5 | Sealing Tree | Use Messmer’s Kindling at the Sealing Tree near the Church of the Bud to open the way to Enir-Ilim. |
| 6 | Enir-Ilim | Follow the largely linear Legacy Dungeon to the Divine Gate Front Staircase and the final encounters. |
How to follow the route
1. Explore enough of Gravesite Plain to get established
After arriving, activate nearby Sites of Grace, pick up the local map, and speak with the Miquella followers you encounter. Look for Scadutree Fragments while exploring. You do not need to clear every corner of Gravesite Plain before advancing; the detours are useful preparation, not a mandatory story gate.
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2. Cross Castle Ensis and beat Rellana
Castle Ensis is the main route onward to Scadu Altus. Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, is the progression boss at the end of this stretch. If her fight is stopping you, take a break to explore for more Scadutree Fragments rather than assuming you must reach a particular blessing level.
3. Enter Shadow Keep and find Messmer
Continue through Scadu Altus to Shadow Keep. The Golden Hippopotamus guards the entrance; defeat it to proceed into the keep. The main route leads toward Messmer. Shadow Keep and surrounding areas also have optional paths, resources and NPC content, so you can detour without confusing those discoveries with the required route.
4. Defeat Messmer and Romina in either order
Messmer is in Shadow Keep. Romina is in the Ancient Ruins of Rauh. Both must be defeated to access the final area, but the route guide supports doing them in either order; this walkthrough places Messmer first. Collect Messmer’s Kindling after defeating him. Once Romina is defeated too, take the kindling to the Sealing Tree near the Church of the Bud.
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- Playstation 05 (PS5)
- A New Fantasy World – Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential Dark Souls video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Unravel the mysteries of the Elden Ring’s power. Encounter adversaries with profound backgrounds, characters with their own unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress, and fearsome creatures
- World Exploration in the Lands Between – Elden Ring features vast fantastical landscapes and shadowy, complex dungeons that are connected seamlessly. Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or on horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, foreboding castles and other sites of grandeur on a scale never seen before in a FromSoftware title
- Genre-Defining Gameplay – Create your character in FromSoftware’s refined action-RPG and define your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world. Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid. Many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat
5. Decide what to finish before burning the Sealing Tree
Burning the Sealing Tree advances the story into Enir-Ilim and closes off the opportunity to explore the pre-final-area portion of the route as before. Pause here to finish any optional areas, items, bosses or NPC content you still want to pursue. This is a warning about the transition, not a claim that every quest ends.
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After the transition, make your way through Enir-Ilim toward the Divine Gate Front Staircase and the final fights. The route is comparatively linear at this stage.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use blessings when the Shadow Realm gets difficult
The expansion has two region-specific blessing systems. Apply them at a Site of Grace; their effects operate in the Shadow Realm and deactivate when you return to the Lands Between.
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- Enter a brutal mega boss encounter where the Erdtree Avatar unleashes crushing power, relentless aggression, and battlefield dominance that demands precision and nerve.
- Ride into combat with enhanced mounted mechanics, gaining overwhelming mobility and striking freedom that reshape your tactical identity and open high-risk attack windows.
- Battle ruthless guardian warriors whose unwavering devotion, deadly weapon mastery, and uncanny resilience turn every clash into a desperate struggle for survival.
- Fight on a dramatic, atmospheric encounter map, designed to heighten tension, reward clever movement, and transform each moment into a cinematic showdown.
- Unlock powerful rewards and exclusive equipment, earning new cards and gear that expand your Tarnished progression and deepen long-term campaign impact.
- Scadutree Fragments: Increase your attack power and damage negation in the Shadow Realm. These are the first thing to look for if enemies or bosses feel too punishing.
- Revered Spirit Ashes: Strengthen Spirit Ashes’ offensive and defensive capabilities. Use these if you rely on summons and want them to hold up better.
Neither system sets one universally required level for a boss. Explore, collect what you find, and apply the blessings when convenient.
What is required—and what is optional?
The route above identifies the progression gates: Radahn and Mohg before entry; Rellana on the route through Castle Ensis; the Golden Hippopotamus on entry to Shadow Keep; Messmer and Romina before the Sealing Tree; then the path through Enir-Ilim. It is not a checklist for completing every region.
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Optional detours can provide fragments, equipment, additional bosses and NPC stories. Take them when you want more resources or side content, particularly if a boss is proving difficult; otherwise, follow the main route and return to exploration before burning the Sealing Tree.
Quick Recap
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