When you begin the Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree, you may feel like you don't know where to go first. Just like the base game's reveal of the open world in Limgrave, walking out into the Gravesite Plain shows you a myriad of possible directions to go across the horizon of the Realm of Shadow. But there are some things you should prioritize over all else, before you truly set off in the open world of the DLC.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – Early Scadutree Fragments Locations
To get stronger in the Elden Ring DLC, look for these early Scadutree Fragments which will buff your character's offense and defense.
To help players get their bearings in the Realm of Shadow, this guide provides a basic route to follow that will lead players to the map fragment of the area, the first NPC hub, and provide suggestions on what to do before heading to one of the first major Legacy Dungeons. If you are struggling with what to do first in Shadow of the Erdtree, this route is a great way to get your feet on solid ground in the DLC before setting off on your own adventure.
Updated July 26, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: When beginning the Elden Ring DLC, what to do first is a question on many players' minds. Thankfully, Shadow of the Erdtree is much less "linear" than the base game, though the base game itself already featured one of the best open-world exploration experiences in gaming. This is because there are very few required bosses, but tons of side content and areas to explore that aren't related to the main quest at all. In fact, if you really want to, it's possible to explore almost every area and complete everything in the DLC before ever engaging with a Remembrance boss. This guide to what to do first in Shadow of the Erdtree has been updated with one final section that recommends players actually avoid rushing the main story, and take some time to explore the Realm of Shadow.
Head Northeast To Get The Gravesite Plain Map Fragment
After touching the Withered Arm in Mohgwyn Palace and entering the Realm of Shadow, you will soon come across the Gravesite Plain site of grace. It's located just outside of the rocky chasm that the Tarnished spawns into, so it's hard to miss.
The first thing you should do, so you can navigate this strange new land, is to reveal the map of the area.
The Gravesite Plain map fragment is conveniently located just up the road from the Gravesite Plain site of grace. Mount up and try not to get the attention of the Furnace Golem as you make your way to the Scorched Ruins in the center of the plain. The Map Fragment is located just south of the entrance to this ruined settlement.
You can typically locate Map Fragments by looking on your unrevealed World Map areas for what looks like a glowing beacon in the fog of war. Mark this point to find it in the overworld.
Travel To The Three-Path Cross To Find Hornsent & Freyja
From the Gravesite Plain site of grace, or more specifically from the Gravesite Plain map fragment location, you should head northwest to reach the Three-Path Cross site of grace.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – How To Beat Blackgaol Knight Boss Guide
The Blackgaol Knight is one of the first Elden Ring DLC bosses most players will come across, but it is punishing if you try to fight it unprepared.
Here you will meet the first two major NPCs of the Elden Ring DLC: the Hornsent, and Freyja. Exhaust their dialogue and you will find that Freyja is available for summon outside the nearby Legacy Dungeon's final boss chamber.
Elden Ring, and FromSoftware games in general, feature lots of NPC storylines and winding quests that often have esoteric requirements. Start these two NPCs questlines here, and continue to the east to find two more NPCs – Ansbach and Moore, former servants of Mohg and the Rot Goddess and the Forager Brood, respectively, who now search for Miquella.
Explore The Plain To Get Scadutree Fragments & New Weapons
Before getting in too deep or trying to take on this incredibly difficult DLC's challenging legacy dungeons, it's a good idea to explore and power up a bit. The Scadutree Blessing (and Revered Spirit Blessing) systems allow players who would normally crush the endgame of Elden Ring to experience meaningful progression. Everything is harder in Shadow of the Erdtree than in the base game, and you will need to use 
Scadutree Fragment s to match the DLC's difficulty spike, no matter how prepared you think you are.
There are tons of things to collect and lots of ways to upgrade your character before taking on either of the Legacy Dungeons in the Gravesite Plain. New weapons unlock access to new skills and movesets only available in the DLC, and Scadutree Fragments will empower your character even more.
You can find two Scadutree Fragments in the Church of Consolation, which can be found by following the road that leads south from the Scorched Ruins.
Don't beeline the Shadow of the Erdtree main story progression. Instead, take some time to take on side content, explore the world to collect new items and discover new locale, and otherwise take your time leveling up.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – How To Get The Backhand Blade
One of the most sleek-looking weapons introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree, the Backhand Blade is one you can pick up early in the Elden Ring DLC.
By the time you reach these post-endgame-level bosses, you'll be strong enough to not get one-shot, and might even have some nifty new DLC weapons.
Head To Belurat, Tower Settlement Or Castle Ensis...
Once you feel comfortable with your character's new build, loadout, and power level, it's time to head to one of the two nearby Legacy Dungeons. Shadow of the Erdtree is a very open-ended DLC and ultimately players can go almost anywhere they want from the start. But it's a good idea to spend some time exploring and leveling up in Belurat, Tower Settlement or Castle Ensis before heading to later-game areas.
Both of these Legacy Dungeons split off from the Three-Path Cross site of grace. Belurat, Tower Settlement lies to the west through a tunnel, while Castle Ensis lies to the east across a great bridge. Of the two, Belurat, Tower Settlement is the slightly easier to tackle, but Castle Ensis is a perfectly viable option, too.
Choose Belurat first if you like Incantations and want to see the Lion Dancer boss, but choose Castle Ensis if you want to pick up some Sorceries and take on Rennala's younger, and slightly hilariously named, sister: Rellana.
...Or Just Head In A Direction & Explore The Realm of Shadow
There is a lot of new content in the Elden Ring DLC, and when it comes to what to do first, it rivals the base game for the amount of choice players have. In fact, there are only technically four required bosses to beat the DLC, and none of them are in the Gravesite Plain.
That's right – you can completely skip Belurat, Tower Settlement and Castle Ensis both, skipping the Divine Beast Dancing Lion and Rellana boss fights entirely. Just don't go into Belurat to skip the Dancer, and take the Fort of Reprimand shortcut in Gravesite Plain to skip Rellana.
Because of the Scadutree blessing system, and because progression in the DLC is extremely non-linear, you can explore almost all of the DLC areas before you ever take on a Remembrance boss. If you want to take your time with the DLC, enjoy the sights, and only take on the major DLC bosses when you feel ready, don't make a b-line for the legacy dungeons.
Instead, spend some time trying to discover new areas, finding ways to reach areas you can see but can't quite get to normally, or pick a point on the map and make every effort you can to get there. The DLC contains a surprising amount of side content to explore, and all of it will make you stronger when you do eventually decide to take on the main DLC progression.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
- Released
- June 21, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Base Game
- Elden Ring
- Developer(s)
- FromSoftware
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, FromSoftware
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
