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Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Guide

Elden Ring is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware. It was released on February 25, 2022, and the game quickly gained popularity and became one of the famous titles of the year.

See how to play, story, characters and main features about Elden Ring!

What is Elden Ring?

The story of the game Elden Ring takes place in the world of the Midlands, a realm that possesses the power of the Ring of Elden and the Erdtree.

The Ring of Eden is fundamental to the game, being the physical manifestation of order and life in the realm of the Midlands. In this way, the ring governs the natural and magical laws of the world, sustaining the very existence of the realm. 

However, the ring was destroyed and its fragments, known as the Great Runes, were scattered. This event led to the corruption of the demigods, the children of Queen Marika, resulting in a devastating conflict. 

The players’ objective is to take on the role of a “Tainted One”, an exile from the Midlands who returns to restore Elden’s ring and become Lord Pristine.

Functions of the Elden Ring

• Source of Power and Order: The Elden Ring is responsible for maintaining order in the Lands Between, regulating life, death, growth, and decay. 
• The Erdtree: A gigantic glowing tree, is closely linked to the power of the Elden Ring. It is a symbol of prosperity and life, and its light and energy emanate from the Elden Ring, blessing the realm with vitality.
• Fragments of the Elden Ring – The Great Runes: When the Elden Ring is shattered, its fragments, known as Great Runes, are scattered. These fragments still contain parts of the original power of the Elden Ring and are sought by the main characters of the game to restore the ring and bring order back to the realm.
• The Corruption of the Demigods: The demigods, children of Queen Marika, who acquire the fragments of the Elden Ring, are corrupted by the power they confer. 
• The Tarnished’s Objective: Players, as the Tarnished, have the mission to gather these fragments, restore the Elden Ring, and become the Elden Lord. 

Significance of the Erdtree

The Erdtree is one of the most iconic and significant elements in Elden Ring, both visually and narratively. 

It stands as a colossal, radiant tree that dominates the landscape of the Lands Between, serving as a symbol of life, vitality, and the divine power of the Elden Ring.

• Symbol of Life and Prosperity: The Erdtree is a symbol of life and prosperity in the Lands Between. Its golden light and immense size make it a beacon of hope and a reminder of the power that once maintained order and harmony in the realm.
• Connection to the Elden Ring: The Erdtree is directly linked to the Elden Ring, drawing its power from the ring’s magical essence. The tree’s vitality and the blessings it bestows upon the land are manifestations of the Elden Ring’s influence.
• Center of Worship and Pilgrimage: Many inhabitants of the Lands Between view the Erdtree as a sacred site. It is a center of worship and pilgrimage, where various factions and characters seek divine favor, guidance, and power.
• Guardian of the Realm: The Erdtree’s presence helps to maintain the natural order in the Lands Between. It is often associated with the divine protection and stability that the Elden Ring provides.

How do I play Elden Ring?

Follow these steps to start playing:

1. Choose Your Class and Customize: Select a class that fits your playstyle, such as Warrior, Mage, or Knight, and customize your character’s appearance.
2. Explore and Discover: Traverse the expansive open world, uncovering secrets, hidden dungeons, and valuable items while engaging with the lore of the Lands Between.
3. Master Combat: Learn the basics of combat, including attacking, dodging, blocking, and parrying. Study enemy patterns and manage your stamina carefully.
4. Level Up and Upgrade: Collect Runes from defeated enemies and use them at Sites of Grace to increase your attributes. Upgrade your weapons and armor at blacksmiths to enhance your combat effectiveness.
5. Prepare for Boss Fights: Stock up on healing items, summon spirits or other players for assistance, and study boss attack patterns to overcome challenging battles.

Follow these steps to start playing Elden Ring! Remember to master the combat techniques, explore all the spaces and level up.

Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree review

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is the much-anticipated expansion to FromSoftware’s critically acclaimed action RPG, Elden Ring. This DLC builds upon the rich and expansive world of the original game, introducing new areas, enemies, and lore that further deepen the player’s experience in the Lands Between.

Story and Setting Elden Ring

The expansion explores themes of decay, corruption, and the eternal struggle for power. 

Players are introduced to new characters, each with their own motives and connections to the Erdtree. The storytelling remains cryptic and lore-rich, encouraging players to piece together the story through exploration and interaction with the environment and NPCs.

Gameplay and Exploration 

One of the standout features of Shadow of the Erdtree is the new regions it introduces. These areas are meticulously designed, with FromSoftware’s signature attention to detail and atmospheric world-building. 

What’s more, the environments are diverse, ranging from eerie, misty forests to decaying ruins and ancient temples. With the update, each new location is filled with secrets, challenging enemies and a design that encourages thorough exploration.

Another point is that the expansion retains the open-world exploration that made Elden Ring so attractive. In this way, players are rewarded for their curiosity with new equipment, spells and knowledge. 

The addition of new traversal mechanics, such as climbing and grappling, adds another layer of depth to exploration, allowing access to previously inaccessible areas.

Combat and Enemies

Combat in Shadow of the Erdtree retains the challenging yet fair mechanics that FromSoftware is known for. 

The expansion introduces a variety of new enemies and bosses, each with unique attack patterns and abilities that test the player’s skill and adaptability. 

Players will also find new weapons, armor sets, and magic spells, providing fresh ways to approach combat and customize their character. The addition of new Ashes of War allows for further weapon customization, enhancing the strategic depth of combat.

Graphics and Audio Elden Ring

Graphically, Shadow of the Erdtree continues to impress with its stunning visuals and atmospheric design. The environments are richly detailed, with a haunting beauty that draws players into the world. 

Lighting and weather effects are used masterfully to create a sense of dread and wonder.

The audio design complements the visuals perfectly, with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that sets the tone for each area. 

Ambient sounds and the chilling cries of enemies enhance the immersion, making every encounter feel impactful and intense.

Performance and Technical Aspects

On a technical level, Shadow of the Erdtree runs smoothly, with minimal performance issues. FromSoftware has clearly taken player feedback into account, ensuring a more polished experience. 

Load times are brief, and the game handles the expansive new areas without significant frame rate drops or glitches.

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Is Elden Ring a good game? 

Elden Ring is considered a good game due to its story, which touches on various elements of ancient culture, as well as the challenging gameplay, which provides an immersive world with a rich narrative. 

For those looking to play Elden Ring, know that the combat system is demanding but rewarding, offering a variety of weapons, spells, and skills to suit different play styles. 

The open-world design encourages exploration, with environments created that are visually stunning. The lore and story add depth, making the narrative experience unique. 

In addition, the game offers a high level of replayability due to its vast world, multiple endings and countless character-building possibilities.

Elden Ring Weapons 

Here’s an overview of the different types of weapons available in Elden Ring:

Melee Weapons

Swords:

• Straight Swords: Balanced in speed and damage, suitable for most situations.
• Greatswords: Slower but deal more damage, ideal for heavy-hitting playstyles.
• Ultra Greatswords: Very slow but extremely powerful, best for those who can time their attacks well.

Axes:

• Hand Axes: Fast and versatile, good for close combat.
• Battle Axes: More powerful but slightly slower, offering a good balance between speed and damage.
• Greataxes: Slowest but most damaging, perfect for players who prefer brute strength.

Spears and Halberds:

• Spears: Long reach and quick thrusts, excellent for keeping enemies at a distance.
• Halberds: Combines the reach of a spear with the power of an axe, good for versatile combat.

Hammers and Maces:

• Hammers: Effective against armored foes, deal significant stagger damage.
• Great Hammers: Extremely slow but can crush enemies with a single blow.
• Maces: Balanced between speed and damage, good against heavily armored enemies.

Daggers:

• Fast and good for critical hits, ideal for stealth and quick attacks.

Curved Swords and Scythes:

• Curved Swords: Fast and fluid attack patterns, good for agile fighters.
• Scythes: Long reach and sweeping attacks, useful for crowd control.

Ranged Weapons

Bows:

• Short Bows: Faster but with less range and damage.
• Long Bows: Greater range and damage, but slower to draw and fire.
• Great Bows: Extremely powerful with long range, but very slow to use.

Crossbows:

• Faster to fire than bows, but require reloading after each shot.

Throwing Weapons:

• Various throwing knives and projectiles that can be used to attack from a distance or apply status effects.

Magic and Hybrid Weapons

Staves and Wands:

• Used for casting sorceries, ideal for magic-focused builds.

Sacred Seals:

• Used for casting incantations, suitable for faith-based builds.

Hybrid Weapons:

• Weapons that scale with both physical and magical stats, allowing for a mix of melee and spellcasting.

Elden Ring Spells: Tier lists 2024

Are you ready to harness the arcane power of incantations in “Elden Ring”? Here’s a breakdown of the top incantations categorized by their effectiveness as of 2024.

Tier S: Supreme Spells for Dominance

Spells in Tier S are considered top-tier, offering unparalleled power, versatility, and utility in combat. 

They often excel in multiple aspects, such as damage output, defensive capabilities, or unique effects that significantly impact gameplay.

• Golden Vow
• Flame, Grant me Strength
• Giantsflame Take Thee
• Black Flame
• Black Blade
• Smarag’s Glintstone Breath
• Ekzyke’s Decay
• Erdtree Heal

These incantations are unparalleled in their power and utility, offering significant advantages in both offense and defense.

Tier A: Highly Effective Choices

Spells in Tier A are also very powerful and effective but may have slightly fewer advantages compared to Tier S spells. 

They are still highly valuable and versatile, offering strong performance across various combat scenarios.

• Flame
• Cleanse Me
• Ancient Dragon Lightning Strike
• Fortissax’s Lightning Spear
• Agheel’s Flame
• Dragonclaw
• Bestial Vitality
• Borealis’ Mist
• Greyoll’s Roar
• Lansseax’s Glaive
• Catch Flame
• The Flame of Frenzy
• Honed Bolt
• Theodorix’s Magma
• Placidusax’s Ruin
• Swarm of Flies
• Lord’s Heal
• Frenzied Burst
• Lightning Spear
• Blessing’s Boon

Versatile incantations that excel in various combat situations, offering potent effects to turn the tide of battle.

Tier B: Reliable and Versatile Spells

Spells in Tier B are reliable choices that offer solid performance and utility. 

While they may not have the same level of impact as Tier S or A spells, they are versatile and can adapt well to different combat situations.

• Glintstone Breath
• Dragonfire
• Rotten Breath
• Dragonice
• Dragonmaw
• Gurranq’s Beast Claw
• Beast Claw
• Bestial Sling
• Aspect of the Crucible: Tail
• Bloodflame Blade
• O Flame
• Aspect of the Crucible: Horn
• Black Flame’s Protection
• Triple Rings of Light
• Vyke’s Dragonbolt
• Stone of Gurranq
• Pest Threads
• Magma Breath
• Blessing of the Erdtree

These spells offer solid performance and utility, suitable for a variety of combat scenarios.

Tier C: Moderate Effectiveness

Spells in Tier C offer moderate effectiveness and utility. 

They may have specific uses or limitations that prevent them from competing with higher-tier spells in terms of overall impact.

• Dragonbolt’s Blessing
• Electrify Armament
• Black Flame Blade
• Poison Armament
• Order’s Blade
• Wrath of Gold
• Barrier of Gold
• Golden Lightning Fortification
• Protection of the Erdtree
• Bloodflame Talons
• Burn
• O Flame
• Howl of Shabriri
• Litany of Proper Death
• Lightning Stake
• Black Flame Ritual
• Noble Presence
• Scouring Black Flame
• Frozen Lightning Spear
• Ancient Dragon Lightning Spear
• Inescapable Frenzy
• Unendurable Frenzy

Offering moderate effectiveness, these incantations can still provide valuable support in battle.

Tier D: Limited Utility

Spells in Tier D have limited utility or niche applications. 

They may be situational or overshadowed by spells in higher tiers due to their specific drawbacks or limited effectiveness.

• Scarlet Aeonia
• Flame, Protect Me
• Flame, Fall Upon Them
• Fire’s Deadly Sin
• Flame Sling
• Bloodboon
• Discus of Light
• Radagon’s Ring of Light
• Aspect of the Crucible: Breath
• Law of Causality
• Law of Regression
• Lord’s Aid
• Shadow Bait

These spells have niche uses or limited effectiveness compared to higher tiers.

Tier F: Least Effective Spells

Spells in Tier F are generally considered the least effective or least practical choices. 

They may offer minimal benefits or have significant drawbacks that make them less desirable for most gameplay situations.

• Death Lightning
• Assassin’s Approach
• Whirl, O Flame
• Urgent Heal
• Heal
• Great Heal
• Immutable Shield
• Darkness
• Magic Fortification
• Lightning Fortification
• Divine Fortification
• Flame Fortification
• Lord’s Divine Fortification
• Cure Poison
• Bestial Constitution
• Rejection
• Order Healing
• Poison Mist
• Surge
• O Flame
• Elden Stars

These incantations are generally considered less effective in combat scenarios.

Key Characters in Elden Ring

Here are some of the key characters you will encounter in Elden Ring:

Queen Marika the Eternal

Queen Marika the Eternal is the reigning deity of the Lands Between and the central figure in the game’s lore. She is associated with the Elden Ring and the Erdtree, and her decisions have deeply impacted the world’s current state.

The Tarnished

The Tarnished are exiled individuals who are called back to the Lands Between to restore the Elden Ring and become the Elden Lord. The player character is one of the Tarnished, and their journey is central to the game’s plot.

Godfrey, First Elden Lord

Godfrey was the first consort of Queen Marika and the original Elden Lord. He is a legendary warrior whose legacy and actions have shaped much of the world’s history.

Radagon

Radagon is a mysterious and powerful figure connected to Queen Marika and the Elden Ring. His past and actions are critical to understanding the game’s lore and the events leading to the shattering of the Elden Ring.

Ranni the Witch

Ranni is a significant character with her own ambitions and storyline. She is involved in various quests and plays a crucial role in the overarching narrative. Her motivations and actions have far-reaching consequences for the world.

Melina

Melina is a guide for the Tarnished, offering assistance and serving as a key NPC throughout the player’s journey. She provides insight into the world and its lore, helping the Tarnished on their quest to become the Elden Lord.

Fia, the Deathbed Companion

Fia is an enigmatic character who seeks to embrace those who are tarnished by the curse of undeath. Her story intertwines with themes of life, death, and the afterlife, offering unique quests and interactions.

Blaidd the Half-Wolf

Blaidd is a loyal warrior with a beastly appearance. He serves a critical role in Ranni’s questline and provides assistance and companionship to the player. His loyalty and combat prowess are notable features of his character.

Margit the Fell Omen

Margit is one of the first major bosses players encounter. He guards the path to Stormveil Castle and presents a significant challenge early in the game. His defeat is a key milestone in the Tarnished’s journey.

Godrick the Grafted

Godrick is a demigod and one of the primary antagonists. Known for grafting limbs and body parts onto himself to increase his power, he is a formidable opponent and a significant figure in the game’s lore.

Maliketh, the Black Blade

Maliketh is another central character linked to the Elden Ring’s lore. He is a powerful guardian with a complex history and plays a crucial role in the game’s story.

Gideon Ofnir

Gideon Ofnir, also known as the All-Knowing, is a wise and knowledgeable NPC who provides valuable information and guidance to the player. His insights into the game’s world and lore are indispensable.

Roderika

Roderika is a character who undergoes significant development throughout the game. She starts as a seemingly helpless individual but later finds her purpose and becomes an important ally to the Tarnished.

Is it hard to play Elden Ring?

Elden Ring is a game that divides opinion due to its difficulty, especially between novice and veteran players. The answer depends mostly on the player’s experience and expectations.

For many, Elden Ring may seem intimidating at first, but the game has a learning curve, where players need to master the combat systems, enemy patterns and level design. 

But boss battles, in particular, are known for their difficulty, requiring several attempts to overcome. Although these encounters can be frustrating, they also provide a sense of accomplishment when overcome.

Exploring the vast open world of Elden Ring also contributes to the difficulty. The game encourages players to explore every corner of the Midlands, revealing secrets, valuable items and challenging locations. 

The lack of direct guidance can be a challenge, as players have to figure out how to progress on their own. However, this approach also makes exploration more rewarding, encouraging curiosity and attention to detail.

Managing resources is another critical part of the game. Players must balance the use of health, stamina and magic, as well as making strategic decisions about equipment and attribute levels. 

Despite these challenges, Elden Ring is widely considered to be fair. The game rewards skill, patience and strategic thinking. Every death is a learning opportunity, and progress comes with practice and adaptation. 

For those new to the genre, it can be useful to watch tutorials, read guides or play cooperatively with other players. 

Is Elden Ring like Skyrim?

Elden Ring and Skyrim share some similarities but are also quite different:

Similarities:

• Open World: Both games feature expansive open worlds that players can explore.
• Fantasy Setting: Both are set in high-fantasy worlds with a rich lore, magic, and mythical creatures.
• Role-Playing Elements: Both games allow for character customization and progression through leveling up and acquiring new skills and equipment.

Differences:

• Gameplay Style: Elden Ring emphasizes challenging combat with a focus on timing, strategy, and precision, akin to the Soulsborne games, whereas Skyrim offers a more accessible, varied combat system.
• Narrative Delivery: Elden Ring’s story is often cryptic and requires players to piece together the narrative through exploration and environmental storytelling. Skyrim presents its story more directly through quests and dialogues.
• Difficulty: Elden Ring is known for its high difficulty level, whereas Skyrim is generally more forgiving and accessible to a broader range of players.

Overall, while both games offer rich, immersive experiences, Elden Ring is more suited for players looking for a challenging combat-focused adventure, whereas Skyrim provides a more traditional, accessible RPG experience.

FAQ Elden Ring