Summary

• Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC can only be accessed after defeating a late-game boss, Mohg.
• The recommended starting level for Shadow of the Erdtree is quite high, though some players may opt for a lower level for more challenge.
• The DLC has its own power scaling mechanics, making a character's rune level gradually less important as the DLC progresses.

The long-awaited Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is designed to expand upon the base game in many ways, but most players will want to enter the DLC area with a late-game character at a fairly high level. Shadow of the Erdtree takes the Tarnished to a new realm, the Land of Shadow, to follow in the footsteps of Miquella, one of the base game's more enigmatic characters. As is typically expected of FromSoftware's DLC expansions, Shadow of the Erdtree provides a significant challenge, rivaling the toughest areas and bosses from Elden Ring.

Elden Ring itself, via the access point for the DLC, provides something of a gate for players that may be getting in over their heads by accessing the DLC early. Shadow of the Erdtree is begun by approaching Miquella's cocoon in the boss arena where players battle Mohg, Lord of Blood. Mohg must be defeated in order for a key interaction to take place in his now unoccupied boss arena, and this acts as something of a natural block for players not yet ready for the DLC. Generally speaking, players able to defeat Mohg (and not by cheesing his boss fight) are at a high enough level to play Shadow of the Erdtree, but there is a recommended number.

Recommended Rune Level For Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree

The DLC Has Late-Game Difficulty

The recommended level for beginning Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is 150, as this appears to be an at least acceptable level threshold in the eyes of FromSoftware. When a select few were allowed to play a beating Elden Ring's final bosses, Radagon and the Elden Beast. Rune level 150 is also a common level chosen for Elden Ring PvP builds, as it essentially evens the playing field with endgame stats and gear, with enough levels for players to make highly specialized character builds.

That said, many experienced Elden Ring players may be interested in starting Shadow of the Erdtree around levels 120–130, as recommended by Screen Rant's review of the DLC. Level 120 is low enough to provide a bit of an extra challenge – an often attractive facet in FromSoftware titles – but has high enough stats for meaningful builds. Rune level 120 is often the minimum recommended level for completing Mohgwyn Palace, the area in which Mohg's boss fight occurs.

Players will also want to ensure their preferred weapons are fully upgraded before beginning Shadow of the Erdtree.

It is possible to begin the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC at any level, however, as the only prerequisite is defeating Mohg. It predictably won't be long before someone beats Shadow of the Erdtree at rune level one, a popular challenge run in the base game – the equivalent of the soul level one, or SL1, runs that were popularized by the Dark Souls games. Shadow of the Erdtree is clearly intended to be on a similar level to (or perhaps even harder than) endgame areas like Mohgwyn Palace, Miquella's Haligtree, and Crumbling Farum Azula.

Shadow Of The Erdtree Has A Different Power Scaling Mechanic

Scadutree Blessing Makes Rune Level Gradually Less Relevant

Although a rune level of 150 will ensure the Tarnished is ready to face the threats in the Land of Shadow, the DLC has its own power scaling system which progressively makes a character's level less important. Players will find upgrade items known as Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes throughout Shadow of the Erdtree, and these will quickly become much more important than the runes spent on levels and items. Both are used at Sites of Grace, similar to the base game's Sacred Tears and Golden Seeds, in a new mechanic called Shadow Realm Blessing.

Scadutree Fragments are consumed to increase the player character's Scadutree Blessing, which simultaneously increases their damage dealt and their incoming damage negated. The Revered Spirit Ash Blessing does much the same for Torrent and Spirit Ash summons, consuming Revered Spirit Ashes to increase the damage and damage negation of the Tarnished's spiritual steed and ghostly companions. The Shadow Realm Blessings do not carry back over to the Lands Between, only affecting combat in the DLC areas.

Much like Golden Seeds in the base game, subsequent Shadow Realm Blessings require multiple Scadutree Fragments or Revered Spirit Ashes.

Although it would seem the intention of the Shadow Realm Blessing is to provide a separate power scaling experience with no bearing on the base game's design, it also gives players a significant amount of agency in the DLC's difficulty. The increased damage and damage negation suggests many Shadow of the Erdtree bosses are more difficult than those in the base game, but the extra challenge is at least partially negated by the Shadow Realm Blessing. However, players can opt out of the buff by simply not using Scadutree Fragments or Revered Spirit Ashes, keeping the DLC more difficult.

It's unclear at the moment how exactly the Shadow Realm Blessing affects game balance on the backend; rune level likely still plays a part, but at such high levels, the benefits are giving diminished returns. Regardless, level 150 is a solid base from which to begin a journey into the Land of Shadow. Outside of challenge runs, players will want to ensure they have an endgame character before starting Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.