How to Get to Shadow of the Erdtree in Elden Ring
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Elden Ring
How to Get to Shadow of the Erdtree in Elden Ring
Tips Before Entering Shadow of the Erdtree
Shadow of the Erdtree is the largest DLC FromSoftware has ever released — comparable in size to a full standalone game. The Land of Shadow contains multiple major legacy dungeons, dozens of optional bosses, and a full continuation of Miquella’s storyline. If you have completed the base game and want more Elden Ring, this expansion is essential. Just make sure you have defeated the Elden Beast and most of the base game’s content before entering — the difficulty spike is substantial even for experienced players.
FAQ
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Reach Shadow of the Erdtree
You need to defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood and interact with Miquella’s Cocoon in the Mohgwyn Palace arena. This teleports you to the Land of Shadow. Mohg is accessed via the Mohgwyn Palace — reached either through Varre’s questline or a teleporter in the Consecrated Snowfield.
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Get to Mohgwyn Palace. There are two routes. Route 1 — Varre’s questline: speak to White Mask Varre at the First Step Site of Grace, complete his questline by invading three players using his Festering Bloody Fingers, then soak his cloth in Maiden’s blood at the Church of Inhibition. He gives you the Pureblood Knight’s Medal which teleports you directly to Mohgwyn Palace. Route 2 — Consecrated Snowfield teleporter: reach the Consecrated Snowfield via the Haligtree Secret Medallion, then find the waygate portal on the west side of the snowfield near the cliff edge — it teleports you straight to Mohgwyn Palace without completing any questline.
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Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood. Progress through Mohgwyn Palace to the boss fog gate at the far end of the blood lake. Mohg is a two-phase fight — his second phase applies Nihil bleed stacks that you must counter with Mohg’s Shackle (found in Subterranean Shunning-Grounds) or by using the Purifying Crystal Tear in your flask. Recommended level: 120+, weapon +20 or higher.
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Interact with Miquella’s Cocoon after defeating Mohg. The large golden cocoon hanging in the centre of the boss arena becomes interactable once Mohg is dead. Walk up to it and press the interact button — your character reaches into the cocoon and is transported to the Land of Shadow, the starting area of Shadow of the Erdtree.
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Activate the Site of Grace immediately upon arrival. You spawn near the Gravesite Plain Site of Grace — rest at it before exploring. The DLC area is very large and enemies deal significantly more damage than late-game base Elden Ring content. You can return to the base game at any time via the Sites of Grace fast travel menu.
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Recommended level: 150+. Shadow of the Erdtree is endgame content balanced for characters who have completed most of the base game. Arriving at Soul Level 120–130 is possible but difficult — 150+ with fully upgraded weapons (+25 standard or +10 somber) is the comfortable entry point.
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Collect Scadutree Fragments: the DLC has its own upgrade system — Scadutree Fragments found throughout the Land of Shadow increase your damage and damage reduction specifically in the DLC. Prioritise exploring to find these before tackling bosses — they are more impactful than character level for DLC difficulty.
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Revered Spirit Ashes also upgrade: alongside Scadutree Fragments, collect Revered Spirit Ashes to upgrade your Spirit Summons specifically for the DLC. Your base-game upgraded ashes are weaker in the DLC without this boost — find these early for a noticeable improvement to summon effectiveness.
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Explore before bosses: Shadow of the Erdtree rewards exploration heavily. The map is densely packed with Scadutree Fragments, new weapons, and Sites of Grace hidden in ruins and underground areas. Spending 2–3 hours exploring before your first major boss attempt makes a substantial difference in survivability.
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New weapons and spells: the DLC adds dozens of new weapons, incantations, and sorceries — many of which are among the strongest in the entire game. Keep an eye out for new armaments as you explore, especially if you are running a Faith or Intelligence build which gain particularly powerful new options.
Do you need to beat the main game to access Shadow of the Erdtree?
No — you only need to defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood and interact with Miquella’s Cocoon. You do not need to have beaten the Elden Beast or reached any ending. However, the DLC is balanced for endgame characters, so completing most of the base game first is strongly recommended.
What is the easiest way to get to Mohgwyn Palace?
Varre’s questline is the fastest route and can be completed early in the game — it only requires invading three players (you do not need to win) and finding the Church of Inhibition in Liurnia. The Consecrated Snowfield waygate is the alternative but requires completing the two halves of the Haligtree Secret Medallion first.
What are Scadutree Fragments and why do they matter?
Scadutree Fragments are collectibles scattered throughout the Land of Shadow that upgrade your Scadutree Blessing — a buff that increases both your damage dealt and damage taken reduction specifically within the DLC. At maximum blessing level the damage difference is dramatic. Always collect these before attempting major DLC bosses.
Can you go back to the base game after entering Shadow of the Erdtree?
Yes — you can fast travel between the Land of Shadow and the base game at any time using the Sites of Grace menu, just like travelling between any two areas. There is no point of no return when entering the DLC.