Summary
Even the most seasonedElden Ringplayers are struggling with the DLC.Elden Ring, and more generally, allFromSoft games, have always been known for difficulty. This applies not only to hard-won boss battles, but also to diabolical enemy placement, obtuse quest lines, and deadly environmental hazards (poison swamps, anyone?).Elden Ringis more of the same, with new challenges in the form of narrow platforming sections and
But still,players like Reddit userNo-Bodybuilder9273are findingElden Ring’s DLC way too hard, admitting that, while they knew they were in for a challenge, what they got soared over and above their expectations. Most enemies, even the basic ones who dot the fields, are able to kill them in just one or two shots. The bosses, meanwhile, are some of the most difficult enemies they’ve ever encountered, pairing equivalent attack power with complicated combos and inscrutable attack ranges.
Why Elden Ring’s DLC Is So Hard
Shadow Of The Erdtree Doesn’t Pull Any Punches
There are many reasons why players may findElden Ring’s DLC harder than ever. For one thing,many players have been away from the game for several months, if not a year or more. Many players did return toElden Ringto level up their charactersor clear up unfinished side content before the DLC’s release, but not everyone did. That time away leaves plenty of room to forget just how difficultElden Ringcan be, and find oneself staggered by seemingly impossible bosses on their return.
Others, like Reddit usersDramatic-Lie-3024andhappylubricant,ascribe the DLC’s difficulty to their New Game Plus status.Elden Ringdoes have a feature that allows players to bring their characters, equipment, and stats into multiple playthroughs. But unlike similar games that offer this feature,Elden Ringscales up the difficulty each time to pose a continuous challenge, sometimes even surpassing the Tarnished’s level. Players on multiple charges of NG+ may find the DLC impossibly hard as a result.
Elden Ringallows for up to eight consecutive playthroughs with a single character.
Thankfully,players who findElden Ring’s DLC do have a few avenues of recourse. For one thing, there are two new, unique DLC items - Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes - that can be used to upgrade both the Tarnished’s and their summons' stats. These bonuses are semi-permanent, working everywhere in the DLC, but temporarily disappearing when the player returns to a base game area. Farming for additional levels is always an option, as is returning to the base game to respec using aLarval Tear.
Ultimately, it’s just a simple fact thatShadow of the Erdtreeis crushingly difficult from its very first moments. It doesn’t even attempt to ease players back into theElden Ringswing - it throws tough enemies with massive attack ranges and impossible combos at the player as soon as they enter the DLC proper. It poses a challenge for all players, whether they just beat the base game yesterday or have hundreds of hours invested inElden Ring- and that’s exactly the point.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is a popular game released by From Software, creators of games such as Armored Core, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne. Players assume the role of a Tarnished, a being once exiled to the Lands Between and has returned to repair the Elden Ring after the events of “The Shattering.” “The Shattering” occurred when the offspring of Queen Marika battled to claim the shards of the Elden Ring, known as Great Runes. Their war has brought lawlessness, destruction, and chaos to the land, and the player will challenge them with the assistance of a Maiden known as Melina as they travel towards the great Erd Tree to face their destiny and to become the one true Elden Lord. Players can tackle the game how they choose and can adventure across realms as they build their character how they want - be it a powerful magic caster or a brutal swordsman - they will have complete control over their build.
