What to do first in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (2024)

Where to go next is a constant question in Elden Ring, and that goes double for its Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, which doesn’t quite tell you what to do first.

Shadow of the Erdtree is designed for Elden Ring veterans, and is more opaque than the base game. If you’re just coming back, or if you’re used to a bit more guidance, your first steps into the Shadow Realm can be very daunting.

In this Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree guide, I’ll walk you through how you should spend the first few hours of your journey in the Shadow Realm of the Lands Between.

Grab the first map fragment

When you first load into Shadow of the Erdtree, you’ll find yourself in a strange land with no real map to speak of. To reveal the map, you’ll need map fragments.

Before you do anything else, hop on Torrent and hit the main road. Ride toward the ruins and the giant, blazing boss in the distance. You’ll find a pillar off the side of the road, in a field of tall grass, south of the Scorched Ruins. Interact with it to get the map fragment for the first region, Gravesite Plain.

If you’re having trouble finding it, you can see the little gray pillar on your map even before you have the map fragment. And if you’re looking to uncover the whole region, check out our guide to finding all DLC map fragments.

Collect your first Scadutree Blessing

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

Scadutree Blessings are your main means of increasing your strength and defense in Shadow of the Erdtree, and you’ll need to collect multiple Scadutree Fragments if you want to increase your blessing level. Thankfully, you can start using this system mere minutes into the DLC — if you know where to go.

Ride toward the western castle via the main road and find the first of Miquella’s Crosses — it’s at a crossroad where the left path leads to the castle, the right leads to the bridge, and the forward path leads to a lake. Talk to the nearby NPC and rest at the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace to learn about the unique progression system that will help you through this DLC.

Instead of just leveling up over and over, Scadutree Fragments will increase your Scadutree Blessing in Shadow of the Erdtree. This buff increases how much damage you deal and decreases how much damage you receive, but it only applies to your character in the DLC areas. (There’s also a Revered Spirit Ashes item that does the same thing for your summons and Torrent.)

You can get your first Scadutree Blessing at this Miquella’s Cross, and another by continuing your ride west toward the castle, at the next site of grace. From there, you can find more with our Scadutree Blessing locations page.

Take on some optional bosses

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

Before heading into Belurat — the big castle to the west — consider taking on a few optional baddies just to get your sea legs back: Logur, and the Ghostflame Dragon.

None of these mini-bosses are as difficult as Mohg, but all of them will help get you back in fighting shape before you go against the DLC’s first real boss. Here’s why they’re worth fighting.

• Logur is an obvious reference to X-Men’s Wolverine. You can find this shirtless, hairy, clawed dude wandering the forest near where you entered the Shadow Realm. Jump on Torrent and ride through the trees and you’ll eventually find him. He’ll drop his Beast Claws if you manage to take him down.
• The Gravesite Plain Furnace Golem should be your next challenger. This is the giant, flaming monstrosity just south of the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace. This boss will test your timing and your patience, as it has a lot of health and will kill you very quickly if you’re not careful. You’ll get a new Crystal Tear for your Wondrous Physicks for taking it down, and a Furnace Visage for crafting a Hefty Furnace Pot.
• Finally, there’s the Ghostflame Dragon, which you can find sleeping in the lake north of the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace. This boss isn’t too bad to take down on Torrent, but you’ll need to be very cautious, as its ghostly breath can take you out almost instantly, even if you entered the Shadow Realm at a high level. When you kill the dragon, you’ll get a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone and you’ll be able to grab the Great Katana sword off of a body in the lake.

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

If any of these bosses are giving you too much trouble, there’s nothing stopping you from continuing forward with this guide and coming back once you’ve increased your Scadutree Blessing.

Explore Belurat, the first legacy dungeon

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

Once you’re back in the groove with Elden Ring, it’s time to head into the first real dungeon of Shadow of the Erdtree: Belurat. This fortress is also home to the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, a creepy monster that serves as the first of the DLC bosses you’ll face. This is also where you’ll find the first site of grace that will actually point you toward Shadow of the Erdtree’s main story.

If you’re having trouble navigating the dungeon, our Belurat walkthrough can help.

Explore Gravesite Plain

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

Gravesite Plain, the opening area of Shadow of the Erdtree, is smaller than Scadu Atlus or some of the other areas. However, it is quite dense, and there are a few hidden areas to explore and items to collect before you move on. Our recommendations include the following:

• Make sure you grab the Backhand Blade, which is resting in a small room northeast of the Scorched Ruins and southeast of the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace, which is one of the many DLC weapons you can find.
• You can find the Gravebird armor near the lake to the north. The rest of the Gravebird set is scattered throughout the Shadow Realm, alongside a host of DLC armor.
• Then there are a few optional dungeons for you to take on, like the Belurat Gaol, which you can find an entrance to near the lake that hosts the Ghostflame Dragon. It takes place under Belurat, and completing it will net you a Spirit Ash summon: Demi-Human Swordsman Yosh.

Explore Castle Ensis

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

When you’re ready to move on, push across the bridge that leads northeast into the rest of the Shadow Realm. After the soldier encampment, continue into the tiny fort, Castle Ensis, for a pretty short dungeon experience.

Your main roadblock here will be Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, who will attack you with her magical and flaming swords. Dispatch her and continue forward to reach Scadu Atlus, which is where Shadow of the Erdtree really opens up.

If you’re stuck in the dungeon, our Castle Ensis walkthrough can help.

Forge ahead with the story

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

When you reach Scadu Atlus, you’ll have a lot of different routes ahead of you. There are a ton of side bosses and optional areas here that you could and should use to power up.

But if you want to immediately follow the Belurat Site of Grace’s direction, head into the giant fortress to the north, Shadow Keep. This dungeon is massive, spanning multiple floors, and culminating in a difficult boss fight.

When you reach the top of the tower, you’ll find the next site of grace with an arrow, which will point you toward Rauh Ruins and the rest of the DLC. Best of luck!

Looking for more Shadow of the Erdtree guides? Check out our guides on new Elden Ring DLC weapons, armor, map fragments, sites of grace, and talismans. We’ve also got location guides on where to find Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes, and an interactive Elden Ring DLC map, plus boss guides for the Blackgaol Knight, Divine Beast Dancing Lion, Golden Hippopotamus, and Rennalla, Twin Moon Knight.