PSA: You have 15 days to get your Elden Ring character ready for Shadow of the Erdtree

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree fire attack.

It's time to get ready. 

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is on the way, with this huge expansion slated to arrive over two years after the original game. With a new region, weapons, bosses, and more, there's plenty in store with this addition to FromSoftware and Bandai Namco's action role-playing game experience. 

If you are looking to dive into this DLC on day one, you'll need to be ready. You've still got time if you're looking to make a new character, but it's important to focus. Here's what you need to know to get your Elden Ring character ready for Shadow of the Erdtree.

⏲️ SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE COUNTDOWN — 15 days until launch

Elden Ring: How to prepare for Shadow of the Erdtree

Mohg, Lord of Blood, stands in your way before entering the Land of Shadow. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Elden Ring prep guides

(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

- Stonesword Keys
- Dragon Hearts
- Ashes of War
- Torrent, your horse
- How to beat Radahn
- How to beat Mohg

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is scheduled to launch on June 21, 2024, meaning that you've got 15 days to get ready (you can learn more about it at our Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree FAQ). If you previously played Elden Ring and finished the game without going into New Game+, then congrats, you're ready! I'd still recommend playing a bit in the next week to re-familiarize yourself with the controls, but you're ready to hop in. 

If you don't have a character that has finished the game, or you're starting out from the beginning after hearing about the game for years, then don't worry; you're hardly alone. I've attached some helpful guide links in the sidebar if you need help with a particular topic in order to get a strong early start. Here's what you need to do:

How to unlock access to Shadow of the Erdtree

Radahn is a formidable opponent in Elden Ring.  (Image credit: Bandai Namco)

1. Beat Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood: While you don't have to beat the entire game before embarking on a journey in the Land of Shadow, you are required to beat these two bosses. For additional assistance, check out our Elden Ring Starscourge Radahn boss guide and our Elden Ring Mohg, Lord of Blood boss guide.
2. Reach level 120: The DLC is explicitly built as endgame content. It's a good idea to reach at least level 120 (and ideally, you should be even higher), which will require some serious grinding and is the beginning of the range for where players usually finish Elden Ring. For additional assistance, check out our guide on the best rune farm to level up fast in Elden Ring. 
3. Get the Mimic Tear: The Mimic Tear Spirit Ash is an absolutely fantastic addition to your arsenal, and you shouldn't traipse the Land of Shadow without it. For further assistance, check out our Elden Ring Spirit Ashes guide, which includes the Mimic Tear Ashes location.
4. Level up your weapons: You don't have to have everything completely maxed out, but you should have a large number of upgrades in your chosen weapons. For help with this, check out our guide on how to upgrade Elden Ring weapons. 

Once the expansion arrives, you'll begin playing by heading to Mohg's palace. You'll touch Miquella's withered arm reaching out of the cocoon, and you'll be instantly transported to the Land of Shadow, kicking off your adventures in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

Shadow of the Erdtree is balanced around having a late-game character, though there are some new gameplay mechanics that with help soften the blow if you aren't level 150 or so when you enter.

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Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree will be special

Secrets are buried deep. (Image credit: Bandai Namco)

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Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is shaping up to be something special, with plenty of new areas to explore and enemies to tackle. The story follows Miquella the Kind, but in classic FromSoftware fashion, things aren't straightforward, and the narrative won't be spelled out for you at face value. 

After playing the expansion for over three hours I wrote in my hands-on preview with Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree that "It's an open world game that built on FromSoftware's established design and elevated it to new heights. Everything I've played indicates that Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is purely more of that, and that's more than enough to make it one of my most anticipated gaming experiences of the year."

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is launching across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree preorders are open now.