“Shadow of the Erdtree,” the concluding chapter to 2022’s “Elden Ring,” releases Friday and you are not ready — even if you think you are.
Playing through the downloadable content took me about 60 hours, and I’m still discovering new things. I received some help from YouTuber FightinCowboy and the guide writers at IGN, so I’d recommend their platforms as well. And I’m here to pay some of that kindness back with a general overview of what to expect in “Shadow of the Erdtree,” some mistakes to avoid and how best to prepare.
You are not overleveled, so level up
On social media, I showed off my Level 713 character (the highest possible level in “Elden Ring”) and boasted I was ready. Some of my followers scoffed at me and lectured me that I would probably ruin the experience by being too strong.
Dear reader, they were wrong. The enemies are scaled with the assumption that you’ve built a demigod in preparation. Even at the highest possible level, my maxed-out Sword of Night and Flame did almost invisible amounts of damage to enemy life bars. “Shadow of the Erdtree” warns you early that it has its own leveling system that requires collecting items called Scadutree Fragments to add a 5 percent boost to your attack and defense statistics. The higher your statistics are in the base game, the higher your percentage buffs from these fragments, so cash in that experience.
