How To Start Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC

Bought the Elden Ring DLC? Here's how to access Shadow of the Erdtree within the game.

David Lumb Mobile Reporter

David Lumb is a mobile reporter covering how on-the-go gadgets like phones, tablets and smartwatches change our lives. Over the last decade, he's reviewed phones for TechRadar as well as covered tech, gaming, and culture for Engadget, Popular Mechanics, NBC Asian America, Increment, Fast Company and others. As a true Californian, he lives for coffee, beaches and burritos.

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The Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, has been publicly released. For its $40 price, players get to jump into a whole new area with more weapons, bosses and secrets to uncover. But it's a little complicated to get into the DLC once you're in the game, so here's how to start Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

First, you'll need to purchase Shadow of the Erdtree for your platform (PC, XBox Series X/S, PS5) and install it, of course. But you don't access the DLC through the main menu -- instead, you'll need to reach a specific area and defeat two optional bosses to earn the right to get into the DLC. 

We'll explain in detail below, but the TL;DR to access the DLC is: defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood, then in the Mohgwyn Palace arena where you've defeated the latter, touch the withered arm hanging out of the egg. Boom, you've made it to the DLC.

But before you jump into Shadow of the Erdtree, make sure you're prepared. Early reviews of the DLC have noted its difficulty, even above the base game — which is great for players eager for a challenge, but you'll want to be prepared. 

First, FromSoftware recommends players have their characters reach level 120-150 before attempting the DLC. During our preview, we were given pre-made level 150 characters with fully-upgraded weapons, and we were still challenged. 

Read more: Elden Ring Creator Hidetaka Miyazaki Talks Shadow of the Erdtree, New Weapons and More

Speaking of weapon upgrades, you'll want to boost your best weapons as high as they can go before delving into the Land of Shadow in the DLC. To do that, you'll need regular and somber smithing stones — make sure to get or buy enough by securing all the miner's bell bearings that allow you to buy smithing and somber stones around Elden Ring. It's a good idea to stock up on smithing stones, since you'll want to upgrade some of the over 100 new weapons you'll find in the DLC.

And if it's been awhile since you've put down Elden Ring, you might want to re-familiarize yourself with the game's combat, weapons, items, talismans, armor and builds. Assuming you're totally ready, here's how to get to the DLC. 

Read more: Elden Ring's Best Rune Farm Is en Route to Shadow of the Erdtree

As mentioned above, you can't just access the DLC from the menu — you'll need to find it within the game. Before you do that, you'll need to defeat two bosses: Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood.

Starscourge Radahn can be found earlier in the game in the area of Caelid, just east of the starting zone of Limgrave. You'll need to travel to the southeast edge of Caelid and move through Redmane Castle. You'll need to activate any Altus Plateau site of grace or progress Ranni's questline far enough to chat with its relevant non-player characters, according to Fextralife, to ensure that the castle is throwing its Radahn Festival inviting fighters to challenge Radahn — including you, Tarnished. Head past the gathered NPCs and talk to Jerren, then go up the chapel and take the lift down to the waygate teleporter.

Read more: Elden Ring: How to Defeat Starscourge Radahn

Mohg, Lord of Blood is trickier to find, and is located much farther into the game. The easiest way to get to Mohgwyn Palace, where Mohg resides, is to follow the NPC White Mask Varre's sidequest, which involves either participating in player-versus-player combat and invading several other players' games or defeating an NPC. Finishing the quest gives you an item, the Pureblood Knight's Medal, which you can use to be taken to Mohgwyn Palace.

If you're PvP-averse, the other way to Mohgwyn Palace is a waygate teleporter in the Consecrated Snowfields area, which itself is located far into the game after you've located both halves of the Haligtree Secret Medallion and presented it at the Grand Lift of Rold. The teleporter to Mohgwyn palace is located on the western edge of the Consecrated Snowfields area. Look around for Lesser Runebears and, once you reach the place where you're  invaded by a Sanguine Noble NPC, head west and down from there. 

Once you reach Mohgwyn's palace, you'll need to make your way around the swamps, dodging some nasty summoned giant skeletons, and up the mausoleum. You'll have to defeat or dash through a horde of slow zombies that die with a blood explosion, then navigate a dark tunnel with more nasty Sanguine Noble enemies appearing. Finally, you'll reach a lift that takes you to Mohg's boss arena. Defeat him and approach the cocoon with the drooping arm, which belongs to the body of Miquella, who left his flesh behind when traveling to the Land of Shadow. Touch the arm and you're off to the DLC.