Having had the opportunity to delve into Elden Ring’s Shadow Of The Erdtree expansion, I was immediately captivated by its brilliance. However, one aspect that I didn’t fully explore in my initial preview was the DLC’s standalone levelling system. This unique system was brought to our attention about a month ago and it certainly piqued my interest. The role of this levelling system is quite complex and attempting to condense it into words is a challenging task.
During my time playing in the opening area of Shadow Of The Erdtree, known as the Gravesite Plains, I encountered the three main components of the standalone levelling system. These components are Crosses, Scadutree Fragments, and Revered Ash Blessings. Crosses can be found scattered throughout The Land Of Shadow and they appear as brilliant, golden shafts of light. NPCs in the game mention that these Crosses represent the “footsteps of Miquella” and encourage players to follow them. One NPC even provides a map in the player’s inventory, tasking them with locating as many Crosses as possible within the Gravesite Plains. It is implied that there may be a reward for collecting these Crosses, making them serve as guides to new areas in the DLC.
Crosses are not only a visual marker in the game but they also serve as locations where players can find Scadutree Fragments, which are essential to the new levelling system. Similar to flask shards or Golden Seeds from the base game, players have the choice to utilize Scadutree Fragments to enhance their stats when resting at Graces within the DLC areas. These buffs are temporary and are lost when players leave the Land Of Shadow. This mechanic adds a strategic element to the gameplay, requiring players to decide when to use their resources for maximum benefit.
In addition to Scadutree Fragments, players can also come across Revered Ash Blessings within the DLC areas. These blessings function similarly to Scadutree Fragments but instead provide buffs to summonable allies. The acquisition of Revered Ash Blessings may vary, with some obtained after defeating challenging minibosses or as rare loot in hard-to-reach locations. These blessings add another layer of depth to the levelling system, allowing players to enhance not only their own stats but also those of their companions.
As I reflect on my experience with the levelling system in Elden Ring’s Shadow Of The Erdtree expansion, I ponder the intentions behind the inclusion of Scadutree Fragments. From my limited gameplay, it appears that these buffs are crucial for most players to progress and grow stronger in the game. However, the optional nature of redeeming the Ash Blessings and Fragments also caters to players seeking a greater challenge. By allowing players to forego these buffs, the expansion opens the door for a more challenging gameplay experience. It remains to be seen how significant the impact of these choices will be on the overall difficulty of the expansion, but players will soon have the opportunity to discover for themselves when the expansion launches on June 21st.