In typical FromSoftware fashion, getting into the Elden Ring: Shadow the Erdtree DLC area, the Realm of Shadow takes a bit of work. Hidden not only behind an optional endgame area, you also need to take out two tough, optional bosses as well. We’ll go over everything you need to do to get into the Realm of Shadow here so you can enjoy Shadow the Erdtree as soon as possible.
How to Get into the Elden Ring: Shadow the Erdtree DLC
First and foremost, you won’t be able to get into the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC right off the bat. Entry to the Realm of Shadow is locked behind a pair of boss fights, namely Mohg, Lord of Blood, and Starscourge Radahn. You cannot enter the DLC until you beat both bosses. Once they’re both dead, return to the Site of Grace in Mohg’s arena and touch the withered hand coming out of the egg to enter the DLC.
Fighting Radahn
Between the two, Radahn is a much easier fight and much easier to unlock. He’s not available to fight until you take care of a few tasks first, however. You need access to the Radahn Festival in Redmane Castle to actually fight the Starscourge, and there are a few ways to unlock it.
- Go to the Altus Plateau and activate any Site of Grace. Getting to Altus is pretty easy. You can either take the Grand Lift of Dectus using the two halves of the Dectus Medallion or go through the Ruin-Strewn Precipice in the northern part of the lake in Liurnia.
- Progress Ranni’s questline and talk to either Blaidd or Iji. Both Blaidd and Iji are important players in Ranni’s questline, and if you progress far enough that Blaidd goes to Siofra River, you can then use his tip to talk to Selivus on the matter. Selivus will send you to Sellen, who tells you about Radahn, and you can then return to Blaidd. If you’ve already been to Redmane and are in Ranni’s service, speak to Castellan Jerren about the festival before it starts, then report back to Iji.
Getting to Altus is the less-involved way of starting the Radahn Festival and getting to fight him, so I’d suggest that when you have a chance. You don’t have to go to Nokron or do any additional questing for Ranni, but there is one more fight you need to beat first: Mohg, the Lord of Blood.
Fighting Mogh
It’s not too tough to actually reach the Dynasty Mausoleum where Mohg lives. The fastest way is to complete Varre’s questline and get the Pureblood Knight’s Medal, which will take you almost directly to Mohg. You can also go all the way to the Consecrated Snowfield and all the way to its western edge to use the portal there that takes you to the beginning of the Mauseoleum.
Varre’s quest is much simpler, as you can find him at the Rose Church in Liurnia of the Lakes, and while he technically exists to introduce you to PvP, you don’t need to engage with it. You can instead seek out Magnus the Beast Claw and invade his NPC-specific world rather than needing to take on what would undoubtedly be a 2v1 or 3v1 fight in online multiplayer.
Once you’re actually in the DLC area, the Realm of Shadow, and have activated at least one Site of Grace there, you can fast-travel back at any time by swapping between the two maps. To swap maps, open the map screen and press R1 on PlayStation, right bumper on Xbox, or press the right mouse and select the map swap option.
What Level Should You Be to Enter Elden Ring: Shadow the Erdtree?
Knowing how to get into the DLC is one thing. Being able to survive it is another. Like all previous FromSoftware expansions, Shadow of the Erdtree is an endgame experience. Even with the new progression system in place to give you a hand, every enemy you face in the Realm of Shadow will make mincemeat of a lower-level character.
With that in mind, the lowest level I recommend for taking on Elden Ring: Shadow the Erdtree is 150. Both of my runs so far have been on level 200 characters, and it’s still a massive challenge — especially some of the later fights with plenty of buffs.
You’ll likely need to finish at least a single playthrough of the entire Elden Ring base game to have enough runes to level to around 150. And unless you want to get blasted right and left, I think your first playthrough of the DLC should be on regular New Game. Some of the fights in Shadow the Erdtree are meat grinders, and I don’t want to think what the damage and health pools would look like on NG+ or higher cycles.
Lastly, I recommend having an actual build in mind to go into the DLC because not having a plan will see some of the foes in the Realm of Shadow send you back to the Grace time and time again. That’s especially true if you don’t level up past 150 or 200. Even much higher-level characters are likely to have a rough time, but the extra stats will, of course, come in handy.
And with that, you have everything you need to know about entering the Elden Ring: Shadow the Erdtree DLC, the Realm of Shadow. There’s a lot of content ahead of you once you’re in, and it’s more than worth your time. For more Elden Ring content on the DLC, as well as the base game, check out the Elden Ring guides hub.
