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Elden Ring DLC — Beginner tips I wish I knew

Jun 5, 2026 at 4:38am #1

Just finished Shadow of the Erdtree and here's what would have saved me 10 hours of pain:

Scadutree Fragments are NOT optional. Find them or you'll do no damage in late-game areas.
The map is more vertical than you think. If a path seems blocked, look for a cave, a ladder, or a coffin.
Messmer is WAY harder than any base-game boss. Level 150+ recommended.
The new weapon types (perfumes, throwing daggers) are actually viable builds now.
Don't skip the NPC questlines — the rewards are endgame-tier.

What else would you add?

Jun 6, 2026 at 7:12am #2

Cannot stress the Scadutree Fragments enough. I tried fighting the first major boss without any and genuinely thought my save was corrupted because I was doing so little damage.

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Jun 7, 2026 at 5:59am #3

The perfume build is actually insane for PvP too. Nobody expects it and the area denial is ridiculous.

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Jun 7, 2026 at 10:42am #4

I'm level 80 and just started the DLC. Am I going to have a bad time?

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Jun 7, 2026 at 4:55pm #5

Level 80 is doable but painful. I'd recommend at least 120 with a +10 weapon. The first area is scaled around that range.

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