Best Gear To Start Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree With

TL;DR

  • Aggressive Spirit Ashes like Mimic Tear and Black Knife Tiche provide crucial distraction against faster DLC bosses
  • Talisman optimization should prioritize survivability with Dragoncrest Greatshield and damage amplification through Shard of Alexander
  • Elemental greases offer significant damage boosts when matched to enemy vulnerabilities in specific encounters
  • Armor selection requires balancing poise thresholds with mobility for effective dodging against relentless attacks
  • Weapon choices should favor versatile movesets with strong weapon skills that complement your build strategy

Entering the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion demands tactical summon choices that can withstand the heightened aggression of new enemies. Unlike base game encounters where tanky spirits could absorb damage, DLC adversaries punish stationary targets with devastating combos requiring summons that can evade while maintaining pressure.

Selecting optimal Spirit Ash companions before embarking to the Land of Shadow transforms overwhelming battles into manageable engagements. These spectral allies create critical breathing room for studying attack patterns and identifying safe attack windows against bosses with expanded move sets.

Our analysis identifies high-performance summons that should already reside in your inventory by endgame, each offering distinct advantages against the DLC’s deadly roster.

Nerfs can't stop this.

Despite post-launch adjustments, Mimic Tear remains exceptionally valuable for its adaptive combat style.

The Mimic Tear Spirit Ash maintains its elite status despite From Software’s balancing efforts. This summon replicates your complete build and combat approach while being immune to direct damage, creating an ideal scenario for whittling down boss health pools until its expiration. Its health-based summoning cost makes it particularly valuable for builds with limited Mind investment, allowing magic-light characters to deploy powerful assistance.

Adaptive combat replication proves invaluable against unpredictable DLC foes.

Black Knife Tiche’s exceptional mobility provides tremendous advantage throughout Shadow of the Erdtree. She consistently evades devastating area attacks that eliminate slower summons, while simultaneously applying consistent damage through her blade’s health-draining effect. This evasive capability is crucial against bosses with tracking attacks that punish stationary targets.

Acquiring the Dung Eater Puppet sacrifices completion of its associated questline but delivers one of the most aggressively reliable summons available. His relentless assault style and substantial durability allow him to confront most DLC challenges with remarkable effectiveness, particularly against enemies vulnerable to stagger.

While Latenna the Albinauric and Ogha lack raw power compared to legendary alternatives, their dual presence creates superior distraction potential. Their constant repositioning and separate aggro drawing enables safe healing opportunities and strategic reassessment during intense encounters.

The Land of Shadow introduces multiple new talismans while demanding optimized configurations from existing options. Ensure you’ve collected all talisman pouches available in the base game before initiating the DLC through Miquella’s withered hand. Strategic talisman selection can compensate for build weaknesses and amplify strengths against the expansion’s challenges.

Critical talisman recommendations include defensive staples like the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman for substantial physical damage reduction, complemented by the Pearldrake Talisman for elemental resistance against the DLC’s diverse damage types. For offensive builds, Shard of Alexander dramatically enhances weapon skill damage, while the Green Turtle Talisman improves stamina regeneration for sustained aggression.

Specialized configurations might incorporate the Bull-Goat’s Talisman for poise-intensive strategies or the Crimson Amber Medallion +2 for maximum health pools. Understanding your build’s specific requirements against anticipated DLC threats informs optimal talisman combinations.

Elemental greases provide accessible damage amplification without stat investment, making them invaluable for physical-focused builds confronting enemies with elemental weaknesses. The DLC introduces several new enemy types with pronounced vulnerabilities to specific damage elements that can be exploited through timely application.

Strategic grease usage involves identifying enemy elemental affinities through observation or minor experimentation. Fire applications prove particularly effective against fungal and organic enemies, while holy damage shines against certain spectral foes encountered in later areas.

Advanced application techniques include pre-buffing before entering boss arenas and conserving limited materials for particularly challenging encounters rather than standard enemies.

Armor selection in Shadow of the Erdtree requires careful balance between damage mitigation and evasion capability. Unlike base game content where high-poise armor could tank through attacks, DLC enemies often employ combos that break through standard defenses, making dodging reliability equally important.

Effective, attractive, and easy to get.

Optimized armor sets provide balanced defenses without sacrificing roll effectiveness.

Target poise breakpoints around 51 or 101 to withstand incidental hits without interruption during attack animations. Simultaneously, maintain medium equip load to preserve standard dodge rolls against the DLC’s faster, more aggressive enemy attacks.

Elemental resistance distribution deserves particular attention, as the Land of Shadow features concentrated damage types in specific regions that can be anticipated and prepared for accordingly.

Weapon choices for Shadow of the Erdtree should prioritize versatility and strong weapon skills over raw damage numbers. The expansion’s enemies exhibit more complex behaviors that punish slow, predictable attacks, favoring weapons with varied movesets and quick recovery.

Bloodhound's Fang is still one of the most useful weapons in the game.

Bloodhound’s Fang maintains exceptional utility with its balanced damage and evasive weapon skill.

Bloodhound’s Fang remains a premier choice due to its excellent damage scaling, inherent bleed buildup, and Bloodhound’s Finesse skill providing both offense and mobility.

Additional standout weapons include the Blasphemous Blade for its phenomenal weapon skill and health regeneration, or faster options like the Uchigatana for bleed-focused builds. Weapon upgrade level significantly impacts performance, so prioritize bringing at least one +24 or +9 somber weapon to match the DLC’s heightened challenge curve.

Consider weapon skill synergy with your chosen Spirit Ash summons, as coordinated attacks can create powerful combinations against specific boss types.

Action Checklist

  • Upgrade your primary weapon to +24 (regular) or +9 (somber) before starting
  • Collect all talisman pouches and optimize your loadout for anticipated damage types
  • Acquire and upgrade at least one aggressive Spirit Ash like Mimic Tear or Black Knife Tiche
  • Stockpile elemental greases and consumables based on your build requirements
  • Test your build against endgame bosses like Malenia to identify weaknesses

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