Upon playing a portion of Elden Ring’s expansion Shadow Of The Erdtree, one aspect that stood out was the standalone levelling system introduced in the DLC. The system revolves around three key components: Crosses, Scadutree Fragments, and Revered Ash Blessings. These elements add a new layer of complexity to the gameplay experience, providing players with unique buffs and resources to enhance their characters within the Land Of Shadow.
Crosses are golden shafts of light scattered throughout The Land Of Shadow, serving as markers for players to follow. NPCs mention that they represent the “footsteps of Miquella,” guiding players to new areas within the DLC. While resembling Site-of-Grace locations, Crosses cannot be interacted with in the same way. Players can often find Scadutree Fragments near Crosses, which are essential for the new levelling system.
Scadutree Fragments function similarly to flask shards or Golden Seeds from the base game, offering players the choice to enhance their stats when resting at Graces. By exchanging Scadutree Fragments, players receive a flat buff to their stats but only within the DLC areas. Upon exiting the Land Of Shadow, the buff is lost. This mechanic encourages players to strategically use their resources to improve their characters for the challenges ahead.
Revered Ash Blessings provide flat buffs to summonable companions, enhancing their abilities within the DLC areas. These blessings can be acquired through various means, such as defeating tough minibosses or discovering rare loot in hard-to-reach locations. By obtaining Revered Ash Blessings, players can empower their allies and tackle difficult encounters with greater efficiency.
The introduction of the standalone levelling system in Shadow Of The Erdtree presents players with strategic decision-making opportunities. The buffs offered by Scadutree Fragments and Revered Ash Blessings can help players progress through the DLC content more easily, especially for those who may be under-leveled. However, the optional nature of redeeming these resources also caters to players seeking a greater challenge by forgoing the buffs.
As players await the full release of the expansion on June 21st, the true impact of the standalone levelling system in Elden Ring’s Shadow Of The Erdtree remains to be seen. The flexibility it provides in terms of character progression and difficulty level hints at a dynamic gameplay experience where player choice plays a significant role in shaping their journey through The Land Of Shadow. It will be interesting to see how the system evolves and influences the overall gameplay mechanics of the expansion.
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