Is Shadow of the Erdtree TOO HARD? How to mange Elden Ring Difficulty

In this Shadow of the Erdtree Guide, we’re going to discuss the game’s difficulty—a hot topic right now. With Calibration Patch 1.12.2 just released, the game has become slightly easier, especially for new players. While the changes aren’t drastic, they do make a noticeable difference. In this guide, I’ll cover these updates, explore additional ways to ease your gameplay experience and share my thoughts on the overall difficulty of Shadow of the Erdtree.

Patch 1.12.2’s Calibration

The calibration update has made a few notable changes. Firstly, the maximum damage you can deal has been increased from 2 times to 2.05 times, effectively a 5% raise in damage cap. Additionally, the damage reduction you receive from Scadutree Fragments has been adjusted. Previously, the cap was at 50% damage negation, but now it’s around 51.3%, giving you an extra percent or so of damage negation. While this increase might seem minor, it significantly impacts the early game.

The curve for damage increase and damage reduction with Scadutree Fragments is now stronger at the beginning. Before, it was linear, with incremental increases of 5% per level. Now, using just two Scadutree Fragments increases your damage dealt by 10%, a substantial jump from the previous 5%. At level 3 of Scadutree Fragments, you now deal 125% damage, whereas before, you would need to be at level 5 to reach that. At level 7, you now deal 150% damage, compared to the previous 135%.

This calibration seems to be based on data showing that players struggled significantly at the beginning of the DLC. From my pre-release experience, I can attest that the game is quite challenging when you first start. Enemies hit incredibly hard, bosses are tougher, and the learning curve is steep. Once you adapt and tweak your build, it becomes manageable. However, it’s easy to see why players, even those who felt prepared, might struggle initially in Shadow of the Erdtree.

Overall, I think this change was a smart move. While it may not solve all the balancing issues in the DLC, it is definitely a step in the right direction. It’s unusual for FromSoftware to adjust based on player feedback; they typically rely on data they gather for their balancing patches rather than directly listening to the masses. This departure from the norm is interesting to see.

The Importance of Scadutree Fragments

The Scadutree Fragment system used to balance the Shadow of the Erdtree area works but isn’t perfect. As mentioned in our review, character progression in this DLC feels heavily tied to gathering Scadutree Fragments rather than finding new gear, Ashes of War, weapons, or talismans. These elements are crucial to your build, but without collecting Scadutree Fragments, even the best weapons and spells can feel ineffective against certain bosses. This shifts the focus of progression.

The intention was likely to ensure that all equipment gathered in the DLC remains viable outside of it without making the base game too easy with overpowered gear. FromSoftware’s design philosophy aims to make every weapon viable, as seen in our weapon series. They avoid the typical RPG progression from weaker to stronger weapons (e.g., Iron Sword to Silver Sword to Gold Sword) because doing so would imbalance the base game.

This system works to some extent, though it may not be the ideal solution. Balancing powerful DLC items for use in the base game without overpowering it is a tough challenge. Creating a perfect system is nearly impossible—either you end up with items that dominate the base game or a progression system in the DLC that feels suboptimal. Nonetheless, the current system is a compromise that allows DLC items to be used in the base game while maintaining some level of challenge.

Every boss in the DLC is quite challenging. While the reused ones are less difficult, there are still numerous tough encounters. For new players, this can be overwhelming. However, there are a few strategies beyond picking up Scadutree Fragments that can help. By the way, we have the locations of all Scadutree Fragments on the wiki, and many are relatively easy to gather. If you’re struggling in an area, consider riding around to collect these fragments to make your journey smoother.

Leveling and Gearing up

Another key strategy is leveling up. Many players, including myself, have builds around level 150, as this has been the meta in Elden Ring for a while. However, I believe the meta in the DLC will likely increase to around 175 or 200. If you haven’t been leveling up, start doing so. Ensure your vigor is at least 55 or 60, as vigor benefits drop off significantly past 60, so there’s no need to go higher.

Continue to level your damage-dealing stats and look for weapons with good multi-stat scaling. Elden Ring features many weapons that never reach their full potential in one playthrough but excel in New Game Plus, where you can gain more stats. The DLC effectively acts as a New Game Plus, allowing you to fight tougher enemies and gain more levels. Look out for weapons that scale well with multiple stats to maximize your damage.

By collecting Scadutree Fragments, leveling up appropriately, and choosing the right weapons, you can better manage the challenges presented in the DLC. This preparation can make a significant difference in your overall experience.

Conversely, you might want to avoid weapons with only single-stat scaling or those with poor secondary stat scaling, like an E rating. As you reach higher levels, it’s crucial to keep increasing your damage to keep up with the DLC’s challenges. For example, if you have a weapon that only scales with dexterity and you max out dexterity at 80, gaining only 10 more attack rating up to 99 isn’t efficient. This setup won’t optimize your build for higher levels like 200.

Instead, look for weapons that scale with multiple stats, such as dexterity and strength. Even if strength has a lower scaling than dexterity, increasing your strength to 50 after maxing out dexterity at 80 will still yield more damage. There are many weapons with excellent multi-stat scaling, so if you’re struggling, consider switching to one of these options. If you’re not having trouble, then sticking with your current weapon is fine. But for those finding it tough, changing to a weapon with better stat scaling can make a significant difference.

Lastly, I believe talismans are crucial for increasing your strength in the DLC. There are many new talismans that boost damage, and they can be stacked with others like the Shard of Alexander or Rotten Winged Sword Insignia. For example, the new Smithing Talisman enhances thrown weapon attacks, and these can be further boosted by the Axe Talisman if the weapons use charged attacks. This double-stacking can significantly increase your damage output. Similarly, Rellana’s Cameo increases damage if you hold a stance for a second or two, and stacking it with Shard of Alexander can enhance your damage even more. Leveraging these talismans effectively is a great way to maximize your damage.

Final Thoughts Regarding The DLC

Before wrapping up, I want to share my thoughts on the DLC’s difficulty. During pre-release testing, I managed to complete the DLC with minimal changes to my build. I only swapped a talisman and changed my Ash of War from Lion’s Claw to Savage Lion’s Claw. I didn’t level up and relied on my Mimic Tear summon to get through most bosses. Despite being pressed for time, I found that having a decent build made the bosses manageable.

FromSoftware games often hinge on player knowledge. The wikis are popular because they compile essential information that players might not discover on their own, even after thousands of hours of gameplay. I have nearly 2,500 hours in Elden Ring and still learn new things daily, often from community contributions to the wiki. This collective knowledge can significantly reduce the game’s difficulty. For example, knowing that a specific boss is weak to bleed can make that encounter much easier if your build exploits that weakness. Similarly, discovering a consumable item that works exceptionally well against a boss can turn a previously unbeatable challenge into a straightforward fight.

There are numerous elements in Elden Ring and FromSoftware games that can make initial impressions of difficulty misleading. As more information becomes available over the next month or two, players will likely find ways to “cheese” many of the bosses, just like in the base game. Overall, I’m pleased with the changes FromSoftware has implemented. It’s too early to definitively state whether Elden Ring is too difficult. As a Souls veteran, I find the difficulty just about right. Other experienced players might feel it’s borderline too hard, but still within acceptable limits. If you can beat Sekiro, this shouldn’t feel harder, especially since Sekiro lacked the option for co-op assistance. In Elden Ring, you can have other players with well-developed builds help you with tough bosses. In Sekiro, victory required mastering the mechanics without any external help.

Another important aspect to consider is the summoning system. Players can place their summon sign down, get summoned to help others with a boss, and use these opportunities to learn boss mechanics without risking their own character. This is a valuable learning tool that shouldn’t be overlooked.

So that wraps up our guide on Calibration Patch 1.12.2. I hope you all are enjoying the DLC. I want to hear your thoughts on this patch. How do you find the difficulty of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC? Is it too hard, just right, or too easy? Share your opinions in the comments below!