It’s been well over a year since FromSoftware announced that Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC was in development, and the wait for its release has been quite a long one. Now, though, the expansion’s highly anticipated June 21 launch is almost upon us — but while excitement for it has rocketed to a fever pitch, many players may not even know how or where to access it in the Lands Between.
Luckily, we’re not dealing with a Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss situation, as unlocking Shadow of the Erdtree will be a pretty simple process. However, it’s not a straightforward or obvious one, and it doing it will require you to get over some pretty significant hurdles. In fact, according to achievement data only 34.3% of Elden Ring players on Steam have beaten one of the bosses you’ll be required to defeat at the time of writing, so I hope you’re ready for a challenge while you’re getting your Elden Ring character ready for the expansion.
In the guide below, I’ve gone over everything you need to know about accessing the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. This includes an overview of everything you’ll need to do, along with details about where you’ll need to go and the obstacles in your way. I’ve also provided links to some of our other Elden Ring guides that contain relevant tips and information.
How to access the DLC in Elden Ring
To access Shadow of the Erdtree in Elden Ring once the expansion comes out, you’ll need to beat Starscourge Radahn and also beat Mohg, Lord of Blood. Both bosses are two of the greatest foes you’ll face in the Lands Between, with Radahn being a mid-game fight and Mohg serving as a late-game one.
Starscourge Radahn and the Radahn Festival
Starscourge Radahn can be challenged at Redmane Castle — you’ll find it across a massive bridge in southeastern Caelid — during the Radahn Festival. Note that the Radahn Festival only begins after you’ve done one of the following:
- Activated a Site of Grace in the Altus Plateau region.
- Told Blaidd the Half-Wolf about Radahn in the Siofra River (this is part of Ranni’s quest).
- Spoke with War Counselor Iji about Witch-Hunter Jerren after discussing Iji with him at Redmane Castle.
Any of these three actions will trigger the Radahn Festival and allow you to battle him. He’s a tough fight, but you’ll have plenty of NPC allies at your side and can make use of your trusty horse Torrent during the bout.
How to access Mohgwyn Palace (and early)
Next up is Mohg, who’s located in a hidden underground area only accessible through White Mask Varre’s questline (see how to do it here; this is how to get there early) or by using the Waygate in western Consecrated Snowfield shown on the map above. Once you’ve managed to reach this location, you’ll need to travel west to the palace overlooking it and fight Mohg there. There are lots of dangerous enemies along the way — including deadly Sanguine Nobles — so be on your guard.
If you’re struggling to defeat Mohg, give the boss guide I linked to above a read, as in it, you’ll find several helpful tips and tricks for his fight. One that I’ll spotlight here is that you should get the Purifying Crystal Tear from the Second Church of Marika in the Altus Plateau, as when you mix it into your Flask of Wondrous Physick, drinking it will negate Mohg’s blood curse that kicks off Phase 2 of his fight.
With both Radahn and Mohg defeated, all you’ll have to do is “touch the withered arm” coming out of Miquella’s cocoon at the back of Mohg’s arena to access the DLC and begin Shadow of the Erdtree. Game director Hidetaka Miyazaki has confirmed this in a few interviews, so we know with 100% certainty that this is how you’ll enter the Land of Shadow.
Elden Ring is one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of all time, and I strongly recommend picking it up and beginning a playthrough now if you haven’t done one already. That way, you’ll have some time to experience what 2022’s Game of the Year has to offer before the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC launches on June 21. Notably, the expansion is available to preorder on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and Windows PC now, and there’s even a Collector’s Edition with several awesome collectibles included.
