What is the recommended level for Shadow of the Erdtree?

✓ At a glace

Shadow of the Erdtree recommended level

• There is technically no minimum level to play the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
• We recommend being at least level 100, and ideally closer to level 150
• Enemies in the DLC have much higher HP and damage than those in the base game

If you’re like us, you’ve been waiting for Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree to release, and the time has finally come. But whether you’re on your first playthrough or starting all over to prepare, you might be wondering what sort of level you should be before you start playing the DLC.

And it’s a good question. You don’t to start it at too low a level and just get blown up by the first enemies you come across. And similarly, you don’t want to be overlevelled and find it to be too easy. We’ll go through what we think is the best level to start off on the DLC so you have a better idea.

What level should you be at to start Shadow of the Erdtree?

We recommend being level 100 at the very minimum before starting the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, butt ideally you should be closer to level 150. Technically, there is no minimum level, as the only actual requirement to start the DLC is to defeat Mohg in the base game. But there are a few reasons we think 150 is the ideal level to jump in at.

Firstly, the enemies in the DLC are much stronger than those in the base game – we’re not messing around here. Shadow of the Erdtree is designed to be post-game content for players that have already made their way through the entire game at least once, as the challenge has been ramped up accordingly.

Normal mobs and bosses are much more punishing, and especially if you haven’t got a high Vigor stat, you might find yourself being one-hit by even early-game bosses in the Land of Shadow. In Shadow of the Erdtree, your health matters arguably more than your Strength or Dexterity, for example.

Not only that, but the expansion has its own special levelling system – Scadutree Blessings. These give your character a big buff while you’re in the DLC area. When you first join, you’ll have none of these Fragments to power you up, so you’ll be relying on your stats and gear alone.

Of course, you can go into the DLC at whatever level you like, especially if you’re someone with confidence in their abilities or just relish the challenge of taking down a much stronger foe. You can leave the DLC area whenever you want, so if you find it too hard at first, there’s nothing stopping you from leaving, levelling up and coming back at a later date.