To access the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Elden Ring players have a little less than two months to reach and defeat Mohg. Considered a fairly late-game area, Mohgwyn Palace can be reached by a couple of methods, but both will entail completing some part of the game.
In your journey to reach Mohgywn Palace, you will encounter characters and perform actions that will have a lasting effect on your journey. Every game from the mind of Hidetaka Miyazaki is built on this principle: actions have consequences, and one must be willing to bear them. But it seems the DLC is exempt from this otherwise universal rule.
Shadow of the Erdtree Will Not Affect or Be Affected by the Base Game
FromSoftware games are known for their difficulty, deep lore, and grim storylines. Many of the NPCs we encounter on these journeys do not meet the best fate, and death is truly the least of their worries. This is another testament to Miyazaki’s philosophy of consequences, from which even NPCs are not spared.
So, the president of FromSoftware revealing that the upcoming DLC would not have any bearing on the story of the base game came as a bit of a surprise. Speaking with Famitsu, when Miyazaki was asked if the story of the DLC would shift the base game’s narrative, he very clearly stated, “No, that won’t happen, and events of the main story will also not affect the DLC.”
Full translation of the Famitsu interview with Miyazaki for Shadow of the Erdtree
byu/theangryfurlong inEldenring
Kudos to Redditor theangryfurlong for translating the interview. As you journey through the Lands Between, you will set certain events in motion that NPCs and the world can never undo. You also have the choice to burn the world to the ground—an ending that will turn your very own maiden against you!
In a game so governed by causality, having a large section of a new map be completely disconnected from the base game is a departure from Miyazaki’s ethos. Given that the DLC follows in the footsteps of a very important character, Miquella, one would expect the events to tie in with the base game due to his strong presence in the base game.
The Expansion Will Affect Gameplay in Elden Ring
While the stories are independent, we are going to get certain features that will crossover between the base game and the expansion. There are several new weapons and spells for players to try out, including hand-to-hand combat. New fighting styles will undoubtedly give rise to new challenge runs for us to witness.
Miyazaki is also implementing some mechanics from Sekiro in Shadow of the Erdtree. An “attack power” system will be exclusive to DLC areas. Players can build up their attack power to decimate bosses or keep it low to enhance the game’s difficulty.
With greater attack power come greater foes. The expansion is going to add several new enemies, and some are even tuned similarly to the infamous Malenia. It makes sense now why the Land of Shadows is for players who have defeated Mohg.
Do you feel the expansion should have affected the base game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
