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Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree reignited debate around the ideal level of challenge not just in FromSoftware games but in games in general, with some arguing that the DLC throws out needless difficulty spikes and leaving negative reviews on Steam. FromSoftware has since made the expansion a bit easier by buffing early Scadutree levels (and outright pleading with players to take advantage of them). Tarnished hero Let Me Solo Her, famous for helping thousands beat the toughest boss in the base game, Malenia, reckons some people are just overreacting and should probably expand their tactics.
In an interview with GamesRadar+, Let Me Solo Her agrees that Shadow of the Erdtree is, generally, the biggest challenge Elden Ring has to offer. "The DLC bosses so far have been a test of true skill in my opinion and players need to learn patience and timings for counterattacks," the jar-headed warrior says. But looking at the sheer difficulty of individual DLC bosses, he'd generally rate them below Malenia, an optional boss notorious for unforgiving attack animations, two exhausting phases, and a life-sapping mechanic that counters many strategies.
Let Me Solo Her says he's been enjoying Shadow of the Erdtree "a lot," stopping to drink in the scenery between epic bosses. "I haven’t beaten it yet, but I’m at the last boss right now and I think it will take some time before I beat him. I took some time to master Messmer but I think I ran pretty straightforward for the DLC," he says, right on the heels of the reveal of Let Me Solo Him, his new Messmer-destroying character. If any DLC boss can measure up to Malenia, he says, it would be the final boss.
Is this the hardest DLC FromSoftware's ever made? "I think it’s up there," Let Me Solo Her begins, "but I think being a week into the DLC, many people are just too harsh and experiencing many new things to accurately judge the difficulty. After a couple months I think we can fairly assess the DLC’s ranking in terms of how hard it is."
Why has Shadow of the Erdtree sparked such fierce debate? "Expanding on what I said above, Soulsborne players are always split between those who refuse to make the game easier for themselves, and those who use anything and everything at their disposal," Let Me Solo Her reasons. "I thought the difficulty level was fair considering I didn’t really explore the area before challenging bosses which made it harder for me to progress."
"Please use everything at your disposal," he advises struggling players. "This is the DLC, which means there is some expectation that the player has most, if not all the base game has to offer. Use summons, explore to gather more Scadutree blessings, anything to make the fight easier for you."
If you somehow need more encouragement to break out the summons, spells, and status effects – all core, fun mechanics that make this game more interesting – take it from Elden Ring director and FromSoft president Hidetaka Miyazaki, who readily admits "I absolutely suck at video games" but still beat Elden Ring by using "every scrap of aid that the game offers."
I'll tell you one thing that's been helping me out: this new spell, which is the most broken thing I've seen since day-one Elden Ring. Intel or Faith builds can use it, and I can't believe it hasn't been nerfed.
