As Elden Ring‘s DLC draws near, developer FromSoftware has finally revealed how many bosses players can expect to fell in Shadow of the Erdtree and while it may not sound like a lot, it should more than enough. Given FromSoftware’s history of saving some of the best boss encounters for its games’ expansions, such as Dark Souls and Bloodborne, players are gearing up for what will hopefully be some of the best fights yet in Elden Ring. While the quality will likely be up to the studio’s usual high quality, don’t expect as many bosses as in the base game.
Per GameSpot, Shadow of the Erdtree will sport 10 new bosses stretched over the course of its narrative. In typical Soulslike fashion, some of these encounters are entirely optional and won’t be required to progress through the DLC and experience the story in its entirety. The identity of these ominous foes is still widely unknown but based on most of the promotional videos released for the expansion, the community believes the evil Messmer, The Impaler may be the final encounter.
There are plenty of starting classes to choose from in Elden Ring, but when considering stats and equipment, one is undoubtedly best for beginners.
What Else Is New In Shadow of the Erdtree?
The DLC Is More Than Some Bonus Bosses
Being the most iconic aspect of FromSoftware’s games, it’s no wonder why most players are most looking forward to Shadow of the Erdtree‘s new bosses but these enemies make up just a fraction of the whole DLC. Beyond the inclusion of new area that’s roughly the size of Limgrave, there will also be a handful of additional systems for The Tarnished to use, including a set of new powers tied into the Shadow Realm Blessing system. This new progression mechanic will supposedly function as a means of balancing the experience to ensure that players aren’t too strong despite their newfound abilities.
If one were to define a boss encounter as an enemy with a health bar that appears at the bottom of the screen, then Elden Ring sports a whopping 165 boss fights.
Shadow of the Erdtree is scheduled to launch on June 21 and as that date draws every closer, FromSoftware has allowed a lucky few to experience a portion of the DLC early. Screen Rant‘s Brandon Zachary notes that in his brief time with the expansion, he felt as though the expansion was “a full-blown follow-up to the original instead of just a minor addition.” Zachary also states that those who love Elden Ring will no doubt be impressed by Shadow of the Erdtree, those who struggled with the base game’s difficulty may battle even more.
Shadow of the Erdtree is also expected to largely wrap up the narrative established in Elden Ring, with those aformentioned boss fights likely serving as key points in The Tarnished’s quest to answer Miquella’s call. It’s been confirmed that Messmer, The Impaler is waging war on those who live under the branches of the titular Erdtree, so players will need to ensure that the tyrant is stopped before his war spreads too far. Of course, in typical FromSoftware fashion, achieving that goal will likely involve dying a few hundred times.