Best Build for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Elden Ringis already a difficult enough game, but its DLCShadow of the Erdtreecranks that challenge up to the next level. As such, we figured we’d give you a leg up by laying out thebest buildyou can use during your time in the Shadow Realm.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Best Build: Best Stat Distribution, Gear, & More
Before going any further, we should note outright that you need to clear the majority of the base game ofElden Ringbefore you attempt to make the build described below.
While shadow of the Erdtree does offer its own scaling system and makes it somewhat viable to go in at a mid-game level, you will feel that progress gap more and more as you progress. Likewise, there’s a higher chance that you won’t be able to get some of the gear listed below if you aren’t far enough in the game and don’t have access to every area.
Take some time to advance the base story until you’re at least past Maliketh and are at least to Level 120. After that, head over to Rennala so that you’re able to respec your character using a Larval Tear.
What Is the Best Build Gimmick for Shadow of the Erdtree? Explained
As for what your build will center around, it should come as no surprise to most anyone who has played the game before. You’re going to want to spec your character according to a Bleed build.
This is due to two big factors. The first is the beefiness of the DLC bosses’ health pools. Several of the Great Enemies in the Shadow Realm boast health bars on par with the base game’s toughest foes, and trying to take them on with basic attacks alone can make their battles lengthy ordeals. But with Bleed and Blood Loss in the mix, you can melt their health bars so long as you maintain pressure and mitigate a lot of the struggle inherent to their fights.
The second factor is just how many of the bosses are vulnerable to Bleed buildup. Whereas Fire, Magic, and Frostbite weapons can also give you a leg-up against some specific bosses, Bleed is viable against the vast majority of the foes you meet in the expansion. as such, you won’t have to worry about retooling your character for each and every foe you come across.
Best Bleed Build Weapons
To that end, you’ll want to nab a good Bleed weapon that suits your playstyle best in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree and craft you’re build off of it.
Luckily, there are a wide variety of weapons that can inflict the Bleed status in the game. Some are tied exclusively to Dexterity builds, but others can be used by nearly pure Intelligence builds, Faith builds, and Strength builds respectively.
We’ve listed some of the best, along with their stat requirements, down below.
Best Shadow of the Erdtree Bleed Build Stat Distribution
With all of that said, you’ll want to distribute your stats accordingly for your new Bleed build.
As stated above, there are a variety of weapons that can deal Bleed buildup to enemies in the game, and most any of them can be viable whether you’re a strict Dexterity build, a bulky Strength build, or even a spell-slinging Intelligence build.
However, there are still some stats you’ll want to prioritize to accommodate the largest spread of Bleed weapons—those being Dexterity or Strength. Both are tied to the usage requirements for some of the best Bleed weapons in the game, and said weapons scale off of these stats for some impressive bonuses to your total damage output. The rest of your points can then go into Vigor, Endurance, and whatever other stat you might want to use to personalize your build.
When all is said and done, your stat distribution should look something like this before you use your last few points as you see fit:
Best Shadow of the Erdtree Bleed Build Armor and Talismans
Finally, there’s the armor and Talismans you’ll want to use to have the best Shadow of the Erdtree experience possible with your Bleed build.
In general, it’s best to wear armor that grants you good coverage against a wide range of damage types without hampering your speed. We found the Crucible Armor set and the Dung Eater Armor sets to be highly viable across all of the weapons we listed above.
As for Talismans, only one stood out as a necessity for this particular type of build; that being the Lord of Blood’s Exultation Talisman. Dropped by Esgar, Priest of Blood upon defeat in the Leyndell Catacombs beneath the Royal Capital, it raises your attack power anytime Blood Loss occurs in your vicinity. When paired with a Bleed Build, this can result in a regular damage increase for your character.
The rest of your slots can be filled with whatever you find to be the most useful in the moment. You might want to equip some damage reducing Talismans like the Flame Drake Talisman line during your fight withMessmer; or, you might want to bolster your stats with Talismans like Radagon’s Soreseal or the Erdtree’s Favor.
And that covers everything you need to know about thebest build for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. For more helpful info and tips, check out our guides on where to find some earlyScadutree Fragmentsand how to turn on theRecent Items tabin your inventory.
