Elden Ring Update Enhances DLC Accessibility

FromSoftware has released Elden Ring update 1.12.2, offering a much-needed boost to the challenging Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. While the DLC has garnered critical acclaim, its difficulty has proven too steep for some players, leading to review bombing on Steam. This update directly addresses these concerns.

The patch significantly improves the effectiveness of Shadow Realm Blessings, like Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes, particularly in the early and late game. The first half of Blessing enhancements now provide a more substantial increase to attack output and damage negation, while the scaling for the latter half has been smoothed. The final enhancement level also receives a notable buff. This should make tackling challenging encounters, including the Divine Beast Dancing Lion boss, considerably easier.

Interestingly, Bandai Namco had to issue a reminder to players about utilizing Scadutree Fragments, highlighting a widespread misunderstanding of their importance. These collectibles, found throughout the DLC, enhance both damage dealt and damage resistance when used at a Site of Grace. With the update, their benefits are even more pronounced.

The update also tackles a significant bug on the PC version. Ray tracing was automatically activating when loading saves from previous versions, causing performance issues. Players experiencing framerate problems are advised to manually disable ray tracing in the graphics settings.

Future updates are planned, promising additional balance adjustments and further bug fixes. The full patch notes detail the revised attack and damage negation scaling for Shadow Realm Blessings, emphasizing the increased effectiveness in the early and final enhancement levels. They also reiterate the importance of verifying the game version (1.12.2) and addressing the PC ray tracing issue. In short, this update should significantly improve the player experience in Shadow of the Erdtree, making the DLC more accessible without compromising its inherent challenge.