The Anticipation and Potential Impact of Elden Ring’s Upcoming DLC: Shadow of the Erdtree

As players of Elden Ring eagerly await the release of the "Shadow of the Erdtree" DLC, there is a palpable buzz surrounding its content and implications. FromSoftware's decision to set the entry point for this new content in a late-game, challenging area has sparked both excitement and frustration among the player base. This guide will delve into the reasons behind this choice, the implications for Elden Ring Runes players, and explore the potential connections to the game's lore, particularly with St. Trina and Miquella. The Challenge of Late-Game Entry Points In past FromSoftware titles, such as Bloodborne, the approach to DLC entry points has typically involved reaching advanced stages in the main game. Bloodborne’s "The Old Hunters" DLC is a prime example of this strategy. To access this content, players had to navigate specific late-game requirements, introducing a steep difficulty curve that demanded a solid understanding of the game's mechanics and a high level of skill. The rationale behind this approach is clear: the DLC is designed to build upon the core gameplay experience and present players with a heightened challenge. The base game prepares players for this by ensuring they are well-equipped and experienced enough to handle the additional difficulty. However, this also means that players new to the game or those who have completed multiple New Game+ cycles might find themselves facing significant hurdles just to access the new content. Implications for New and Veteran Players For newcomers diving into Elden Ring specifically to play "Shadow of the Erdtree," the requirement to progress through a significant portion of the main game can be daunting. It means spending potentially hours of gameplay, encountering and overcoming the main game’s challenges before even scratching the surface of the new content. This can be especially frustrating for those who are eager to experience the latest additions without the extensive grind required to reach them. Veteran players, particularly those who have completed several New Game+ cycles, might also find the late-game entry point problematic. For these players, the thought of replaying a substantial part of the game just to access the DLC can be disheartening. The potential for over-leveling and outpacing the new content’s challenge is a valid concern. There is speculation that FromSoftware might implement a new progression system, similar to what was seen in Sekiro, which could scale enemies and bosses according to the player’s level, thereby addressing this issue. The Lore Connection: St. Trina and Miquella Amidst the speculation about gameplay mechanics, there is growing interest in the potential lore connections that "Shadow of the Erdtree" might explore. A significant amount of the excitement stems from the possibility that the DLC could delve deeper into the relationships between enigmatic characters such as St. Trina and Miquella. St. Trina is a mysterious figure associated with sleep magic and dreams, and is revered as a saint within the Lands Between. There has been speculation about the connection between St. Trina and Miquella, particularly because of their similar characteristics and ambiguous lore. St. Trina’s androgynous and childlike appearance aligns with Miquella’s curse of eternal youth, which could suggest that they are the same entity or closely linked. The lore hints and datamined content suggest that St. Trina and Miquella might be the same person or share a significant connection. For instance, St. Trina is described in a way that could imply a youthful and flexible gender presentation, similar to Miquella, who is cursed to remain forever young. Additionally, both characters have lilies named after them that are nearly indistinguishable, further fueling the theory of their connection. Recent discoveries by dataminers have unearthed an NPC named Rhico who makes a direct reference to Miquella: “Eventually, I’ve found it... St. Trina’s, no, Lord Miquella’s cadaver.” This finding suggests that the DLC might indeed explore the relationship between these two characters more deeply, possibly reintroducing cut content related to St. Trina. The Potential Impact on Gameplay and Lore If "Shadow of the Erdtree" does delve into these connections, it could significantly enrich the lore of cheap Elden Ring Runes.