Highlights

  • Fans eagerly await news on Elden Ring DLC "Shadow of the Erdtree" which may be bigger than past expansions, adding new challenges.
  • FromSoftware has a history of designing memorable and challenging bosses in its DLCs, which could influence Elden Ring's boss design.
  • Notable DLC bosses like Artorias, Lady Maria, Orphan of Kos, Sister Friede, and Slave Knight Gael could provide inspiration for Elden Ring's expansion.

Fans are patiently awaiting news regarding the highly-anticipated Elden Ring DLC titled Shadow of the Erdtree, which was officially announced back in February 2023. FromSoftware has a history of producing excellent DLCs for its games, and recent rumors have fans speculating it could be bigger than past expansions. With few details about the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree expansion for Elden Ring to be found, FromSoftware still has a chance to incorporate some of the best elements from its past DLC bosses in this new expansion.

Some of the most memorable bosses in FromSoftware games can be found in their DLC, making the prospect of tackling new challenges in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree all the more exciting. The developer already has a track record of designing unique and challenging foes in its base games, and their DLCs tend to add even harder enemies for players to test their skills against. With how many great bosses FromSoftware has designed over the years, several of them deserve to influence the boss design of Elden Ring's DLC.

Predicting Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree Full Reveal Date
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Predicting Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree Full Reveal Date

When Elden Ring will detail its Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is unknown, but there are plenty more opportunities for it to appear.

Past DLC Bosses that Should Inspire Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree

Knight Artorias the Abysswalker – Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss

Perhaps one of the most iconic bosses of the original Dark Souls, Artorias first appeared in the titular Artorias of the Abyss DLC. Artorias is one of the Four Knights of Lord Gwyn, who tragically became corrupted by the Abyss while protecting his wolf companion, Sif. What makes Artorias the perfect example of a DLC boss is his unpredictable attacks that telegraph very little to the player, testing the combat skills they should have developed during Dark Souls' base game.

Lady Maria – Bloodborne: The Old Hunters

Like how Artorias is the mascot for Dark Souls' DLC, Lady Maria is the boss most closely associated with Bloodborne's The Old Hunters DLC. Lady Maria was a student of Gehrman, the First Hunter, who now resides in the Astral Clocktower, protecting the entrance to the Fishing Hamlet where Kos was found. Aside from her fast, aggressive combat style, Lady Maria is a popular Bloodborne boss because she represents the pinnacle of character design within the game as an elegant, stoic, yet powerful foe whose design philosophy could translate quite well to Elden Ring.

Orphan of Kos – Bloodborne: The Old Hunters

One of the most difficult boss fights in all of Bloodborne is The Old Hunter DLC's final boss, Orphan of Kos. This boss was born from a deceased Great One who washed ashore in the Fishing Hamlet and became enraged by the hunters who sought it. Orphan of Kos can severely punish players who have become too accustomed to a passive play style in the base game, forcing them to change things up and play aggressively or quickly succumb to this boss' onslaught of attacks.

Sister Friede – Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel

Sister Friede might not appear to be that imposing upon first encountering her in the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, but she can end up being one of the toughest bosses in Dark Souls 3. Having once failed to link the First Flame, Sister Friede resides in the Painted World of Ariandel and encourages the player to leave when they first enter the world. When they do not, she and Father Ariandel are forced to battle them in a tough, multiphase battle against the duo.

Slave Knight Gael – Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City

Gael first appears as an ally in the Ashes of Ariandel DLC for Dark Souls 3, wherein he helps the player defeat Sister Friede and Father Ariandel. However, he becomes the final boss of The Ringed City DLC as his quest for the Dark Soul leads him to corruption in this city at world's end. Contrary to other FromSoftware DLC bosses, Gael's attack patterns are fairly predictable, but he has such a large health pool and massive damage output that he is a terrifying force to be reckoned with.