Highlights

  • Scadutree Fragments are key to player progression in Shadow of the Erdtree, scattered throughout various activities and boss fights.
  • The Blessings earned from turning in Scadutree Fragments only apply in the DLC location, avoiding pay-to-win scenarios in the base game.
  • Balancing challenge and player progression is crucial for Elden Ring DLC, with upcoming patches expected to fine-tune difficulty.

Crafting a stable character progression throughout the main campaign of a game like Elden Ring can already be a monumental task without having to consider possible New Game Plus playthroughs or even DLC. However, with the launch of Shadow of the Erdtree, FromSoftware has managed to work on a solution that still gives a sense of progress by no longer relying on runes, and instead focusing on Scadutree Blessings.

The key to this new form of progression in Shadow of the Erdtree comes from collecting an item unique to the DLC called Scadutree Fragments and turning them in at sites of grace. It's a surprisingly standard system of improvement for Elden Ring, but it manages to give a sense of improvement for the player character, without making them overpowered when they head back into the base game.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree logo over story trailer screenshot character kneeling surrounded by flames
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Scadutree Fragments Dictate Player Progress

Earning Scadutree Fragments in Shadow of the Erdtree

Gathering up all of the Scadutree Fragments hidden throughout the Land of Shadow isn't as simple as checking for important-looking locations on the map and collecting a few items in churches. Instead, these critical items are scattered across a number of different activities, with some being found lying around near statues of Marika, and others being rewards for defeating specific bosses. There is honestly no real way of knowing exactly which of Elden Ring's activities will drop a Scadutree Fragment without a guide. So, it is often best to simply search around for every hidden alcove or illusory wall in hopes of running into one of these items.

The fact that some of these Scadutree Fragments can be found as a reward for some boss fights is what marks these less as a method for adjusting Shadow of the Erdtree's difficulty, and more as a symbol of progression through the DLC. With Scadutree Fragments locked behind certain progress thresholds, players can only ever make themselves so strong before being forced to challenge the next boss that stands in their way. That being said, by putting the choice to turn in Scadutree Fragments for the Blessings that improve character damage and defense on the player, this does mean that there is a choice of whether or not to take the new advantage.

Shadow of the Erdtree Avoids Pay-to-Win

One major issue that comes with introducing player progression into a paid DLC is the fear that whatever improvements this new content grants could give an unfair advantage in the base game. In this case, FromSoftware also has a worthwhile solution, by only making the improvements offered by the Scadutree Blessings valid in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC location itself. This way, players can't simply take the new upgrades back to the base game and trivialize previously difficult encounters, or break the balance in Elden Ring's PvP between those who purchased the DLC and those who didn't.

Designing a DLC for the Choice to Improve Over Time

While the introduction of the Scadutree Fragments and Blessings is a workable solution for offering progression in Shadow of the Erdtree, it does imply a difficulty in developing balance. Essentially, if the DLC is now balanced for players being expected to find Scadutree Fragments, then the Blessings received stop becoming rewards and start to become requirements to progress for all but the best Elden Ring players. Combine this with the already high damage output and health pools of the later game bosses that need to be defeated to even access the DLC, and later bosses could easily be tipped out of balance with the strength players can achieve.

Of course, Elden Ring's difficulty is a core part of its design, and leaning too hard in the other direction could leave players dissatisfied if Shadow of the Erdtree doesn't offer a proper challenge. As a result, FromSoftware is not exactly in an enviable position, when striking a balance on difficulty scaling. While the DLC has been mostly received well so far, patches will likely be coming in the near future to fully dial in this balance.