At some point in the future, Elden Ring is expected to receive a major DLC expansion. Titled Shadow of the Erdtree, this package is expected to be one of the largest post-launch updates FromSoftware has ever made. Supposedly, it started development shortly after Elden Ring's launch, and consists of two separate DLCs merged into one like Bloodborne's The Old Hunters was said to be. Fans likely won't hear much about it until after Armored Core 6 has been released, but it should be worth the wait.
That wait has felt quite long, especially because Elden Ring's community doesn't know much about Shadow of the Erdtree. A poster featuring a warped Erdtree and what fans believed to be Miquella riding Torrent is all that the public has seen. Many are hoping for the DLC to pick up hanging story threads, while others want fights against the remaining demigods Godwin and Miquella. Fans are also wondering if some cut content, like the St. Trina questline, could be reinstated. Elden Ring's DLC needs to provide more content and mechanical depth to an already expansive game, but it can take a shortcut to doing so by expanding one understated feature.
Elden Ring’s Whetblades Have Plenty Of Room For Expansion
Early in Elden Ring, players may stumble across a small cave containing a very special item. It is known as the Whetblade, a small knife based on real life whetstones used to sharpen dull blades. Elden Ring lacks the weapon durability of some prior Soulsborne titles, but the mechanics tied to the Whetblade are far more exciting. With the Whetblade, swapping Ashes of War on compatible weapons is unlocked, allowing for an enormous number of personalized loadouts.
However, Whetblades also govern a weapon's affinity, of which there are thirteen. Twelve of these are spread out across five more Whetblades that players will have to find. All of them have several benefits, with effects like forcing attribute scaling with a specific stat, improving particular stats' scaling upgrade multiplier, changing a weapon's damage type, adding Frostbite, Poison, or Blood Loss buildup, or the Occult affinity uniquely increasing most native status effects' buildup relative to Arcane scaling. Whetblades are easy ways to optimize Elden Ring's builds, and should always feel like valuable finds because of their rarity and many uses.
What Shadow of the Erdtree Could Do With Whetblades
Because of their versatility, more could potentially be done with Whetblades in Elden Ring’s DLC. Whetblades are inherently desirable, and could be considered a unique template for treasure. Even in the unfamiliar locales potentially in Shadow of the Erdtree, seeing a Whetblade could still spark familiar excitement. One potential new Whetblade might have three affinities imbuing a weapon with strike, slash, or pierce damage, the three damage types not covered by existing Whetblades. Adding a multiplier for attacks with those types instead of applying one damage type to an entire moveset may be the best approach, but regardless, this would be a massive boon for niche weapon loyalists.
There is room for a couple more Whetblades, though they run the risk of creating new meta builds for Elden Ring. A Whetblade with affinities targeting Madness, Sleep, and Scarlet Rot buildup would be very strong, though its status effect inflictions could be weaker than other sources. This Whetblade could also introduce scaling for Vigor, Mind, and Endurance, which could make for some interesting builds. Finally, a Death Whetblade could be introduced that applies a weak version of Maliketh's Black Blade and the Black Knife's max health-decreasing effects while also lowering the player's stats to compensate. There is plenty that could be done with Whetblades, and hopefully FromSoftware continues experimenting with them in Elden Ring’s DLC.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
