How to Start Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring

To start Shadow of the Erdtree, you need to defeat two optional bosses from the base game, Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood. After Mohg falls, touch the withered arm hanging from the cocoon in his arena at Mohgwyn Palace and you are taken to the Realm of Shadow. There is no shortcut from the title screen, so you need a save that has reached that point.

Last checked: November 9, 2026. Shadow of the Erdtree is a paid expansion on PlayStation, Xbox and PC, and it is included in Elden Ring Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2.

Requirements to enter the DLC

Both bosses are optional for finishing the main story, which is why many players reach the end credits without ever seeing them. They are also tough fights designed for later in the game.

Step 1: Beat Starscourge Radahn

Radahn waits beyond Redmane Castle in southern Caelid, but you can only reach him while the Radahn Festival is running. According to Bandai Namco's official guide, there are three ways to start it:

• Follow Ranni and Blaidd's questlines up to the point where Sorceress Sellen tells you Radahn must be defeated before you can enter Nokron.
• Talk to Witch Hunter Jerren and Blacksmith Iji after you have started Ranni's questline.
• Simply reach the Altus Plateau. Rest at any Site of Grace there, and the festival will be active the next time you visit Redmane Castle, whether you did any quests or not.

The last option is the easiest for most players, since the Altus Plateau is part of the main route anyway. Beating Radahn also opens Nokron, Eternal City, which has its own rewards, including the Mimic Tear spirit covered in our Spirit Ashes guide.

Step 2: Reach Mohgwyn Palace

Mohg lives in Mohgwyn Palace, a hidden underground area. There are two ways in.

Route A: White Mask Varré's questline

This is the early route. Meet Varré in Limgrave and don't kill him. After you earn a Great Rune and visit Roundtable Hold, he moves to the Rose Church in Liurnia and asks you to invade other players with the Festering Bloody Fingers he gives you. Finish that task, soak his cloth in maiden's blood, and return it to him. He then gives you the Pureblood Knight's Medal, which teleports you straight into the palace when used.

Our early rune farming guide covers this quest in more detail, because the same palace holds one of the best rune farms in the game.

Route B: The Consecrated Snowfield waygate

Late in the game, you can find a waygate on a cliff in the Consecrated Snowfield. A Sanguine Noble invades near it, and the portal opens once you beat him. This route needs no quest but comes much later in your playthrough.

Step 3: Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood

From the palace entrance, work your way through the area to Mohg's arena in the Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum. He is a large late-game boss, so expect to need several attempts. PowerPyx's boss guide suggests summoning a strong spirit such as the Mimic Tear right at the start of the fight. Once he is down, the Site of Grace in his arena lets you return any time.

Step 4: Touch the cocoon to enter the Realm of Shadow

Behind where Mohg stood is a large cocoon with a withered arm hanging out of it. Interact with the arm and a cutscene sends you to the Realm of Shadow. There you meet Needle Knight Leda, who invites you to follow Miquella's trail with her companions.

If you have already beaten both bosses on an older save, fast travel to the Cocoon of the Empyrean grace, listed under Mohgwyn Palace on the map, and walk to the cocoon.

What level should you be for Shadow of the Erdtree?

FromSoftware has not given an official level. PowerPyx recommends level 150 or higher, and the preview characters PC Gamer played before launch were level 150 with fully upgraded weapons. That makes 120 to 150 a common target.

Your character level matters less than in the base game, though. The DLC has its own power system, the Scadutree Blessing, which raises both your damage and your defense inside the Realm of Shadow. Read our Scadutree Fragments guide before you go, and pick up the early fragments right away. If you need runes to reach your target level first, the rune level calculator shows how many you need.

What to do first in the Realm of Shadow

1. Rest at the first Site of Grace. After that you can fast travel between the Lands Between and the Realm of Shadow from the map at any time.
2. Grab the easy blessings. The official guide points to the Church of Consolation near the Gravesite Plain grace for Scadutree Fragments, and to a hornsent corpse at the edge of the Scorched Ruins for a Revered Spirit Ash.
3. Spend them at a grace. A new "Shadow Realm Blessing" menu option appears once you hold either item.
4. Explore the plain before the first big dungeon. Gravesite Plain has several more fragments that need no boss kills.

One warning from the official guide: if you die in the Realm of Shadow before resting at any grace there, you have to go back to the cocoon to enter again.

Do patches change the DLC start?

No patch has changed how you enter the expansion. Patch 1.17, released August 27, 2026, changed some items found in the Realm of Shadow, or dropped by powerful enemies there, into higher-tier items, but items you already had stay the same. The latest version is 1.17.2 from October 20, 2026, which only fixed bugs. Keep your game updated, since the latest patch is needed for online play.

Frequently asked questions

How do you start the Elden Ring DLC?

Defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood, then touch the withered arm on the cocoon in Mohg's arena at Mohgwyn Palace. You also need the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion installed.

Do you have to beat Radahn to start Shadow of the Erdtree?

Yes. Both Radahn and Mohg must be defeated before the cocoon lets you through. The order doesn't matter, so you can fight Mohg first if you reach the palace early.

How do you get to Mohgwyn Palace early?

Complete White Mask Varré's questline to get the Pureblood Knight's Medal, which teleports you to the palace. The other route is a waygate in the Consecrated Snowfield, which comes much later in the game.

Can you start the DLC on a new character?

Only after reaching that point again. There is no option to jump straight into the expansion, so a new character has to beat Radahn and Mohg first.

What level do you need for Shadow of the Erdtree?

There is no official requirement. Most guides suggest around level 120 to 150, and PowerPyx recommends 150 or higher. Scadutree Fragments found in the DLC matter more than raw level once you are inside.

Can you go back to the base game after starting the DLC?

Yes. Once you have rested at a Site of Grace in the Realm of Shadow, you can fast travel between both maps from the map screen whenever you like.