How do I start Shadow of the Erdtree?

Defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood, then talk to Needle Knight Leda and touch the withered arm in the Cocoon of the Empyrean.

What is the Scadutree Blessing?

A power boost that only works in the Land of Shadow. It is raised with Scadutree Fragments at Sites of Grace.

What is the maximum Scadutree Blessing level?

Level 20, which needs 50 fragments in total.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree: How to Access the DLC

Shadow of the Erdtree was released in June 2024 and is a big expansion that needs the base game. It is not a gentle start, so it helps to know what to do before you jump in. The facts below come from the Elden Ring Wiki and VGC.

Key takeaways

You must defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood to reach the DLC.
After that, Needle Knight Leda sends you to the Cocoon of the Empyrean.
Scadutree Blessing boosts you only inside the Land of Shadow.
Level 20 blessing needs 50 fragments in total.

ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree – Story Trailer · YouTube

How to get there

Defeat Starscourge Radahn in the Wailing Dunes, Caelid.
Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood in the Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum.
Talk to Needle Knight Leda, who explains how to proceed.
Touch the withered arm in the Cocoon of the Empyrean. You arrive at Gravesite Plain.

The official story premise is that Empyrean Miquella draws players to the Land of Shadow where they uncover dark secrets.

Scadutree Blessing

Scadutree Fragments are consumed at Sites of Grace to raise your Scadutree Blessing. It only works in the Land of Shadow. Level 20 is the maximum and needs 50 fragments in total. At level 20 you deal 2.05 times as much damage and take 0.487 times as much. Level 12 is a soft cap where gains slow down. If a boss feels impossible, look for fragments before you grind levels.