Elden Ring's most popular mods make Shadow of the Erdtree far easier
"Punish the DLC instead of it punishing you!"
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As Elden Ring players struggle with the high difficulty of Shadow of the Erdtree, the most popular mods since release focus on easing the challenge.
Over on NexusMods, plenty of new mods have already been uploaded since the launch of the Elden Ring DLC last week, ready for PC players to enter the Land of Shadow.
Many of these mods provide a save file to ensure players are ready for the DLC. To access the new quest, two specific bosses in the base game must be defeated - unless you've got a mod to do that for you, like those from byDelamain or Yticaya.
Yet difficulty has proven contentious for Shadow of the Erdtree, with lots of mods aiming to make it easier.
Syyyke's All in One Cheat Version, for instance, includes free weapon and spirit upgrades, the ability to block all attacks without impacting stamina, and a Grand Merchant with access to any items. The mod is yet to be implemented on new DLC items.
Similar to that Grand Merchant, Tom Clark's Glorious Merchant has free access to every item for whatever build you want to make, and it's DLC compatible.
Alternatives include Sereenaty's Unlimited Power mod that adds free levelling, and MaliceKy's mod that provides a character at level 713 with maxed stats, maxed Blessings, and the base game fully completed with all gear acquired. There's also justcookie68's mod to summon bosses for help, or GreyEnigma's mod to reduce grinding.
And then there's Sereenaty's other mod, offering Wolverine Mode. Here players take 50 percent less damage, regenerate health and FP, do double damage, can recover runes immediately, and have infinite use of Blessing of Marika. "Punish the DLC instead of it punishing you!" they exclaim.
I'm also intrigued by Noctis' Graceborne mod that adds a Bloodborne-inspired overhaul for a "more grim and sinister experience". It includes trick weapons and firearms that parry, removes equipment load, and switches lighting to permanent nighttime. It's in the early stages, but ideal for those waiting for a Bloodborne sequel (good luck with that).
Earlier today, FromSoftware added a patch to Elden Ring to adjust the balance scaling of the Blessings in Shadow of the Erdtree, after players found the difficulty too high.
If you're wondering what to do first in Shadow of the Erdtree, then check out our guide to get you started.