Summary
A new weapon in FromSoftware’s critically acclaimedElden Ringis giving players the opportunity to fight like the characters of an action-packed martial arts anime.Elden Ring’sShadow of the ErdtreeDLC, the RPG’s first and last expansion, released on June 21.
Aside from introducing a vast new region called the Land of Shadow and a storyline centered around one ofElden Ring’s most mysterious characters,Shadow of the Erdtreeprovides players with additional armor setsand weapons. The DLC expands on the base game’s already diverse pool of equipment with eight fresh weapon types: Beast Claws, Great Katanas, Hand-to-Hand Arts, Light Greatswords, Perfume Bottles, Reverse-Hand Swords, Throwing Blades, and Thrusting Shields. One of these weapon classes, the Hand-to-Hand Arts, allows players to fight like anime characters.
In a recent post on theElden Ringsubreddit, user themadman502 shared a video of their character finishing off an enemy with an anime-style kick that would not look out of place in a series likeDragon Ball. They were able to fight like this thanks toShadow of the Erdtree’s new Dryleaf Arts, one of two Hand-to-Hand Arts that were added with the DLC. Commenting on themadman502’s post, one community member said that using Dryleaf Arts against bosses was not optimal due to the moveset’s limited range and poise damage. Despite the weapon’s flaws, the commenter revealed that they equipped Dryleaf Arts against regular enemies because it was fun.
Both Dryleaf Arts andShadow of the Erdtree’s second Hand-to-Hand Art, Dane’s Footwork, can be obtained from a character named Dryleaf Dane. The monk is among the new NPCs introduced in theElden RingDLC, many of whom have entered the Land of Shadow to follow in the footsteps of Miquella the Kind. Miquella is the brother of fellow demigod Malenia, widely recognized as one ofElden Ring’s toughest bosses, and he is also the creator of the game’s dreaded Haligtree area.
Elden Ring New Hand-to-Hand Arts
Much like FromSoftware’s past Soulslike experiences,Elden Ringis known for being a hard game to overcome. Somegamers have complained aboutShadow of the Erdtree’s difficulty, with veterans even describing the expansion’s bosses as being “overtuned.”Elden Ringpublisher Bandai Namco has advised players to level up their Scadutree Blessing, which is a DLC-exclusive mechanic that increases player damage and decreases damage received.
Prior to the expansion’s release,Elden Ringgame director and FromSoftware president, Hidetaka Miyazaki, claimed thatShadow of the Erdtreewould challenge even experienced players. He explained in an interview that the DLC was balanced around the assumption that players had progressed far into the base game.
Elden Ring
WHERE TO PLAY
ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
