Elden Ring

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Boss Order Guide

Recommended boss progression order for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Scadutree Fragment priorities, recommended blessing levels for each boss, and key decision points to avoid hitting difficulty walls.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Boss Order DLC Progression Scadutree Fragments
Core Principle
The DLC scales with Scadutree Blessing level, not your base character level. Scadutree Fragments are the real "level up" in the DLC. Explore every region fully for fragments before fighting its boss. Aim for 10+ blessings before endgame fights. Backtrack if a boss feels unfair rather than forcing it.
Difficulty Warning
Shadow of the Erdtree is brutally difficult from the start. Many players hit walls on Dancing Lion or Rellana because they lack blessings. Do not rush bosses without exploring first. The open world means you can wander into overleveled areas. Follow this order to collect power-ups progressively.

Recommended Boss Progression Order

1

Divine Beast Dancing Lion

Belurat Tower Settlement - Gravesite Plain

Head northwest from the starting area into Belurat. Clear the tower settlement dungeon. This is the most accessible early remembrance boss.

Recommended Blessing: 3-5

Collect Scadutree Fragments in Gravesite Plain en route. Use the map fragment and explore side paths. Summon if needed. Focus on dodging the lion's dance phases and element shifts.

Decision: If too hard, backtrack and farm more fragments in Gravesite Plain instead of forcing the fight.

2

Rellana, Twin Moon Knight

Castle Ensis - east of starting area

East from Belurat. Linear legacy dungeon with clear progression. Natural next step after Dancing Lion.

Recommended Blessing: 6-8

Clear the castle methodically. Grab fragments inside and outside the castle. Learn her moon attack timings. Many players call this a highlight fight once properly powered up. Rewards good weapons and spells.

Optional: Fight Blackgaol Knight for early gear if your build needs it before Rellana.

3

Golden Hippopotamus

Shadow Keep - Scadu Altus

Proceed to Scadu Altus and the Shadow Keep after Rellana. This fight unlocks more map access and fragments.

Recommended Blessing: 7-9

Players often hit this mid-early for steady progression. The Shadow Keep area has multiple fragments to collect before the fight.

4

Putrescent Knight

Stone Coffin Fissure - southern area

Optional but recommended early-to-mid. Southern area access. Many players slot this here for runes, fragments, and a solid challenge without extreme difficulty.

Recommended Blessing: 7-9

5

Messmer the Impaler

Shadow Keep - main boss

Core story boss. The midpoint climax of the DLC. Beating him opens more areas and advances the main narrative.

Recommended Blessing: 10-12

Community loves this fight but stresses blessings to handle both phases. Gather all Altus and Keep fragments before attempting. His second phase adds fire serpent attacks that require careful dodging.

6

Commander Gaius & Scadutree Avatar

Scaduview / northeast regions

Explore north and east after Messmer. These fights are flexible. Do them when you feel ready for tankier encounters.

Recommended Blessing: 10-12

Both drop valuable rewards and unlock additional fragments. The Scadutree Avatar in particular provides a significant blessing upgrade.

7

Romina, Saint of the Bud

Ancient Ruins of Rauh

Later area with more fragments and story progression. Players typically tackle this post-Messmer.

Recommended Blessing: 12+

8

Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame

Abyssal Woods / Midra's Manse

Optional but highly praised fight. Creepy atmosphere and well-tuned mechanics. Many players call it a DLC highlight. Do it when you want variety from the main path.

Recommended Blessing: 12+

9

Bayle the Dread & Metyr

Flexible - dragon and quest bosses

Bayle the Dread is a major optional dragon boss. Dragon build fans prioritize this fight. Metyr is quest-related and can be done in parallel with other exploration.

Recommended Blessing: 12+

Both are flexible in timing. Do them whenever you feel powerful enough.

10

Promised Consort Radahn

Final boss - requires main path completion

The final boss of the DLC. Requires completing the main story path. Max your Scadutree Blessing before attempting this fight. This is non-negotiable per community consensus.

Recommended Blessing: MAX (16+)

Visual clutter and massive AoEs overwhelm underpowered players. Learn the phase 1 to phase 2 transition. Use spirit ashes for distraction. Expect many attempts even at max blessing.

Overall Progression Route

Gravesite Plain - explore for fragments, fight Dancing Lion
↓
Castle Ensis - fight Rellana, collect castle fragments
↓
Scadu Altus / Shadow Keep - Golden Hippo, then Messmer
↓
Rauh / Abyssal Woods / Southern - Romina, Midra, optional bosses
↓
Endgame - Promised Consort Radahn at max blessing

Key Decision Points

Fragments vs. Pushing Forward

Always prioritize Scadutree Fragments. Players report that 10+ blessings transform the experience. If a boss feels unfair, backtrack and explore for more fragments rather than bashing your head against a wall.

Story Path vs. Full Completion

For story only: Dancing Lion and rightarrow Rellana and rightarrow Messmer and rightarrow Romina and rightarrow Radahn. Full completion adds Bayle, Midra, Putrescent Knight, Commander Gaius, and Scadutree Avatar.

Build and Level

The DLC scales with fragments more than base level. A level 150 character with 12 blessings outperforms a level 200 character with 4 blessings. Use summons and spirit ashes if soloing feels bad.

When to Do Optional Bosses

Optional bosses like Bayle, Midra, and Putrescent Knight can be done whenever you feel ready. They are not gated by story progression. Slot them in between main bosses for variety and extra fragments.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

x Ignoring Scadutree Fragments. Base game strats do not work in the DLC. The DLC punishes under-blessed players hard. Explore every region for fragments before fighting its boss.
x Skipping exploration in new regions. Each region has 3-5 fragments hidden in side paths, caves, and ruins. Rushing to the boss without collecting them makes the fight significantly harder.
x Fighting final Radahn underpowered. Visual clutter and AoEs overwhelm without max blessings and practice. Community consensus: max your Scadutree Blessing before attempting. Non-negotiable.
x Rushing linear without side content. Many players regret missing power-ups by beelining the main path. The DLC rewards curiosity. Side areas contain fragments, upgrade materials, and strong gear.
x Wandering into overleveled areas early. The open world lets you access late-game areas from the start. If enemies are one-shotting you, you are in the wrong area. Backtrack to an earlier region.
x Not using spirit ashes. Spirit ashes are fully functional in the DLC. They provide distraction and aggro management, especially for multi-phase bosses like Messmer and Radahn.