Applies to: ELDEN RING base game, version 1.16.1 (the current patch, live since August 21, 2025) with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion (Steam AppID 2778580, released June 21, 2024, $39.99). This is a base-game guide — it has nothing to do with the separate standalone game ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN.
Quick answer: how to access Shadow of the Erdtree
To enter the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC you must do three things, in this order:
- Own the expansion. Shadow of the Erdtree is paid DLC ($39.99 on Steam, included in the Deluxe Edition). You cannot enter it with the base game alone.
- Defeat two bosses: Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood. Both live in the base game's Lands Between. You do not have to finish the main story or beat the final boss.
- Touch the withered arm inside the cocoon at Mohgwyn Palace. Fast-travel to the Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace (where you fought Mohg), find the glowing cocoon, and interact with the withered arm reaching out of it. That cutscene sends you to the Realm of Shadow, and the DLC begins.
That's the whole gate. The rest of this guide covers exactly how to reach each boss (there are two routes to Mohg most players miss), what level you should be, and why the DLC still feels brutal even at level 200 — plus the mistakes that send people back to Reddit asking why the cocoon "isn't there."
More Elden Ring guides: looking for boss routes, weapon locations and build breakdowns? Browse the full library of Elden Ring guides on timesaver.gg.
What are the requirements to enter the Realm of Shadow?
Bandai Namco spelled the two prerequisites out on the official Elden Ring site. In their words:
"To battle Mohg, Lord of Blood, you'll need to first venture to Mohgwyn Palace, either by way of the Sending Gate in the Consecrated Snowfield, or by following White Mask Varré's questline to the point of receiving the Pureblood Knight's Medal and then using it to travel to the palace directly."
— Bandai Namco Europe, "Elden Ring — How to enter the Realm of Shadow"
So the checklist is short but non-negotiable:
| Requirement | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Own Shadow of the Erdtree | Steam / PSN / Xbox / eShop | $39.99 standalone; free if you own a Deluxe or Collector's Edition |
| Defeat Starscourge Radahn | Redmane Castle, Caelid | Optional mid-game boss; triggered via the Radahn Festival |
| Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood | Mohgwyn Palace | Reached two ways — see below |
| Touch the withered arm | Cocoon of the Empyrean, Mohgwyn Palace | The literal "start DLC" button |
Neither boss is part of the critical path to the ending, which is why plenty of players reach the credits without ever unlocking the door to the DLC. If you've beaten the game and the cocoon isn't glowing, it's almost always because you skipped one of these two.
Requirement 1: Defeat Starscourge Radahn in Caelid
Radahn is fought at Redmane Castle in southern Caelid, during the Radahn Festival. You have a few ways to start that festival:
- The easy trigger: reach the Altus Plateau (the region you enter via the Grand Lift of Dectus or the Ruin-Strewn Precipice), rest at a Site of Grace, then travel to Redmane Castle. The festival will be active whether or not you've touched any questline.
- Via questlines: progressing Ranni the Witch and Blaidd's story to the point where Sorceress Sellen tells you Radahn must fall, or speaking to Witch Hunter Jerren and Blacksmith Iji, also starts the festival.
Once the festival is live, travel to Redmane Castle and use the teleporter by the Site of Grace at the bridge to reach the boss arena. Radahn is a cavalry duel with heavy gravity magic — bring a mount-friendly loadout, summon the NPC signs scattered around the arena, and use Torrent to close distance during his meteor phase.
Beating Radahn is the first of the two locks. It also matters for a lore reason: doing so opens the path to Nokron, but for DLC purposes all that counts is the kill.
Requirement 2: Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood at Mohgwyn Palace
This is the requirement people get stuck on, because Mohgwyn Palace is hidden and there are two completely different ways in:
Route A — Varré's questline (available early). Follow White Mask Varré, the first NPC you meet outside the tutorial. Progress his quest (including the step where he has you soak Festering Bloody Fingers in maiden blood) until he hands you the Pureblood Knight's Medal. Using that medal instantly teleports you to Mohgwyn Palace — no other exploration required. This is how low-level "runbies" reach Mohg fast.
Route B — the Consecrated Snowfield Sending Gate (mid-to-late game). In the far north, past the Mountaintops of the Giants, the Consecrated Snowfield hides a Sending Gate in the northwest. Interacting with it warps you to Mohgwyn Palace. This route requires both halves of the Haligtree Secret Medallion to ride the Grand Lift of Rold in its hidden configuration.
Whichever way you arrive, rest at the Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace, cross the arena, and fight Mohg. He hits with the recurring Nihil attack, a three-count ritual that deals massive blood loss — mix the Purifying Crystal Tear (obtained during Yura's questline) into your Flask of Wondrous Physick and drink it at the start of the fight to nullify Nihil entirely, or bring high immunity and a bleed-resistant setup.
With Mohg down, you're one interaction away from the DLC.
The final step: touch the withered arm in the cocoon
After both bosses are dead, fast-travel back to the Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace at Mohgwyn Palace. Walk toward the large cocoon near the throne. You'll see a withered arm reaching out of it. Interact with it, confirm the prompt, and the cutscene plays — Miquella's cross pulls your Tarnished into the Realm of Shadow, and the expansion opens.
If the arm isn't there, you have not defeated both required bosses on this character, or you don't actually own the DLC on this account. There is no third hidden step.
What level should you be for Shadow of the Erdtree?
Here's the trap: your character level barely matters inside the DLC. Shadow of the Erdtree uses its own scaling system, the Scadutree Blessing, which is completely separate from your Runes-and-stats level.
- There are 50 Scadutree Fragments hidden across the Realm of Shadow. Collecting and spending them at any Site of Grace raises your Scadutree Blessing, which caps at level 20. (Source: Fextralife and Game8 fragment maps.)
- A second currency, Revered Spirit Ash (10 total), levels up your summons the same way.
- Each Blessing level meaningfully increases the damage you deal and reduces the damage you take. Community testing pegs it at roughly 4% extra damage and 2% damage negation per level — attribute that to player data, not FromSoftware, but the effect is undeniable in play.
The practical consequence: a level-150 character with a maxed Scadutree Blessing will out-perform a level-250 character who rushed the DLC bosses and skipped the fragments. Explore first, fight later. Most players are comfortable entering the Realm of Shadow around character level 120–150 with a well-upgraded weapon (+24/+9 or higher), but the real difficulty dial is the Blessing, not your Runes.
This is why "I'm level 200 and getting one-shot in the DLC" is one of the most common complaints on the subreddits — those players never picked up the fragments.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
- "Do I need to beat the final boss first?" No. You only need Radahn and Mohg. You can enter the DLC in the middle of your first playthrough.
- "I beat Radahn and Mohg months ago — do I have to do it again?" No. If both are already dead on this character, just own the DLC and touch the cocoon. The kills carry over.
- "Can I access it in NG+?" Yes. The same two-boss requirement applies in every New Game cycle; you'll simply re-kill them as you progress.
- "Can I bring a co-op partner into the DLC before they've unlocked it?" They must have accessed the Realm of Shadow on their own character to explore it fully, but you can summon into each other's worlds once you're inside.
- "The cocoon isn't glowing." You're missing a boss kill on this specific character, or the DLC isn't installed on this account. There is no separate quest item.
A note on doing it the legitimate way
Because Shadow of the Erdtree scales through the Blessing rather than your level, there is no legitimate shortcut that skips the exploration — and the illegitimate ones are a genuine account risk. Rune-selling sites, save editors, cheat tables and mod menus all touch data FromSoftware actively bans for, and reports of hacked invaders corrupting online saves circulate on the Elden Ring subreddit regularly. If you play online, back up your save file and block bad actors from your "Recently played with" list. timesaver.gg does not sell Elden Ring runes or carries, and we don't recommend anyone who does — the fastest safe path to the DLC is simply beating two bosses you were going to fight anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you access Shadow of the Erdtree in Elden Ring? Own the DLC, defeat Starscourge Radahn (Redmane Castle, Caelid) and Mohg, Lord of Blood (Mohgwyn Palace), then fast-travel to the Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace and touch the withered arm in the cocoon. That cutscene transports you to the Realm of Shadow and starts the expansion.
Do I have to beat the whole game to play Shadow of the Erdtree? No. You only need to defeat Radahn and Mohg — two optional bosses. You can enter the DLC partway through your first playthrough without touching the final boss or the ending.
How do I get to Mohgwyn Palace? Two ways: follow White Mask Varré's questline until he gives you the Pureblood Knight's Medal (which teleports you straight there early), or use the hidden Sending Gate in the northwest of the Consecrated Snowfield later in the game.
What level should I be for Shadow of the Erdtree? Character level matters far less than your Scadutree Blessing. Most players enter comfortably around level 120–150 with a well-upgraded weapon, but you should prioritize collecting Scadutree Fragments (50 total, Blessing caps at level 20) once inside — they, not your Runes, control how much damage you deal and take.
Why is the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC so hard even at a high level? Because your normal level is nearly irrelevant inside the Realm of Shadow. Damage and defense are governed by the Scadutree Blessing, which you raise only by finding Scadutree Fragments in the DLC. Rush the bosses without exploring and you'll get one-shot regardless of your Runes level.
Can I still access the DLC if I already killed Radahn and Mohg? Yes. Previous kills on that character count. As long as you own the expansion, just travel to the Cocoon of the Empyrean at Mohgwyn Palace and interact with the withered arm to begin.
Is Shadow of the Erdtree the same as Elden Ring Nightreign? No. Shadow of the Erdtree is a paid expansion for the base game ELDEN RING. ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a separate standalone co-op game with its own store page, patches and mechanics — it is not a DLC for Elden Ring.
