Shadow of the Erdtree just got easier: Elden Ring's first DLC patch makes Scadutree buffs stronger in the early game, and a little stronger later too

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The first half of Blessing levels now deal out bigger rewards

Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree
(Image credit: FromSoftware / Bandai Namco)

FromSoftware has launched a new update for Elden Ring, reworking the buffs that are applied to players via Shadow of the Erdtree's new Blessing system.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is so vast that it effectively has its own leveling system, dubbed 'Shadow Realm Blessings.' Finding Scadutree Fragments will buff your Tarnished's statistics like health and attack while discovering Revered Spirit Ashes will boost the power of your Spirit Ash Summons like the Mimic Tear (yes, I've been relentlessly using it, too).

There are levels to both of these Blessings, but a new Elden Ring patch released today by FromSoftware has changed how they scale. As Bandai Namco's website reveals, the "attack and damage negation has been increased for the first half of the maximum amount of Blessing enhancements, and the second half will now be more gradual."

Additionally, the attack and damage negation granted by the final level of Blessing enhancements has also been slightly increased. So what we're effectively getting is more power for our Tarnished in Shadow of the Erdtree, and quicker at that, so you'll hopefully be able to more effectively keep pace with the horrors that are trying to murder you.

Elsewhere in the patch, FromSoftware has confirmed a bug where raytracing settings are automatically enabled on PC if you're carrying over save data from Elden Ring's previous game versions. This might be why your frame rate has been unstable, and the developer recommends turning the 'Raytracing Quality' option in the menu off immediately.

Finally, "other balance adjustments as well as big fixes" are coming in a future patch. This could mean the Shadow Realm Blessings aren't the end of the difficulty readjustments in Shadow of the Erdtree, which will probably be very good news for anyone struggling with the expansion's difficulty levels even after acquiring Blessings. 

Take a look at our guide on where to find Scadutree Fragments in Shadow of the Erdtree if you want to power up your Tarnished. 

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Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.

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