Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Has A Serious Loot Problem

Although the DLC adds plenty of interesting items to the game, still has a notable problem in regards to its loot. Although it is undoubtedly an incredible experience, does have some flaws that can make the game more challenging to work through. However, not every source of frustration in the DLC necessarily raises the difficulty of .

The Land of Shadow has dozens of new and interesting items to collect, from crafting materials to new types of ammunition, buff-granting greases, and more. Of course, there are also over 100 new weapons to find in , offering an incredible variety to experiment with; there will undoubtedly be at least one perfect new weapon for anybody to get to grips with, no matter their playstyle. But despite all of the interesting loot available in, the actual reality faced when exploring the Land of Shadow gives a very different impression of its contents.

As one plays through, one fact quickly becomes extremely clear:the Land of Shadow is packed full of Smithing Stones. Defeated enemies drop them in their multitudes, and plenty more can be found scattered across the realm as deliberately placed loot. This creates the impression that they are one of, if not the single most common types of loot in the entire DLC, which in turn leads to an unusual form of frustration. As useful as the weapon upgrade materials technically are, it is easy to become tired of finding them in.

Fundamentally, the problem with finding so many Smithing Stone, despite their utility, is the sheer repetition. Smithing Stones are already relatively easy to find in ’s base game, especially in comparison to other FromSoftware titles, but the DLC far exceeds even this level of commonality. Not just single Smithing Stones but entire bundles can be found at once, quickly increasing a Tarnished’s collection of the various ranks of Stones. But at the same time, collecting them comes with the ever-present knowledge that this loot is in place of other items, which could be just as, if