One Hidden Elden Ring DLC Mechanic Makes Exploring The Land Of Shadow Much Easier

Surviving can be hard in :, but getting around doesn't have to be. One of the elements that sets apart from previous From Software games is its suite of traversal options. Things like universal fast travel, horse riding, double jumping, even single jumping are far from commonplace in Soulsborne games — in this regard, is the exception, not the rule.

Another novel aspect of is its open-world map. That means that getting from point A to point B isn't always so straightforward. Shortcuts, secret passageways, and illusory walls abound. Thankfully, the methods of traversal employed in make this easier from time to time. But in an effort to surprise (or confuse) seasoned players, hides what may be its most useful new method of traversal behind an obtuse puzzle. There's an easy solution, but players need to know what to look for.

Screen Rant's Chris Teuton reviews Elden Ring's highly-anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree DLC ahead of its launch on June 21, 2024.

Remember the Spiritsprings from 's base game? Cloudy waves of air radiating from cracks in the ground, these would propel the player character (and Torrent) high into the air, usually allowing them to land safely on some high-up platform and access a new area. Well, they're back in the DLC, only some of them don't work. They're called Sealed Spiritsprings, and they look identical to their base game cousins, only somehow muted. The secret to activating these Sealed Spiritsprings is to find a nearby rock cairn and smash it, thus removing the hold and propelling the Tarnished skyward yet again.

The only way to figure out this information in-game is to discover it organically, or buy a note from Moore at the Main Gate Cross Site of Grace.

Sealed Spiritsprings both accentuate and complicate the very thing that makes 's DLC map unique: its increased verticality. The Land of Shadow has more variation in elevation than most of the base map regions, except maybe the Mountaintops of the Giants. That necessitates a lot of