It’s time to rise again, Tarnished, the Erdtree’s Land of Shadow beckons you! Elden Ring’s DLC has been in the works for two years now and we’ve finally had the first significant trailer. Shadow of the Erdtree’s three-minute trailer is filled with juicy lore implications and gameplay surprises, so let’s talk about them! Here are 5 cool details we spotted in the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer.
It should be noted that spoilers lie ahead!
Miquella’s Cocoon is the DLC’s Access Point
Miquella seems to be the major character featured throughout the trailer and the DLC as a whole. Remember Malenia? Well, Miquella is Malenia’s twin brother who was always portrayed as having died or at least been comatose in some kind of slumber in the base game.
A voice in the trailer says, “touch the withered arm and travel to the realm of shadow.” That withered arm is Miquella’s and the giant egg is his cocoon. Players can actually walk up to Miquella’s egg-shaped cocoon in Elden Ring, and we now know that this very cocoon is the access point to the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, not least of all due to its heavy presence in the trailer.
Not only does the trailer tell us that touching the arm takes us to the Realm of Shadow, but we have confirmation from the game’s director. Hidetaka Miyazaki recently confirmed Miquella’s Cocoon as the access point for Shadow of the Erdree via a hot new interview from IGN.
If you want to play Shadow of the Erdtree but don’t know where Miquella’s Cocoon is, here’s our step-by-step guide on how to get to Mohgwyn’s Palace.
Epic New Flying Kick Ash of War
About 1:55 minutes into the trailer we see a really cool martial arts kick from the main character. This is not featured in the base game of Elden Ring and is most likely a new Ash of War. Now, I know what you’re saying, “Psh, big deal. There’s already plenty of Ashes of War!” Yes, but not like this. The mobility of this flying kick move shown in the trailer is not unlike the legendary Bone Fist from Dark Souls 2.
For those not aware, Bone Fist is the best weapon in Dark Souls history. Don’t believe me? It features a wild moveset including a hadouken blast and sweeping dive kicks. Plus, its stats are just crazy good.
The flying kick move featured in the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer resembles the martial arts insanity of the Bone Fist to an uncanny degree. Let’s hope the moveset is flexible and not just static like the majority of Ashes of War in Elden Ring.
The Tree Shown in the Trailer Is the Haligtree, not the Erdtree
Simply put, the Erdtree does not have a forked Y pattern, nor is it wilted as shown in the trailer. The environs around this Y-shaped tree in the trailer are also nothing like Leyndell. To add to the geographical differences, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is all about Miquella, and we know that Miquella was heavily involved in trying to grow the Haligtree.
The Haligtree was an attempt by Miquella to grow an Erdtree similar in power and scope as the Leyndell one. The key difference between the trees was that Miquella wished to grow a tree without the authority of the Greater Will, resulting in Mohg cutting the Haligtree’s roots and suspending it as it is in Elden Ring.
All that being said, the trailer does show numerous familiar locations in the Lands Between. Miyazaki ensures that this DLC has a completely new map and environment to explore, so the familiar locales could be alternate versions of The Lands Between. Be prepared to explore new areas in the Land of Shadow and altered fragments of The Lands Between’s past in Shadow of the Erdtree.
We Can Throw Boulders Now?
Apparently, yes, throwing Boulders is a thing you can do in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. The trailer shows the main character carrying a humungous boulder over their head and flinging it at a wave of incoming enemies.
Whether or not this boulder toss is an environmental action like the Trebuchet in Demon’s Souls, or a new Ash of War is unclear. It’s also possible this boulder toss is a new incantation similar to the Stone of Gurranq bestial incantation already in Elden Ring.
It would be particularly hilarious if this giant boulder was just a brand-new explosive item you can collect and use in the game. The boulder has ropes tied around it and explodes upon impact, so we do know that it can’t be an equipable armament (unfortunately).
New Runebear Incantation Lets Us Fus-Ro-Dah
Finally, I have to mention the Skyrim moment in the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer. Shortly after the character tosses the giant boulder, a giant Runebear is shown shouting on the edge of a cliff. But wait, that’s not a Runebear, it’s a Runebear head covering the main character… well, that’s awesome.
This Runebear head may be a new helmet that has a built-in shout ability. However, my bets are placed on it being a new incantation that paralyzes foes with a deafening shout. Elden Ring already has incantations that form the head of dragons such as the epic Dragon Fire Incantation. So, a new Dragon Communion Incantation class having to do with Runes (and bears) seems most likely.
Those are the 5 cool new details we spotted in the Shadows of the Erdtree trailer. With a release date of June 21st, 2024, we don’t have to wait long to experience these delightful mysteries ourselves. Make sure you’re ready for the DLC with our Elden Ring recommended area by level guide and more on Twinfinite.
