Elden Ring DLC Simplified: Latest Update Eases Difficulty

Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC receives a balancing update (1.12.2) to ease difficulty. While praised, the DLC's challenging nature prompted some negative player feedback, including review bombing on Steam.

This update directly addresses concerns about the difficulty curve. Specifically, it significantly boosts attack power and damage reduction from Shadow Realm Blessings (like Scadutree Fragments) in the early stages of enhancement. While later enhancements see a more gradual increase, the final level also receives a slight buff. This should make both the early and late game sections of the DLC more manageable.

Bandai Namco even issued a reminder to players to utilize Scadutree Fragments, highlighting their importance in mitigating the DLC's difficulty. These collectible items, found throughout the expansion, enhance damage output and damage resistance when used at Sites of Grace.

The update also resolves a PC-specific bug where ray tracing automatically activates when loading saves from older game versions, a known cause of framerate issues. Players experiencing instability are advised to manually disable ray tracing.

Further updates are planned to address remaining bugs and implement additional balance adjustments.

Elden Ring Update 1.12.2 Patch Notes Summary:

• Shadow Realm Blessing Adjustments: Increased attack and damage negation, particularly in the first half of blessing enhancements. The final enhancement level also received a minor boost.
• Ray Tracing Bug Fix (PC): Resolved automatic ray tracing activation when loading older saves. Players should manually check and disable ray tracing if necessary.
• Future Updates: Additional balance changes and bug fixes are planned.