Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – Best New Items - August 2024

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Best New Items

As a seasoned Elden Ring adventurer with countless hours spent traversing the Lands Between, I can confidently say that the latest expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, has brought forth some truly exceptional finds for us gamers. One such discovery that’s caught my eye is the Talisman Of All Crucibles.

According to Hidetaka Miyazaki, the creator, Shadow of the Erdtree was designed to mirror the epic scale of Elden Ring, making it FromSoftware’s largest expansion yet and one of the biggest in the gaming industry. Featuring a vast, intricately designed map to explore, numerous new characters to encounter, numerous challenging bosses to conquer, and hundreds of fresh rewards to earn, Shadow of the Erdtree offers an experience that can easily consume over 50 hours, providing a journey as expansive or even more so than many single-player triple-A games currently available.

Similar to many post-release expansions for games, “Shadow of the Erdtree” offers some of the strongest, most entertaining, and hard-to-acquire items within “Elden Ring”. These include new hardtears for your flask that offer potent effects, reusable tools enabling Tarnished characters to transform into different beings, and long-awaited talismans crucial for specific playstyles and character setups. Here are the top new items in the expansion that every “Elden Ring” player should discover and experiment with.

1 Two-Handed Sword Talisman

Long-Awaited Talisman For Players Preferring Heavy Weapons

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Best New Items

In the popular game Elden Ring, the Two-Handed Sword Talisman was a coveted item by many players, yet it wasn’t introduced until the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. In the main game, using any weapon with both hands slightly boosts damage, but this unique talisman amplifies such attacks by an extra 15%. It’s particularly beneficial for character builds that heavily utilize colossal weapons or those who favor melee combat without a shield. For example, it offers a significant enhancement to the new Milady Light Greatsword, allowing players to wield it with flair in a two-handed grip.

In the uppermost section of Temple Town’s Ruins, nestled within the Rauh Ruins area, you’ll discover the Two-Handed Sword Charm. This location is accessible only after you’ve vanquished the Horned Warrior safeguarding the treasure chest.

2 Deflecting Hardtear

One Of The Best New Hardtears For Sekiro-Like Combat In Elden Ring

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Best New Items

The Deflecting Hardtear is a new item for mixing in the Flask of Wondrous Physick, added in Shadow of the Erdtree, and it is already a favorite among the Elden Ring community. When used, it grants players enhanced spontaneous guard for five minutes, which can be stacked with other items like the Curved Sword Talisman. This results in boss fights becoming reminiscent of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, as players deflect boss combo attacks and receive up to 80 percent increased guard counter damage. Among other benefits, the Deflecting Hardtear has proven quite useful against the final boss of the expansion, making it well worth acquiring.

To get the Deflecting Hardtear, players should first overcome the initial Furnace Golem they encounter in the Grave Plains. This area is found along the main road close to the Scorched Ruins within the expansion. Although this battle may be tough for newbies, the payoff is substantial and the Deflecting Hardtear can then be employed against other bosses in the game titled “Shadow of the Erdtree“.

3 Lamenter’s Mask

Not Too Effective Transformative Item, But Definitely Lots Of Fun

In the game Shadow of the Erdtree, a fresh addition called the Lamenter’s Mask has been implemented as an interactive, reusable tool. This large stone mask offers an engaging experience as it metamorphoses the user into a lamenter, a distinctive omen-goblin entity boasting exclusive attributes and abilities. As a lamenter, gamers enjoy a slight enhancement to all damage resistance and a 20% amplification in Holy Damage Resistance. Moreover, this transformation enhances the character’s Arcane stat by eight, which can be beneficial for improving item discovery or experimenting with Arcane weapons that demand higher prerequisites.

In the game “Shadow of the Erdtree,” the Lamenter’s Mask possesses an exclusive ability: when activated, it expands, causing harm to surrounding enemies. This mask scales ‘B’ in Strength, similar to other shape-shifting artifacts in the game. Unlike other items, the Lamenter’s Mask can be utilized without any armor on, and its effects persist even after taking a rest at a Site of Grace. However, the only way to deactivate this form is by dying.

To acquire the Lamenter’s Mask, you need to defeat the Lamenter boss, which resides at the depths of the Lamenter’s Prison. This prison is situated in the southwestern section of Charo’s Secret Tomb within the Shadow Realm.

4 Talisman Of All Crucibles

A Perfect Tool For No-Hit Challenge Runs

For some Elden Ring players, the Talisman of All Crucibles might not seem appealing because it raises damage taken by a substantial 45%. However, this talisman could be ideal for no-hit challenges, which are favored by dedicated Elden Ring gamers. If you’re determined to avoid getting hit, the increased damage received is insignificant. The advantage of having all four Crucible talismans combined into a single pouch slot can be quite beneficial. This not only offers intriguing prospects for challenge runs across both the main game and the expansion, but also enhances the player’s backstep and rolling invincibility frames.

In the ‘Shadow of the Erdtree’ expansion, adventurers can uncover the Talisman Of All Crucibles within the ancient ruins of Rauh region. This artifact is tucked away in a secret chest, close to the elevator and near the Ancient Ruins Grand Stairway Site of Grace.

5 Divine Beast Head

More Than Just Helm, This Wearable Head Can Be Used For Secret Interactions

In the creative realm of FromSoftware, they excel at crafting eccentric headgear, and the Divine Beast Head, introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree, could very well be one of their most peculiar designs yet. Note that it’s distinct from the Divine Beast Helm, a component of an entire armor set within the game. This unusual headpiece boasts significant power, despite its humorous, oversized appearance when donned. It boosts the player’s Strength and Dexterity by four points each, effectively granting eight extra levels to any character. Primarily functioning as a quest item rather than a standard helm, it can also be used in conversation with a specific NPC in Belurat to obtain new items. However, there are drawbacks to wearing this item: it’s one of the heaviest helms in Elden Ring, weighing 10.6, and it diminishes the effectiveness of flasks by 11 percent. Nevertheless, its quirky and distinctive nature makes it a noteworthy addition to this list.

To acquire this unique equipment, gamers must overcome the Divine Beast Dancing Lion boss in the Belurat Tower Settlement. Since this is a crucial early-game boss fight essential for advancing in the “Shadow of the Erdtree” narrative, it’s highly unlikely that many players will overlook this valuable loot.

6 Rock Heart and Priestess Heart

Grants Dragon Forms And Dragon Incantations Buffs

In contrast to the mournful Lamenter’s Mask hanging overhead, the Rock Heart and Priestess Heart in Shadow of the Erdtree are more solemn, transformative artifacts that bring substantial advantages. Activating these hearts grants your character a variety of Dragon forms, each with unique final form appearances and special perks. If you engage with the respective hearts again while in dragon form, you’ll receive a 20% damage increase for Dragon Communion Incantations (Rock Heart) or Dragon Cult Incantations (Priestess Heart), lasting for 60 seconds. As an added bonus, the Rock Heart offers 50 resistance points and a 10% enhancement to all damage reduction passively, while the Priestess Heart bestows 70 resistance points and a 7% boost to all damage reduction. Keep in mind, these items can only be utilized without any armor on, and their effects can be reversed upon death.

As a gamer, here’s how I would rephrase that:

2024-08-04 18:34