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There is no official, universal New Game Plus (NG+) entry level for Shadow of the Erdtree. Your practical target is a character whose main attributes are developed for the weapon or spell setup you actually use, whose survivability is reliable, and whose main weapon is upgraded as far as your available materials reasonably allow. The official weapon ceilings are +25 for regular weapons and +10 for unique weapons; those are maximum upgrade levels, not publisher-stated minimums for entering the expansion.
If the Realm of Shadow feels unusually punishing, do not assume that more ordinary runes are the only answer. The expansion has its own progression: Scadutree Fragments improve your character’s combat power there, while Revered Spirit Ashes improve your Spirit Ashes. Official guidance specifically tells stuck players to explore for these items.
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The short answer: use a readiness check, not a magic NG+ level
When players ask, “What level should I be for Shadow of the Erdtree in NG+?” they are usually looking for one number. No reliable official source supplies one. The retrieved publisher guidance explains attributes, weapon scaling, upgrade mechanics and Realm of Shadow blessings, but it does not give an NG+-specific level, a weapon-upgrade threshold, or a different target for each New Game Plus cycle.
That omission matters because two characters at the same level can have very different damage and survivability. A level spent on attributes your weapon does not scale from may contribute little, while a lower-level character with appropriate Vigor, matching offensive stats and a well-upgraded weapon can be better prepared. NG+ cycle, build, weapon type, armor, talismans, familiarity with the boss movesets and your progress through the DLC’s blessing system all affect the experience.
#1 Best Overall
- Collaborating with George R.R. Martin to create the ELDEN RING mythos has been a genuinely delightful experience and a source of wonderful inspiration. The team is working hard to ensure that the world of ELDEN RING will be a fascinating place for players to explore, filled with peril and wonder from its furthest reaches to its lowest depths. This is a FromSoftware title through and through, rich in fantasy and RPG action. We sincerely hope you look forward to it.
- Building the world of ELDEN RING with Miyazaki-san and his team was a treat! The graphics, mythos, and action-RPG gameplay will deliver an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait for people to see what ELDEN RING has in store for them.” Said George R.R. Martin.
Use the following as a practical gate before you enter:
- Your Vigor and defensive setup let you survive ordinary attacks long enough to learn an encounter instead of dying to every mistake.
- Your main weapon or spell catalyst has the attributes it requires and scales from the attributes you have actually invested in.
- Your main weapon is substantially upgraded for its path. Regular weapons can reach +25; unique weapons can reach +10.
- You are willing to explore for Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes if your initial damage or survivability is poor.
If all four statements are true, your exact character level is less useful as a predictor than your build’s coherence and your Realm of Shadow blessing progress.
Why character level alone cannot answer the question
Attributes have diminishing returns
Bandai Namco’s 2023 stat guidance describes approximate Strength and Dexterity softcaps at 20, 55 and 80. “Softcap” means that additional points generally produce smaller gains after that point; it does not mean the attribute stops working. The actual return also depends on the weapon’s scaling, so the same Dexterity investment can perform differently with two weapons.
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Rank #3
- Elden Ring: Nightreign - Seekers Edition /PS5
Survivability changes the value of every offensive point
Entering with more damage does not help if a single mistake ends every attempt. Check whether your current Vigor, damage negation, flask allocation and defensive talismans give you room to survive the attacks you are encountering. The right amount is personal: a player who can consistently avoid attacks may need less margin than someone learning a boss, but neither should treat a nominal level as proof of readiness.
NG+ information is not cycle-specific in the official guidance
The official material available for this question does not state how the expansion’s recommended entry level should change in NG+, NG+2 or later cycles. It also does not establish detailed rules here for how blessing levels reset or carry over between cycles. Do not turn an online NG+ number into a publisher recommendation. Treat any range from a community guide as a rule of thumb from that guide, not an official requirement.
Weapon upgrade targets: understand the ceilings first
Regular weapons: the +25 path
Regular weapons use Smithing Stones and can be upgraded through +25. The upgrade level raises base damage and can improve the weapon’s scaling grade. A weapon’s displayed letter grade is not the whole calculation, but it is a useful reminder that upgrading both increases the base number and can make your invested attributes contribute more effectively.
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Unique weapons use Somber Smithing Stones and can be upgraded through +10. Their upgrade track is shorter because each level represents a larger step. Do not compare a regular weapon at +20 and a unique weapon at +8 as if the numbers were on the same scale; compare each item with the ceiling of its own track and with the role it fills in your build.
| Weapon category | Upgrade material | Official maximum | What to use as an entry check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular weapon | Smithing Stones | +25 | Upgrade your chosen main weapon as far as practical for your materials; +25 is a ceiling, not a stated minimum. |
| Unique weapon | Somber Smithing Stones | +10 | Advance the weapon substantially on its own track; +10 is a ceiling, not a stated minimum. |
There is no evidence for a single mandatory value such as “you must be +25” or “you must be +10” before starting the DLC. If you are still using an early-game weapon with only a few upgrades while holding enough materials to improve it, upgrading is usually a more direct correction than adding unrelated character levels. Conversely, a nearly capped weapon does not rescue a build that lacks its required attributes or enough survivability.
How to audit your build before entering the Realm of Shadow
- Identify the weapon or catalyst you actually plan to use. Open its status information and note its attribute requirements and scaling. Do not plan around a weapon you only intend to test after entering unless you can already meet its requirements.
- Check your offensive attributes against that scaling. Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith and Arcane investments should support the weapon, spell or incantation setup you selected. The approximate 20, 55 and 80 softcaps are useful planning landmarks for Strength and Dexterity, but they are not mandatory levels and do not replace the weapon’s own scaling data.
- Check Vigor and defenses. Look at how often ordinary enemies or the last boss you fought can kill you in one or two hits. If the answer is “almost always,” improve survivability before assuming that another damage stat will solve the problem.
- Upgrade the main weapon before spreading materials across experiments. A reliable primary weapon gives you a known damage baseline. Upgrade a backup only when it serves a clear purpose, such as a different damage type, range or status approach.
- Confirm your equipment load and resource routine. Enter with a load category and flask setup you can use comfortably. The exact arrangement is build-dependent, but an overloaded character or an allocation that leaves you unable to sustain attempts creates a practical weakness that levels alone do not fix.
- Make a test run in the base game. Fight a tough late-game enemy with the same weapon, talismans and buffs you intend to carry into the expansion. The test is not an official benchmark; it is a way to discover whether your attacks, stamina management and survivability are under control.
Scadutree Blessings are the DLC’s separate power progression
The expansion’s Realm of Shadow contains Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes. The official gameplay guidance says that players who get stuck should explore various areas and look for these items: Scadutree Fragments are necessary to strengthen the player character in the Realm of Shadow, while Revered Spirit Ashes strengthen Spirit Ashes.
This means a difficult fight may be telling you to explore rather than to leave the DLC and farm ordinary runes. Blessing upgrades are designed specifically for the expansion’s combat environment, so they can address the problem more directly than a few additional levels in an unrelated attribute.
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Patch 1.12.2, released in 2024, revised the Scadutree Blessing curve. The first half of the upgrades became more effective, later increases became more gradual, and the final level received a slight increase. The practical implication is that early exploration for fragments can matter substantially, while later upgrades still help but provide smaller, more gradual gains than the early part of the curve.
Best Value
- ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware Inc. and produced by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG and FromSoftware's largest game to date, set within a world full of mystery and peril
- Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential DARK SOULS video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire
- Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or on horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, and foreboding castles
- Create your character in FromSoftware’s refi ned action-RPG and defi ne your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world
- Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid - many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat
When to look for blessings instead of farming levels
- Damage feels low from the first few hits: verify your weapon scaling and upgrade level, then search nearby areas for Scadutree Fragments.
- Regular enemies kill you despite a sound build: collect additional fragments and review defensive equipment before committing to a long rune-farming session.
- Your Spirit Ash dies immediately: seek Revered Spirit Ashes and ensure the summon you use fits the encounter.
- You are missing attacks or running out of stamina: no blessing substitutes for learning the fight; adjust your approach and practice the timing.
Comparing common preparation approaches
Rather than ranking builds by level, compare them on the four factors that directly affect readiness: survivability, stat-to-weapon compatibility, upgrade progress and blessing progress.
| Preparation approach | Strength | Risk or limitation | Best next check |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-level character, lightly upgraded weapon | More attribute points and potentially more health | Base weapon damage and scaling may lag behind the content | Upgrade the main weapon and verify its scaling before adding more levels. |
| Moderate level, well-matched weapon near its track’s ceiling | Efficient damage from upgrades and relevant attributes | Less room for mistakes if Vigor and defenses are neglected | Test survivability against late-game enemies and correct defensive gaps. |
| Damage-focused build with low Vigor | Fast kills when attacks connect | Small mistakes can end attempts immediately | Rebalance survivability or change the encounter plan before farming damage. |
| Strong base-game setup with few Realm of Shadow blessings | Reliable starting equipment and mechanics knowledge | DLC-specific damage and defense bonuses are underdeveloped | Explore for Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes. |
| High blessing progress but mismatched weapon attributes | Good expansion-specific bonuses | Weapon still underperforms if requirements and scaling are ignored | Revisit the weapon choice and attribute allocation. |
A practical decision tree for an NG+ entry
- Can you meet the requirements of your intended main weapon? If not, respec or choose another weapon before entering. Do not use total character level as a substitute for the required attributes.
- Is the weapon upgraded substantially on its correct path? Regular weapons belong to the Smithing Stone track with a +25 ceiling; unique weapons belong to the Somber Smithing Stone track with a +10 ceiling. If your weapon is far below its ceiling and you have the materials, upgrade it.
- Can you survive normal mistakes? If not, add survivability through relevant attributes or equipment and practice the encounter’s damage patterns.
- Are the first enemies still overwhelming? Explore for Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes. The official guidance prioritizes this exploration when players are stuck.
- Is the problem execution rather than numbers? Change spacing, timing, attack selection or summon usage. More levels cannot correct an attack pattern you have not learned.
Only after these checks should you decide whether additional rune spending is worthwhile. A level is useful when it improves a relevant stat or fixes a clear survivability problem; it is not useful merely because a guide printed a larger number.
Ownership and edition requirements
Shadow of the Erdtree is an expansion for Elden Ring, not a standalone game. You need the base game and the expansion on the same supported platform. The publisher lists editions that bundle the base game and DLC, but the exact offer, platform and regional availability can change. Check the current store listing for your region before purchasing or upgrading an edition.
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What this means for later NG+ cycles
Do not assume that a recommendation for a first NG+ cycle automatically applies to NG+2 or a later cycle. The official material used for this guidance does not publish cycle-by-cycle entry levels or weapon targets for the expansion. As cycles change the context in which you fight, reassess your actual damage, survivability, weapon compatibility and Scadutree Blessing progress each time instead of applying a fixed number.
The dependable rule is therefore simple: enter when your build is coherent and your main weapon is substantially upgraded, then let exploration in the Realm of Shadow supply the DLC-specific power you are missing. The +25 and +10 figures tell you how each weapon track ends; they do not tell you a universal level at which every NG+ character is ready.
Quick Recap
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