Here's What I Want From Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree

A FromSoftware DLC is always something to be excited about; from the derelict Painted World of Ariandel, to confronting Gael at the climax of The Ringed City, by way of exploring the tragedy of the Fishing Hamlet and the Orphan of Kos, they’ve brought us some of the most memorable locations and bosses in gaming. Since the announcement of Elden Ring's upcoming Shadow Of The Erdtree expansion, the community has been rife with speculation as to what it will bring to the table.

The teaser image we were shown for the DLC shows a figure, very likely to be Miquella, riding Torrent. So it seems Miquella might've been Torrent's former master—and those who've delved into the game's lore and item descriptions know that Miquella has been an immensely influential figure in the Lands Between, both as himself and as St. Trina. Right now, he's a figure we've heard much about but never gotten to properly meet, so I hope the DLC introduces us.

His association with sleep and dreaming make me wonder if we'll get to visit the dream world somehow—and if so, will it be the kind of peaceful utopia he envisioned for the Haligtree, an idealized version of the Erdtree which welcomes all under its branches, whether they’re Misbegotten, Omens or otherwise? Or will it be a horror to rival the Nightmare of Mensis, affected by Mohg’s bloody rituals and the mysterious Outer God he serves?

© Provided by DualShockers malenia,-blade-of-miquella (1)

The DLC brings with it the opportunity to flesh out a few types of builds and equipment. The base game lacks a weapon that scales purely off INT, for instance, as well as any bow that offers more than D scaling in a stat. The Ashes of War for bows are rather bland and samey too, so some unique Ashes could go a long way towards making a bow feel more viable as your main weapon.

Related: Elden Ring: 10 Best Bows, Ranked

My number one wish is for a Reaper-class weapon with satisfying animations. There are only four scythes in the game at present, and all of them feel somewhat slow and unwieldy, which doesn't align with the fantasy of these types of weapons. What's the point of cosplaying one of the Cleanrot Knights if I can't emulate their speed and grace? So pretty please, give us a scythe with moves as slick as those of the Godskin Peeler.

On that note, I’d also welcome some more cosmetic options for customizing our builds. Armor alteration was a pretty novel feature for Elden Ring to have introduced, and a step in the right direction for us Fashion Souls players. Right now though, a lot of the available alterations come down to adjusting capes. Going forward, it'd be nice to see this pushed further: how about toggling helmet visors, or even changing the color of an armor set? Boc the Seamster would welcome the opportunity to show off his craft, I'm sure, and we'd all do well to be prepared for the next time the fashion police strike.

This Tarnished is also holding out hope that some community theories about the story of The Lands Between might be confirmed. All of us familiar with FromSoftware games know by now that much of their underlying lore is never brought up explicitly in-game, but rather revealed (or even just implied) in the environment and in item descriptions. Knowing this, it's hard to expect the DLC to deliver any straight facts—in fact, it'll probably create even more mysteries.

Even so, we all have our pet theories and burning questions that we'd really like answered. In this case: what's the deal with Ensha?

© Provided by DualShockers Elden-Ring-Ensha-Royal-Remains

He's a servant of some kind to Gideon Offnir; that's about all we know for sure. But considering his status as an NPC who we only interact with twice in the entire game—once to receive the What Do You Want? Gesture, and once when he attacks us in the Roundtable Hold—Ensha's item descriptions really raise some eyebrows. His armor is said to be 'graced with gold human bones' which belonged to a 'soulless king, the lord of the lost and desperate, who was known as Ensha.' So, Ensha is wearing his own bones. Does he not speak because he can't, then, being some kind of animated suit of armor? If his bones are golden, did he somehow belong to the Golden Lineage? Might he be related to the 'soulless demigods' we find in the Walking Mausoleums?

To be called a lord and a king in The Lands Between is a big deal; I can't help but feel that much about the character has been left unsaid. There are countless little mysteries like this one scattered throughout the game, so hopefully the DLC helps us piece some more of it together.

Next: My First Soulsbourne Experience Was Co-Op Elden Ring, And I Loved It