FromSoftware has released a balance patch for Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, addressing player concerns regarding its difficulty. The update, version 1.12.2, significantly boosts the effectiveness of Shadow Realm Blessings (like Scadutree Fragments) in the early stages of the DLC. Specifically, the attack power and damage reduction provided by these blessings are substantially increased in the first half of their enhancement levels, with a more gradual increase in the latter half. The final enhancement level also receives a slight buff.
This change should make the initial encounters, and even the final boss battles, considerably less challenging for players who utilize these crucial items. Bandai Namco even issued a reminder urging players to actively use Scadutree Fragments, highlighting their importance in overcoming the DLC's difficulty. These fragments, collected through exploration, enhance both damage output and damage resistance when activated at Sites of Grace.
The update also addresses a bug affecting PC players. Loading saved data from older game versions inadvertently enabled ray tracing, leading to performance issues for some users. The patch corrects this, advising players to manually disable ray tracing in the graphics settings if they experience framerate problems. Further balance adjustments and bug fixes are promised in future updates.
Key changes in Elden Ring Update 1.12.2:
- Revised Shadow Realm Blessing Scaling: Increased attack and damage negation, particularly in the early enhancement levels. The final level also received a minor boost.
- Ray Tracing Bug Fix (PC): Resolved an issue where ray tracing was automatically enabled upon loading older save files.
- Future Updates Planned: Additional balance adjustments and bug fixes are forthcoming.
Players are advised to update to version 1.12.2 to benefit from these improvements. The updated version is confirmed by checking the "Calibration Ver." at the bottom right of the title menu; it should read "1.12.2".
