Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is hard, there’s no doubt about that. But, as with every Souls game, there is a way to make it much easier, if you just know some crafty tricks.
Thrusting shields are a new weapon type that have been added to Elden Ring in its Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. These large shields have pointed tips, allowing users to both defend and attack with them at the same time, making them very versatile weapons. They’re particularly useful against the highly aggressive bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree.
The Carian Thrusting Shield is proving especially effective. It scales with strength, dexterity, and intelligence, making it perfect for a mage-melee hybrid build. It can be upgraded to +25 and then held in both hands, making it a weapon to be reckoned with. You can also imbue it with magical effects via items and ashes of war.
The way you use this shield is simple: just block and then light attack until you run out of stamina. Wait for your stamina to recharge and then rinse and repeat. For this reason, you’ll want to boost your endurance as much as possible so you can keep poking the bosses until they go down.
You will take some chip damage through the block, so make sure you back off to heal every now and then, but as you can see in the video above, you’re practically invincible while using this strategy.
The DLC was so tough it got review bombed on Steam before it got patched to become easier. So, if you’re still having trouble, just try out this new tactic and you should be able to waltz right through any boss.
In other news, the Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail team has apologised for launch issues after promising no launch issues.