Elden Ring's DLC, The Shadow of the Erdtree, is hard. Almost too hard, if players and critics are to be believed. But, players think they've discovered the weapon type that solves the DLC's toughness, and it's clear this is going to be the very first weapon nerfed, if the hype is real.
News in brief
- Shadow of the Erdtree's bladed shields are broken, according to a number of players
- The shield allows players to hit while also defending
- Even New Game+ bosses are falling with ease
It's taken a little while for people to cotton on, but it turns out the best weapon isn't actually a weapon at all — it's a shield. Shadow of the Erdtree has introduced a new type of shield, a bladed shield, and it allows users to attack while defending, a potent combination in a punishing game like Elden Ring.
When used in two hands, the shields can keep up a constant defense while offering the ability to chip away at a boss's health points. While you'll still need to evade certain attacks, knowing you can tank a bunch of standard attacks from a boss while also plinking away at their health bar is incredibly valuable. Best of all, the shield also works well with a number of upgrades, with the Spear Talisman and Two-Handed Sword Talisman being particularly important upgrades. You can also add various damage types to them, to make them even more potent against certain bosses.
The key to the items' success isn't just that they offer the chance to attack while defending, it's also that they don't take too much stamina to use. Holding up and shield and keeping a defense up costs stamina every time they're hit, and that's still the case with Elden Ring's bladed shields — but they don't use that much stamina, at least not compared to the damage they do. So, you have to imagine this will be where the nerfhammer will fall first when FromSoft start looking to tune the game further. And yes, it seems absolutely likely that this weapon will be tweaked by FromSoft as soon as possible, given how it's being described by the community.
