New Elden Ring Update Makes the DLC Easier

Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC receives a balancing update, easing early and late-game challenges. FromSoftware's latest patch, 1.12.2, directly addresses player feedback regarding the DLC's difficulty. While lauded by critics, the expansion proved too demanding for some, prompting negative reviews and complaints about its steep difficulty curve, particularly when compared to the base game.

Update 1.12.2 significantly boosts the attack power and damage reduction provided by Shadow Realm Blessings (like Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes) in the early stages of enhancement. The improvements are more gradual in the latter stages, with a small increase also applied to the final enhancement level. This should make overcoming early obstacles, and even the final boss encounters, considerably easier.

Interestingly, Bandai Namco had to remind players to utilize Scadutree Fragments – a new collectible enhancing damage and defense – as many weren't taking full advantage of them. The update further amplifies the benefits of these fragments, providing a more substantial edge.

The patch notes also highlight a bug affecting PC players. Loading saved data from older versions automatically enabled ray tracing, causing framerate issues for some. The update resolves this, urging players to manually disable ray tracing if experiencing performance problems. Future updates are planned to address additional balance concerns and remaining bugs.

Elden Ring Update 1.12.2 Patch Notes Summary:

• Shadow Realm Blessing Adjustments: Increased attack and damage negation, particularly in the initial enhancement stages. A smaller boost is applied to the maximum enhancement level.
• Ray Tracing Bug Fix (PC): Resolved automatic ray tracing activation when loading older save data.
• Future Updates: Planned balance tweaks and bug fixes are forthcoming.

The update requires logging into the multiplayer server to apply the calibration. Players should verify that the Calibration Ver. displayed in the bottom right of the title menu is "1.12.2" before playing. If not, selecting "LOGIN" will apply the latest updates.