Summary
Elden Ringplayers struggling to come to terms withShadow of the Erdtree’s new Scadutree Fragment consumable can finally get rid of the mechanicwith a handy mod. While it’s no secret that FromSoftware’s latest DLC is a punishing experience, many have criticized the addition of theScadutree Fragmentas a means of gaining additional power when tackling the expansion’s bosses. The mechanic is less focused on grinding down enemies and asks players to engage in world exploration, leading many to accuse the system of wasting players' time.
Fortunately, those players who dislike Scadutree Fragments can now remove them fromShadow of the Erdtreethanks to the “Normalized DLC Damage” mod by creatorSereenatyover on Nexus Mods.The add-on does what one might expect by making the expansion’s damage similar to that experienced in the base version ofElden Ringand replaces Scadutree Fragments with Rune Arcs, items which are known for making the game slightly easier by unlocking the ability of Great Runes. In this way, players needn’t worry about increasing their Scadutree Blessing level and can focus on leveling up in the traditional sense.
Tough Early-Game Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Boss Is Well Worth The Pain
An early, optional boss in Shadow of the Erdtree gives rewards that can be extremely useful for the rest of the DLC - for players who can beat it.
Why Do People Hate Scadutree Fragments?
Some Believe It’s Unnecessary Grinding
One of the most common reasons why players are struggling to overcomeShadow of the Erdtree’s bosses is the existence of the Scadutree Blessing mechanic.This additional leveling system requires players to track down and collect Scadutree Fragmentsin order to boost their Blessing level, granting them more damage output and better defense against enemy attacks. In practice, it’s a way ofencouraging players to explore the environmentand venture off the beaten path but some see it as a waste of time.
The general argument is that the Scadutree Blessing is a needless form of gatekeepingthat places too much emphasis on collecting items rather than learning attack patterns. SomeElden Ringplayers think thatfarming Scadutree Fragmentsforces them to abandon their main quest as they’re prompted to run around the world rather than engage in the game’s combat, throwing off the pacing. The shift from grinding levels through combat to gathering strength with consumables is seen as a cheap means of becoming more powerful.
Whether or not the Scadutree Blessing system works in practice, that hasn’t stopped theElden Ringcommunity from eating upShadow of the Erdtree.The DLC quickly became the best-reviewed expansion of all timewith many insisting it’s one ofFromSoftware’s best projects to date. Players struggling to see the experience throughshould persevere through the challengeby either collecting Scadutree Fragments or alternatively, checking out the aforementioned mod.
