Best boss order for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC

Shadow of the Erdtree is mostly non-linear, but here's the most optimal boss order.

Messmer the Impaler elden ring
Image via FromSoftware

There are 10 major bosses in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and they all put up a substantial fight. Certain new encounters are among the hardest fights FromSoftware has ever designed. But like the base game, Shadow of the Erdtree is almost entirely non-linear—so what’s the best order to tackle the challenges ahead?

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What order should you complete Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree’s bosses?

1) Divine Beast Dancing Lion

Divine Beast Dancing Lion opening cutscene in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Dance for me. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Divine Beast Dancing Lion is the first major boss in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and the boss of the first Legacy Dungeon—Belurat, Tower Settlement. It’s technically an optional boss, but you shouldn’t skip it. It’s probably the most straightforward of all the new encounters, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

If it’s an optimal boss order you seek, you’re best off tackling Belurat and the Dancing Lion first. You can get there immediately after starting Shadow of the Erdtree.

2) Rellana, Twin Moon Knight

Rellana, Twin Moon Knight using spells against the player character in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Keep moving and watch out for those projectiles. Screenshot by Dot Esports

You might wonder where to go next after clearing Belurat and beating the Dancing Lion. Castle Ensis is just on the horizon: it’s a smaller-scale dungeon that blocks the way to the next major zone of the expansion, Scadu Altus. This is a mandatory dungeon with a boss at the end—Rellana, Twin Moon Knight.

She’s a dual-wielding knight who fights with a mixture of Fire and Magic. Make sure you watch out for her magic greatsword attacks because they cover a huge area of effect.

3) Golden Hippopotamus

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Golden Hippopotamus boss fight
I guess they don’t have hippo dentists in the Land of Shadow. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Golden Hippopotamus is the first big difficulty spike in Shadow of the Erdtree. It guards the entrance to Shadow Keep, Shadow of the Erdtree’s second Legacy Dungeon, and it’s non-optional if you want to progress via the main gate. After beating the Hippo, you’re free to explore the Legacy Dungeon that lies ahead.

The Hippo deals tons of damage and is tough to avoid, so if you’re struggling, check out our guide on how to beat the Golden Hippopotamus in Shadow of the Erdtree.

4) Messmer the Impaler

Elden Ring Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Messmer the Impaler overview
Don’t poke me with that thing! Image via FromSoftware

It’s Messmer himself—the face of the whole expansion. You encounter him surprisingly early, but he’s an epic fight worth remembering. If you continue through Shadow Keep after beating the Golden Hippopotamus, you’ll eventually reach another named area—the Specimen Storehouse, which is the second section of this Legacy Dungeon.

Messmer the Impaler is the boss of the area, so keep climbing up and you’ll eventually reach him. Messmer is the hardest fight yet, so if you’re having trouble, consider collecting more Scadutree Fragments. The Scadutree Blessing substantially increases your attack and defense in the Land of Shadow.

5) Putrescent Knight

Putrescent Knight boss fight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Putrid. Screenshot by Dot Esports

After beating Messmer, you can progress the story and access the last few bits of Shadow of the Erdtree, but there’s plenty more to do in the meantime. Head to the southernmost point of the Land of Shadow, at the very bottom of Cerulean Coast, and you’ll find a pit that leads to an expansive dungeon called Stone Coffin Fissure. At the bottom of the Fissure is another major boss—the Putrescent Knight. He guards the way to an important NPC, so continue onward after you beat him.

6) Romina, Saint of the Bud

Romina boss fight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Watch out for Scarlet Rot! Screenshot by Dot Esports

Next, I recommend you continue exploring past the Specimen Storehouse. You’ll reach the Ancient Ruins of Rauh—a verdant, mossy ruin with lots to explore. The boss of this area is Romina, Saint of the Bud. She’s a human-centipede hybrid reminiscent of Dark Souls’ Quelaag, who was half-spider.

Many of Romina’s attacks inflict Scarlet Rot, so bring Boluses or the Flame, Cleanse Me Incantation. After beating her, as long as you’ve killed Messmer, you can progress the story in Shadow of the Erdtree and make a new area appear on the map.

7) Scadutree Avatar

Scadutree Avatar boss fight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Blooming hell. Screenshot by Dot Esports

There are a few more major bosses to tick off the list before heading to the final area. It makes the most sense to kill the Scadutree Avatar next. You can reach this boss after clearing Shadow Keep, Church District. After draining the water, head to the lower level, go through the northern exit, and down an elevator. You’ll reach Tree-Worship Sanctum—continue through the tunnel until you reach the Scadutree Avatar’s boss arena.

8) Bayle the Dread

Bayle the Dread boss fight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
An epic encounter. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Bayle the Dread is my favorite fight in the whole expansion, and it’s one of FromSoftware’s most epic dragon battles to date. Bayle is a fearsome beast who leaps around the arena unleashing a barrage of Fire and Lightning attacks. Reach him by heading up Jagged Peak—you can get there by exploring the Dragon’s Pit mini-dungeon in Gravesite Plain, near the Suppressing Pillar.

9) Metyr, Mother of Fingers

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree hidden boss Metyr, Mother of Fingers
A challenging unlockable encounter. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Metyr, Mother of Fingers is a difficult optional boss locked behind a fairly hidden NPC questline. She’s a giant, grotesque hand similar to the Finger Creepers you encounter throughout Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree. Unlocking her requires quite a few steps, so check out my guide on unlocking the Metyr, Mother of Fingers secret boss to find out how.

10) Promised Consort Radahn

radahn in shadow of the erdtree cut scene
One of the hardest fights in the series. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Yep, it’s Radahn—the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree. After beating Romina, Saint of the Bud, you can use Messmer’s Flame to burn down the tree that’s hiding Enir-Ilim—the giant spiral tower above Belurat, Tower Settlement. This is the fabled Tower of Shadow that’s talked about so much throughout Shadow of the Erdtree. At the very top, you encounter Promised Consort Radahn, and he’s without a doubt one of the hardest bosses FromSoftware has ever made.

Author
Image of Tom Foley
Tom Foley
Tom is the UK Associate Editor for Dot Esports. He's the former TCG Editor for CBR and holds a Master's degree in Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh. Tom spent six years as a Science Editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, and AstraZeneca before leaving science to pursue his dream career in games journalism at the start of 2023. He loves MMOs, RPGs, TCGs, and pretty much every game by FromSoftware—especially Dark Souls.