It's best first to explore the Gravesite Plain area to meet the NPCs and gather Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes in the Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. Here's a list of all the things to do first in the DLC!

What to Do First in the DLC

What to Do First Walkthrough
Get the Gravesite Plain Map Fragment Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes Get Some Good Early Game Weapons Meet the NPCs Defeat the Divine Beast Dancing Lion in Belurat Defeat Rellana in Castle Ensis

Get the Gravesite Plain Map Fragment

The first best thing to do in the DLC before you explore is to fill the first segment of your blank map by finding a map fragment!

Fortunately, the map fragment for the starting location, Gravesite Plain, is just a few steps from the entrance of the Land of Shadow. Look to the northeast and you should spot a glowing tablet from a distance where the fragment is.

Gravesite Plain Map and Region Guide

Collect Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes

Scadutree Fragment Locations

Revered Spirit Ash Locations

You might have already picked up these new items while exploring the map. Just in case you're not sure what to do with these yet, these key items makes the DLC content easier when used in a site of grace.

Scadutree Fragments (pronounced "shadow tree fragments") increase the damage your character deals and reduce the damage they take. Revered Spirit Ashes work exactly the same, but affects your steed and Spirit Ashes instead.

Take note that you can only consume these items in DLC site of graces and that their upgrades will not work in the base game area.

Get Some Good Early Game Weapons

With the map unlocked, you can now grab some of the best early game DLC weapons and try out new builds! The list below shows weapons that are obtainable before fighting any major boss and builds that revolve on each of them.

Weapon	Location and Build Guide
Backhand Blade	Found beside a tomb north of the Scorched Ruins ▶ Backhand Blade Build Guide
Bloodfiend's Arm	Found at Prospect Town ▶ Bloodfiend's Arm Build Guide
Black Steel Greathammer	Dropped by a Black Knight in the Church of Consolation ▶ Black Steel Greathammer Guard Counter Build Guide

Best DLC Weapons

Meet the NPCs

With the Gravesite Plain section of the map unlocked, you can now meet the new NPCs in the DLC who will start questlines filled with lore and rewards. Remember not to progress the main story too fast or you might miss some interactions with these NPCs!

One major trigger that advances NPC questlines is the breaking of Miquella's rune, which can happen earlier if you skipped Castle Ensis through the Fort of Reprimand and either approached the south gate of the Shadow Keep or crossed the bridges of Bonny Village.

NPC	Next Interaction After Rellana
Leda	Found in front of Miquella's cocoon before entering the Land of Shadow.
Redmane Freyja and Hornsent	Found by the Three-Path Cross.
Thiollier	Found by the Pillar Path Cross.
Sir Ansbach and Moore	Found by the Main Gate Cross.
Hornsent Grandam	Found inside the locked Storeroom in Belurat.
Igon	Found along the road west of the Pillar Path Waypoint site of grace.
Fire Knight Queelign	Appears as an invader in the plaza area of Belurat, Tower Settlement.
Dragon Communion Priestess	Found at the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion.

All DLC NPC Quests and Locations

Defeat the Divine Beast Dancing Lion

The Divine Beast Dancing Lion is one of the first bosses that you can fight in the DLC. This Remembrance Boss can be found at the top of Belurat, Tower Settlement, where you can test your skills before fighting the boss at Castle Ensis.

Divine Beast Dancing Lion Boss Guide

Defeat Rellana, Twin Moon Knight

Once you feel you've gathered enough Scadutree Fragments, you can make for Castle Ensis located northeast of Gravesite Plain for the next Remembrance Boss, Rellana, Twin Moon Knight.

Like the Divine Beast, Rellana is also an optional boss that you can skip by going through the back of the Fort of Reprimand. However, you'll be missing out on her remembrance that grants either her Twin Elemental Blades or her Twin Moons sorcery.

Rellana, Twin Moon Knight Boss Guide

What Happens If You Skip Rellana?

Potential to Advance NPC Quests Prematurely

Unlocking Scadu Altus adds the risk of accidentally breaking Miquella's rune and progressing most NPCs' questlines, as this event automatically triggers when approaching Shadow Keep or after crossing the northeast bridges of Bonny Village.

Somewhere a Great Rune Has Broken

Grants Access to More Scadutree Fragments Early

If you're still having trouble with the bosses, you might want to skip Rellana for now and head to Scadu Altus right away to access the other Scadutree Fragments early.

You can aim for a Scadutree Blessing level of at least 12 as this marks the soft cap of the damage and defense boosts and subsequent levels will only provide minimal bonuses.

Scadutree Blessing Scaling Explained

Spellblade Builds Miss Out on Rellana's Twin Blades

Skipping Rellana's fight means you won't be able to obtain either Rellana's weapons or her sorcery through her Remembrance, as well her full armor set from Finger Reader Enia.

Remembrance of the Twin Moon Knight Items
Rellana's Twin Blades	Rellana's Twin Moons

Elden Ring Related Guides

Walkthrough and Progression Route

Story Walkthrough

DLC Walkthrough