Unleashing Elden Ring's Untapped Potential: How DLC Can Elevate One Core Game Feature

In the future, Elden Ring is expected to receive a significant DLC expansion called Shadow of the Erdtree. This update is anticipated to be one of FromSoftware's largest post-launch updates. It is said that development began shortly after Elden Ring's release and combines two separate DLCs, similar to how Bloodborne's The Old Hunters was structured. Although details are scarce, it is believed that news about the DLC will not be announced until after Armored Core 6 is released. However, the wait is expected to be worthwhile.

The lack of information about Shadow of the Erdtree has made the wait feel even longer for the Elden Ring community. So far, only a poster showing a distorted Erdtree and what fans assume to be Miquella riding Torrent has been revealed. Fans are hoping that the DLC will resolve unresolved storylines and include battles against the remaining demigods Godwin and Miquella. Additionally, there is curiosity about the possibility of reintroducing cut content, such as the St. Trina questline. In order to enhance the already extensive game, Elden Ring's DLC should offer more content and expand upon its existing features.

Elden Ring’s Whetblades Have Plenty Of Room For Expansion

In Elden Ring, players will come across a small cave early in the game that holds a special item called the Whetblade. This unique knife, inspired by real-life whetstones used for sharpening blades, has an exciting mechanic attached to it. Unlike previous Soulsborne titles, Elden Ring does not have weapon durability, but the Whetblade allows players to unlock the ability to swap Ashes of War on compatible weapons, resulting in a wide range of personalized loadouts.

Aside from this, Whetblades also determine a weapon's affinity, with a total of thirteen different affinities available. Players will need to find five additional Whetblades to unlock twelve of these affinities. Each Whetblade offers various benefits, such as enhancing attribute scaling with a specific stat, improving scaling upgrade multipliers for certain stats, changing a weapon's damage type, infusing Frostbite, Poison, or Blood Loss buildup, or uniquely increasing the buildup of native status effects with the Occult affinity in relation to Arcane scaling. Whetblades provide an easy means to optimize builds in Elden Ring and their rarity and multiple uses make them valuable discoveries.

What Shadow of the Erdtree Could Do With Whetblades

Whetblades in Elden Ring's DLC offer great potential for increased versatility. These highly sought-after weapons could serve as a unique treasure template, even in the unexplored realms of Shadow of the Erdtree, igniting a familiar thrill in players. A possible addition to the Whetblade arsenal could be a variant with three affinities, infusing the weapon with strike, slash, or pierce damage - the three damage types currently not covered. Instead of applying a single damage type to all moves, it may be more effective to incorporate multipliers for attacks of each type. This enhancement would undoubtedly benefit niche weapon enthusiasts, serving as a significant advantage.

While caution must be exercised to avoid creating overpowering meta builds in Elden Ring, there is still space to introduce a few more Whetblades. One intriguing possibility is a Whetblade designed to target Madness, Sleep, and Scarlet Rot buildup. Although its status effect inflictions might be comparatively weaker than other sources, such a weapon could introduce scaling for Vigor, Mind, and Endurance, resulting in enticing character builds. Additionally, the introduction of a Death Whetblade cannot be overlooked. This particular weapon could incorporate a weaker version of Maliketh's Black Blade and the Black Knife's effects, which decrease the player's maximum health, while simultaneously reducing the player's stats to balance the benefits. The potential for Whetblade experimentation remains vast, and it is our hope that FromSoftware continues to explore these possibilities in Elden Ring's future DLC.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.