Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC receives a balancing update (1.12.2) to ease difficulty. While praised, the DLC's challenging nature prompted player feedback, including review bombing on Steam. This update directly addresses concerns about difficulty.

The update significantly boosts the attack power and damage reduction provided by Shadow Realm Blessings (like Scadutree Fragments) in the early stages of enhancement. While the latter half of the enhancement progression will see more gradual increases, the final enhancement level also receives a slight buff. This makes both the early and late game portions of the DLC more manageable.

Bandai Namco even issued a reminder to players to utilize Scadutree Fragments effectively, as many weren't taking full advantage of them. These fragments, collectible within the DLC, enhance damage output and damage resistance when used at Sites of Grace.

The patch notes also highlight a bug affecting PC players: ray tracing automatically activates when loading saves from previous versions, causing framerate issues. Players are advised to manually disable ray tracing in the graphics settings. Future updates are promised to address further bugs and balance adjustments.

Elden Ring Update 1.12.2 Patch Notes Summary:

• Shadow Realm Blessing Adjustments: Increased attack power and damage negation, particularly in the early stages of Blessing enhancements. Final enhancement level also slightly improved.
• Ray Tracing Bug Fix (PC): Resolved automatic ray tracing activation when loading older saves. Players should manually disable if experiencing framerate problems.
• Future Updates Planned: Additional bug fixes and balance adjustments are forthcoming.