Alright, so I’ve been messing around with this “Shadow of the Erdtree” thing, specifically trying to figure out which bosses you absolutely have to beat to get through it. I started by firing up the game and just diving in, no guides, just pure exploration.
First thing I did was start a new game, because I wanted a fresh start to document the required bosses for the new story. After the introduction cutscene, I started exploring, I fought some enemies here and there, not really focusing on optional bosses. I wanted to see what the game forced me to do.
I made my way through the initial areas, you know, just following the main path. After a few hours, I bumped into the first big boss that I couldn’t avoid. Let me tell you, this guy was tough! I went through several attempts, trying different weapons, changing my stats, and eventually, I took him down.
- First mandatory boss down! Felt good.
Then I kept going, pushing forward, and exploring the map little by little. A few hours more, and boom, another mandatory boss. This time I used a different build than the first boss, it’s always good to test your character’s versatility. This one was a bit easier, maybe because I was getting better, or maybe it was just a less difficult fight. Either way, I beat him too.
- Second mandatory boss defeated! The game really started to open up after this one.
The world of this DLC is huge, so after the second boss, I spent a lot of time just wandering around, discovering new locations, and finding cool items. Of course, I encountered a bunch of optional bosses during my exploration. Some of them were pretty easy to deal with, and some others were a pain in the ass. I tried to mark the locations of optional bosses on my map, just in case I want to go back and fight them later, and also to avoid mixing them with the required ones.
After a long exploration, I finally encountered the final mandatory boss. At least, I think it’s the final one. This fight was epic! I had to use all my skills and knowledge of the game to win. I died, like, a lot of times, but I didn’t give up. I kept trying different strategies until I finally found one that worked. I was so focused on the battle that I didn’t even realize how late it was until the sun started to rise.
- Final mandatory boss (probably) beaten! What a rush!
My conclusion so far:
It seems like there are at least three mandatory bosses in “Shadow of the Erdtree”. But honestly, the game is so big and there’s so much to explore that I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more. I’ll keep playing and see what else I can find. One thing is for sure, this DLC is a beast! You really need to use your brain and skills to overcome these bosses.
I will continue to play and discover if there are any more mandatory bosses, I’ll keep you guys posted!
