Elden Ring DLC players can win this speedrunner’s $10,000 Shadow of the Erdtree bounty, but only if they’re fast enough
You could win the lion’s share of $10K if you speedrun this Elden Ring DLC challenge faster than anyone else.
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What you need to know
Since its launch in 2022, FromSoftware’s colossal open world action RPGElden Ringhas had a lively community of speedrunners — players who aim to finish games as fast as they possibly can, and often with restrictions that make their attempts far more difficult than they’d be otherwise. The recent release of theShadow of the Erdtree DLChas made it even more active, and thanks to a new challenge issued by one of the game’s best speedrunners, skilled players have an opportunity to win the lion’s share of a five-figure sum.
I’m referring to “Rune Level 1 DLC%,” a challenge from former world record holderDistortion2that stipulates a cash prize pool of $10,000 will be split between the top 10 players who beat every major boss in Shadow of the Erdtree with the fastest times while following some strict rules (watchhis videofor full details). Specifically, only runs in which players complete the DLC by killing every major Remembrance boss (andBayle the Dread) while at Level 1 and while only using DLC weapons and spells with limited upgrades fromScadutree Fragmentswill be qualified and eligible for entry. You’ll also need to use a save file provided by Distortion2 onthe challenge’s Discord server, which is positioned just before the start of Shadow of the Erdtree and comes with base game talismans and Flask of Wondrous Physick tears you’re permitted to use.
The basic rules state that you can only increase your Shadow Realm Blessing level to increase damage dealt and reduce damage taken once per boss kill — Remembrance or otherwise. That means you could theoretically get all 20 upgrades by killing lots of side bosses during your run, though this would eat up a lot of time; to maximize speed, I expect that the best runners will prioritize Remembrance boss kills over Scadutree Fragment buffs.
There’s no set route you have to take, so you’re free to challenge all 10 of the DLC’s main bosses in any order you want to. Since some bosses are far more accessible than others — quite a few are gated behind miniboss fights, and one requires an NPC questline completion — I’d wager challenge runners will focus on defeating the easiest-to-reach ones first before moving on to other ones.
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You’re also free to use any DLC weapon or spell that you want, though even with help from stat-boosting talismans and Physick tears, many will be difficult to reach the stat requirements for at Level 1. I’m expecting some of Shadow of the Erdtree’s early and easy-to-wield weapons like the Backhand Blades, Beast Claw, andMiladyto be popular choices, but ultimately, that’s just a guess from someone who could never hope to win this contest in a million years. I’m good at Soulsborne games, but notthatgood.
With all base game weapons and spells off the table, it will be interesting to see what strategies develop in the coming days. That restriction bans fan-favorite speedrunning weapons like the Uchigatana, Star Fist, and the Serpent-Hunter that’ve dominated the scene ever since Elden Ring came out, so I’m looking forward to whatever fresh and creative builds come out of this.
The challenge is active until August 11 at 9:59 p.m. PT / August 12 at 12:59 a.m. ET, so if you intend to compete, you’ll need to submit a run before then. Whoever gets 1st place will take home $4,000 — the lion’s share of the prize pool. 2nd-5th place winners will split another $5,000, with 6-10th ones getting $200 each. Donations made to Distortion2 while the competition is running are also being added to a bonus prize pool that’s currently up to $2,595.
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Whether you’re serious about participating in this challenge or just want to keep up with who’s at the top of the leaderboard, don’t forget to join the Discord Distortion2 made for it using the link I included above. It’s got a full list of all the rules you need to be aware of, tutorials for how to use speedrunning tools necessary for time verification, and a leaderboard channel where the best times of qualifying completions will be displayed.
The Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is finally here, and it makes one of thebest Xbox gamesandbest PC gamesof all time even better. It’s out now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and Windows PC for $39.99.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree | $35.49 at CDKeys (Xbox)
Shadow of the Erdtree is Elden Ring at its most refined, with the base game’s overly formulaic elements cut away and some of FromSoftware’s best boss fights. The result is a 40-hour-long masterpiece of a DLC that’s an absolute must-play for any Soulsborne fan.
Also see:Shadow of the Erdtree (PC, $37.59)|Deluxe Edition (PC, $92.29)
Collector’s Edition:Bandai Namco Store (€249.99)
Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once.Follow him on X(Twitter).
