Summary
Since theElden Ring: Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC was released on July 21, the community has been ravenous. The game has dominated gaming media circles, in part due to seemingly unending discussions surrounding its difficulty. However, between its sweeping new map, challenging bosses, and interesting build possibilities,Shadow of the Erdtreemay remain at the forefront of gaming for the foreseeable future. That being said, it is not without flaws, and certain items are proving to be much too powerful.
As quickly as players have come out with praise, others have broughtcriticism to the newElden RingDLC. Many have voiced complaints that the game itself is too difficult, a sentiment met with conflicted responses. Many posit thatElden Ringitself has always been meant as a challenging gameand question why the DLC should be any different. Still, this has not stopped FromSoftware from issuing apatch to slightly ease the difficulty. This precedent has players speculating that future patches may be coming, specifically due to concerns over weapon abilities.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Review - FromSoft’s Greatest Hits
Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is a victory lap for FromSoftware, bringing in elements from past games without losing what made it special.
Shadow Of The Erdtree’s Swift Slash Ash Of War Is Incredibly Powerful
New Skill Has Players Predicting A Nerf
TheElden Ringcommunity has always been one to compare builds and relish in analyzing the metagame. Unsurprisingly, community forums have been buzzing with discussions over the most powerful or broken builds. Since theShadow of the Erdtreepatch, a frontrunner has come forward as possibly the most overpowered skill in the DLC: the Swift Slash Ash of War.Many in gaming forums call on the skill to be nerfed immediately, while others enjoy the power fantasy. RedditorDriveByUppercutshared their insights in response to a discussion onShadow of the Erdtree’s best weapons, calling Swift Slash “busted” and and predicting, “It’s gonna get nerfed hard.”
Swift Slash is an art of war attained by defeating Needle Knight Leda alongside the Hornsent on the Shadow Keep bridge. It’s a skill for backhand blades, one ofShadow of the Erdtree’s new weapon sets. Essentially,the ability allows players to charge up a strike that bursts forward, covering a massive area.
“A skill passed down amongst hornsent swordsmen. Take a swift forward step to slice through foes. This sharp strike also fires off a shearing vacuum. Can be charged to increase the skill’s power and the distance of the forward step.” - Swift Slash item description
Swift Slash Is Too Much For Elden Ring’s PvP
The Shadow Of The Erdtree Skill Is Nearly Unblockable
Fans of the skill cite its impressive visuals and classic fun while playing in PvE. Critics, however, state thatSwift Slash is completely broken in PvP settings, rendering the outcome of a duel dependent on simple spamming. This may be an accurate assessment, as it appears opposing players cannot react to it. Further, due to Swift Slash’s charging capability, it’s extremely difficult to dodge or predict. These qualities make Swift Slash nearly unbeatable if a player is willing to spam it in combat.
As of now, there’s no indication of what changes may come in the nextElden Ringpatch, but given the massive outcry against Swift Slash’s PvP use – as well as the developer’s flexibility in issuing the recent path –the ability could be nerfed in the near future. This has led many players to seek it out intentionally, fearing it could either vanish from the game or be severely nerfed before long. Regardless, Swift Slash is currently one of the most useful abilities for PvE available in theElden Ring: Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is a popular game released by From Software, creators of games such as Armored Core, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne. Players assume the role of a Tarnished, a being once exiled to the Lands Between and has returned to repair the Elden Ring after the events of “The Shattering.” “The Shattering” occurred when the offspring of Queen Marika battled to claim the shards of the Elden Ring, known as Great Runes. Their war has brought lawlessness, destruction, and chaos to the land, and the player will challenge them with the assistance of a Maiden known as Melina as they travel towards the great Erd Tree to face their destiny and to become the one true Elden Lord. Players can tackle the game how they choose and can adventure across realms as they build their character how they want - be it a powerful magic caster or a brutal swordsman - they will have complete control over their build.
