Does New Game Plus Affect Dlc Elden Ring

Yes, new game plus does affect DLC in Elden Ring. Enemies will be stronger, and you’ll retain your character’s progress, impacting the difficulty.

Curious about venturing into the Shadow of the Erdtree after multiple playthroughs? Many players wonder, does new game plus affect dlc elden ring? It’s a valid concern, especially when you’ve built your Tarnished into a powerhouse.

The difficulty does scale up, reflecting your progression from previous cycles. Your character carries over their levels and items, so you’ll need to be prepared for a considerable challenge. This impacts your approach when you start the dlc content.

Does New Game Plus Affect Elden Ring DLC?

Alright, fellow Tarnished! You’ve conquered the Lands Between, maybe even a few times. You’ve faced down the Elden Beast, become Elden Lord (or not!), and now you’re eyeing that shiny new DLC. But a question lingers: Does diving back in with New Game Plus (NG+) change anything about your DLC experience? This is a question many players have, and for good reason. After all, NG+ in Elden Ring is a whole different beast than your first playthrough. It throws tougher enemies at you, boosts their stats, and forces you to think harder about your approach. So, how does all of that play with any new adventures FromSoftware might throw our way?

Understanding New Game Plus in Elden Ring

Before we can figure out how NG+ impacts the DLC, let’s quickly recap what NG+ actually does in Elden Ring. It’s not just a simple restart. When you choose to begin a NG+ playthrough, you get to keep almost everything: all of your character’s stats, your weapons, armor, talismans, spells, and items (excluding key items). The big change is that enemies get a significant buff to their health, damage, and overall difficulty. And it’s not just a slight bump – the challenge scales up noticeably, making the early areas you once breezed through suddenly feel like serious battles. This scaling continues with each successive NG+ cycle, up to NG+7, where it maxes out. This means that your NG+1 run will be easier than an NG+7 run. Also, the runes you gain from enemies also increase in each new NG+ cycle.

Key Elements of New Game Plus:

Increased Enemy Difficulty: Expect stronger foes with more health and damage. The challenge is significantly elevated.
Kept Equipment: You retain almost all of your gear and inventory from the previous playthrough. This allows you to take on these tougher enemies with a strong foundation.
Retained Stats: Your character’s level and attributes remain the same, letting you keep building your character as you see fit.
World Reset: The world resets with all bosses defeated. You need to defeat them again to progress.
Runes Gain Increase: the runes you gain from enemies are increased with every new NG+ cycle.

How Difficulty Scaling Impacts DLC

Now that we’re clear on NG+, let’s address the main question. When a DLC for Elden Ring releases, it’s generally designed to be challenging for players who are already at a high level, and have completed the main game. The DLC is made for those people who are ready for a greater challenge. So, let’s take an example, imagine that the DLC content is balanced around a level 100-150 character that has played the base game, with the assumption of decent gear. This also comes with the knowledge that the player is already skilled in the game. However, the big question is that will the difficulty of the DLC scale up with each NG+ cycle? The short answer is that yes, the difficulty of the DLC will scale up with the NG+ cycle that you are currently in. This means that if you enter the DLC in a NG+ cycle, you will face enemies in that specific scaled difficulty. It also means, that the enemies you face in NG+1 DLC, will be easier than the enemies that you face in NG+7 DLC.

Understanding DLC Scaling

Here’s a deeper dive into how DLC scaling generally works in FromSoftware games like Elden Ring, which will apply to the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC:

Base Difficulty: DLC content comes with a base level of difficulty. This base difficulty is generally challenging for players who have completed the game once with a high leveled character.
NG+ Scaling Applied: The NG+ difficulty scaling is applied on top of the base DLC difficulty. So, if the base DLC enemies are tough, the NG+ versions will be significantly tougher. This means that you will face scaled enemies in DLC, based on your current NG+ cycle.
Adjusted Enemy Stats: Expect the DLC enemies to have higher health, hit harder, and potentially have different attack patterns. The scaling from NG+ will make these base stats higher than they would be in a new game playthrough.
Item Acquisition: Even if you bring your maxed-out build into a higher NG+ DLC, the new gear from the DLC may further improve your build, helping you to better face down tougher enemies.
Runes Gain: Just like the base game, you will earn more runes in the DLC, with higher NG+ cycles. This will also help you to upgrade your character further.

What This Means For Your DLC Experience

So what does all this mean for your experience with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC? Well, if you’re going into the DLC on a higher NG+ cycle, get ready for a serious challenge. Here’s a breakdown:

Playing the DLC on a Standard Playthrough:

Balanced Difficulty: If you’re entering the DLC on a standard playthrough (your first run of the game), the challenge will be significant but generally balanced for a player who has already finished the base game.
A Good Starting Point: It will provide a great challenge with standard difficulty for players with a good build.

Playing the DLC on a Higher NG+ Cycle:

Increased Challenge: The DLC will feel much harder on higher NG+ cycles. You’ll need to make use of all your experience and build to face the challenges.
Strategic Approach: You’ll need to really pay attention to your build, weapon upgrades, and strategies.
Rewarding Experience: If you’re into intense gameplay and love a tough fight, the DLC on higher NG+ cycles might just be perfect for you.

Tips for Tackling the DLC in NG+

Okay, so the DLC is going to be harder in NG+. No surprises there! Here are some things you can do to prepare, and make the most of your experience:

Gear and Build Optimization

Your build becomes incredibly important in NG+, even more than it already was in the main game. Now is the time to think seriously about the following:

Max Out Your Weapons: Make sure your favorite weapons are fully upgraded. They’ll be essential for dealing with the DLC enemies in NG+. Also, experiment with different builds, as you might require a specific build to tackle specific enemies.
Talisman Selection: Your talismans will make a difference. Choose the ones that best suit your build and playstyle.
Armor Considerations: Don’t just focus on looks; consider the armor’s defensive stats and poise. The extra damage reduction and stagger resist can be invaluable.
Stat Allocation: Carefully consider how you’ve allocated your stats and adjust them, if you think a new allocation is going to help.

Strategy and Combat

Brute force won’t be enough in higher NG+ cycles. You’ll need to think about how you engage enemies:

Study Enemy Patterns: Pay close attention to enemy movesets, learn their weak points, and adapt your strategies.
Utilize Summons: Don’t be afraid to use spirit ashes, or coop with friends to gain an edge in battles.
Consumables: Items like buffs, throwing pots, and other consumables can turn the tide in difficult situations. Always carry a good amount of each of them.

Exploration and Preparation

Before you dive into the DLC area, make sure you’re fully prepared. This involves:

Stock Up: Make sure you have a good supply of healing items, crafting materials, and other consumables you’ll need.
World Exploration: It is important to explore every single corner in the DLC map, as they might contain materials, useful items, or important weapons/spells.
Know your Weaknesses: Figure out the areas where you lack in the game, and take steps to overcome them before going into the DLC.

Should You Start a New Game or Use NG+?

This is entirely dependent on what type of experience you are looking for. If you want a more balanced experience, it is better to start the DLC in a standard playthrough. However, if you want a challenge, NG+ is the way to go.

Benefits of a New Game Playthrough

More Balanced Experience: The DLC will feel more approachable and balanced.
A Fresh Start: You can experience the DLC with a new character build.

Benefits of a NG+ Playthrough

High Challenge: Offers a significant challenge, forcing you to use every trick up your sleeve.
Test Your Build: A chance to see just how far you’ve taken your character build.
Greater Sense of Accomplishment: Overcoming the heightened difficulty will be a true test of your skills.

Ultimately, there’s no right or wrong answer. The best approach is to choose the way that suits you most. Either a new playthrough, or a NG+ cycle will have their challenges. You can even experiment with new builds in the new playthrough, or try old builds in higher NG+ cycles.

Final Thoughts on DLC and New Game Plus

The beauty of Elden Ring, and FromSoftware games in general, is that they allow for so much player agency. Whether you decide to experience the DLC on a first playthrough or in the highest NG+ cycle is up to you. One will not be easier or harder, they will just be different experiences. The difficulty will be tailored according to your game state. If you choose to jump into the DLC in NG+, be prepared for a serious test of your skills. The enemies will be much harder, and more challenging. The experience is going to be rewarding for players that are looking for a challenge. If you are not looking for that much of a challenge, it is better to go for a standard playthrough, with a character that has a good build. No matter how you choose to play, one thing is for sure: The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is going to be an incredible experience for every Elden Ring fan.

Don't Let Your First Shadow Of The Erdtree Run Be In New Game Plus

Final Thoughts

New Game Plus makes the DLC harder by scaling enemy stats. Your existing build and gear carry over. Thus, prepare for a real challenge.

The difficulty is clearly increased. Enemy health and damage output are higher. Consequently, careful planning is crucial.

So, does new game plus affect dlc elden ring? Yes, it absolutely does. Starting the DLC in a NG+ cycle significantly affects the game.