How to skip Rellana in ER Shadow of the Erdtree

Elden Ring has always been a game that truly leaves the player to their own devices, and DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree is no different. Whether you want to collect every Map Fragment before truly diving into your exploration or tackling boss fights, or whether there’s a specific item you’re hunting down, Shadow of the Erdtree - much like the base game - allows you to skip a whole lot of the beginning of the DLC, if you so please.

With that said, there are spoilers ahead for some early-mid game locations, but there are no spoilers for major bosses or story events. You’ve been warned! Now, here’s how to skip Castle Ensis and Rellana altogether and reach Scadu Altus early in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree.

How to skip Rellana and get to Scadu Altus early in ER Shadow of the Erdtree

If you’re looking to get through Shadow of the Erdtree as quickly as possible - be it that you’re already on your latest New Game Plus run, are trying to speedrun, or simply want to explore somewhere else for a bit - you can actually skip Rellana entirely and reach Scadu Altus early.

To do so requires tracking down Ellac River Cave, having a brief rendezvous in a poison swamp, and running for your life through the Fort of Reprimand. It’s not as bad as it sounds, so let’s get started.

Start from the Castle Front Site of Grace (in front of Castle Ensis), and head southeast. If you look closely at your map here, you’ll see there’s multiple routes available in this one direction; you want to head down the very middle, as labelled in the below screenshot.

For what it’s worth, though, going left will take you to Thiollier and another of Miquella’s Crosses, while going right can take you to either Ruined Lava Forge Intake or Dragon’s Pit.

Anyway, continue heading along the middle route and you’ll come to a small poison swamp. You should also see a Miranda Bloom in the distance. Now, we want to head to the right of the Miranda, but if you want a closer Site of Grace (that also leads you to the south Map Fragment), take a left past the Miranda and keep going until you come to a cave guarded by another one; the Ellac River Site of Grace is here.

Anyways, go back to where you initially emerged in the poison swamp, and this time go right of the Miranda Bloom. You should come to a Sealed Spiritspring.

Now, if you platform up the rocks just in front of the Sealed Spiritspring, you should find a stack of stones here. Attack it, and the Spiritspring will be unsealed. Use it!

Just up ahead is a second Spiritspring. Use it and you’ll officially land in the Fort of Reprimand, with the Behind the Fort of Reprimand Site of Grace in front of you. Now, I recommend exploring this place thoroughly. There’s lots of loot, some Spirit Ashes, and the Black Knight Edredd boss.

Though, if you want the quickest route out of here and into Scadu Altus, go up the stairs and take a left. Jump across the gap where the Omenkiller enemy is standing to quickly reach the Fort of Reprimand Site of Grace.

From here, jump down into the courtyard on your left, being careful to not fall into the sewer area beneath it (though, this is where you can gain access to the Messmer Soldier Spirit Ashes, and a Shadow Realm Rune). Now, all you need to do is exit the Fort to your right, and the Moorth Highway South Site of Grace is just up ahead.

Go through the small cave to the north to reach another Ghostflame Dragon, and if you keep heading north, you’ll soon find Moorth Ruins. Head even further north of that, following the path, to reach the back of Castle Ensis and the Highroad Cross.

For more on Shadow of the Erdtree, here's how to beat Rellana if you fancy doing things that way. Additionally, here's where to get the east Map Fragment, and the northwest Map Fragment.