Elden Ring DLC brings Martial Arts and seven other new weapon types

From Software has revealed a ton of new information about the new weapons, bosses, and locales in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion ahead of launch, and if you thought Elden Ring was big enough already, then you’ll be shocked to learn that over 100 new weapons and eight completely new weapon types are coming with Shadow of the Erdtree.

Existing weapon archetypes will receive new variants, and several Shadow of the Erdtree previews have gone into detail about what players can expect when the DLC launches later this month. A massive new katana that deals fire damage has been added, for example, and there’s even a new shield with spikes embedded along its edges so you can deal damage with it. There was an endless amount of cool weaponry in the Elden Ring base game, and it sounds like Shadow of the Erdtree won’t disappoint in that regard either.

The new weapon types are the main highlight, however. From Software is being tight-lipped about the majority of them, but one exciting archetype has been fully unveiled: Martial Arts. Some players spotted hand-to-hand combat in the Shadow of the Erdtree reveal trailer, and now all of the details are out there for this aggressive new combat style.

With Martial Arts, you can mix punches and kicks to create custom combos to pressure enemies. Just like other weapons can be infused with Ashes of War, Martial Arts can be assigned a Skill that grants you a unique attack that you can mix in with the standard flurry of blows. For example, one skill lets you jump into the air and barrage enemies with a flurry of kicks straight out of a kung-fu movie.

If the seven other weapon types are anywhere near as inventive as Martial Arts, then Shadow of the Erdtree is easily going to be an all-timer when it launches on June 21. The DLC will require a high-level character that’s pretty far in the base game, so make sure you’ve done everything you can to prepare for Shadow of the Erdtree before it’s too late.