Shadow of the Erdtree’s ‘OP’ Blackgaol Knight is well worth the challenge

FromSoftware has knocked it out of the park once again, as Elden Ring is back, bigger and better than before, which is remarkable given the title is already one of the greatest games ever made.

But the "mesmerising" Shadow of the Erdtree expansion has already smashed records as the highest-rated DLC of all time, and the only hitch that had any reviewer score it less than 10/10 was that it is very hard. 

Too hard for some, leaving some fans wanting an easy mode. But for the true Elden Lords, the Land of Shadow's latest adventure is a journey well worth tackling, and the same goes for the first "OP" boss that we encounter - it's tough but completely worth doing.

Shadow of the Erdtree's toughest early boss drops must-have armour

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The Blackgaol Knight isn't the most fierce boss in the game, in fact, we ranked it in C-Tier for its difficulty when compared to the rest of the 28 Shadow of the Erdtree bosses.

But it first comes into play quite early on in the DLC, and a lot of players are being respectfully humbled, thinking that their max-level Elden Ring kit is good enough.

If you head to the Elden Ring Wiki, the top comment on the Blackgaol Knight is, "Don't try this boss immediately, he doesn't care if you're hitting him he will 2-shot you."

You don't have to, after all, the Blackgaol Knight is optional. But as one of the first great bosses in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, it's absolutely worth fighting it.

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Defeating the Blackgaol Knight offers up one of the best armour sets in the game, with the Solitude armour making it a must-kill boss if you can stomach the grind. Luckily for you, we do have some tips ready for you to get through the Blackgaol Knight and other bosses with some ease.

The Blackgaol Knight is wonderfully metaphoric of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. It has no business being that difficult from the get-go, but completing it will give you euphoric rewards.