When you enter the Rotted Woods, you're stepping into one of the four possible Shifting Earth events in Elden Ring: Nightreign. This one transforms the southern portion of Limveld into a rot-infested swamp crawling with deadly enemies and environmental hazards. You will immediately notice the change — twisted trees, red fog all around, and of course, the constant buildup of Scarlet Rot.
As hazardous as the area is, the rewards are plenty — from high-level bosses that drop legendary loot to buffs that can carry you the whole game. The good news is, this is one of the more straightforward Shifting Earth events.
How to Unlock the Rotted Woods
To unlock the Rotted Woods Shifting Earth, you first need to defeat at least three Nightlords. Once you have done that, the game adds this event to the possible rotations. From here, the process is a bit random as you might need to re-enter expeditions until the Rotted Woods version appears. Going into solo mode and quitting out if you do not see the event appear is a good way to spawn this area.
You can check if you are about to get the event by interacting with the Roundtable and opening the Expedition list. If it says ‘Shifting Earth Underway: Rotted Woods’ on the right side of your screen, you’re in luck.
Preparing for the Area
Before you head straight into the Rotted Woods, it is highly recommended that you enter the area only on Day 2, after leveling up your weapons and gears.
This is because the Rotted Woods has multiple field bosses that can easily one-hit you if you’re underlevel. Moreover, the constant Scarlet Rot means your health will be in steady decline, which is cumbersome to deal with if you don’t have a good amount of Vigor.
It’s also extremely likely that the last circle of Day 2 will eventually converge towards the Rotted Woods region — giving you and your team a good incentive to thoroughly explore and clear out the place for runes to level up.
The Secret Objective: Entering The Fort
Before going head first and battling the field bosses of the woods, go towards the Shifting Earth objective, which is marked with a red-flag on your minimap. Close to the red mark, you will see the kind of fort that you normally encounter in the usual regions of Limveld. Go inside, clear out the enemies and head up the stairs to find the Captain on the roof. Once you deal with him, go inside the small room to the right of the boss and claim the treasure map, which will reveal the last objective.
Claiming the Favor of the Rotted Woods
After interacting with the treasure map inside the fort, open up your minimap and check the red mark again. This time, the objective will lead you to a particular tree which you must climb to receive the boon hidden deep inside this Scarlet Rot swamp.
The Favor of The Rotted Woods makes the entire journey through the Rotted Woods worth it as it completely neglects Scarlet Rot and increases your max HP. It will also give you the Rally effect from Bloodborne, which partially restores HP if you attack an enemy shortly after being damaged by them.
Once you claim the favor, feel free to tackle the plethora of field bosses available in the Rotted Woods. Your team should now be strong enough to deal with most of them, and you can reap incredible rewards – including Wending Graces. The bosses in this area include Royal Ancestor Spirits, Erdtree Avatars, or Magma Wyrms.
The Rotted Woods is brutal, but if you play it smart — gear up, enter the fort, clear the bosses, and claim the Favor — you will walk out far stronger. Whether you’re aiming for powerful weapons, a level boost, or the boon itself, this Scarlet Rot swamp is one of Nightreign’s most rewarding detours.
