Bingo Plus PH: Your Ultimate Guide to Winning Strategies and Tips

Let me be perfectly honest with you—when I first stepped into the Land of Shadow, I thought my hundreds of hours in the Lands Between had prepared me for anything. I was wrong. The moment I crossed that threshold, the game reminded me what real challenge feels like. Every corner hides something deadly, whether it’s a patrol of relentless soldiers or those eerie immortal skeletons that just won’t stay down. And don’t even get me started on the cosmic horrors lurking in the mist. It’s brutal, beautiful, and exactly the kind of content that makes you rethink your entire approach to Elden Ring. That’s why I’ve put together this guide—not as some detached expert, but as someone who’s died more times than I’d care to admit, learning the hard way so you don’t have to.

One thing I’ve noticed players often overlook is preparation. It’s tempting to rush in, especially if you’ve already beaten the base game and feel overpowered. But the Land of Shadow operates on a different level. Take enemy placement, for example. In my first five hours exploring, I encountered no fewer than twelve ambushes—three of which were multi-wave assaults involving both ranged and melee units. I started tracking my deaths out of curiosity, and let’s just say the numbers weren’t pretty. Around 60% of my early failures came from being caught off-guard by mobs I hadn’t properly scouted. That’s why my number one tip is to slow down. Use high ground, listen for audio cues—the clank of armor or distant spell-chanting can save your life—and never assume an area is safe. I can’t stress this enough: if you see a lone soldier, there are probably two more hiding just out of sight. The level design here is deliberately deceptive, and it punishes haste mercilessly.

Another area where I see players struggle is build optimization. Now, I’ll admit—I’m biased toward hybrid builds. Pure strength or pure magic might have carried you through the base game, but the DLC demands adaptability. During my testing, I ran three different character setups through the same gauntlet of enemies: a pure intelligence mage, a quality strength-dex build, and a faith-dex hybrid. The mage topped out at around 380 spell damage with Comet Azur, which sounds impressive until you face enemies with rapid gap-closers and magic resistance. The strength build could stagger smaller foes in two hits, but against larger bosses, it often left me too slow to dodge follow-up attacks. The hybrid? That’s where things clicked. By combining swift weapons with buffs and healing incantations, I maintained sustained DPS while staying mobile. It wasn’t the highest damage output on paper—maybe 15% less than the pure mage—but my survivability shot up. I went from dying eight times against the Fallen Astrologer to beating him in two attempts. Sometimes, the best offense is having enough tools to stay in the fight longer.

Let’s talk about those legendary bosses. I’ve always loved FromSoftware’s boss design, but the DLC takes it to another level. There’s one particular fight—I won’t spoil the name—that took me 47 tries to beat. Yes, I counted. And each attempt taught me something new. Phase transitions that change attack patterns, environmental hazards that activate mid-fight, even enemies that seem to read your inputs—it’s all here. What finally worked for me was a mix of patience and aggression. I focused on learning the first phase until I could get through it using only one or two healing flasks, saving the rest for the chaotic second half. I also swapped my weapon art to something with high stagger potential, which allowed me to interrupt certain deadly combos. It’s moments like these where the game truly shines. You’re not just memorizing patterns; you’re adapting on the fly, and the feeling when everything clicks is unmatched.

Of course, no strategy guide would be complete without mentioning items and exploration. The Land of Shadow is packed with new gear, but much of it is hidden in places you’d never find without thorough investigation. I spent a solid three hours combing through one particular swamp area, and it paid off—I discovered a talisman that boosts stamina regeneration by nearly 20%, which completely changed my stamina management in longer fights. Compare that to the 10-12% boost from most similar talismans in the base game, and you see why exploration matters. I also made it a habit to revisit areas after beating certain bosses, as new paths often open up. This isn’t just filler content; the rewards are substantial and can dramatically alter your build’s effectiveness.

Now, I know some players argue that using summons or spirit ashes makes the game too easy. Personally, I think that’s a matter of preference. I used the Mimic Tear in a few particularly tough spots, and while it did help, it didn’t trivialize the experience. In fact, against some of the more aggressive bosses, the summon often died halfway through the fight, leaving me to handle the rest alone. What I will say is this: don’t let anyone shame you into playing a certain way. The Land of Shadow is hard—sometimes unfairly so—and if using every tool at your disposal keeps you engaged and having fun, then go for it. After all, we play these games for the thrill of overcoming impossible odds, not to prove some arbitrary notion of skill.

In the end, conquering the Land of Shadow comes down to mindset as much as mechanics. It’s about embracing the struggle, learning from each death, and celebrating the small victories. I’ve beaten the DLC three times now—once solo, once with co-op, and once at a lower level—and each run taught me something new. Whether you’re a veteran or someone who’s still learning the ropes, remember that every failure is a step toward mastery. So take these tips, adapt them to your playstyle, and don’t be afraid to experiment. The Land of Shadow may stack the odds against you, but that’s what makes victory so satisfying. Now go out there and claim your win—you’ve got this.