Want to get started in the new Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant DLC? Here’s how to begin.
1) Install the DLC
On your storefront (Steam/PlayStation/Xbox/Switch), make sure Ashes of Elrant is installed and linked to your base game. It’s a paid expansion that requires Chained Echoes.
Here’s the link on Steam of you need.
2) Launch the DLC from the title screen
Boot the game and, on the main menu, choose the “DLC – Ashes of Elrant” entry.
The DLC is launched from here (not from your regular in-game save select).
3) Pick how you want to start
When you select the DLC, the game gives you two paths:
Use a cleared story file: If you finished the base game, you can load that completed save to seed the DLC.
Use the provided pre-made file: No cleared save? No problem. The DLC offers a built-in, “ready” file so you can start anytime, even if you haven’t kept your old save. (Be aware: story context takes place right before the end of the base game, so there are major spoilers.)
After you choose your file, the game will offer a brief recap to reorient you before the DLC’s opening.
4) Know when the DLC happens in the timeline
Ashes of Elrant is set right before the end of Chained Echoes.
You’ll regroup with the Crimson Wings to answer a new call, explore a new land, and dig into Lenne’s past and the Order of Leonar.
5) Understand progression & carry-over
Ashes of Elrant plays like a self-contained chapter.
You’re starting from the DLC’s balance point and rules, and new gear/progression are scoped to this adventure.
Your DLC progress/items don’t roll back into the base campaign, and vice-versa.
Quick FAQ
Do I need to finish the base game first? No, because the DLC menu provides a pre-made, completed file you can use immediately. That said, it’s full of late-game spoilers, so veterans will get the most out of it.
Where exactly is the start option? On the title screen. Look for “DLC – Ashes of Elrant.”
What if the DLC option doesn’t show up?
- Double-check the DLC is installed and the game is updated.
- Fully restart the game (and your system if needed) so the main menu refreshes.
- On Steam Deck/Linux, some players report needing Proton Experimental to make the DLC show correctly.
Is this a tiny add-on, or a full chapter? It’s a substantial side story with a new region, a new playable character, and many new enemies/bosses – generally described as a multi-hour adventure rather than a short quest.
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The featured image is from the Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant page on the Nintendo Store and used under Fair Use.