You’re riding through the Scadu Altus, the sky is a bruised purple, and everything feels just a bit off. Then you see it. It looks like a twisted piece of driftwood that someone tried to set on fire but gave up halfway through. That is the misshapen tree of umbra. Most players pick it up, squint at their inventory screen for three seconds, and then promptly forget it exists. Honestly? That's a mistake. While it isn't a Rivers of Blood-tier game breaker, this hunk of wood tells a story that basically explains why the Land of Shadow is such a mess.
It’s a crafting material. It’s a lore bomb. It’s also kind of a pain to find if you aren't looking for it.
In the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, FromSoftware leaned hard into the idea of "Umbra"—this concept of shadow and absence that rivals the Golden Order. If the Erdtree is the sun, the Tree of Umbra is the cold spot behind the door. This item represents the physical remains of that shadow. It’s warped. It’s ugly. But if you want to mess around with some of the more niche consumables in the DLC, you’re going to need a stash of these things.
What the Misshapen Tree of Umbra Actually Is
Let’s get the dry stuff out of the way first so we can talk about why it actually matters. The misshapen tree of umbra is a rare crafting material. You aren't going to find these growing on every corner like Rowa Fruit. They are found primarily in the darker, more desolate stretches of the Land of Shadow. If you find yourself in a place where the light looks like it's being sucked into the ground, you're probably near one.
Specifically, these are the "shriveled remains of a tree that never grew." Think about that. In the world of Elden Ring, growth is everything. The Erdtree is the symbol of life, cycle, and divinity. A tree that fails to grow, that stays misshapen and stunted, is an affront to everything Marika stood for. That’s why it’s tucked away in the shadow realm. It’s a failure.
The item description mentions that it’s "drenched in the power of shadow." This isn't just flavor text. When you look at the items you craft with it, they almost always involve obscuring vision or creating some kind of spectral, shadowy effect. It’s the antithesis of the "Glowstone" or the "Grace" vibes we got in the base game.
Where to Find Them (Without Losing Your Mind)
You can't just farm these from sheep. You have to go to the source.
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The best spots are usually around the Ancient Ruins of Rauh and certain parts of the Abyssal Woods. In the Rauh ruins, keep your eyes peeled for small, blackened saplings that look like they're made of charcoal. They blend into the stone. It’s annoying. You’ll be running from a Pests' thread spear and walk right past three of them.
- Rauh Base: Check the overgrown areas near the waterfalls.
- Near the Church of the Bud: There are a few scattered along the cliffsides where the rot starts to take over.
- Shadow Keep Outskirts: Specifically the areas leading down toward the watery lower levels.
Don't expect to find twenty in one go. You’ll usually find one or two at a time. They don't respawn like common plants, which makes them a "finite-ish" resource per playthrough, though you can find enough to satisfy most crafting needs if you're thorough.
The Lore: Why Everything is So Twisted
The Land of Shadow is effectively a giant graveyard for things the Golden Order didn't like. Omen, Misbegotten, Hornsent—everyone Marika wanted to forget got shoved here. The misshapen tree of umbra is the botanical version of that exile.
Some lore hunters, like VaatiVidya and the folks over on the Fextralife forums, have pointed out the connection between these trees and the "Scadutree" itself. The Scadutree is the literal shadow of the Erdtree. If the Scadutree is the trunk, these misshapen trees are the stray, sickly roots breaking through the surface. They represent a life force that is fundamentally "wrong" by the standards of the Lands Between.
It’s sort of tragic. These trees tried to reach for a sun that wasn't there. Instead of sunlight, they drank in the stagnant divinity of the Crucible and the gloom of the shadow realm. The result is a wood that is dense, cold, and strangely brittle. It’s wood that shouldn't be wood.
Crafting: Is It Actually Worth Using?
Honestly, most people don't craft in Elden Ring. They find a big sword, they hit things, they win. But the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC changed the balance a bit. Some of the new consumables are actually cracked.
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The primary use for the misshapen tree of umbra is in crafting Heaving Umbral Pots.
If you haven't used these, you're missing out on a great "get out of jail free" card. When you chuck an Umbral Pot, it creates a massive cloud of shadow. It’s way more effective than the old smoke screens. It messes with enemy AI tracking. In PvP, it’s a nightmare. If you’re being chased by a gank squad in the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, throwing one of these down can give you the three seconds you need to heal or vanish around a corner.
There are also some niche recipes involving arrows and bolts that apply a "shadow" debuff, though these are less common. The wood is also used for certain high-level spirit-calling items that help mitigate damage in the endgame boss fights.
Why Nobody Talks About the "Umbra" Mechanic
In the base game, we had Holy, Magic, Fire, and Lightning. The DLC introduced this subtle "Umbra" or "Shadow" element. It’s not a formal damage type you see on your character sheet like "Fire Defense," but it functions as a hidden modifier.
Entities within the Land of Shadow have varying resistances to this. Using items made from the misshapen tree often bypasses the standard elemental resistances of the Hornsent warriors. It’s like hitting them with the very essence of the world they’re trapped in. It's poetic, in a "I'm-going-to-kill-you-with-a-piece-of-rubbish" kind of way.
Common Misconceptions
People keep thinking the misshapen tree of umbra is related to the "Umbral Flame" from other fantasy series. It’s not. In Elden Ring, "Umbra" specifically refers to the absence of the Erdtree’s grace.
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Another mistake: thinking you can buy these. You can't. Even the Twin Maiden Husks don't stock these after you turn in Bell Bearings. You have to actually go out and touch grass—well, dead, shadowy grass—to get them. This makes them a "prestige" crafting component. If you see someone spamming Umbral Pots in an invasion, they’ve spent some serious time foraging.
How to Maximize Your Foraging Run
If you’re serious about stocking up, you need to change your approach. Don't just look for green. Look for "dead."
- Equip the Silver Scarab: Obviously. Higher discovery helps with drops from the shadow-undead enemies that occasionally carry these, though world-pickup is more reliable.
- Head to the Abyssal Woods: This place is terrifying. The Winter Lanterns (those aging untouchables) are a nightmare. But the edges of the woods are littered with misshapen trees. Just don't let them see you.
- Check the Graves: Large sarcophagi in the Land of Shadow often have these growing around the base. It seems they feed on the lingering spirits of the dead. Charming.
Final Practical Tips for the Tarnished
Look, the misshapen tree of umbra isn't going to make or break your build. You can beat Messmer without ever touching one. But if you're struggling with the sheer aggression of the DLC enemies, the items you craft from this wood offer a tactical layer most people ignore.
The Land of Shadow is designed to punish straightforward aggression. Sometimes, the best way to win a fight is to hide in the shadows of a tree that never grew.
If you're planning a "Shadow" themed build or just want to experiment with the new pot types, make a detour to the Ancient Ruins of Rauh. Spend ten minutes looking at the ground. You'll find what you need. And maybe, if you read the item descriptions closely enough, you'll start to feel a bit sorry for these gnarled little twigs. They’re just trying to exist in a world that wants them forgotten.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Session:
- Check your inventory for Misshapen Tree of Umbra; if you have more than 5, craft the Heaving Umbral Pot and test it on the Black Knights in Enir-Ilim to see how it breaks their aggro.
- Travel to the Ancient Ruins of Rauh (West) Site of Grace and head north; there are three guaranteed spawns of this material near the stone pillars.
- Use the "Shadow" consumables specifically against NPCs or players using high-Holy builds; the shadow effect often provides a hidden layer of visual interference that Holy-based buffs don't counteract.