Encounter the silent monk Dryleaf Dane in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, where words are few but fists speak volumes. Challenge this master of hand-to-hand combat in a duel that unlocks powerful new weapon arts and unravels a secret questline intertwined with Miquella’s legacy. Ready your skills and prepare for a journey through mysterious realms, fierce battles, and rare rewards in this concise walkthrough for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox players. Dive in to master Dane’s path and claim his legendary Dryleaf Arts.
Our Elden Ring DLC Dryleaf Dane questline guide will walk you through where to find Dryleaf Dane, and all the steps you’ll need to take to complete his questline.
Dryleaf Dane location
Dryleaf Dane can be found at the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace, located in the eastern part of the Scadu Altus region in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. To begin his questline, players should first visit the High Road Cross Site of Grace north of Castle Ensis, where they can acquire the Monk’s Missive and the “May the Best Win” gesture. Using this gesture in front of Dryleaf Dane at Moorth Ruins will initiate a duel with him. This location is key to progressing through his quest and obtaining unique rewards such as Dryleaf Arts and Dane’s Hat.
You’ll find Dryleaf Dane as you explore Scadu Altus. You’ll find him at the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace.
Dryleaf Dane summon sign
Dryleaf Dane’s summon sign can be found just before the boss fight against Romina, Saint of the Bud, at the Church of the Bud in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. The gold summoning stone is located by the door on the right side, allowing players to call Dryleaf Dane for assistance during the battle. This summon sign is available as long as you have not burned the Sealing Tree, which is a point of no return in the questline. Note that in patch 1.13, Dryleaf Dane’s summon sign for the Rennala, Twin Moon Knight boss fight was removed, so he can no longer be summoned there.
Technically, your first encounter with Dryleaf Dane is just outside of the Rellana, Twin Moon Knight boss fight. Both Dryleaf Dane and Needle Knight Leda can be summoned to help you fight.
Pick up the ’May the Best Win’ Gesture and Monk’s Missive
At the Highroad Cross Site of Grace in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, players can pick up two key items for Dryleaf Dane’s questline: the Monk’s Missive and the “May the Best Win” Gesture. The Monk’s Missive is a note hinting at a silent challenge from a monk to the east, instructing you to challenge him without words. Using the “May the Best Win” Gesture in front of Dryleaf Dane at Moorth Ruins initiates a duel, which upon victory rewards you with unique items like Dane’s Hat and the Dryleaf Arts weapon, progressing his questline further.
Your next step on Dane’s questline is the Highroad Cross Site of Grace that you’ll find just north of Castle Ensis – your first stop in the Scadu Altus region. When you approach the site of grace, you’ll be able to pick up two items related to Dryleaf Dane: the Monk’s Missive and the “May the Best Win” Gesture.
The Monk’s Missive is a short note that just says that a monk somewhere to the east wants you to challenge them to a bout without words.
Challenge Dryleaf Dane at Moorth Ruins
To challenge Dryleaf Dane at Moorth Ruins in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, first collect the Monk’s Missive and the “May The Best Win” gesture at the Highroad Cross Site of Grace. When you arrive at Moorth Ruins, find Dryleaf Dane standing nearby; he won’t speak, so instead use the “May The Best Win” gesture in front of him to initiate a fight. This gesture transports you to another realm where you must defeat Dane in hand-to-hand combat. Upon victory, you’ll be returned to the ruins and rewarded with the Dryleaf Arts weapon and Dane’s Hat, along with a message encouraging you to continue honing your strength.
When you arrive at the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace, Dryleaf Dane will be standing nearby. He won’t speak with you, though – he is the monk from that missive, so you have to challenge him without words. Perform the “May the Best Win” Gesture in front of him, and you’ll start a fight.
Once Dane is defeated, he’ll disappear and you’ll find the Dryleaf Arts weapon and Dane’s Hat helmet on the ground nearby.
How can I unlock the Hand-to-Hand Arts through Dryleaf Dane’s questline
To unlock the Hand-to-Hand Arts (Dryleaf Arts) through Dryleaf Dane’s questline in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, follow these steps:
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Progress through the DLC until you reach the Highroad Cross Site of Grace, located after Castle Ensis in the Scadu Altus region. Near this Site of Grace, pick up the Monk’s Missive note and the gesture “May The Best Win” from an item by Miquella’s Cross.
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Head east from Highroad Cross toward the Moorth Ruins, where you will find a new Site of Grace and Dryleaf Dane standing silently nearby.
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Dryleaf Dane will not respond to normal interaction. To initiate the quest, perform the “May The Best Win” gesture in front of him. This triggers a cutscene and transports you to an alternate arena to duel Dryleaf Dane in a one-on-one fight without summons or Torrent.
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Defeat Dryleaf Dane. He excels in close combat and has a medium-range explosive palm strike, but keeping your distance and using ranged attacks can make the fight easier.
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After winning, you will be returned to the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace, where you can pick up Dryleaf Dane’s letter, his hat, and the Dryleaf Arts weapon. Equipping Dryleaf Arts enables hand-to-hand combat with martial arts moves, including punches and kicks scaled by Strength and Dexterity, plus a special Palm Blast skill.
Note that if you progress too far in the DLC without challenging Dryleaf Dane, you may miss the opportunity to unlock these hand-to-hand arts.
This questline offers a unique combat style and is available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
What specific steps do I need to follow to start Dryleaf Dane’s questline
To start Dryleaf Dane’s questline in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, follow these specific steps:
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Reach the Highroad Cross Site of Grace, located just north of Castle Ensis in the Scadu Altus region.
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At this Site of Grace, collect two key items: the Monk’s Missive (a note hinting at a silent monk challenge) and the May the Best Win gesture.
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Next, head east to the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace in Scadu Altus, where you will find Dryleaf Dane standing silently nearby.
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Stand in front of Dryleaf Dane and use the “May the Best Win” gesture to challenge him to a duel. This initiates the quest and transports you to a special arena for the fight.
These steps officially begin Dryleaf Dane’s questline, unlocking the opportunity to fight him and eventually earn the Dryleaf Arts and related rewards.
