Needle Knight Leda questline walkthrough for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

By James On Jun 27, 2024

Needle Knight Leda is the first NPC you encounter in Elden Ring‘S Shadow of the Erdtree Downloadable content.

Her story and associated questline run from the very first moments of the DLC until just before the final battle, and cover more or less the entire story. The choices you make while interacting with her will determine some battles you may or may not have, and some allies you may or may not ask for help later in the game.

Us Elden Ring DLC guide walks you through it where to find Ledaand all the steps you need to take to complete her quest line, including the Hornsent or Leda choice and the Ansbach or Leda choice.

Locations of Needle Knight Leda

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You’ll first encounter Needle Knight Leda back in the Lands Between after defeating Mohg – she’ll take you to the Shadow Realm, where the DLC takes place. It’ll be a while before you speak to her again – after you’ve completed Belurat and Castle Ensis. Once you reach Shadow Keep, things change for Leda, and you’ll have to make some tough choices.

Leda’s first meeting at the Mausoleum of the Mohgwyn Dynasty

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

Needle Knight Leda is the first NPC you encounter in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Technically you will meet her for you even start the DLC. After you beat Mohg, Lord of Bloodshe will stand next to the new Cocoon from the Empyrean Site of Grace. Talk to her there and then begin your journey to the Shadow Realm.

Find notes from Leda

The next two times you hear from Leda are technically just notes she left you. You’ll find the Tower shadow message after defeating the Divine Beast Dancing Lion in Belurat, Tower Settlement and then the Message from Leda in addition to the Ensis Castle Checkpoint Site of Grace inside Ensis Castle.

Leda second meeting at Highroad Cross Site of Grace

You can summon Needle Knight Leda to fight with you to defeat Rellana, Twin Moon Knight in Castle Ensis, but this is optional for her questline. After the fight, head to the Scadu Altus, where the first Site of Grace you’ll encounter is the Highroad Cross Site of Grace.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Hornsent and Leda at Highroad Cross Site of Grace

At Highroad Cross you can chat with both Leda and Hornsent. However, you won’t learn much from them yet.

Lift the charm and return to Leda

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree reports that a powerful charm has been broken near the Shadow Keep

Before anything else can happen to Leda, you have to approximation Keep the shadows. Just before you reach the front door, you will receive a few messages: “Somewhere a large rune is broken…” And “And that also has a powerful charm.” These both relate to Miquella and the NPCs you’ve met so far.

You can continue until Shadow Keep Main Gate Site of GraceBut do not start the Golden hippo boss fight yet – especially if you want to continue Hornsent’s questline. Instead, warp back to Main Gate Cross Site of Grace to talk to Moore, then to Highroad Cross to check in with Leda.

Help (or not) Leda against Hornsent — optional

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player speaks with Leda in the Scadu Altus

If you talk to Leda after the spell is broken, she’ll be a bit more bloodthirsty than before. She’ll turn her attention to the other NPCs she’s decided she can’t trust. She’ll ask you to help her decide between killing Thiollier or Hornsent. It doesn’t really matter what you choose here; she doesn’t consider Thiollier a threat, and she’ll end up killing Hornsent even if you never suggest it.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player who decides to help Leda of Hornsent

Back in Shadow Keep, on the rampart above the Main Gate Plaza Site of Grace, you can choose to help Leda or Hornsent. Hornsent is the safer ally here – he will fight you during the Messmer the Impaler boss fight, you will get a special drop from Leda (the Quick Slash Ash of War).

Help (or not) Leda against Ansbach — optional

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Sir Ansbach

While you’re in the Shadow Keep, make sure to talk to Sir Ansbach and Redmane Freyja. Ansbach is located in a back room in the northeast of the Warehouse, first floor Site of Grace. Freyja stands next to the Warehouse, seventh floor Site of Grace.

To complete their steps:

Talk to Ansbach.
Talk to Freyja.
Talk to Ansbach again.
Find the Secret Ritual Scroll and give it to Ansbach.
Rest in a place of grace.
Talk to Ansbach and get the Letter for Freyja.
Give her the letter (and receive the Golden Lion Shield).
Send her message back to Ansbach.
Rest in a place of mercy, so that Ansbach can leave the Warehouse.

After all that is done, complete Shadow Keep and defeat Messmer the Impaler (with or without Hornsent’s help).

After Messmer, return to the Highroad Cross Site of Grace and talk to Leda. She will now have turned her attention to Ansbach.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player chooses to aid Ansbach or Leda in Shadow Keep

Return to Ansbach’s room on the first floor of the Specimen Storehouse. He’ll be gone, but there will be a pair of summoning symbols there – a red one for Leda and a gold one for Ansbach. Your choice is the same as for Hornsent – help one of them against the other. And again, the safe choice is to team up with Ansbach against Leda.

Defeat her to the Ansbach’s long bow weapon.

Burn the sealing tree

Before you can finish Leda’s quest line, you must cross the Rauh Ruins, defeat Romina, the Saint of the Bud, at the Church of the Bud, and then finally use Messmer’s Kindling to burn the Sealing Tree.

This will open the Tower of Shadow and teleport you to Enir-Ilim.

Defeat Needle Knight Leda and her allies

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player vs. Needle Knight Leda

After reaching Enir-Ilim, you will enter a large arena and have your final confrontation with Needle Knight Leda and her allies. Depending on how your play went, you’ll face Redmane Freyja, Dryleaf Dane, possibly Sir Moore, and then Leda himself.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Leda after the boss fight

After the fight you get Leda’s sword. A little past the arena you will find Leda’s body in the hallway where you can pick it up Leda’s Shield.

Looking for more Shadow of the Erdtree Guides? Check out our guides to the NPC missions of Count Ymir, Dryleaf Dane, Hornsent Grandam, Sir Ansbach and Redmane Freyja, or check out our interactive Old Ring DLC card.