There’s a seemingly endless number of cool weapons in Elden Ring, but sometimes the coolest thing you can do is play the game without a weapon entirely. The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion adds Martial Arts into the mix, letting you beat bosses with Hand-to-Hand combat.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Monk’s Missive guide
While obtaining the new Shadow of the Erdtree weapon types is mostly straightforward, learning Hand-to-Hand abilities requires you to solve a cryptic puzzle and track down a knowledgeable master to mentor you. Thankfully, you don’t have to go too far out of your way to start this puzzle, and once you learn what to do, it only takes a few minutes to get your first Hand-to-Hand weapon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.
Table of Contents
Where to find Dryleaf Dane in Elden Ring SotE
After clearing Castle Ensis and defeating Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, you’ll reach a new region of the Land of Shadow and immediately find a Miquella Cross with familiar faces waiting to greet you.
On the ground near the Highroad Cross is a note called Monk’s Missive. This cryptic message reads “Seek me to the east if you wish to pursue the way of the warrior. When you find me, you will challenge me to a bout. There is no need for words.” Picking this note up will also unlock a new gesture called May the Best Win, and it’s very important for this questline.
The monk in question is Dryleaf Dane, who can be found to the east of the Highroad Cross at Moorth Ruins. He’s waiting at a Miquella Cross at the entrance to the ruins near a Site of Grace, so you can cross one more Cross off your list and pick up a Scadutree Fragment while you’re there.
How to unlock Hand-to-Hand weapons in Elden Ring SotE
Dryleaf Dane will give you the first set of Hand-to-Hand arts in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, but he won’t say anything if you attempt to talk to him. If you remember the Monk’s Missive, he specifically stated there’s no need for words. So, how do you challenge him to a bout, then?
To challenge Dryleaf Dane to a bout, just perform the May the Best Win gesture in front of him. This will teleport you to a closed-off arena where you’ll face off against Dryleaf Dane in a boss battle where he uses his Dryleaf Arts against you. If you beat him, you’ll obtain the Dryleaf Arts weapon and Dane’s Hat as a reward.
How to beat Dryleaf Dane in Elden Ring SotE
Dryleaf Dane uses Dryleaf Arts against you, but since you’ve likely never seen any Hand-to-Hand weapons in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree as this point, you won’t know what to expect.
Dryleaf Arts are lightning-fast, dealing rapid flurries of punches and kicks that can easily break your guard. The best defense here is a good offense. Dane is fast, but his lightweight gear makes him easy to stagger. Keep hitting him and don’t give him the chance to hit back.
Ranged builds should prioritize putting as much distance between yourself and Dane as possible, but it’ll be frustrating since he can quickly close the gap. If you have a shield, use it sparingly. The whole point of Hand-to-Hand weapons is breaking your opponent’s guard, so Dane can easily stagger you with just a few swift strikes.
Thankfully, there’s a Site of Grace right next to him so you can try over and over again with ease. After Dane is defeated, you’ll obtain his Dryleaf Arts as well as Dane’s Hat as a memento. There are many more Hand-to-Hand combat styles to learn throughout the Land of Shadow, and they’ll help you explore the new Shadow of the Erdtree dungeons and defeat bosses much faster.
