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

Unravel the Mysteries of the Shadow Realm with Needle Knight Leda

In the vast and enigmatic world of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Needle Knight Leda stands as a pivotal figure, guiding players through the intricate landscapes of the Shadow Realm. As a devoted follower of Miquella, Leda’s questline weaves a complex narrative that intersects with other key NPCs, offering choices that shape the fate of your journey. Dive into this comprehensive walkthrough to navigate Leda’s quest, uncover hidden rewards, and unravel the mysteries that lie within the shadows of the Erdtree.

First meeting with Leda

Your journey with Needle Knight Leda begins in the Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum, located beneath Caelid in the Lands Between. To initiate this encounter, you must first defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood, and possibly Starscourge Radahn, depending on your progression. Once inside the mausoleum, you will find Leda standing near the Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace. She introduces herself as a devoted follower of Miquella and invites you to join her on a path tracing Miquella’s footsteps. To proceed, Leda instructs you to touch the withered arm hanging from the cocoon, which transports you to the Shadow Realm, marking the beginning of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

Needle Knight Leda will be the first heroine of the Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC, which you will encounter in the game. After defeating Mohg in the Mohgwyn Palace and resting at the Site of Grace in the boss arena, a figure dressed in neat armor will appear next to the giant cocoon. This is Leda, who will instruct you to touch the hand sticking out of the cocoon and go on a journey to the Realm of Shadow. She’ll also announce that your paths will cross again in the future.

More information about the process of getting to the DLC location can be found on the page How to get to the DLC?.

Where can I find Leda’s messages?

To find Needle Knight Leda’s messages, you’ll need to explore specific locations throughout the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring. The first message, known as the Tower of Shadow Message, can be found in Belurat Tower Settlement after defeating the Divine Beast Dancing Lion. Take the lift up and follow the path to the stairs, where the message will be located to the right. Another message, the Castle Cross Message, is situated near Miquella’s Cross in Castle Ensis. Additionally, the Message from Leda can be discovered near Miquella’s Crosses, such as at the Main Gate Cross or Thiollier. These messages provide crucial information about Leda’s journey and her pursuit of Miquella’s path.

Before you meet the knight again, the heroine will communicate with you indirectly, through the messages she leaves behind. The first note of this kind can be found at the end of the Belurat dungeon within the Gravesite Plain.

After defeating the boss of this location, the Dancing Lion, use the newly opened elevator. One floor up, go to the top of the stairs, where you’ll find a note on the right saying that Leda has gone east.

The next message is located in Castle Ensis, located between the regions. In its central part you will find the Site of Grace: Castle Ensis Checkpoint. Right next to it, there is a Miquella’s Cross and the note we are interested in. You will also learn from it that the knight went to the Shadow Keep – a location in the central part of the map.

During the fight against the final boss of Castle Ensis, Rellana, you will be able to summon Leda’s spirit to help you.

Second meeting with Leda

Your second meeting with Needle Knight Leda occurs in the Scadu Altus region, specifically at the Highroad Cross Site of Grace. This encounter happens after you have cleared Castle Ensis. During this meeting, Leda explains that Miquella has bound her companions using a special charm, allowing them to act in coordination. However, a crucial event unfolds when a rune is reported broken, disrupting the harmony within her group. Leda reveals that the charm has shattered, and she begins to suspect others. You are presented with a choice: to suggest she targets either Thiollier or Hornscent. Regardless of your choice, Leda will eventually focus her suspicions on Hornscent.

Your second direct encounter with the Needle Knight will take place shortly after entering Scadu Altus. The NPC will be waiting next to the Site of Grace Highroad Cross, along with another hero – Hornsent. Exhaust the characters’ dialogue options and collect the items near them. Follow the main story line towards the Shadow Keep.

As you approach the Keep looming in the distance, information about the breaking of the Great Rune will appear on your screen. This will affect the behavior of most NPCs in the Realm of Shadow and will allow you to push the story further.

Who should I suggest to Leda?

When interacting with Needle Knight Leda in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you will be asked to suggest whether she should pursue Thiollier or Hornsent. However, regardless of your choice, the game will ultimately decide that Leda should target Hornsent. This decision is predetermined and does not affect the overall progression of the questline. Therefore, you can choose either option without worrying about altering the storyline or outcomes. The choice is more of a narrative device than a decision that impacts gameplay or rewards.

When you return to Leda and Hornsent standing by the road after breaking of the Seal, their behavior will change significantly. Hornsent will express his desire for revenge on Messmer and Leda will begin to doubt the righteous intentions of Miquella’s remaining followers.

When a woman asks you who she should take a closer look at, you will have to choose one of three options:

1. Suggest Hornsent;
2. Suggest Thiollier (if you have interacted with him before);
3. Don’t suggest anyone.

Regardless of which dialogue option you choose, Leda will still decide to chase Hornsent. However, before you can continue Leda’s mission, make sure you have exhausted her dialogue options (to do this, you may need to wait at the Site of Grace).

Who to help during the fight in the Shadow Keep?

During the events leading up to the fight against Needle Knight Leda and her allies in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, your choices can significantly impact who will aid or oppose you. For instance, if you give Sir Ansbach the Secret Rite Scroll, he can be summoned as an ally during the fight. Conversely, if you don’t provide him with the scroll, he will join Leda’s side. Similarly, Thiollier can be summoned if you complete his questline up to a certain point. Hornsent’s allegiance depends on whether you summon him to fight Messmer and interact with him afterward. Moore will fight against you if you tell him to “put it behind you” after Miquella’s charm breaks. Understanding these dynamics can help you navigate the complex alliances and make strategic decisions to ease the challenging battle ahead.

If you would like to analyze the described events from Hornsent’s perspective, please visit the page Hornsent – walkthrough.

While exploring the Shadow Keep (after defeating the Golden Hippopotamus), you will eventually reach the castle walls. At the intersection with the stairs leading from the hippopotamus arena, you will find two summon signs carved on the ground. With their help, you can side with Hornsent or Leda during the fight.

1. By standing by Leda and killing Hornsent, you will lose the opportunity to continue his storyline. In return, however, you will receive the armor and weapons carried by Hornsent. After talking to Leda again (Site of Grace: Highroad Cross), she will give you an additional talisman and she will focus on hunting Ansbach.

1. If you support Hornsent and defeat Leda, you will be able to continue his storyline further down the road. Defeated Leda will drop some runes, as well as Ashes of War: Swift Slash.
2. If you ignore the fight altogether and don’t support anyone, both characters’ quests will continue. However, Leda will target someone else now: Sir Ansbach.

Who to help in the fight between Leda and Sir Ansbach?

When deciding who to help in the fight between Leda and Sir Ansbach, your choice significantly impacts the rewards and progression of the quest. If you help Leda defeat Ansbach, Leda will continue her questline, but you will miss out on Ansbach’s Longbow and potentially other rewards from his questline. On the other hand, assisting Ansbach against Leda allows you to obtain Ansbach’s Longbow and other items from his questline, but you might miss out on certain rewards tied to Leda’s progression. Ultimately, helping Ansbach is crucial if you want to progress his questline and acquire his gear, including the Furious Blade of Ansbach.

This part of Leda’s quest will only be active if you help her during the fight with Hornsent or completely ignore that event. If Leda was defeated by Hornsent, the fight with Ansbach will not take place and you will meet Leda only in Enir-Ilim.

Complete a series of quests for Ansbach until he appears on the second floor of the Specimen Storehouse in the Shadow Keep. Go to the Highroad Cross, where Leda usually resides, and talk to her. Then return to Ansbach’s hideout where you will find two summoning stones. Again, you can support either Leda or her opponent in battle.

1. If you support Leda in the fight against Ansbach, his storyline will come to an end. You won’t be able to summon him as a combat ally during the last two fights in Enir-Ilim. As a reward for winning the fight, you will receive a full set of Ansbach’s armor and his bow. After talking to Leda later, you will be rewarded with a talisman (Retaliatory Crossed-Tree) again.
2. Helping Ansbach will allow you to summon him during combat in Enir-Ilim later. You will also be able to continue his storyline. You’ll still get his bow and some runes.

If you would like to analyze the quest structure from Ansbach’s perspective, check out the Sir Ansbach – walkthrough page.

Confrontation in the Cleansing Chamber

In the final stages of Needle Knight Leda’s questline, you’ll encounter her in the Cleansing Chamber Anteroom of Enir-Ilim. Here, Leda realizes that your intentions differ from hers, as you seek to become the Elden Lord rather than follow Miquella’s path. This realization leads to a confrontation, where Leda challenges you to a duel. The battle is influenced by your previous choices in other NPC questlines, determining which allies or enemies will join the fight. Defeating Leda and her companions rewards you with Leda’s Sword and additional items from her body after the fight.

Continue the expansion’s storyline until you reach the final location of Enir-Ilim. After reaching the Cleansing Chamber, you will face Leda. The Needle Knight will appear there regardless of the choices you made while completing her quests or the quests of any of the other NPCs. However, your decisions will drastically affect who else will appear in the arena.

1. Dryleaf Dane will appear in this encounter no matter what and will ALWAYS be hostile towards you.

Optional NPCs that will stand AGAINST you also include:

1. Hornsent – he will fight against you if you previously helped him defeat Leda in Shadow Keep, but you did not summon him during the fight against Messmer or you did not kill him during the invasion at the Church of the Bud.
2. Moore – will appear in the arena if you previously told him to put it behind him while completing his quest.
3. Freyja – she will fight you if you have completed her quest and given her the letter from Ansbach.

Some of the characters you meet may choose YOUR SIDE. These include:

1. Sir Ansbach – he will help you if you completed his quest (gave him the scroll) and helped him fend off Leda’s attack (if it took place).
2. Thiollier – he will fight on your side if you have completed his quest.
3. Sanguine Noble Nataan – he will replace Ansbach if Ansbach does not appear in the Cleansing Chamber (e.g. will die during Leda’s invasion).

Depending on your configuration, the difficulty level of this fight can vary significantly. After the battle is over, you will be able to collect the full equipment of all the warriors who participated in it. The fight in the Cleansing Chamber concludes the Needle Knight storyline and most of the NPCs’ stories too in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

What are the key decisions in Leda’s questline

In Needle Knight Leda’s questline in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, there are several key decisions that players must make, which significantly impact the progression and outcomes of both Leda’s and other NPCs’ questlines. Here are the main decisions:

1. Choosing a Target for Leda:

   • Suggest Thiollier: Leda concludes that Thiollier is not a threat due to his dual allegiance to St. Trina and Miquella.

   • Suggest Hornsent: Leda decides to pursue Hornsent, considering his desire for vengeance and the promise made by Miquella.

   • Suggest No One: This option ends the conversation, but Leda will still target Hornsent.

2. Assisting in the Conflict Between Leda and Hornsent:

   • Help Leda: You will kill Hornsent, ending his questline and receiving specific rewards like Falx and Hornsent’s Set.

   • Help Hornsent: Hornsent’s questline continues, and you receive different rewards such as Ash of War: Swift Slash.

   • Help Neither: Both questlines continue after defeating Messmer the Impaler, but you miss out on certain rewards.

3. Assisting in the Conflict Between Leda and Ansbach:

   • Help Leda: You will kill Ansbach, ending his questline and receiving Ansbach’s Longbow.

   • Help Ansbach: You defeat Leda, and Ansbach’s questline continues.

These decisions have significant implications for the narrative and rewards in the game, requiring multiple playthroughs to experience all possible outcomes.

What happens if you suggest Hornsent to Leda

If you suggest Hornsent to Needle Knight Leda in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, she will initially express the need for time to consider your suggestion. After resting at a Site of Grace and speaking with her again, Leda will decide to target Hornsent, regardless of your initial suggestion. Both Leda and Hornsent will then move to the Shadow Keep, where you can encounter them again.

It’s worth noting that suggesting Hornsent does not change the ultimate outcome, as Leda will target him regardless of your choice. However, this sets the stage for further interactions and decisions, such as whether to assist Hornsent or Leda in their confrontation, which can impact the continuation of Hornsent’s questline and the availability of certain rewards.