There’s a seemingly endless number of cool weapons in Elden Ring, but sometimes the coolest thing you’re able to do is play the game without a weapon entirely. The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion addsMartial Artsinto the mix, letting you beat bosses withHand-to-Handcombat.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Monk’s Missive guide
While obtaining thenew Shadow of the Erdtree weapon typesis mostly straightforward, learning Hand-to-Hand abilities requires you to solve a crypticpuzzleand track down a knowledgeable master tomentoryou. 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 firstHand-to-Handweapon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.
Table of Contents
Where to find Dryleaf Dane in Elden Ring SotE
After clearingCastle Ensisand defeatingRellana, Twin Moon Knight, in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, you’ll reach a new region of the Land of Shadow and immediately find aMiquella Crosswith familiar faces waiting to greet you.
On the ground near the Highroad Cross is a note calledMonk’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 calledMay the Best Win, and it’s very important for this questline.
The monk in question isDryleaf Dane, who can be found to the east of the Highroad Cross atMoorth 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, buthe won’t say anythingif 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, justperform the May the Best Win gesturein front of him. This will teleport you to a closed-off arena where you’ll face off against Dryleaf Dane in aboss battlewhere 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, dealingrapid flurries of punches and kicksthat can easilybreak your guard. The best defense here is a goodoffense. Dane is fast, but his lightweight gear makes him easy tostagger. Keep hitting him and don’t give him the chance to hit back.
Ranged buildsshould 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 ashield, 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 aSite of Graceright next to him so you can try over and over again with ease. After Dane is defeated, you’ll obtain hisDryleaf Artsas well asDane’s Hatas a memento. There are many more Hand-to-Hand combat styles to learn throughout the Land of Shadow, and they’ll help you explore thenew Shadow of the Erdtree dungeonsand defeat bosses much faster.
Diego Perez
Currently serving as a Senior Staff Writer at PC Invasion, Diego Perez has been writing about video games since 2018, specializing in live service games like Destiny and Final Fantasy XIV. His work is featured at publications like Game Rant and Attack of the Fanboy (where he served as Associate Editor), but PC Invasion is home to his best work. When he’s planning content or writing guides, he’s yelling about Ape Escape or grinding Lost Sectors in Destiny. Plus, he has a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication Media Studies for Texas A&M University.
