Needle Knight Leda is a key NPC in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree who guides you through your first steps in the expansion.
Leda, one of Miquella’s die-hard devotees, leads a crew on their shadowy quest in Elden Ring. As you traverse The Shadow Lands, she drops hints and appears now and then to aid your journey. In this guide, I’ll go over where to track her throughout The Shadow Lands, how to navigate the tough choices you’ll confront, and how those choices play out in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
Needle Knight Leda location in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Needle Knight Leda is your entry point to the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. You find her at the Mohgywn Dynasty Mausoleum in the underground section beneath Caelid in the Lands Between. To access the DLC, you must first defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood. This unlocks the Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace, where Leda stands gazing at a cocoon with a withered arm.
In your first interaction with Needle Knight Leda, she beckons you to touch the withered arm. Leda plans to join you in the Shadow Realm, so you must meet her again there. She also mentions her comrades, who will help you on your journey. Each NPC has unique reasons for following Miquella, which you can explore through their side quests.
Leda’s Tower of Shadow message explained in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
In the Tower of Shadow Message, Leda hints she’s heading east. One of the three Miquella Crosses marked on the map is at Castle Ensis, east of Belurat and northeast of the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace, over the Ellac Greatbridge in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
Finding the Tower of Shadoe message
Enter Castle Ensis and make your way to the Castle Ensis Site of Grace. Here, you’ll find one of the Miquella Crosses marked on Hornsent’s map. Though Leda won’t be present, you can find another letter from her next to the cross.
Leda’s location in Scadu Altus
Though Leda can assist at the Castle-Lord’s Chamber Site of Grace against Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, you meet Leda again in Scadu Altus at the Highroad Cross Site of Grace north of the castle’s exit after defeating the boss.
Here, Leda asks if you’ve met the other followers of Miquella. While they should be fighting each other, Miquella’s charm keeps them somewhat harmonious.
Side quests related to Leda’s questline
At this point, you should focus on completing Thiollier, Hornsent, and Dryleaf Dane’s side quests in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
- Scadu Atlus: Hornsent is just northeast of Leda.
- Gravesite Plain: Thiollier can be found at the Pillar Path Site of Grace.
- Moorth Ruins: Dryleaf Dane can be found here.
Dealing with these sidequests expands your conversation options with Leda. At this point, your conversation with Leda will stall until the breaking of the great rune.
Who should you suggest to Leda in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree?
As you approach Shadow Keep, a loud noise fills the air, and a notification appears: The great rune and its accompanying spell are broken. This event marks a drastic change for the NPCs, breaking Miquella’s enchantment over them in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.
After this event, Leda acknowledges that the enchantment is broken, but remains devoted to Miquella. Now, her focus shifts to eliminating anyone she deems unworthy of worshipping Miquella.
Here, you must make your first decision: Leda asks you to contribute and give your opinion on who she should begin with. The options are:
- Suggest Thiollier: Leda ponders on his faith in St. Trina over Miquella but ultimately decide he’s not a threat due to St. Trina and Miquella’s relationship.
- Suggest Hornsent: Leda considers his views on revenge and the promise Miquella made to him. After suggesting Hornsent, she asks for time to consider and ultimately decides to pursue him.
- Suggest No One: This option exits the conversation. However, it doesn’t prevent her from targeting someone in the group.
Regardless of your choice, she decides to go after the Hornsent.
Should you side with Leda or the Hornsent in the Shadow Keep in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree?
In Scadu Altus, you run into two summon signs in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. These signs prompt you to choose between aiding Leda or Hornsent in their conflicts. The gold one summons the Hornsent, and the red one summons Leda.
- If you assist Leda, Hornsent dies. Defeating him here yields gear: Falx, Hornsent’s Braided Arm Wraps, Braided Cord Robe, Soiled Loincloth, and Caterpillar Mask.  After defeating him, return to Leda at the Highroad Cross to receive the Lacerating Crossed-Tree Talisman. Leda then shifts her focus to Ansbach, a former soldier and follower of Mohg, marking a new chapter in the quest line where you can choose to assist either of them.
- If you opt to aid Hornsent, Leda temporarily dies and vanishes from the map until the final encounter in Enir-Ilim. For supporting Hornsent, you receive Leda’s Rune and the Swift Slash Ash of War.
- Choosing not to assist either Leda or Hornsent redirects Leda’s attention towards Ansbach. This path allows both Leda and Hornsent to survive beyond this point in the quest.
Should you side with Leda or the Ansbach in the Shadow Keep in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree?
Once you’ve rested at a Site of Grace, Ansbach is gone from his usual spot, replaced by the two familiar summon signs. Again, gold is for Ansbach and red is for Leda. Here are the outcomes based on your choice in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree:
- If you assist Leda, Ansbach dies temporarily and Leda disappears from the map temporarily as well. She agrees to assist you in a future battle and gives you the Retaliatory Crossed-Tree Talisman.
- If you assist Ansbach, Leda dies temporarily. You receive Leda’s Rune and Ansbach’s Longbow. Ansbach becomes available as a summonable ally for future battles.
How to beat Leda in Enir-Ilim in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Regardless of your earlier choices, your final encounter with Leda takes place in Enir-Ilim. This battle is challenging, but with the right strategy, you can overcome her. Make sure you are well-prepared with healing items and a strong weapon. Study her attack patterns and look for openings to strike. If you need more help preparing for the boss fight, here’s a guide with our best builds for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.
