How to complete the Dragon Communion Priestess quest in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree adds a dozen new NPCs, and their questlines are just as vague and enigmatic as the base game. One new character, the Dragon Communion Priestess, has an optional quest with a powerful reward—one of two new Dragon Forms.

Elden Ring DLC Dragon Communion Priestess quest, explained

Completing the Dragon Communion Priestess’ quest in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree awards you with the Priestess Heart, one of two new reusable items that lets you transform into Dragon Form.

You can only reach the Priestess by clearing the Dragon’s Pit mini-dungeon in southeastern Gravesite Plain. If you haven’t found it yet, head toward the Suppressing Pillar and look around the hills immediately southwest for a cave entrance.

After progressing through Dragon’s Pit and beating the boss there, you emerge in a new area on a lower elevation with a fork in the road. You can head west toward the Jagged Peak, or south toward the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion. That’s where you encounter the Priestess, so head south to start the quest.

How to complete Dragon Communion Priestess quest in Elden Ring DLC

After you arrive at the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion, speak to the Dragon Communion Priestess. Exhaust her dialog until she gives you a choice: Devour draconic essence or Do not partake. Choose to devour the essence. She gives you a one-time-use consumable item, the Ancient Dragon’s Blessing, which consumes a small amount of FP to increase your damage negation. You can return to the Priestess at any time (until you finish her quest) for a refill.

Before you leave, if you have any Dragon Hearts from slaying dragons, you can exchange them for new Dragon Incantations at the Altar. Next, head back to the junction and go east toward Jagged Peak. Ascend the mountain, and on the way—after killing the Jagged Peak Drakes—you’ll encounter Drake Warrior Igon if you previously met him at Pillar Path Cross. I strongly recommend you speak to him here and agree to summon him against Bayle the Dread, because he’s a great ally with some of the best voice lines of any FromSoftware character.

Continue ascending Jagged Peak (and grab the Rock Heart on the way) until you reach the top. Fight and defeat Bayle the Dread, then return to the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion. You’ll find two lootable items where the Dragon Communion Priestess was standing; one is the Priestess Heart, and the other is the Flowerstone Gavel melee weapon.

You can use the Priestess Heart to transform into Dragon Priestess Form, as long as you aren’t wearing any armor. It lasts until death and boosts the damage of your Dragon Cult Incantations by 20 percent (according to FextraLife), which includes lightning spells like Lightning Spear, Honed Bolt, and Electrify Armament.