Bilawal Bashir 
Are you unsure what to do about that NPC near the Moorth Ruins in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC? The good news is interacting with this mysterious figure, Dryleaf Dane, isn’t actually difficult.
Shadow of the Erdtree is dense with new locations to explore, new bosses to fight, and new loot to obtain. In true FromSoftware fashion, many boss fights are optional and it might not be immediately clear how to start them. With plenty of prominent bosses in the expansion, knowing whether an NPC is a potential boss fight becomes hard.
That’s especially the case when many of these bosses, even important ones like the Ancient Dragon-Man, are player-character units. One of the more striking NPCs is found near the Moorth Ruins site of Grace, and it’s unclear whether Elden Ring players should fight him, talk with him, or do nothing. Thankfully, his “questline” is over very quickly if players know what to do.
Who is the NPC near the Moorth Ruins site of Grace?
The NPC by the Moorth Ruins site of grace is Dryleaf Dane, a master in melee combat and an optional boss that drops some great gear. Elden Ring fans who watched the trailers will likely remember him as the high-flying martial artist in the first trailer.
Dryleaf Dane is located east of the Scadu Atlas region at the Moorth Ruins. The character doesn’t move and can be found in the same place every time. While not outright hostile, he’s not particularly talkative either.
In order to properly interact with him, players need to find the Monk’s Missive and the “May the Best Win” gesture as loot near the site of Grace and Miquella’s Cross. This is the area just past Rellana, Twin Moon Knight. After doing so, players can find Dryleaf Dane at the Moorth Ruins site of grace.
What to do with the NPC near the Moorth Ruins site of grace
Players can interact with NPC, Dryleaf Dane, by using the “May the Best Win” gesture in front of him. After doing so, a boss battle will immediately begin.
The boss focuses mainly on hand-to-hand fighting. Players can expect punches, kicks, and jumping attacks from Dryleaf Dane. He moves fast and can easily dodge player attacks, so waiting for the right moment is key to winning the fight. His poise is weak and can be broken easily, giving ample opportunity to deal damage.
Dryleaf Dane telegraphs his attacks with animations, making it easy to dodge them completely. However, attacking him mid-jump can stun him, offering a chance for high-damage combos. The fight is still challenging and should only be attempted with preparation. Like most Elden Ring bosses, patience is key here; wait for an opening and capitalize on stuns and recovery animations.
Defeating Dryleaf Dane rewards the player with his hat and a new hand-to-hand weapon, Dryleaf Arts. This weapon emulates his fighting style, which feels similar to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice in practice.
The art is perfect for players looking to dish rapid attacks with long combos. The boss also drops the Dane’s Hat, a helmet with good defensive stats. The Dryleaf Robe, Arm Wraps, Cuissardes, and Footwork can be later obtained in the game.
