Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree: Sir Ansbach Questline Guide

Sir Ansbach, once a Pureblood Knight Captain, now seeks answers in Elden Ring. His quest in Shadow of the Erdtree is full of intrigue and danger, which makes it one of the highlights of the game. Our detailed guide will help you navigate this complex questline.

Meeting Sir Ansbach in Elden Ring

You’ll first encounter Sir Ansbach at the Main Gate Cross Site of Grace in Gravesite Plain, near Belurat. Here, he stands near a large cross, pondering Miquella’s plans. Speak to him to begin his quest.

Ansbach reveals his days of fighting are done and that he is now just trying to understand Miquella’s intentions. He sends you on another mission to locate Miquella’s hidden crosses (central points for the lore). This is an optional objective but gives you more dialogue and back story.

Finding the Optional Crosses

There are two notable crosses you can find to further Ansbach’s dialogue:

1. Cerulean Coast Cross: Head south from the Cerulean Coast Site of Grace until you reach a coastal cliff. Interact with the cross and then report back to Ansbach. He’ll explain how Miquella shed part of himself there, leaving St. Trina behind in his quest for godhood.
2. Scaduview Cross: Located on a cliff above the Fort of Reprimand in Scadu Altus. Unseal the nearby Sealed Spiritspring to reach it. Upon reporting back, Ansbach will discuss the significance of Miquella’s golden eyes and his journey to godhood.

Returning to Ansbach after finding these crosses will unlock more of his thoughts on Miquella.

Breaking Miquella’s Charm

To advance Sir Ansbach’s questline in Elden Ring (and other NPC quests in the Shadow Realm), you need to break Miquella’s charm. This event triggers when you reach one of three locations for the first time:

• The Shadow Keep
• The Rauh Base
• Eastern Scadu Altus (beyond Bonny Village)

As you approach these locations, a message will appear: “Somewhere, a great rune has broken… And so too has a powerful charm.” This indicates that you’ve progressed the main story and freed the NPCs from their charms.

Moving to Shadow Keep

Once the charm is broken, return to Ansbach at the Main Gate Cross. Exhaust his dialogue, and he’ll move to the Shadow Keep. You’ll find him on the first floor of the Specimen Storehouse. Here, he’ll express his concerns about Miquella and share more about his past with Mohg.

Finding the Secret Rite Scroll

Next, you need to find the Secret Rite Scroll, located on the fourth floor of the Specimen Storehouse. Follow these steps:

1. From the Fourth Floor Site of Grace, exit west and turn left at the balcony.
2. Head up two flights of stairs.
3. Take another set of stairs down to a room overlooking more specimens.
4. The scroll is on a desk in the back-right corner of this room.

Interacting with Freyja

Before delivering the scroll to Ansbach, find Redmane Freyja on the seventh floor of the Specimen Storehouse. Speak to her to advance both her and Ansbach’s quests. She’s puzzled over a tablet’s meaning and needs the information from the scroll. By doing this, you ensure that Freyja’s questline progresses smoothly and that she receives the letter from Ansbach.

Delivering the Secret Rite Scroll

Return to Ansbach with the scroll. He’ll reveal that Miquella plans to use Mohg’s body to resurrect Radahn, which deeply unsettles him. Ansbach then gives you a letter to deliver to Freyja. You have two choices:

1. Give the letter to Freyja: She’ll join the fight in Enir-Ilim, and you’ll eventually face her. You’ll receive the Golden Lion Shield as a reward.
2. Keep the letter: Avoid fighting Freyja, and later find her shield at the Seventh Floor Site of Grace.

Progressing Leda’s Quest in Elden Ring

Sir Ansbach’s questline progress is tied to Leda’s questline in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. If you haven’t spoken to her after the breaking of Miquella’s Great Rune, return to the Highroad Cross and help her choose who to investigate for the potential betrayal of Miquella.

Regardless of your answer, she will always be suspicious of Hornsent, triggering an invasion at the Shadow Keep that has you choose to help either Leda or Hornsent. If you choose to help Leda, she will target Ansbach next.

If you helped Hornsent defeat Leda while invading the Shadow Keep, she will no longer invade Ansbach. This guarantees that Ansbach becomes a gold summon for the Enir-Ilim NPC fight and the final boss once you deliver the Secret Rite Scroll to him.

Leda or Ansbach? The Crucial Choice

Leda, fearing Ansbach’s potential threat to Miquella, decides to eliminate him. Return to Ansbach’s room in the Specimen Storehouse and find two summon signs: a red one for Leda and a gold one for Ansbach. Your choice here determines the quest’s outcome:

• Assist Ansbach (Gold Sign): Leda dies, and you gain Leda’s Rune (worth 40,000 Runes) and Ansbach’s Longbow. Ansbach can be summoned for the Enir-Ilim and final boss fights.
• Assist Leda (Red Sign): Ansbach dies, and you receive his gear and the Retaliatory Crossed-Tree Talisman. You may get Sanguine Noble Nataan as a summon in the Enir-Ilim fight.

Final Encounter and Rewards of Sir Ansbach Questline

If you’ve sided with Ansbach, summon him for the Cleansing Chamber Anteroom fight in Enir-Ilim. After defeating Leda and her allies, speak to Ansbach one last time before the final boss fight. He’ll acknowledge your role in Mohg’s death but holds no grudge.

Summon Ansbach for the final boss fight, where his assistance can be crucial. After the battle, loot his corpse to obtain:

• Obsidian Lamina
• Furious Blade of Ansbach (Incantation)
• Ansbach’s Full Armor Set

Of course, if you have completed Thiollier’s questline he will also appear as a gold summon for the final boss battle. With him and Ansbach by your side, you can really tip the odds in your favor. 

This finally concludes the full questline for Sir Ansbach in Elden Ring, giving a trove of history and lore. Following these steps will uncover all his secrets, and give you access to freeing equipment and loyal allies for the final battles in Shadow of The Erdtree.

Additional Notes and Tips for Sir Ansbach Questline

• Timing and NPC Interactions: Ensure you complete all related NPC quests before defeating the Shadow Keep boss and using Messmer’s fire. This is crucial as NPCs disappear from the map post these events.
• Optional Lore Exploration: Engaging with optional crosses and additional dialogues enriches the narrative and provides a deeper understanding of Miquella’s intentions and the lore of the Land of Shadow.
• Preparation for Fights: Summoning Ansbach for critical battles can significantly influence the outcomes, providing additional support against challenging foes. His assistance is particularly valuable in the final boss fight, making the battle more manageable.
• Rewards Management: Depending on your choices, you can acquire a diverse set of equipment and items. Plan your decisions based on the rewards you aim to obtain, ensuring you maximize the benefits from each encounter.

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