Elden Ring: Complete Ansbach Questline Guide
This guide will walk you through every step of the Ansbach questline, ensuring you make the right choices and maximize your rewards. Along the way, you'll also gather plenty of Elden Ring Runes to strengthen your Tarnished and prepare for the final battle.
How to Start the Ansbach Questline
You'll first encounter Ansbach in the Gravesite Plain, standing near Moore at the Main Gate Cross Site of Grace. He introduces himself as a retired soldier and former follower of Mohg and provides useful information about the Land of Shadow. He also discusses his relationship with Leda, explaining his mistrust of her loyalty to Miquella.
Optional: Unlock More Lore About Miquella's Crosses
To learn more about Miquella's influence in the Land of Shadow, first:
Speak to Hornsent at the Three-Path Cross and obtain the Crosses Map.
Return to Ansbach—he will reveal knowledge of three more crosses that need to be discovered.
Find Miquella's Crosses at Belurat, Scaduview, and the Cerulean Coast.
Report back to Ansbach after discovering each cross to deepen his understanding of Miquella's role.
Completing this optional step doesn't change the main storyline, but it provides extra lore and enhances your engagement with Ansbach's journey.
Ansbach Questline Walkthrough
Step 1: Break Miquella's Charm in the Shadow Keep
To progress, you need to break Miquella's charm—a crucial moment in the DLC's storyline. Travel to Scadu Altus and enter the Shadow Keep, where your quest will take a dramatic turn.
Step 2: Return to Ansbach
After breaking the charm, return to the Main Gate Cross Site of Grace and speak to Ansbach again. His dialogue will change, reflecting his thoughts on Miquella and Leda's unwavering devotion.
Step 3: Optional – Speak to Freyja at the Three-Path Cross
Before continuing, you can visit Freyja at the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace. This step is optional but adds more depth to the ongoing conflict between the factions in the DLC.
Step 4: Meet Ansbach in the Shadow Keep's Specimen Storehouse
Progress through the Shadow Keep until you reach the Specimen Storehouse (1st floor). Here, Ansbach will have moved to a new location, preparing for the next phase of his quest.
Step 5: Collect the Secret Rite Scroll (4th Floor of Specimen Storehouse)
To advance his questline, you must find the Secret Rite Scroll on the 4th floor of the Specimen Storehouse. This item is crucial for unlocking Ansbach's full story and making important decisions later.
Step 6: Optional – Speak to Freyja on the 7th Floor
After collecting the scroll, you can visit Freyja on the 7th floor of the Specimen Storehouse and report back to Ansbach for additional dialogue.
Step 7: Deliver the Secret Rite Scroll to Ansbach
Once you have the Secret Rite Scroll, return it to Ansbach in the Specimen Storehouse. This step solidifies your alliance with him and leads to the next major decision.
Step 8: Optional – Give Ansbach's Letter to Freyja or Wait
At this stage, you have two options:
Deliver Ansbach's letter to Freyja to complete a separate subplot.
Wait until Ansbach's questline concludes to see its full impact on the final battles.
Your choice here influences how other NPCs react in later encounters.
Step 9: Progress Leda's Questline and Choose Between Hornsent and Thiollier
Continue Leda's questline until you choose between Hornsent and Thiollier. Your decision here affects the final showdown, determining which NPCs will support or oppose you.
Step 10: Choose to Assist Ansbach or Leda
Once back in the Specimen Storehouse, return to Ansbach's room and decide:
Assist Ansbach, turning against Leda and her faction.
Assist Leda, opposing Ansbach and aligning yourself with her followers.
This is the most significant choice in the questline, altering the final battle in Enir-Ilim.
Step 11: Summon Ansbach for Two Enir-Ilim Fights (Optional)
If you sided with Ansbach, you'll be able to summon him in Enir-Ilim for two major battles. His assistance can be crucial in defeating powerful enemies at the end of the DLC.
Ansbach Questline Rewards
Completing Ansbach's questline grants several powerful rewards, including unique Elden Ring Items and Elden Ring Runes that can strengthen your Tarnished.
Key Rewards from Ansbach's Questline:
Golden Lion Shield – A strong defensive shield with enhanced resistances.
Retaliatory Crossed-Tree Talisman – Boosts damage dealt when countering an enemy attack.
Ansbach's Longbow – A powerful ranged weapon with high Dexterity scaling.
Secret Rite Scroll – Unlocks hidden lore and additional dialogue options.
Elden Ring Runes – Earned through battles and quest completion, essential for upgrading weapons and abilities.
If you side with Leda, you will not receive some of these rewards, as Ansbach will become your enemy.
Conclusion
Ansbach's questline is one of the most intricate. His skepticism toward Miquella and Leda offers an alternative perspective on the DLC's events, making his storyline particularly engaging.
If you value a ranged playstyle, Ansbach's Longbow is a fantastic reward, making his questline a must-complete for archers. On the other hand, siding with Leda allows you to align with Miquella's cause and face different challenges in Enir-Ilim.
No matter which path you choose, completing Ansbach's questline will provide valuable Elden Ring Items, lore, and Elden Ring Runes to power up your Tarnished for the final battles.