Should you side with Leda or Hornsent in Elden Ring?

If you are playing by the book and are making sure to always talk to all NPCs during your venture in Elden Ring Shadow of Ertree, the Tarnished will be given the option to side with Needle Knight Leda or with Hornsent while at the Shadow Keep. A feat you can complete by interacting with their summoning signs.

But what will siding with each of them cause? And is there a third option? So that you can make sure your Tarnished will make a choice they won’t regret, here’s what siding with Leda and Hornsent will do in Elden Ring.

How to unlock and find Leda and Hornsent’s summoning signs

If you haven’t already, you can unlock the summoning signs for Needle Knight Leda and Hornsent by first exhausting their dialogues at the Highroad Cross Site of Grace before entering the Shadow Keep Legacy Dungeon. Once you enter the area and get the message informing you of the breaking of a great rune, return to the Site of Grace and exhaust their dialogues again.

After doing the above, you will be able to find Leda’s red summoning sign and Hornsent’s golden one side by side at the top of the large set of stairs ascending from the Main Gate Plaza Site of Grace. You can check out the exact location of both signs in the image below.

What happens if you side with Needle Knight Leda?

Siding with Leda and assisting her with killing Hornsent will end the latter’s questline and stop his summoning sign from becoming available during the Messmer the Impaler fight. Aside from that, you will receive Hornsent’s Falx Curved Sword and all of the following as rewards for defeating him:

• Caterpillar Mask
• Braided Cord Robe
• Braided Arm Wraps
• Soiled Loincloth

After aiding her, talking to Leda at the Highroad Cross Site of Grace will prompt her to both give you the Lacerating Crossed-Tree talisman and reveal her plans to go after Sir Ansbach.

What happens if you help Hornsent?

Siding with Hornsent against Leda will reward you with the Swift Slash Ash of War and with Leda’s Rune. The Ash of War is an exclusive reward for this fight. You will still be able to summon Hornsent for the Messmer boss fight as well as continue his questline after helping him.

What happens if you don’t pick a side?

If you ignore their summoning signs and leave the chips to fall where they may, Leda will stop pursuing Hornsent and shift her focus toward Sir Ansbacht, thus progressing her quest. Hornsent’s questline will also progress and his sign will be present in the Messmer arena. Not picking a side will lock you out of both the Lacerating Crossed-Tree talisman and the Swift Slash Ash of War.

Should you side with Leda or Hornsent in Elden Ring?

Like most things in Elden Ring, there’s no right answer to who you should side with. Funny enough, I believe the best choice is to either not make one or side with Hornsent before siding with Sir Ansbach during his quest. This will allow you to get Hornsent’s Ash of War if you so wish, won’t lock you out of his quest, and will allow you to have Ansbach available as a summon for two key battles later in the story.