How to Get the Dark Moon Greatsword in Elden Ring – Ranni Quest Guide

Players will be able to unlock one of the most powerful weapons in the Lands Between, the Dark Moon Greatsword, and even a secret ending through Ranni the Witch. But to do so, you’ll need to traverse one of the most challenging quests in Elden Ring.

The Dark Moon Greatsword has a unique skill that many FromSoftware fans may already be familiar with. The ‘Moonlight Greatsword’ unique weapon skill allows players to coat their greatsword in the moonlight and imbue their attacks with ice damage.

Here is a complete breakdown of every step you’ll need to complete Ranni the Witch’s quest and obtain the Dark Moon Greatsword and Age of Stars ending.

How to Complete Ranni’s Quest & Obtain Dark Moon Greatsword

To complete the Ranni Quest in Elden Ring, players will need to traverse to the Moonlight Altar and give Ranni the Dark Moon Ring. But before that, there are plenty of steps that players will need to make sure they do first.

First Encounter with Ranni

• When you start Elden Ring, you will need to obtain Torrent first before meeting with Ranni for the first time.
• Once you’ve obtained Torrent from Melina, wait until night and head back to the Church of Elleh.
• Now, you should see Ranni, disguised as Renna, waiting for you, sitting on the ruins.
• Talk to Renna, and she’ll give you the Spirit Calling Bell alongside the Lone Wolf Ashes. She’ll disappear, and you won’t encounter her until you’ve progressed the story past Stormveil Castle.

It is worth noting that if you miss this step, then you will still be able to move ahead to the next step in the quest.

Where to Find Ranni the Witch & Begin Quest

• When you’ve progressed through Stormveil Castle, you’ll be able to access Caria Manor in northern Liurnia. This area should be accessed once players have already defeated Rennala and gained access to respec their character.
• Once you reach the entrance of Caria Manor, you’ll need to navigate through the area until you reach Royal Knight Loretta. Defeat this boss, and you’ll gain access to the Three Sisters location. This is where you will find Ranni.
• There is an optional dragon enemy here: Glintstone Dragon Adula. This is only the first phase of this fight. You’ll be able to fight its final phase later on in this quest.
• The middle tower in this area is Ranni’s Rise. Enter and ascend to be greeted by Ranni once again.
• Talk to Ranni, and she will reveal her true identity. She asks you to serve her and to continue with the quest. You will need to accept.
• Ranni will ask you to retrieve an item for her called the Fingerslayer Blade.
• From here, you’ll officially begin Ranni’s quest, which will allow players to obtain the Dark Moon Greatsword and one of the secret endings in Elden Ring.

You will need to do this step before triggering the Radahn Festival event. If this event is triggered, Blaidd, a necessary NPC for this quest, will stay at the Radahn Festival until Starscourge Radahn is defeated.

After defeating Starscrouge Radahn and ending the Radahn Festival, Ranni will reappear in Ranni’s Rise.

Radahn’s Festival is triggered by activating the Grand Lift of Dectus or activating any Sites of Grace in the Atlus Plateau. The safest way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to begin Ranni’s quest after defeating Rennala, the Full Moon Queen.

Where to Find Blaidd, The Half Wolf in Siofra River

• Ranni will ask you to retrieve an item from Nokron, The Eternal City, and to speak to three people in her service. The player cannot leave Ranni’s Rise until they talk to all three members. These include:
  • War Counselor Iji
  • Blaidd, the Half-Wolf
  • Perceptor Seluvis
• Once you speak to all three, return to Ranni and talk to her. She will inform you that she will be entering a deep slumber and will not be able to aid you for some time. You’ll now be able to exit Ranni’s Rise.
• After you leave Ranni’s Rise, your next step is to reach the Siofra River.
• Head to the eastern region of Limgrave. To do this, follow the path from Agheel Lake North Site of Grace headed east. After the bridge, take a left on the fork on the road.
• Eventually, you will reach the Mistwood Outskrits Site of Grace. From this Site of Grace, head southeast towards the Minor Erdtree.
• You should see a small building. This is the Siofra River Well. Take the elevator inside, which will lower you to the underground region of Elden Ring.
• From the elevator, you’ll need to begin your journey to find Blaidd. Follow the main path, take the lift up, and you’ll come across the Siofra River Bank Site of Grace
• From this Site of Grace, keep heading east until you reach a bridge in ruins. Blaidd will be standing near it. He’ll inform you that the path to Nokron is out of their reach and to find a path there. You’ll need to speak to Perceptor Seluvis.

Intimidated by Elden Ring’s massive map? Then use our guide to make sure your dangerous journies are worth the effort!

How to Get Selivus’ Introduction from Perceptor Selivus

• Head to Ranni’s Rise again, and make your way to the southern tower. This is Seluvis’ Rise.
• Speak to him, and he’ll inform you that Sorceress Sellen may know how to reach Nokron. He’ll hand you Selivus’ Introduction.
• You’ll be able to progress the quest once more and get one step closer to obtaining the Dark Moon Greatsword in Elden Ring.

Where to Find Sorceress Sellen

• Now, you need to head back to an earlier area of the game. East of Limgrave’s lake, you’ll find the Waypoint Ruins. These ruins are located north of the Agheel Lake South Site of Grace.
• Here, there are several plantlike enemies, including one that’s large and dangerous. It’ll attack you with poison if you’re close or magic bolts if you’re far away. Luckily, both attacks are easy to dodge.
• You can avoid the plant if you want and head straight down into the cellar, tucked away inside the ruins.
• You’ll have to take down a Mad Pumpkin Head boss inside the cellar.
• Once you defeat it, open the door ahead to reveal the Sorceress Sellen. Talk to her, and she’ll reveal that Starscrouge Radahn must be defeated before Nokron can be accessed.

Sorceress Sellen has a quest of her own that will help you obtain some of the best Intelligence gear in Elden Ring. Check out our complete Sorceress Sellen Quest guide to help you navigate through it!

How to Enter the Radahn Festival

• Radahn is located in Caelid and accessible from the Redmane Castle.
• Head to Fort Gael in the southwestern area of Caelid.
• Climb to the top of the fort, and you will find a waygate portal. Interact with this portal to reach the entrance of Redmane Castle.
• Here, you will find one more portal. This portal will teleport you directly inside Redmane Castle to a courtyard and allow you to skip most of the enemies here and head straight for Starscourge Radahn.
  • It’s worth noting this portal is only activated once you’ve spoken to Sorceress Sellen and given her Seluvis’ Introduction.
• Inside the courtyard, you will see many NPCs that have all gathered to fight in the Radahn Festival. Blaidd will be among them.
• Head up the stairs, and there will be an NPC, Castellan Jerren, that you can speak to. Through their dialogue options, you will be able to begin the Festival and fight Radahm himself.

Defeating Starscrouge Radahn is one of the most challenging tasks in Elden Ring, but it is worth it to obtain the Dark Moon Greatsword. Use our Starscrouge Radahn Guide to help you use the best strategy against him!

How to Navigate Through Nokron, The Eternal City

• Radahn’s death will trigger a meteorite to smash into Limgrave, opening up a path to Nokron, Eternal City for you.
  • If you return to speak to Iji, south of Caria Manor in Liurnia of the Lakes, then he will inform you that there is a large crater in east Limgrave. Slightly west of where you accessed the elevator to reach the Siofra River.
• Descend through the crater, and it will lead you to Nokron, Eternal City. Push through the ruins and head west.
  • You will encounter a few enemies that can drop a Larval Tear here! This is useful when looking to respec your Elden Ring character.
• Eventually, you will reach a boss battle that also happens to reward you with the best spirit ash in Elden Ring, the Mimic Tear.
• Defeat the Mimic Tear, and make your way north from the Mimic Tear Site of Grace. Eventually, you’ll see a pathway to the forest to your left.
• Enter the forest and keep left. You’ll come across a small gap in the area that leads to the Ancestral Woods Site of Grace.
• From this Site of Grace, you’ll be able to jump down onto the rooftop of the Night’s Sacred Grounds. Navigate through the rooftops until you come across a giant courtyard filled with Silver Tear enemies.
  • Silver Tears are large, black tears that can change their shape.
• Head down to this courtyard and towards the building. Inside this building will be a chest with the Fingerslayer Blade.

And with that, you’ve finally completed the first one of Ranni’s requests and are closer to obtaining the Dark Moon Greatsword in Elden Ring.

Where to Go After Obtaining Fingerslayer Blade

• Head back to Ranni’s Rise in Liurnia of the Lakes and give Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade. She will take the blade and reward you with the Carian Inverted Statue, allowing you access to the Divine Tower of Liurnia.
  • Players can use the Carian Inverted Statue on the Carian Study Hall to enter the Divine Tower of Liurnia and obtain the Cursemark of Death. The Carian Study Hall is in eastern Liurnia, right in front of the Study Hall Entrance Site of Grace which is south of the Eastern Tableland Grace. Here players can get the Cursemark of Death, the Stargazer Heirloom, and also catch a glimpse of Ranni’s original body.
• She will then inform you that she must continue the next part of the quest alone.
• Now, the tower at Renna’s Rise should be accessible. Enter and ascend to the top, where you’ll find a teleporter. This teleporter will take you to the Ainsel River Main.
• Head slightly north, and you’ll be able to loot a Miniature Ranni from an open stone coffin.

Where to Find Miniature Ranni

• Now that you have Miniature Ranni, rest at the Site of Grace. You’ll see an option to ‘Talk to miniature Ranni.’
• Choose this option 3 times until Ranni finally decides to talk to you.
• The doll will confess that it is, in fact, not a doll but rather Ranni herself. She will set you another objective: Kill the Baleful Shadow.
• The Baleful Shadow is the second major boss that you’ll fight on your way to acquiring the Greatsword. Ranni explains that the shadow is an assassin, sent after her by the Two Fingers after a particularly nasty dispute over a Rune of Death.
• From here, start making your way south until you reach the Uhl Palace Ruins. There will be a giant enemy hurling tiny asteroids at you, guarding a pathway. Avoid its attacks and head through the path.
• Keep following the water path until you reach a doorway to your left. Head through there and into Nokstella, Eternal City.
• From the Site of Grace, continue northwest towards the shallow river. Head left on this watery path. You’ll encounter a group of Silver Tears on the way. Avoid them and continue following the path west.
• Eventually, you will see two statues in prayer facing each other with a doorway under them. Enter the doorway and take the elevator.
• At the bottom of this elevator, you’ll find a Site of Grace. Continue south from this Site of Grace, and eventually, you’ll notice the area turn red.
• The Baleful Shadow will invade your world at this point.

How to Defeat the Baleful Shadow

• Battle the Baleful Shadow, and upon victory, Ranni will award you a Discarded Palace Key.
  • Facing the Baleful Shadow is certainly challenging! Check out our Best Strategy to Beat Baleful Shadow in Elden Ring.
• After defeating the Baleful Shadow, continue to the Lake of Rot Shoreside Site of Grace. Do this by using the elevator just ahead of where you fought.
• You’ll need to head to the Lake of Rot in the next step, so this will just make that easier.
• With the Shadow out of the picture, Ranni bids you farewell, and the doll is no longer cold. This brings Elden Ring players one step closer to obtaining the Dark Moon Greatsword.

How to Obtain the Dark Moon Ring

• Next, you’ll need to head to the Raya Lucaria Grand Library Site of Grace. The same area where you defeated Rennala, the Full Moon Queen.
  • If you skipped this fight and went straight for Radahn, then you’ll need to defeat Rennala before you’re able to interact with the chest. She is located in the Raya Lucaria Academy legacy dungeon in Liurnia of the Lakes.
  • Defeating Rennala will also allow the player to respec their character, meaning if you don’t have the right stats for the Dark Moon Greatsword, you’ll be able to change that with some Larval Tears.
• From here, you’ll be able to use the Discarded Palace Key on the chest to the right of Rennala.
• Open it, and you’ll obtain the Dark Moon Ring.
• Now you’ll need to return to the area where you just fought the Baleful Shadow. Head to the Lake of Rot Shoreside Site of Grace.

Where to Find the Coffin in the Lake of Rot

• From the Lake of Rot Shoreside Site of Grace, head into the Lake of Rot.
• This will cause you to gain rot and potentially get inflicted with the scarlet rot status effect.
  • Make sure you have your Vigor stat raised to increase immunity and a few Preserving Boluses.
  • To aid you in this area, check out our Elden Ring Status Effect Guide for a full breakdown of cures and how to avoid Scarlet Rot.
  • It would also be helpful to convert all your flasks to healing items for this area. That way, you have the most amount of heals possible.
    • If you haven’t obtained many Golden Seeds, then check out our guide to help you upgrade the number of flasks you carry!
• Press on through the Lake of Rot and head south until you reach a building. There will be enemies, but if you travel through the middle, you’ll be able to avoid most of them.
• Once inside, continue onwards and interact with the Site of Grace. This way, you will completely heal, and you can avoid the Lake of Rot altogether if you happen to fall to an enemy.
• From the Site of Grace, head west. You’ll need to do a bit of platforming. Jump on the edge of the pillar and navigate to the broken areas. Fall through these holes, and eventually, you’ll reach the bottom level.
• Continue heading west until you see a path on your left. There should be a visible coffin near the ledge here.
  • It is better to stick to the left wall in this area since the enemies will spot you easily from the other areas.
• Go towards the coffin and interact with it. This coffin will then lead you to a different part of the map where the only thing in front of you is a boss area.

How to Defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void

• This boss battle involves Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. Astel is an alien-like creature with star debris that floats around him. Because of this, his move set involves teleporting and launching asteroids at you.
  • Thankfully, we have a guide to help you easily defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void and continue on your journey to obtain the Dark Moon Greatsword in Elden Ring.
• After defeating Astel, players will be awarded the Remembrance of the Natural Born.

Where to Find the Moonlight Altar

• After defeating Astel, make your way to the north cave exit. Interact with the Site of Grace to heal and recover your flasks. Eventually, you will come across an elevator.
• Ascend using the elevator, and you’ll reach the Moonlight Altar. Interact with the Site of Grace to gain fast travel access to this area.
• From the Site of Grace, head northeast towards the ruins in the distance.
• Eventually, Glinstone Dragon Adula will appear to stop you from advancing.
  • This fight is completely avoidable, but if you do defeat Adula, you will gain one of the strongest pieces of the Frostbite Mage Intelligence Build.
• Head inside the ruins which will be revealed as the Cathedral of Manus Celes.

How to Obtain the Dark Moon Greatsword

• Interact with the Cathedral of Manus Celes Site of Grace.
• From the Site of Grace, head inside the crater slightly south.
• Do some platforming to reach the bottom of the crater. At the bottom will be a path you can follow.
• At the end of this path, you will find a bloody Ranni lying alongside a dead Two Fingers.
• Approach Ranni and interact with her body to put the Dark Moon Ring on her finger.
• A cutscene will play out, revealing the end of the quest.
• After the cutscene, interact with Ranni the Witch. Exhaust her dialogue, and after she vanishes, an item will appear where she first was when you entered the area.
• Interact with it, and it’ll reveal that you’ve obtained the Dark Moon Greatsword, one of the strongest Intelligence weapons in Elden Ring.
  • To wield the sword, you’ll need:
    • Strength: 16
    • Dexterity: 11
    • Intelligence: 38

Best Build for Dark Moon Greatsword

The best build for the Dark Moon Greatsword is the Frostbite Mage Intelligence Build. This allows players to quickly build up frost in their opponents and inflict frostbite.

The Dark Moon Greatsword’s most powerful attack is its unique weapon skill, Moonlight Greatsword. This imbues the weapon in the moonlight and allows it to do frost damage and gain a great damage boost. It also allows each slash of the weapon to send out a blast of moonlight.

Frostbite depletes HP and reduces damage negation by 20%. This will allow players to sink in even more damage and quickly bring down even the strongest of foes.

How to Obtain Ranni the Witch Armor Set

Players will be able to obtain the Ranni the Witch Armor Set from Renna’s Rise after giving Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade.

• Once you give Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade, rest at any Site of Grace. This will bring down the magical force field in Renna’s Rise.
• Head to Renna’s Rise, the tower located north of Ranni’s Rise, and begin to climb up the ladder.
• When you reach the top of the ladder, turn around, and you will see a chest.
• Open this chest, and you will be rewarded with the Snow Witch Hat and Snow Witch Robe.

How to Obtain Blaidd the Half Wolf Armor Set

Players can obtain the Blaidd Armor Set after completing the Ranni Quest in Elden Ring, and heading to Ranni’s Rise to defeat Blaidd, the Half Wolf.

• Once you’ve received the Dark Moon Greatsword, head over to Ranni’s Rise, where your quest first began. Here, Blaidd the Half Wolf will be sitting down near the stairs, waiting to attack Ranni.
• Unfortunately, he was created by the Two Fingers to protect Ranni. This whole quest is about Ranni defying the Two Fingers. So ultimately, it causes Blaidd to go against Ranni, even against his own wishes.
• When you reach him in Ranni’s Rise, he will be hostile. Defeat him, and he will drop his armor set, excluding the helm and the Royal Greatsword.

Where to Find Black Wolf Helm

• Head to the entrance of Seluvis’ Rise right after defeating Blaidd the Half Wolf.
• On the left will be some ruins that you can climb and follow up.
• Platform up them, and eventually, you will reach a corpse with the Black Wolf Helm.
• Grab it, and you’ll have Blaidd’s full armor set to use with the Frostbite Mage Build.

The following section includes spoilers for the final battle of Elden Ring.

How to Unlock Age of Stars Secret Ending

To Unlock the Age of Stars Ending in Elden Ring, players will need to summon Ranni after defeating the Elden Beast.

Warning: Doing this will lock you out of all other endings.

After defeating the Elden Beast, there be a summon sign right in front of you. Interact with it to summon Ranni. With this, you’ve obtained the Age of Stars ending! Enjoy the cutscene.

If you’re having trouble with any steps in this quest, then use our guide on how to farm infinite runes to level up your character.