How to get Hand-To-Hand Martial Arts in Shadow Of The Erdtree

Looking for some fighting action in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree? One of the new weapon types coming to Elden Ring's major DLC removes all blades and clubs, leaving only the pure power of Tarnished limbs. Fist weapons have already appeared in Elden Ring, but for players who want to go all-in on melee combat, Hand-to-Hand Arts add an exciting new variation in Shadow Of The Erdtree.

Finding your first melee weapon can be a little tricky though, especially if you're moving fast through the Shadowlands. In this guide, we'll give you an overview of martial arts in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and tell you what you need to do to unlock your first handwrap.

How to Master Martial Arts in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Eld Tree

So far, there are only two melee combat moves we've been able to discover in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Eld Tree. Both of them revolve around your interactions with Dryleaf Daen, a martial arts practitioner and priest of the Dryleaf sect. You'll first encounter Dryleaf Daen as you progress through Ensis Castle and enter Skadu Altus. This is where you'll find your first melee move.

Dry Leaf Arts

Entering Skadu Artus, High Road Cross Blessed Land, check your inventory – there should be a cryptic message A Monk's LetterThis challenge from Dryleaf Dane himself invites Tarnished to fight him in a brief sparring match: “If you wish to walk the path of the warrior, come seek me out to the east.”

Dry Leaf Dane never specifies where in the east he is referring to, Moose Ruins On Grace's site, you'll find him standing there, silent and gloomy. If you talk to him, he won't say a word. Instead, “May the best win.” To start the battle, make a gesture in front of him, which you should have acquired at the same time you received the Monk's Letter.

Once you perform the gesture, you'll be transported to another world where a Dry Leaf Dane will attack you. He's fast and has a powerful kick, but a well-timed melee attack will take him down easily. Once he's gone, you'll have access to a Dry Leaf Art.

Equipping Dry Leaf Arts allows you to deliver powerful punches, flying spin kicks and backhand attacks to your enemies. Compared to regular weapons, the damage is not as great, but you can combine multiple attacks in quick succession. Dry Leaf Arts also come with some cool skills. Palm Blast, It costs 11 FP and allows him to gather energy in his hands before releasing it outwards in an explosive attack reminiscent of Bruce Lee or Ip Man.

What other martial arts are there in Shadow Of The Erdtree?

If you like fighting with your fists and feet, Dryleaf Arts will serve you well in most aspects of Shadow Of The Erdtree. Later in the game, you'll get Dane's Footwork, another melee weapon. Spoilers below.

You can get Dane's Footwork by defeating Dane in a gang fight in Enir-Ilim, just before the final boss of Shadow Of The Erdtree. This always happens regardless of playthrough, so you don't need to do anything other than make it to the end of the DLC.

Danes Footwork boasts the same starting stats as Dry Leaf Arts but with better scaling upgrades, while Footwrap focuses on Back Breaking Kick and also provides a more powerful version of Palm Blast that can punch through opponents for 14 FP.

Use of martial arts in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Eld Tree

Hand-To-Hand Arts have great potential for players who like to stack combos and deal damage in rapid succession. If you prefer Sekiro's combat (or Dark Souls 2's Bone Fist), this art might be a good fit. For example, you'll need to repeatedly poke your opponent with the light attacks of Dryleaf Arts, then alternate between heavy flying spin kicks to block their attacks and stagger them. Mix in a Palm Blast with a good hit and you'll watch chunks of your opponent's health bar fly off in rapid succession.

However, if an enemy disrupts your attack patterns, you'll be an easy target. Also, Hand-To-Hand Arts have absolutely no range, so you'd better get in close and be prepared to roll and dodge frequently. That said, melee combatants and those trying out spellsword builds may find Hand-To-Hand Arts a lot of fun thanks to the pure speed that this new weapon type offers.

That wraps up our look at Hand-To-Hand Arts. To learn more about the new weapon types in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree, check out our guides to Light Greatswords, Perfume Bottles, and Throwing Blades. If you need help with the DLC's new quests, we also have guides for the Leda, Ymir, and Thiollier questlines to help you if you get stuck.