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Exploration inElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeretains theopen-world nature of the base gamewhile leaning into the looping interconnectivity reminiscent of the originalDark Souls. Entering the Shadow Realm puts players in an open field, allowing them to see miles into the distance to places they can’t visit yet.
One of these locations is the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion, the successor to the Church found in the Lands Between, with its very own unique quest and an area boss. Here is how to reach it.
Updated June 22, 2025, by Hamza Haq:If the Elden Ring DLC proves anything, it’s that FromSoftware isn’t afraid of locking entire regions behind seemingly random obstacles that are incredibly easy to miss. The top right portion of the map is locked behind a gesture, the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, Rabbath’s Rise Tower, and the entire lower section of the Shadow Keep ishidden behind a small hole in Moorth Ruins, and the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion is only accessible by going through the Dragon’s Pit dungeon.
Grand Altar of Dragon Communion Location
The Grand Altar of Dragon Communion is located southeast of the Gravesite Plains, accessible via a circuitous route starting from the front entrance of Castle EnsisinShadow of the Erdtree.
Obtaining theGravesite Plains map fragmentwill make the journey much easier.
Start from the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace and cross theEllac Greatbridgeto the northeast. Activate the Castle Front Site of Grace just before the steps leading up to Ensis, and follow the road southeast. It will lead you to thePillar Path Waypoint Site of Grace.
Just west of the Site of Grace, there will be a prone NPC crying out in pain. This isIgon,an NPC with a short questlinethat rewards players with theIgon’s Set,Igon’s Greatbow, andIgon’s Bell Bearing(used to craft ammo for Igon’s Greatbow). Exhaust his dialogue to trigger the start of his quest.
Just past Igon, the road bends westward before continuing south until it ends in a cavern leading down to theDragon’s Pit. This is a fairly small, linear dungeon with an easy boss at the end called theAncient Dragon-Man. Defeat the boss (drops theDragon Hunter’s Great Katana) and open the large green door to exit into the open-world.
Following the path east will lead to a large basin with a white dragon sitting in the middle. Stay close to the edge of the basin and move toward the southern exit to avoid aggroing it. This path leads directly towards the dead body of a gigantic dragon, with a red fire burning in a bowl just in front of the corpse. This is the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion.
What Can You Do at the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion
Talk to thePriestess, and she will tell you that she serves theDragonlord Placidusax, who has been grievously wounded byBayle the Dread, a traitor to his own kin. She will ask the player to kill Bayle and come back to her. Completing this quest to defeat Bayle The Dread will allow players to gain the ability to obtain thePriestess Heart, a reusable item that allows a character to transform into a human-sized Ancient Dragon.
TheDragon Priestess' questlinehas two different outcomes, depending on the choices a player makes, and both endings offer different rewards.
If players kill Bayle the Dread as requested, when they return to the Grand Altar, they’ll find the Priestess dead where they left her, and on her dead body will be two items:Priestess HeartandFlowerstone Gavel. Alternatively, if players offer the PriestessThiollier’s Concoctionat night before defeating Bayle, the Priestess will fall asleep and only wake up after Bayle is dead. This route ensures that she survives. Talk to her to obtain theDragonbolt of Florissaxand theDragon Communion Priestess Spirit Ash.
After killing Bayle, players will also be able to use the altar to obtainBayle’s TyrannyorBayle’s Flame Lightning, two new incantations exclusive to the DLC. You can also exchange 3 Dragon Hearts for theGhostflame BreathIncantation by selecting the Ritual of Dragon Communion.
TheSouthern Shore map fragmentcan be found southwest of the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion, on the Cerulean Coast.
