How to Get the Dark Moon Greatsword in Elden Ring: Full Ranni Quest Steps, Stats and Mistakes to Avoid

The Dark Moon Greatsword is one of the most famous weapons in Elden Ring: a glowing blue blade that builds frost, scales with Intelligence and fires waves of moonlight. You can't buy it or find it in a chest. It's the final reward of Ranni the Witch's questline, one of the longest NPC stories in the game, and it sends you across Limgrave, Liurnia, Caelid and the rivers far below them.

This guide walks through the quest in order, lists what you need to wield the sword and covers the mistakes that can stall things. Nothing about the weapon or the quest was changed in the latest update, patch 1.17 (August 2026).

Quick answer

Join Ranni at Ranni's Rise, follow her leads through Blaidd and Seluvis, defeat Starscourge Radahn, take the Fingerslayer Blade from Nokron to Ranni, then follow Miniature Ranni through the Ainsel River and Nokstella. Use the Discarded Palace Key to get the Dark Moon Ring, cross the Lake of Rot, beat Astel and slip the ring on Ranni's finger beneath the Cathedral of Manus Celes. The greatsword is left where she stood.

Requirements

To finish the quest you also need to be able to beat Royal Knight Loretta, Starscourge Radahn, the Baleful Shadow and Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. You'll also need to defeat Rennala, because the chest holding the Dark Moon Ring is in her arena in Raya Lucaria.

Step-by-step: Ranni's quest to the Dark Moon Greatsword

1. Meet "Renna" (optional). At night after you get Torrent, rest at the Church of Elleh in Limgrave. Ranni appears under that name and gives you the Spirit Calling Bell and Lone Wolf Ashes. If you missed her, buy both from the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold.
2. Reach Ranni's Rise. Beat Royal Knight Loretta at Caria Manor in Liurnia to open the Three Sisters area. Climb Ranni's Rise and choose to serve Ranni the Witch. If she sends you away, talk to Rogier at the Roundtable Hold and come back.
3. Talk to her followers. Exhaust the dialogue with Blaidd, Iji and Seluvis downstairs, then speak to Ranni again. Fast travel stays locked until you do. Ranni then goes to sleep.
4. Find Blaidd in Siofra River. Take the elevator near Mistwood in Limgrave down to Siofra River. Blaidd waits on a cliff east of the Siofra River Bank grace. Clear nearby enemies first so they don't interrupt the conversation. He sends you to Seluvis.
5. Seluvis and Sellen. Visit Seluvis's Rise in the Three Sisters and ask about Nokron. He gives you a letter of introduction for Sorceress Sellen at the Waypoint Ruins in Limgrave. She tells you Radahn is holding the stars in place.
6. Defeat Starscourge Radahn. Tell Blaidd what Sellen said to start the festival at Redmane Castle in Caelid, then win the fight. A star falls in Mistwood, leaving a crater.
7. Take the Fingerslayer Blade from Nokron. Drop into the crater to reach Nokron, Eternal City, and make your way through to Night's Sacred Ground. A chest there holds the Fingerslayer Blade.
8. Give the blade to Ranni. Talk to her until she hands you the Carian Inverted Statue. Use it on the pedestal in the Carian Study Hall and climb the Divine Tower of Liurnia to collect the Cursemark of Death.
9. Enter Renna's Rise. The third tower in the Three Sisters is now open. There's a chest with the Snow Witch set on the way up, and a waygate at the top takes you to Ainsel River Main.
10. Pick up Miniature Ranni. Grab the doll right in front of you, rest at the Ainsel River Main grace and choose "Talk to Miniature Ranni" until she answers. She asks you to kill the Baleful Shadow.
11. Clear Nokstella. Push through Nokstella, Eternal City, and defeat the Baleful Shadow beyond the Nokstella Waterfall Basin grace. You get the Discarded Palace Key.
12. Get the Dark Moon Ring. Open the locked chest in the Raya Lucaria Grand Library, Rennala's arena, to get the Dark Moon Ring.
13. Cross the Lake of Rot. Ride the lift down to the Lake of Rot, cross it and interact with the coffin at the Grand Cloister to reach Astel, Naturalborn of the Void.
14. Beat Astel and ride to the Moonlight Altar. Astel's defeat opens the way up to the Moonlight Altar. Watch out for Glintstone Dragon Adula near the cathedral.
15. Find Ranni under the Cathedral of Manus Celes. Drop down the hole inside the cathedral and follow the tunnel. Put the Dark Moon Ring on Ranni's finger, then pick up the Dark Moon Greatsword where she stood.

How the skill works

Activating Moonlight Greatsword costs FP once. It adds magic damage to the blade, and while the buff lasts your charged heavy attacks fire beams of moonlight at no extra FP cost. The sword builds frost even without the buff, so it holds up in long fights. Intelligence is its main stat, and its Intelligence scaling rises from C to B as you upgrade it.

Tips and common mistakes

• Don't attack Ranni or her allies. Before she goes to sleep, hurting her makes her disappear from Ranni's Rise. Celestial Dew used for Absolution at the Church of Vows fixes it.
• Don't give Ranni Seluvis's potion. Seluvis's own questline can end with you handing a potion to the sleeping Ranni. It does nothing useful and stalls the quest until you seek Absolution.
• Don't kill Seluvis. Blaidd turns hostile, and the quest stops until you seek Absolution.
• Finish Seluvis's quest first if you want his rewards. Giving Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade turns Seluvis into a puppet, which ends his own questline.
• The festival can start without you. Reaching the Altus Plateau or using the Grand Lift of Dectus also starts the Radahn festival. Ranni then won't wake at her tower until Radahn is dead, because Blaidd is away at the festival. Nothing breaks, but beat Radahn soon.
• Talk to the doll more than once. Miniature Ranni can take several tries before she answers. Rest at the grace and keep choosing the option.
• Bring Preserving Boluses. Scarlet Rot fills the Lake of Rot. Hop between the raised platforms and use the coffin from a dry spot.
• Don't leave without the sword. After she takes the ring, Ranni leaves the greatsword on the ground. Pick it up before you go. Finishing the quest also unlocks the Age of the Stars ending, which you start with the summon sign near Marika's remains after the final boss.