The Lands Between are filled with powerful enemies, epic storylines, and Elden Ring Runes coveted gear that can dramatically impact your journey. Among these is the Hornsent Gear set — an intimidating, battle-worn armor belonging to the Hornsent, a fierce and vengeful NPC whose story intertwines with the fate of Miquella in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Whether you're aiming to roleplay as a ruthless warrior of the Land of Reeds or simply want a visually stunning and practical armor set, this guide covers how to acquire the Hornsent Gear, key choices you must make, and what makes this set worth your time.

Who Is the Hornsent?

Hornsent is a minor but impactful character introduced in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. A warrior with a grudge against the Golden Order, he accompanies your journey to the Shadow Realm and represents a radical, anti-Order ideology. Over the course of the expansion, you’ll have multiple interactions with him, and these decisions will directly affect whether you gain access to his armor.

Step 1: Reaching the Shadow Realm

To even begin your journey toward acquiring Hornsent’s gear, you must first unlock the Shadow of the Erdtree content. This involves:

Defeating Mohg, Lord of Blood in Mohgwyn Palace.

Touching Miquella’s Cocoon after his defeat, which teleports you to the DLC area: Belurat, Tower Settlement.

Once in the Shadow Realm, your journey with Hornsent begins shortly after reaching the first few Sites of Grace.

Step 2: Choosing a Side

Throughout the expansion, you’ll encounter a key narrative decision that determines Hornsent’s fate and thus your ability to acquire his gear.

Crucial Event Location:

Shadow Keep – Storehouse Back Section

You’ll encounter both Hornsent and Leda (another follower of Miquella) preparing for a confrontation. At this point, you're given the option to side with Leda and kill Hornsent, or ally with Hornsent and kill Ansbach, a scholar devoted to the preservation of knowledge.

To acquire Hornsent's gear, you must side with Leda and kill Hornsent. This is the only path that guarantees his death during the main storyline and lets you loot his armor.

Step 3: Defeating Hornsent

If you side with Leda, she will ask you to invade Hornsent’s world during his attempt to ambush Ansbach. The invasion takes place in the Shadow Keep, and you'll battle Hornsent in a brief but intense duel.

Tips for Winning the Duel:

Hornsent is agile, relying heavily on dual-wielded curved swords and quick strikes. Bring a shield with high physical resist or dodge-based builds to counter his flurry.

He is weak to bleed and frostbite, so consider weapons like the Rivers of Blood, Bloodhound’s Fang, or Cold-infused katanas.

Use Spirit Ashes wisely if allowed, especially tankier ones like Lhutel the Headless to distract him.

Once defeated, the invasion ends, and his body will appear in the Shadow Keep area, near Ansbach.

Step 4: Looting the Hornsent Gear

After defeating Hornsent, rest at a Site of Grace and return to the spot where he fell. His corpse will now hold the entire Hornsent Set, which includes:

Hornsent Helm

Hornsent Armor

Hornsent Gauntlets

Hornsent Greaves

You’ll also often receive Hornsent's weapon, typically a pair of curved swords styled after those used by warriors of the Land of Reeds.

Hornsent Gear Stats and Aesthetic

The Hornsent armor set is lightweight and offers a balance between agility and defense, ideal for Dexterity or Bleed-focused builds. Its aesthetic reflects a mix of samurai and barbaric flair, with weathered cloth, darkened metal, and a helmet adorned with hornlike protrusions.

Stat Highlights:

Lightweight – Doesn’t exceed mid-weight thresholds for most builds.

Decent resistances – Offers moderate defense against physical and slash attacks.

Boosts poise slightly, allowing you to trade hits effectively with faster enemies.

While it may not match the defense of tankier sets like Bull-Goat or Lionel’s, its speed-focused design fits rogue, bleed, and curved sword users exceptionally well.

Alternate Path: Keeping Hornsent Alive

If you choose to side with Hornsent and kill Ansbach instead, you will forgo the opportunity to obtain his armor set during the main DLC campaign. However, it’s currently unclear whether future updates or alternate story conclusions may offer a second chance at acquiring the gear.

So, if your goal is purely cosmetic or build-focused, and you desire the Hornsent Set, siding against him is the safest route.

Summary: Key Points to Acquire the Hornsent Gear

Unlock the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC by defeating Mohg and touching Miquella’s Cocoon.

Progress through the story until the Shadow Keep confrontation.

Side with Leda when given the choice.

Invade and kill Hornsent during his ambush attempt.

After resting at a Site of Grace, loot his corpse to obtain the full Hornsent Set.

Final Thoughts

The Hornsent Gear is one of the most striking and thematically rich armor sets in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, embodying the raw rage and buy Elden Ring Runes survivalist tenacity of a betrayed warrior. With its sleek silhouette, dark-toned armor, and combat readiness, it’s an excellent pick for players wanting both fashion and function.

Whether you collect it for aesthetics, roleplay, or stats, the Hornsent Gear is worth the moral compromise required to get it — and a brutal reminder that in Elden Ring, power often comes at the cost of loyalty.