There are two draconic forms you can turn into in Shadow of the Erdtree. We’ll explain how to get both Stone Dragon Hearts and when to use them.
This guide is up-to-date for Elden Ring Update 1.14
Dragon transformations from the Dark Souls franchise have made their way into Elden Ring with Shadow of the Erdtree expansion! This time around, there are two distinct transformations, each with a different use case.
Just like in Dark Souls, you have to take off all your armor and use the reusable item, which will change your appearance (and modify your defensive stats to compensate for the lack of armor) until you die.
The two reusable items are called Rock Heart and Priestess Heart. Below you will find all the information you need about them, as well as the rewards you get from the Dragon Priestess and Bayle the Dread.
How to get the Rock Heart
The first dragon transformation item is called the Rock Heart, and it’s your reward for finding the place where “Domain of Dragons” was painted.
You can’t wear any armor while in dragon form or transforming. In return, dragon form grants +10% Damage Negation and +50 Resistance for all damage types. If you activate the Rock Heart while already transformed, your Dragon Communion Incantations deal +20% more damage for 60s.
“Domain of Dragons” Painting Location
The painting called “Domain of Dragons” is located at Shadow Keep. You can find this painting (easel) in a room concealed by a moat-related waterfall in the Shadow Keep.
To get there, go to the wall near the elevator to Specimen Storage, the one with all of the Messmer Fire pit boats and Shadow Militia (AKA Jawas). There’s a ladder down to the moat near the waterfall in question. There’s also a lootable corpse right next to the ladder with some piece of junk you can stuff in your pockets too.
Also inside the room with the painting, there’s an illusion wall that takes you to a room with a coffin that will transport you to the Ruins of Unte, which is the only path to the Abyssal Forest.
“Domain of Dragons” Physical Location
If you want to find the location depicted in “Domain of Dragons” on your own, here’s a slightly larger version:
The physical location of “Domain of Dragons” is up on Jagged Peak as you’re making your way from the Mountainside to the Summit Sites of Grace. It’s on a lower elevation than the main path along the dragon corpses.
You won’t see the landscape in the painting, but the storm will literally stop all of a sudden as you get close and the clouds will clear up.
Your reward for finding the painter is the Rock Heart, which is the reusable item transforms you into a dragon.
Rock Heart Dragon Transformation Preview
Read out full Rock Heart PvE Build for Elden Ring, enhanced by Shadow of the Erdtree expansion and designed to help you reach the ultimate level of Dragon Communion by combining draconic items from the base game with molten fury from the Jagged Peak.
How to get the Priestess Heart
The second dragon transformation item is called the Priestess Heart, and it’s left for you by the Dragon Priestess for slaying Bayle the Dread.
Just like with the Rock Heart, you can’t wear any armor while in dragon form or transforming. In return, Dragon Priestess form grants +7% Damage Negation for all damage types and +70 to each Resistance. If you activate the Priestess Heart while already transformed, your Dragon Cult Incantations (Lightning) deal +20% more damage for 60s.
Where is the Dragon Priestess
You meet the Dragon Priestess at the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion, in between Charo’s Hidden Grave (Crimson Ridge) and the Finger Ruins of Rhia.
The Dragon Priestess will ask you about whether you’re interested Dragon Communion, answer affirmatively and then exhaust her dialogue. She’ll tell you she was a former dragon, Florissax, and that she wants you to defeat Bayle the Dread.
What to do with Thiollier’s Concoction
If you speak to Moore after meeting Thiollier, he’ll give you some Black Syrup, which you can then give to Thiollier, who will whip up some of Thiollier’s Concoction.
If you havent met these charming folks, you can find Sir Moore at the Main Gate Cross along with Sir Ansbach, and Thiollier moping at the Pillar Path Cross. Check out our Scadutree Fragments and Miquella’s Crosses Locations Guide for more info!
Thiollier’s Concoction can be used to end your life, or make the Dragon Priestess go to sleep for a couple of days, causing her to break the vow she made to Dragonlord Placidusax.
Do not poison the Dragon Priestess with Thiollier’s Concoction if you want the Priestess Heart.
Learn more about how to get all of Thioller’s armor, weapon, talisman and perfume, from our complete guide to all quest item rewards in Shadow of the Erdtree.
Should you give Thiollier’s Concoction to the Dragon Priestess
Thiollier’s Concoction will determine which set of 2 distinct rewards you will receive from the Dragon Priestess, either Ancient Dragon Florissax (Spirit Ashes) and Dragonbolt of Florissax (Incantation) or Flowerstone Gavel and the Priestess Heart.
What happens if you give Thiollier’s Concoction to the Dragon Priestess
If you give Thiollier’s Concoction to the Dragon Priestess, which you have to do at night, she will go to sleep for a few days and wake up as Dragon Priestly.
Still, after defeating Bayle the Dread (and optionally enduring Igon‘s screaming), return to the Dragon Priestess, she will reward you with the Dragonbolt of Florissax (Incantation), and you will be offered opportunity to confess to drugging the Dragon Lady.
Should you do the rightest thing you can do at this point and confess, she will blame herself for letting you do it and willingly choose you as her rebound Dragonlord, becoming Spirit Ashes for you to use.
Giving Thiollier’s Concotion to the Dragon Priestess is superior from a build perspective if you don’t care about Lightning Incantations, want to use this specific Spirit Ash, or prefer to use Lightning Incantations as a Death Knight rather than a dragon.
What do you get from the Dragon Priestess
If you opt not to poison the Dragon Priestess with Thiollier’s Concoction and pass your Elden Lord HR quiz with flying colors, she’ll give you the Priestess Heart and Flowerstone Gavel.
In essence, you can either turn into the Dragon Lady, or you can summon her as a Spirit Ash. The Priestess Heart and Flowerstone Gavel are intended to significantly enhance builds that use the Ancient Dragon Cult (AKA Lightning) Incantations while transformed as a dragon.
Where is Bayle the Dread
Bayle the Dread roosts atop Jagged Peak, the mountain at the southeast corner of the Realm of Shadow. To reach him, head northwest from the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion, around the Finger Ruins of Rhia and make your way to the top of the mountain.
Bayle’s Tyranny or Bayle’s Flame Lightning: Which Should You Choose
Upon defeating Bayle the Dread atop the Jagged Peak, you are rewarded with the extra-delectable Heart of Bayle, which is a fusion of a regular Dragon Heart and a boss Remembrance.
You can’t consume it for a bounty of Runes or duplicate it. All you can do is take it back to the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion and choose to exchange (eat) it for 1 of 2 Bayle-themed Dragon Communion Incantations: Bayle’s Tyranny or Bayle’s Flame Lightning.
Since you can’t duplicate the Heart of Bayle at a Walking Mausoleum or Finger Ruins Sarcophagus, it is not possible to obtain both Bayle’s Tyranny and Bayle’s Flame Lightning in the same playthrough. You must choose, but it’s not a tough decision.
Bayle’s Tyranny
Bayle’s Tyranny is a devastating AoE attack centered on you. It’s reminiscent of Greyoll’s Roar in terms of range, but deals more than double the damage (at the cost of applying the debuff.
It’s what he does while sprouting his phantasmal wings halfway through the fight in phase 2. Very flashy, very powerful, and it actually expands your overall capabilities in a meaningful way.
Bayle’s Flame Lightning
Bayle’s Flame Lightning is a mid-range, purely single-target attack. Unfortunately, it’s basically just a reskin of Dragonmaw, but costs 25% more FP and 2 Memory Slots instead of 1. You can replicate the capabilities of both with Theodorix’s Magma.
It only deals a tiny bit more damage than Dragonmaw and takes you higher into the air, which only makes it safer to use, but at the costs I already mentioned plus the fact that it really can’t hit multiple enemies at the same time.
There is a scorch mark that deals partial AoE damage long after the initial hit, but it’s super unreliable and will only deal extra damage to the main target if it’s a boss, because nothing else would survive.
To be clear, Bayle’s Flame Lightning is the Incantation version of the attack where he electrifies his wing nub and stabs it into the ground; it is NOT his Flame Lightning Breath, which would have been infinitely better and actually expanded the capabilities of the build.
I strongly recommend getting Bayle’s Tyranny.
