In Elden Ring, developer FromSoftware has given players an almost infinite amount of options for building a character. With the right combination of stats, customizable Ashes of War special attacks and a suitably powerful weapon, players can create incredibly powerful builds that they can utilize in the game’s open-world environments known as The Lands Between. However, when players are actually out exploring the gigantic world that is Elden Ring, half of the challenge of building a great character is simply finding just where the right weapons are hidden and how to acquire them.
For those who choose to build a character based around the holy magic incantations of the Faith stat, there is a particular weapon hidden away in Elden Ring‘s mid-game that is powerful enough to carry players through the rest of the fight. Suitable for the battle-mage-styled Confessor and pure Faith magic Prophet classes alike, this weapon is the fire-spewing greatsword known intimidatingly as the Blasphemous Blade.
The Blasphemous Blade is the sacred sword of the Lord of Blasphemy himself, Rykard. To acquire this weapon, players will indeed have to defeat this powerful foe in single combat. As one of the more difficult bosses in the game, Rykard will require players to be ready for the challenge of earning the right to wield his holy blade, a weapon that writhes with the countless souls of heroes he has defeated. Since Rykard is an especially unique boss encounter, players will want to take some time to level up before making the journey to his location. Once the player character is sufficiently decked out with some great early-game Faith-based weaponry, it will be time to take a journey to the Mt. Gelmir area of the map, located in the upper northwest section.
The first step in acquiring the Blasphemous Blade lies in accepting entry into the Volcano Manor, a rather insidious organization that rebels against the teachings of the world’s Two Fingers and Erdtree worshippers and sends its members out to assassinate other Tarnished. The easiest way to gain entry is to start the quest of Rya, who is the daughter of Tanith, the lady of Volcano Manor and its current master. Rya can be found in Liurnia of the Lakes, east of the Scenic Isle Site of Grace. After helping her track down a lost necklace, she will offer players entrance into the manor and teleport the player character to the location.
After joining the Manor, there are two routes players can take to face Rykard. One is to complete all of Tanith’s assassinations, which will take players all over the map battling NPCs as an invader. The other is to simply enter the first chamber on the right in the hallway near where Tanith sits and find the illusory wall. This leads to a secret passageway that takes players into a legacy dungeon full of challenging enemies. If players can make it through this rather straightforward dungeon, it will culminate with the Rykard boss fight.
Rykard himself is a two-stage boss fight that requires players to pick up a special weapon in the arena called the Serpent-Hunter Great Spear. Since Rykard is a serpent monster, the weapon is a powerful agent against him and can stagger him with its special attack. The battle is long and difficult, but if players triumph, their prize will be the Remembrance of the Blasphemous, which can finally be traded with Enia at the Roundtable Hold to acquire the Blasphemous Blade.
The journey may be long, but it’s worth it because the Blasphemous Blade is one of the most powerful Faith-based greatswords in the game. This sword scales not only with Strength and Faith but also with Dexterity. Its unique Ash of War attack, dubbed the Taker’s Flame, sends a line of fire geysers blasting forth from the earth that not only scorch enemies but often send them flying with its devastating power.
On top of all this, each enemy defeated by the player with the weapon returns a portion of lost health, effectively making each attack a chance at healing for the player as well. For Faith-based characters, this sword when upgraded is a contender for the title of the best Faith weapon in all of Elden Ring. The Blasphemous Blade may take a long journey to acquire, but if players have a little faith, it will all be worth it in the end.
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