Elden Ring Black Knife Build: Stats, Armor, Talismans, and More

A multitude of unique weapons can be wielded by players in Elden Ring. One of these weapons, the Black Knife, is a powerful dagger with abilities boasted by few other weapons. The Ash of War that comes with it cannot be removed, but it allows the blade to fire a projectile that temporarily reduces an enemy’s maximum health. If that wasn’t enough, the dagger also deals strong Holy damage and can be found once you reach Altus Plateau. Despite its seemingly low damage, this weapon’s unique ability makes a Black Knife build worth considering for many players.

Elden Ring Black Knife Build

The Black Knife requires 8 Strength, 12 Dexterity, and 18 Faith to wield. As one might expect due to scaling, Dexterity and Faith are the best attributes to level up for the Black Knife. Additionally, 8 Strength is the base amount for every starting class, so it’s unlikely that you’ll ever need to level that attribute up to wield the Black Knife effectively. You might want to put some extra points in Mind, though, just to ensure you’ll always be able to use the weapon’s abilities to their fullest.

The best armor for the Black Knife is light or medium armor. Due to this dagger’s lack of access to the Quickstep or Bloodhound’s Step Ashes of War, you’ll have to rely on fast rolls to get out of tricky situations. The Black Knife armor set is relatively mediumweight and has the bonus of muffling your footsteps, allowing you to sneak up on enemies much easier. The Godskin Swaddling Cloth, Millicent’s Prosthesis, and Winged Sword Insignia are excellent Talismans for both the Black Knife and most other daggers. The Sacred Scorpion Charm, Shard of Alexander, and Carian Filigreed Crest are also helpful in making the Black Knife’s Ash of War even more powerful.

While the Black Knife cannot be buffed itself, spells such as Golden Vow can still increase its damage. Due to this weapon’s low strength requirement, it pairs well with any spell catalyst or small shield, allowing you to cover more elemental weaknesses or parry attacks from tough foes. The Black Knife can also just be used to ravage an enemy’s health before finishing them off with a stronger weapon. Even without a build of its own, the Black Knife is a powerful tool for any player that can meet its requirements.

Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.