Elden Ring Black Knife Builds

Weapons List

Black Knife

Weapon Type:

Dagger

Damage Type:

Slash

Pierce

Weight: 2


Stat	Str	Dex	Int	Fai	Arc
Requires	8	12		18
Scaling	E	D		D

Elden Ring Black Knife is a Dagger Weapon that inflicts Physical and Holy Damage in the form of Slash, Pierce Attacks with the ability to use the Unique Skill (Blade of Death). Black Knife will require Strength 8, Dexterity 12, Faith 18, and scales based on Strength E, Dexterity D, Faith D, Stats.

Description: Dagger once belonging to one of the assassins who murdered Godwyn the Golden on the Night of the Black Knives. A ritual performed on the oddly misshapen blade imbued it with the power of the stolen Rune of Death.


Tier	Passive	Wgt	Phy	Magic	Fire	Light	Holy
A	N/A	2	66	0	0	0	65


Skill	Type	FP Cost	Description
Blade of Death	Unique	25	blade-like projectile reduces the enemy's maximum HP and continues to wear down HP

Can Be Buffed?

Custom Ash of War?

Attack Type:

Pierce, Slash

For Str builds, Black Knife offers a high-tier dagger with Holy damage baked in. You can't change the affinity, but the split damage output works well against most enemies. Check the skill table above to see what its weapon art does.

Navigate this Black Knife Guide using the links below.

Black Knife Stats

Black Knife is a high-tier dagger with built-in Holy damage. Against low-resist targets, that split actually hits harder than pure physical would. Dexterity scaling at D drives the elemental portion.

Black Knife Attack Stats
Rank	Stat	Base	Max
E	Physical Attack	66	TBD
F	Magical Attack	0	TBD
F	Fire Attack	0	TBD
F	Lightning Attack	0	TBD
C	Holy Attack	65	TBD
F	Attack Crit	110	TBD

Black Knife Guard Stats
Rank	Stat	Base	Max
F	Physical Guard	26	TBD
F	Magical Guard	15	TBD
F	Fire Guard	15	TBD
F	Lightning Guard	15	TBD
D	Holy Guard	42	TBD
F	Guard Boost	15	TBD

Where To Find Black Knife Location in Elden Ring

Drop from the Black Knife Assassin in Sainted Hero's Grave located in Atlus Plateau. Once you win the fight, Black Knife is a guaranteed reward.

Found in

Altus Plateau


Location	How To Get
Altus Plateau	Drop from the Black Knife Assassin

Drop from the Black Knife Assassin in Sainted Hero's Grave located in Atlus Plateau

Best Builds for Black Knife in Elden Ring

The builds below use Black Knife as a dagger centerpiece for Str builds. Each setup includes stat targets, gear, and talisman picks. Factor in the practically zero equip load cost for your equip load.

Black Knife Builds
Tier	Build	Equipment	Skills/Spells/Spirits	Items
S	Blasphemous Lifesteal Flame Class Confessor Prophet Stats Primary: Faith Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Strength Secondary: Endurance	Weapon Blasphemous Blade Erdtree Seal Armor Cerulean Tear Scarab Fire Monk Armor Fire Monk Gauntlets Fire Monk Greaves Fire Monk Set Talisman Fire Scorpion Charm Shard of Alexander Carian Filigreed Crest Winged Sword Insignia	Spirits Black Knife Tiche Spells Flame Grant me Strength Golden Vow Black Flame Catch Flame Skills Taker's Flames	Items Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear Stonebarb Cracked Tear Fire Grease
S	Moonveil Crit Build Class Prisoner Samurai Stats Primary: Intelligence Primary: Vigor Secondary: Dexterity Secondary: Arcane	Weapon Moonveil Armor Black Knife Set Land of Reeds Set White Reed Set Talisman Carian Filigreed Crest Assassin's Cerulean Dagger	Spells Loretta's Greatbow Glintstone Pebble Carian Greatsword Skills Transient Moonlight
S	Sacred Relic Wave Reaper Class Confessor Prophet Stats Primary: Faith Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Mind Secondary: Dexterity	Weapon Sacred Relic Sword Erdtree Seal Armor White Mask Cleanrot Armor Cleanrot Gauntlets Cleanrot Greaves Cleanrot Set Talisman Winged Sword Insignia Sacred Scorpion Charm Shard of Alexander Godfrey Icon	Spirits Black Knife Tiche Spells Black Flame Blessing's Boon Golden Vow Flame Grant me Strength	Items Holy-Shrouding Cracked Tear Cerulean Hidden Tear
A	Blackflame Build Class Prophet Confessor Hero Stats Primary: Faith Primary: Mind Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Dexterity	Weapon Uchigatana Nightrider Flail Bloodhound's Fang Godslayer's Seal Armor Black Knife Set Land of Reeds Set Spellblade Set Talisman Moon of Nokstella	Spells Black Flame Black Flame Blade Catch Flame Bloodflame Blade Skills Ash of War Bloody Slash Ash of War Unsheathe
A	Colossal Bonk Crusher Class Hero Vagabond Stats Primary: Strength Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Endurance	Weapon Giant-Crusher Greatsword Armor Bull-Goat Helm Bull-Goat Armor Bull-Goat Gauntlets Bull-Goat Greaves Bull-Goat Set Talisman Claw Talisman Great-Jar's Arsenal Starscourge Heirloom Erdtree's Favor	Spirits Black Knife Tiche Skills Lion's Claw Royal Knight's Resolve	Items Strength-knot Crystal Tear Stonebarb Cracked Tear Exalted Flesh
A	Holy Bow Build Class Samurai Bandit Warrior Hero Stats Primary: Faith Primary: Mind Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Dexterity	Weapon Black Bow Finger Seal Armor Silver Tear Mask Ruler's Mask Omenkiller Set Black Knife Set Talisman Arrow's Reach Talisman Arrow's Sting Talisman Ritual Sword Talisman Sacred Scorpion Charm	Spells Golden Vow Blessing of the Erdtree Protection of the Erdtree Swarm of Flies Elden Stars Skills Ash of War Mighty Shot Ash of War Barrage
A	Impaler Knight Class Vagabond Warrior Confessor Stats Primary: Dexterity Secondary: Strength Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Endurance	Weapon Godskin Stitcher Buckler Finger Seal Armor Kaiden Helm Scaled Armor Scaled Gauntlets Scaled Greaves Scaled Set Talisman Shard of Alexander Spear Talisman Dagger Talisman Ritual Sword Talisman	Spirits Black Knife Tiche Spells Golden Vow Flame Grant me Strength Skills Impaling Thrust	Items Dexterity-knot Crystal Tear Spiked Cracked Tear
A	Lightning Dragoon Class Vagabond Confessor Prophet Stats Primary: Dexterity Secondary: Faith Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Mind	Weapon Bolt of Gransax Gravel Stone Seal Armor Leyndell Knight Helm Leyndell Knight Armor Leyndell Knight Gauntlets Leyndell Knight Greaves Leyndell Knight Set Talisman Lightning Scorpion Charm Shard of Alexander Godfrey Icon Erdtree's Favor	Spirits Black Knife Tiche Spells Lightning Spear Lansseax's Glaive Golden Vow Flame Grant me Strength	Items Lightning-Shrouding Cracked Tear Dexterity-knot Crystal Tear
A	Parry Assassin Class Bandit Warrior Samurai Stats Primary: Dexterity Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Endurance	Weapon Misericorde Buckler Finger Seal Armor Black Knife Hood Black Knife Armor Black Knife Gauntlets Black Knife Greaves Black Knife Set Talisman Dagger Talisman Assassin's Crimson Dagger Assassin's Cerulean Dagger Ritual Sword Talisman	Spirits Black Knife Tiche Spells Golden Vow Flame Grant me Strength Skills Quickstep Buckler Parry	Items Dexterity-knot Crystal Tear Opaline Bubbletear
A	Scarlet Rot Plague Bearer Class Vagabond Samurai Stats Primary: Dexterity Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Endurance	Weapon Antspur Rapier Frozen Needle Scorpion's Stinger Armor Mushroom Crown Cleanrot Armor Cleanrot Gauntlets Cleanrot Greaves Cleanrot Set Talisman Kindred of Rot's Exultation Erdtree's Favor Shard of Alexander Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman	Spirits Black Knife Tiche Skills Impaling Thrust	Items Rot Grease Immunizing Cured Meat Preserving Boluses
B	Bleed Stacking Mimic Build Class Samurai Warrior Bandit Stats Primary: Dexterity Primary: Arcane Secondary: Vigor Secondary: Endurance	Weapon Scavenger's Curved Sword Rivers of Blood Moonveil Meteoric Ore Blade Armor Black Knife Set Land of Reeds Set White Reed Set Talisman Lord of Blood's Exultation Winged Sword Insignia	Spirits Mimic Tear Ashes Skills Ash of War Bloody Slash

Black Knife Upgrade Costs in Elden Ring

Black Knife takes Somber Smithing Stones to reach +10. No Ash of War swaps, no buff compatibility. You're committing to Blade of Death and the weapon's base stats.


Level	Material	Rune Cost
+1	Somber Smithing Stone [1]	160 Runes
+2	Somber Smithing Stone [2]	240 Runes
+3	Somber Smithing Stone [3]	320 Runes
+4	Somber Smithing Stone [4]	400 Runes
+5	Somber Smithing Stone [5]	480 Runes
+6	Somber Smithing Stone [6]	560 Runes
+7	Somber Smithing Stone [7]	640 Runes
+8	Somber Smithing Stone [8]	720 Runes
+9	Somber Smithing Stone [9]	800 Runes
+10	Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone	960 Runes
Total	All Levels	5,280 Runes