Elden Ring offers players a vast array of combat customization options through weapon skill modifications known as Ashes of War. Among the most effective offensive abilities for status-focused builds is the Ash of War Blood Blade, which allows Tarnished warriors to launch rapid, ranged blood projectiles at the cost of a small amount of health. Finding this versatile skill requires exploring specific areas in the Lands Between, but its high damage potential makes the journey well worth the effort.
Where to Find the Blood Blade Ash of War
To acquire this powerful combat technique, players must travel to the Altus Plateau region north of Limgrave. Start by fast-traveling to the Erdtree-Gazing Hill Site of Grace and heading directly northeast towards a shallow pond populated by local wildlife. Above the water, you will locate a flying Teardrop Scarab hovering in the air.
Approaching the Teardrop Scarab will cause it to drop down closer to the ground where you can eliminate it quickly. Defeating this creature instantly rewards you with the Ash of War Blood Blade item for your inventory. Be mindful of nearby enemies in the marshy area while tracking down the scarab to avoid unwanted ambushes.
Understanding the Blood Blade Weapon Skill
The Blood Blade skill functions as a rapid-fire ranged attack that coats your weapon in your own blood before launching airborne arcs toward targets. Each activation costs 3 Focus Points alongside a minor sacrifice of 45 Health Points to initiate the blood-coating animation. The primary advantage of this skill is its ability to be cast continuously without a long cooldown phase.
Because the skill fires projectiles in swift succession, it allows players to maintain strong constant pressure on enemies from a safer distance. Additionally, landing direct melee strikes with the weapon during the attack animation deals full physical weapon damage alongside the projectile effect. This dual-hit potential makes the skill devastating in close-quarters combat against large bosses.
Affinity and Scaling Requirements
Equipping this Ash of War grants your weapon the Blood affinity, which significantly boosts Bleed status buildup on hit while adding Arcane stat scaling. While this affinity slightly reduces base physical stat scaling, the rapid hemorrhage buildup heavily outweighs the decrease for specialized builds. The skill damage scales primarily with your weapon's upgrade level and your total Arcane stat.
This skill can be applied to a wide selection of light and medium blade categories including daggers, straight swords, katanas, and curved swords. Integrating this skill into your arsenal creates an incredible combination for status-inflicting setups across both player-versus-environment and competitive multiplayer encounters.
