Elden Ring: Mastering the Black Knife for Combat and Rune Farming
Beyond its combat prowess, the Black Knife is also a strong tool for farming Elden Ring Runes. Paired with the right Elden Ring Items, it can make rune farming efficient while maintaining an aggressive playstyle. In this guide, we'll cover how to obtain, optimize, and use the Black Knife to dominate both PvE and PvP encounters.
How to Obtain the Black Knife in Elden Ring
Location:
The Black Knife is dropped by the Black Knife Assassin outside Sainted Hero's Grave in Altus Plateau.
To reach Altus Plateau, you'll need either:
Dectus Medallion (Grand Lift of Dectus)
Ravine-Veiled Village route through the dungeon Ruined-Strewn Precipice
The Black Knife Assassin is a formidable foe, moving quickly and striking with deadly precision. It's recommended to:
Use Spirit Ashes to distract the boss.
Stay aggressive—dodging backward can invite lunging attacks.
Land jumping heavy attacks to stagger the Assassin and create openings.
Upon defeating the Black Knife Assassin, you'll be rewarded with the Black Knife, unlocking its unique potential.
Black Knife Stats & Attributes
Weapon Type:
Dagger – Prioritizes speed, mobility, and precise strikes.
Damage Type:
Slash, Pierce – Ideal for quick attacks and backstabs.
Special Skill: Blade of Death
Leaps into the air and fires a blade projectile, dealing Holy damage and reducing enemy max HP by 10% for 15 seconds.
Continues sapping HP over 5 seconds.
FP Cost: 25
Stat Requirements & Scaling:
Strength: 8 (E Scaling)
Dexterity: 12 (D Scaling)
Faith: 18 (D Scaling)
Weight:
2.0 – Extremely light, making it ideal for fast, evasive playstyles.
Why the Black Knife is a Top-Tier Choice
The Black Knife is a standout weapon for Dexterity/Faith builds, offering a blend of agility, Holy power, and percentage-based damage. Here's why it shines:
1. Blade of Death is a Game-Changer
Reduces max HP by 10%, making it extremely effective against high-HP bosses.
The ranged attack allows you to engage enemies without risking close combat.
The lingering HP drain helps whittle down enemies even after the initial hit.
2. Fantastic for PvP and PvE
In PvP, Blade of Death limits healing effectiveness, as reducing max HP hinders Flask efficiency.
In PvE, it's a powerful opener against field bosses and dungeon bosses.
3. High-Speed Combat & Evasion
The Black Knife's light weight allows for maximum mobility.
Perfect for dodge-heavy playstyles where spacing and counterattacks are key.
4. Rune Farming Potential
Due to its ranged projectile and fast attacks, the Black Knife can efficiently clear groups of weaker enemies while maintaining agility.
Its percentage-based HP reduction allows for quicker kills on high-HP enemies, making rune farming faster and more effective.
How to Use the Black Knife for Rune Farming
If you're looking to farm Elden Ring Runes efficiently, the Black Knife's speed and Blade of Death skill make it a strong farming weapon.
1. Farming the Albinaurics in Mohgwyn Palace
The Albinaurics in Mohgwyn Palace are weak to fast weapons and Holy damage.
Use Blade of Death to weaken groups from range before finishing them off.
Equip the Gold Scarab Talisman to increase rune drops.
Location: Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace
Runes Per Kill: ~2,000+ (Boosted with Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot)
Estimated Runes Per Hour: ~3-5 million with efficient clearing
2. Defeating Giants in the Forbidden Lands
Giants have huge HP pools, making them ideal targets for Blade of Death's percentage-based HP reduction.
Weaken them from range, then finish with quick dagger strikes.
Reset at Giants' Peaks Sites of Grace and repeat.
3. Killing Bosses for Rune Rewards
Certain field bosses respawn, allowing for repeat rune farming.
The Black Knife's Holy damage works well against enemies weak to Holy (e.g., undead enemies).
Tip: Use Elden Ring Items like Lord's Rune or Hero's Rune for instant rune boosts.
Best Elden Ring Items to Pair with the Black Knife
To maximize the Black Knife's potential, pair it with these Elden Ring Items:
1. Radagon's Scarseal / Scarseal
Increases Strength, improving overall damage.
2. Assassin's Crimson Dagger
Restores HP on critical hits, making backstabs even more rewarding.
3. Lord of Blood's Exultation
Increases attack power when Blood Loss occurs, boosting damage potential.
4. Gold Scarab Talisman
Increases rune gain, making rune farming more efficient.
Conclusion
The Black Knife is an elite dagger, perfect for agile, high-damage builds. Its Blade of Death skill is one of the most unique abilities in Elden Ring, offering percentage-based HP reduction and Holy damage—both incredibly useful against high-HP enemies and rune farming targets.
Best For: Dexterity/Faith builds, PvP, fast combat.
Great Against: High-HP bosses, rune-farming enemies, PvP opponents.
Pairs Well With: Assassin's Crimson Dagger, Radagon's Scarseal, and Gold Scarab Talisman.
If you want a fast, precise, and deadly weapon that can also help you farm Elden Ring Runes efficiently, the Black Knife is one of the best choices in the game. Grab it, upgrade it, and start carving your way through the Lands Between!