Elden Ring: Sword of Night Build - Void Knight Guide (Shadow of the Erdtree)
This Void Knight Build focuses on using Sword of Night, Shield of Night, and Armor of Night to create a formidable presence in battle, blending agility with magic-based defense. It's a unique build from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC and can be very effective for high-level players (after level 150) who enjoy katana combat combined with strategic defense mechanics.
Class: Any
The build is versatile and can be used with any starting class. However, Astrologer or Samurai might be particularly beneficial due to their starting stats (Dexterity and Mind).
Flask Spread: Equal Charges
Equal distribution between Flask of Crimson Tears (Health) and Flask of Cerulean Tears (FP) for balanced sustainability in both health and magic.
Core Equipment for the Build
Main Weapon: Sword of Night
Weapon Type: Katana
Key Features: Blood loss buildup, Dexterity scaling
Weapon Skill: Witching Hour Slash: A quick, three-hit slash that extends the range, allowing for fast movement toward the enemy. It can be charged for additional damage and range.
Pros: High mobility, decent damage, and can stagger enemies.
Cons: Short reach compared to other katanas and a high FP cost (21 per use), which requires good FP management.
Shield: Shield of Night
Shield Type: Lightweight, scales with Dexterity
Skill: Revenge of the Night: Fires a magic projectile after using the shield's L2. The damage scales with Dexterity and can be powered up if timed properly (against projectiles).
Pros: Great for blocking ranged attacks, especially for projectile-based enemies.
Cons: Poor guard boost and physical defense, making it ineffective for blocking regular melee attacks.
Armor Set: Armor of Night + Black Knight Gear
Helmet: Helm of Night
Chest: Armor of Night
Gloves & Legs: Black Knight Gauntlets and Black Knight Greaves
Reasoning: The Armor of Night provides a unique aesthetic and decent protection but low poise. The Black Knight Greaves and Gauntlets help reach the crucial 51 poise threshold, preventing you from being staggered during weapon skill use.
Talismans
Crusade Insignia: Boosts your damage output for both your weapon and shield skills, making it very versatile for both exploration and boss fights.
A shard of Alexander increases the damage output of Witching Hour Slash and Revenge of the Night, improving the effectiveness of your main weapon skills.
Blessed Blue Dew Talisman: Gradually regenerates FP over time, counteracting the high FP cost of Witching Hour Slash.
Godfrey Icon: Increases the damage of the charged Witching Hour Slash, useful if you find yourself using the charged version often.
Millicent's Prosthesis or Rotten Winged Sword Insignia: These provide additional damage boosts, especially for short bursts during intense boss fights.
Crystal Tears
Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear: Ideal for increasing your magic damage, making Revenge of the Night significantly more powerful.
Opaline Hardtear: Boosts overall defense, reducing incoming damage.
Alternate Crystal Tear: Thorny Cracked Tear can be used for additional offensive pressure by increasing your poise, allowing you to stay aggressive without being interrupted.
Great Runes
Malenia's Great Rune: Boosts survivability, increasing your health regeneration and improving your overall performance.
Radahn's Great Rune increases your maximum HP, providing better sustainability during tough battles.
Recommended Stats Distribution
55 Vigor: This ensures you have enough health to survive the aggressive playstyle and tough encounters.
25 Mind: Sufficient for effective use of Witching Hour Slash and Revenge of the Night without needing to flask constantly.
27 Endurance: Enough to maintain medium equipment load and sustain your stamina during extended combat.
11 Strength: This is enough to wield the Sword of Night one-handed.
80 Dexterity: This is the primary stat for maximizing damage with both the Sword of Night and the Shield of Night.
16 Intelligence, 7 Faith, 9 Arcane: These are irrelevant to the build unless starting from an Intelligence-based class (like Astrologer). Adjust according to your chosen class.
Combat Tips
Witching Hour Slash: Use this skill with precision, particularly after staggering enemies or when anticipating an opening. Be mindful of the FP cost, as it can drain your resources quickly.
Revenge of the Night: Use this skill primarily to catch ranged or magical projectiles. It is most effective when countering enemy spells, making it a strategic option during boss fights involving magic-based enemies.
Poise Management: With Black Knight Greaves and Gauntlets, you should hit the 51 poise threshold, allowing you to tank hits while using your katana's skill. If you don't reach 51 poise, consider using Bull-Goat's Talisman for extra poise.
Shield Usage: Shield of Night is great for countering projectiles but not as reliable for traditional blocking. Consider using another shield like the MessmerSoldier Shield for better physical defense.
Two-Handing Strategy: In some encounters, especially with bosses, switch between two-handing your Sword of Night and using a shield for added versatility, depending on the situation.
Final Tips
FP Management is crucial for this build due to the high cost of Witching Hour Slash and Revenge of the Night. Make sure to keep an eye on your FP bar and manage your resources with FP-regen talismans and healing flasks.
Poise and Stamina are critical for surviving boss fights. Don't neglect these stats, as they allow you to maintain offensive pressure while staying resistant to enemy attacks.
With the Void Knight Build and these Elden Ring items/Elden Ring runes, you'll be equipped to handle both offensive and defensive situations in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Maximize your Dexterity, Vigor, and Mind to make sure your weapon skills hit hard, and you can take down foes while managing your FP and stamina effectively.