My Journey to Blaidd's Royal Greatsword

I'll never forget the moment I finally held Blaidd's Royal Greatsword in my hands. After countless hours exploring the Lands Between, this weapon became the centerpiece of my strength-intelligence hybrid build, and honestly? It completely transformed how I played Elden Ring. 💪✨

The Hunt Begins: Ranni's Questline

Let me tell you, getting this weapon isn't a simple treasure hunt. You can't just stumble upon it in some random dungeon. First, I had to complete every single quest for Ranni The Witch - and trust me, her questline is LONG. But it's absolutely worth it! Not only do you get access to one of the game's most interesting endings, but you also set up the encounter that leads to this incredible weapon.

The questline took me through underground rivers, ancient cities, and even had me fighting a massive dragon. Each step felt meaningful, and I was completely invested in Ranni's story by the end. The emotional payoff made what came next even more impactful.

The Heartbreaking Confrontation

After finishing Ranni's quests, I teleported back to Ranni's Rise, expecting maybe a nice reward or a thank you. Instead, I found Blaidd - my loyal companion throughout the questline - waiting on the steps before the tower. But something was wrong. He was hostile. Immediately hostile. 😢

This wasn't just another boss fight for me. Blaidd had been there through so much of my journey, and now I had to put him down. The game doesn't give you a choice here - it's fight or nothing.

Battle Strategy: Taking Down a Friend

Here's what I learned fighting Blaidd (after dying to him three times, but who's counting? 😅):

His Movement Patterns:

• Despite wielding a massive greatsword, Blaidd moves FAST

• He has this devastating leaping attack that closes distance instantly

• Stay at mid-range - not too close, not too far

The Frost Attack:

This one caught me off guard the first time. When you see ice particles gathering around his weapon, RUN. His next attack ends with a frost blast that deals massive damage on top of his regular physical hits. I learned this the hard way when my health bar disappeared in seconds. ❄️

Weaknesses to Exploit:

Damage Type	Effectiveness
Fire	Highly Effective
Pierce	Highly Effective
Magic	Resistant
Physical	Normal

I switched to a fire-infused weapon for this fight, and it made a HUGE difference. If you're running a dex build, pierce damage works wonderfully too.

Pro tip: You can actually teleport into the tower and come up behind him for a sneaky backstab to start the fight. It's a small advantage, but every bit helps!

The Royal Greatsword: Stats and Requirements

Once I finally defeated Blaidd (sorry, buddy 💔), I immediately checked out my new prize. The requirements are pretty specific:

• 26 Strength

• 18 Dexterity

• 22 Intelligence

This isn't your typical strength weapon. That intelligence requirement means you're committing to a hybrid build, which honestly makes it even more interesting. It's not just another big sword - it's a weapon that rewards players who invest in both physical and magical stats.

Damage Profile

What really surprised me was the damage split. The Royal Greatsword deals both physical AND magic damage, with magic damage actually being the higher portion. As you upgrade it, the scaling improves equally for both strength and intelligence, making it perfect for that battlemage fantasy I'd been chasing. 🧙‍♂️⚔️

Wolf's Assault: The Signature Skill

Okay, this is where the weapon really shines. The unique skill Wolf's Assault is absolutely incredible, and you can't replace it with other ashes of war (which is actually a good thing in this case!).

How It Works:

1. You launch forward in a powerful dash attack

2. Execute a devastating combo

3. Finish with a frost blast (just like Blaidd used against you!)

FP Cost: 20 (pretty reasonable for what you get)

This skill single-handedly solves the biggest problem with greatswords - closing the gap. Normally, these massive weapons are slow and enemies can just dance around you. But Wolf's Assault? It turns you into a freight train of destruction. I've used it to catch fleeing enemies, interrupt casters, and even as a panic button when surrounded. 🐺

Building Around the Royal Greatsword

After using this weapon for over 50 hours of gameplay, here's my recommended build approach:

Primary Stats:

• Strength: Your main damage stat, aim for 50-60

• Intelligence: Don't neglect this! 40-50 for optimal scaling

• Endurance: You NEED this for the weapon's weight (it's heavy!)

• Vigor: Always important, but especially with slower weapons

Secondary Considerations:

• Mind for more FP (Wolf's Assault is addictive)

• Just enough Dex to meet requirements

Complementary Spells:

Since you're already investing in Intelligence, why not use some spells?

• Terra Magica: Boost your magic damage before big fights

• Rock Sling: Ranged option for pulling enemies

• Carian Slicer: Fast melee spell for quick hits between greatsword swings

Combat Experience: Real Talk

Let me be honest about using this weapon in actual gameplay. It's not easy mode. The weight means you need significant endurance investment, and the slower attack speed requires patience and good timing. But when you land a fully charged heavy attack followed by Wolf's Assault? Chef's kiss 👨‍🍳

I've taken this weapon through:

• Late-game legacy dungeons ✅

• Malenia (after MANY attempts) ✅

• Various dragon fights ✅

• PvP invasions (with mixed results 😅)

The frost damage from Wolf's Assault is particularly clutch against enemies weak to cold, and the reach of the greatsword keeps you safer than smaller weapons would.

Fashion Souls Bonus

Can we talk about how COOL this weapon looks? The design perfectly captures Blaidd's aesthetic - it's elegant despite its size, with subtle magical effects that pulse during combat. I've built entire outfit combinations around this sword because it's just that visually striking. 💎

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

Absolutely, 100%, without question - YES. But with some caveats:

Get it if you:

• Love strength/intelligence hybrid builds

• Enjoy slower, more deliberate combat

• Want a weapon with a great backstory

• Like having a powerful gap-closer

Maybe skip if you:

• Prefer pure strength or pure intelligence builds

• Want faster weapons

• Don't want to complete Ranni's lengthy questline

For me, the Royal Greatsword represents everything I love about Elden Ring - a powerful weapon with deep lore connections, obtained through meaningful gameplay, that rewards build investment and skill. Every time I use Wolf's Assault, I think about Blaidd and that bittersweet fight at Ranni's Rise.

The journey to get this weapon taught me patience, the fight with Blaidd taught me strategy, and using the weapon taught me how to master a hybrid playstyle I never would have tried otherwise. That's the magic of Elden Ring - even a single weapon can completely reshape your entire experience. 🌟

Have you gotten the Royal Greatsword yet? What's your favorite build to use with it? Drop your experiences below - I'd love to hear how other players are using this incredible weapon! 💬