Elden Ring Swift Slash: Ash of War location and what it does

So where do you find the Swift Slash ability in Elden Ring?

Well, this guide breaks down what steps are needed to unlock the Ash of War as well as what the skill actually does once you unlock it.

Where is Swift Slash in Elden Ring? Ash of War location

Start at the site of grace by Highroad Cross and speak with the two NPCs nearby. Once the dialogue is complete, the male figure will disappear. You may need to rest at the Site of Grace a couple of times to unlock all of their dialogue and progress to the next steps. Then speak to the female and eventually the dialogue choice "Suggest the hornsent" will present itself.

Speak once again after resting to the female until they say: "I will follow the hornsent. To have his revenge on Sir Messmer, there is only one place he will go. The black keep."

Next, head to the Main Gate Plaza site by the Shadow Keep, so north of where you were. From here, head to the Shadow Keep Bridge where a new summon sign can be found that has the text "Be summoned to assist Hornsent". This will transport you to the boss.

Help the Hornsent to defeat the Needle Knight Lede and the Ash of War: Swift Slash will be gifted as a reward. If you prefer a visual aid, make sure to watch the handy video guide by LaserBolt that we've embedded above.

What does Swift Slash do in Elden Ring?

Swift Slash offers a quick slicing-like attack, similar to that of a ninja. Charging the attack grants stronger power and increased distance. On top of this, it also grants the Keen affinity, which raises the bonus of scaling weapons. It's extremely advantageous over enemies, as you can see in the Reddit post above.

The official description of Swift Slash in-game is as below:

"Swift Slash: A skill passed down amongst hornsent swordsmen. Take a swift forward step to slice through foes. This sharp strike also fires off a shearing vacuum. Can be charged to increase the skill's power and the distance of the forward step."

It is only usable on backhand blades, a new weapon type introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree. So if you want to use this skill, you will need to find one of the three new backhand blades added.

Elden Ring is available across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC.

Read more on Elden Ring:

• Elden Ring review - our final verdict
• Elden Ring multiplayer - how does it work?
• Elden Ring PC requirements - minimum & recommended specs
• Elden Ring classes - what's the best starter?
• Elden Ring demo - network test recap
• Elden Ring bosses - top tips on facing them
• Elden Ring difficulty - how hard is it?
• Elden Ring length - how many hours do you need?
• Elden Ring trophies & achievements - the full list to unlock
• Elden Ring weapons - best early weapons
• Elden Ring keepsake - which starter gift to pick
• Elden Ring server status - error message explained
• Elden Ring map - everything you need to know
• Elden Ring runes - how to get rich quick
• Elden Ring smithing stones - where to find them
• Elden Ring staff - the best staffs in the game
• Elden Ring armour - where to find the best armour
• Elden Ring Ashes of War - how to get the best upgrades
• Elden Ring Ranni quest - how to find it and finish it

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