Serpentbone Blade

Notes

• Requires 11 Strength and 22 Dexterity, and weighs six. Dexterity gives much stronger physical scaling than Strength. It has no Arcane scaling and no innate blood loss, despite being a katana.
• Applies 66 poison buildup on its ordinary weapon hits. Once triggered, its deadly poison deals 0.14% of the target's maximum HP plus 14 damage per second for 30 seconds, before any applicable target-specific limits.
• This poison deals damage faster than ordinary poison but lasts much less time. More Arcane does not increase its poison buildup, and reinforcement improves the blade's damage rather than turning it into an Arcane weapon.
• Its unusual heavy attacks strike twice, including when charged. The two contacts help build poison and successive-attack bonuses, but each hit still needs to connect. Sword of Night shares this style of heavy attack.
• Double Slash is fixed. The first skill input costs six FP, and additional inputs extend the attack with three-FP follow-ups. Repeating the input is different from charging an ordinary heavy attack.
• Shard of Alexander improves the skill, while Axe Talisman applies to charged heavy attacks. Successive-attack equipment can benefit from the repeated contacts of either move.
• Poisoning a nearby target can trigger Kindred of Rot's Exultation and Mushroom Crown. Their damage bonuses have their own timers; the ongoing poison ticks do not continually refresh them.
• Upgrade it with ordinary Smithing Stones to +25. Unlike many other regular-upgrade katanas, it cannot use a replacement Ash of War, another affinity, grease or weapon enchantments.
• Tanith rewards it after the second contract. If that letter is already available, Rileigh can still be defeated after Rykard and the blade collected in the manor, but the next main letter will not appear.