Swift Slash

Type

Ashes of War

Default affinity

Keen

FP cost

16 FP

Skill

Swift Slash

About this Ash of War

This Ash of War grants an armament the Keen affinity and the following skill:

"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."

Usable on backhand blades.

Hornsent's gold assistance sign beside the burning boats

Shadow Keep

Starting Site of Grace: Main Gate Plaza

Before you go

• Advance Leda and Hornsent's dialogue after Miquella's charm breaks.
• Assist Hornsent before entering Messmer's encounter.

1. Enter the Realm of Shadow after defeating Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood, by touching the withered arm in Mohg's arena.
2. Meet Hornsent beside Three-Path Cross, then speak to him again at Highroad Cross after reaching Scadu Altus. Approaching Shadow Keep breaks Miquella's great rune and charm; return to finish his new dialogue.
3. For the early Leda branch, speak to her at Highroad Cross about her suspicions until she chooses Hornsent as her target. Rest and speak again if the conversation has not advanced.
4. From Highroad Cross in Scadu Altus, follow the main road north to Shadow Keep's southern gate. Ride the entrance lift and activate Shadow Keep Main Gate grace.
5. Defeat Golden Hippopotamus in the plaza. This is the front-door route; the flooded Church District provides a different way into the keep.
6. From Main Gate Plaza, leave through the west-northwest doorway, pass through the armory and climb the stairs. Continue up the wooden steps to the dining hall, where two Black Knights guard the route.
7. Leave the dining hall through its southeastern exit to the upper rampart. Follow the rampart past the burning boats and watch for the small Shadow Militiamen hiding beside them.
8. On the burning-boat walkway, look on the right beside the stairs leading down for the two summon signs. Do this before entering Messmer's encounter, while the confrontation remains available.
9. Use the gold sign to help Hornsent defeat Leda. Winning awards Swift Slash and Leda’s Rune; the red sign gives a different branch. Do this before entering Messmer’s encounter.

Notes

• Choosing Leda's red sign instead kills Hornsent and gives different rewards. It does not award Swift Slash.
• The skill dashes forward and leaves a cutting trail behind you. Charge it to increase the attack's power and travel distance.
• The movement is useful for passing through a target, but can carry you off a ledge or into another enemy.
• This is for Backhand Blades. It is separate from Blind Spot, even though both skills use that weapon class.
• Compatible weapon classes: Backhand Blade. A weapon with a fixed skill cannot use this Ash of War.
• Its default affinity is Keen. The supported choices are Standard, Heavy, Keen, Quality, Fire, Flame Art, Lightning, Sacred, Magic, Cold, Poison, Blood and Occult; the appropriate whetblade is needed for additional options.
• The skill costs 16 FP before equipment that changes FP costs.
• Costs 16 FP. Charging increases its forward travel and attack power, while raising stamina use from 30 to 50.
• Both the cutting pass and the lingering vacuum use weapon attack power. They are not independent Intelligence projectiles merely because the delayed cuts appear in the air.
• The cutting effects can apply the weapon’s normal status buildup. Repeated contacts can also build consecutive-hit bonuses when they connect.
• Shard of Alexander strengthens the skill. Godfrey Icon improves the eligible charged dash contact, but does not give the whole delayed trail the same bonus.
• Other players take reduced damage from the skill and are not staggered by its delayed vacuum in the same way as ordinary enemies. Older demonstrations of repeated player stun do not describe its current behavior.
• The movement and recovery were reduced and lengthened from its original release version. Avoid assuming an old demonstration shows how far it travels or how quickly you can act again.