Vacuum Slice

Type

Ashes of War

Default affinity

Quality

FP cost

14 FP

Skill

Vacuum Slice

About this Ash of War

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

"Vacuum Slice: Lost skill of ancient heroes. Hold the armament aloft to surround it with a shearing vacuum, then launch it forwards as a blade-like projectile."

Usable on swords and axes (colossal axes excepted).

Ruined hall east of The Nameless Eternal City

Deeproot Depths

Starting Site of Grace: The Nameless Eternal City

1. Defeat Starscourge Radahn at the Radahn Festival in Redmane Castle. His defeat opens the starfall crater in Limgrave; it is not the sealed Siofra River overlook reached from the Four Belfries.
2. Return to the Mistwood near Fort Haight and find the new crater marked by floating rocks. Use the descending ledges and openings to enter Nokron, Eternal City.
3. Follow the rooftops down into Nokron's streets, then continue to the Mimic Tear boss. Defeat it and cross the long bridge beyond the arena.
4. Leave the bridge on the left where it opens into woodland. Follow the western cliff to Ancestral Woods grace, overlooking the lower rooftops.
5. From the upper woodland, go toward the trees beside Hallowhorn Grounds and the Spirit Jellyfish along the northern cliff. Use the lower ledge below the edge, then follow the descending path into the cave to Aqueduct-Facing Cliffs grace. You do not need to light the ancestor pillars.
6. Leave the cave toward the aqueduct. Drop onto the stone support leading to the building, then onto the lower ledge. A Crucible Knight patrols nearby, so wait for an opening before moving across.
7. Continue toward the building with water pouring out. Another Crucible Knight stands by the waterfall. Go north through the water channel, turn into the area on the right and climb the stairs through the arch. D's twin sits near this approach to the boss.
8. Defeat both Valiant Gargoyles. Afterward, activate Great Waterfall Basin grace and rest in the coffin beside the waterfall to reach Deeproot Depths.
9. From Great Waterfall Crest, head west onto the huge roots. Use the root descending on the left to cross the gap, then continue west past the giant ants to Deeproot Depths grace beside the Finger Reader. The Erdtree Avatar and the ant cave are optional detours.
10. Head north into the shallow water and ruins. The map is in the gazebo. Continue west beneath the large root and past the ghostly soldiers to The Nameless Eternal City grace beside an arch.
11. From The Nameless Eternal City grace, head east into the large ruined hall. Keep clear of the damaged gargoyle's fire breath and loot the corpse inside for Vacuum Slice.
12. The gargoyle guards the area rather than dropping the Ash. Fia's Champions and Fortissax are unnecessary for this pickup.

Notes

• Costs 14 FP and 25 stamina. The downward weapon swing releases a long Physical blade of wind that passes through enemies.
• The wind improves through Strength, Dexterity and upgrades independently of the weapon's ordinary attack power. Heavy favors Strength, Keen favors Dexterity, and Quality uses both.
• Quality is not automatically best for the projectile just because the skill has that default affinity. A character specializing in one attribute can get a stronger result from Heavy or Keen.
• The actual weapon swing can hit separately at close range and uses the weapon's attack power. It carries the weapon's status and compatible coating; the wind projectile does not.
• The projectile deals 20 stance damage. The weapon contact adds another one-and-a-half times the weapon class's base stance damage, so close-range results vary by weapon class.
• Shard of Alexander improves the skill. Physical damage bonuses help the wind, while Magic or Holy bonuses do not improve its Physical projectile.
• It cannot be charged, so Godfrey Icon does not help. Holding the weapon overhead during the preparation is part of its fixed animation.
• The long straight projectile is useful against enemies lined up in a corridor, but the wind-up leaves you open. Keep enough distance or use an enemy recovery window.
• The Ash is on a corpse in Deeproot Depths' ruined hall. It is not a reward from the nearby broken gargoyle or from Fia's quest finale.
• Compatible weapon classes: Dagger, Straight Sword, Greatsword, Colossal Sword, Curved Sword, Curved Greatsword, Katana, Twinblade, Thrusting Sword, Heavy Thrusting Sword, Axe, Greataxe, Throwing Blade, Light Greatsword, Great Katana. A weapon with a fixed skill cannot use this Ash of War.
• Its default affinity is Quality. 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.