Skip To...
Backhand blades were one of the numerous weapon types—like the Great Katana—added in Shadow of the Erdtree. Similar to the claw weapons in Elden Ring, backhand blades also let you dual-wield them as opposed to two-handing. Also like claws, they’re quick and scale off of strength and dexterity, though one in particular also scales with faith and intelligence. Another interesting trait is the Ash of War: Blind Spot ability, which has you quickly dash in one direction, then dash a second time into an attack.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree: How to Get the Backhand Blade
The easiest backhand blade to get in Elden Ring is the aptly named Backhand Blade. In fact, you can get it within a couple minutes of starting the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Now, there are three sites of grace that’ll put you within a stone’s throw away from the Backhand Blade:
- Gravesite Plain (the very first site of grace you unlock in the DLC)
- Scorched Ruins site of grace
- Three-Path Cross site of grace
Any of these sites of grace will do, so hop onto Torrent and let’s ride. The place you’re looking for is an unnamed location just slightly northeast from the Scorched Ruins. When you see large, thin pillars, you’re heading in the right direction. The Backhand Blade is located right in front of a stone sarcophagus. Beware of the Inquisitors prowling the area!
How to Get Curseblade’s Cirque Backhand Blade
The Cureblade’s Cirque is by no means hard to get in Elden Ring—it’s almost as easy as the Backhand Blade—but it is tedious. This is because the Curseblade’s Cirque is a dropped item and not something you find lying around, like the Smithscript Crique. You’ll have to kill Curseblade assassins over and over until it drops.
Here’s the good news: you came across a Curseblade assassin as you entered the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Just off in the distance from the Gravesite Plain site of grace, you’ll see a couple stone archways. If you get close, a Curseblade assassin will drop down.
So, the strategy is to simply kill the Curseblade assassin, then ride back to the Gravesite Plain site of grace. Rinse and repeat until the Curseblade’s Cirque drops. I highly recommend eating a Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot to increase your item discovery. Once you get down the enemy’s attack patterns, you can take out half a dozen before the effect wears off.
How to Get Smithscript Cirque Backhand Blade
Last, but not least: the Smithscript Cirque. It’s the hardest backhand blade to obtain in Elden Ring, but worth it considering it scales off of strength, dexterity, faith, and intelligence. I’ve been using these myself with my caster and my only complaint is its short throw range; otherwise, the weapon is pretty stacked.
Now, the Smithscript Cirque is found inside the Ruined Forge Starfall Past, which you can reach after entering Castle Ensis and defeating Rellana. From the Highroad Cross site of grace, follow the trail north until you see the trail doubleback, down to the lower section of Scadu Altus. Break away from the path and head directly south and you’ll come to the Ruined Forge Starfall Past.
The first big room you come to will contain a bridge, a few misbegottens, a small stream, and a doorway. Cross the bridge and turn left to find a lever. That’ll lower the doorway, revealing a hallway. Beware the molten slimes; they can fire molten projectiles, but are otherwise easy to kill.
At the end of the hallway, you’ll come to another large room with another doorway. Behind that doorway is the Smithscript Crique. Head down the hallway, past the golem smith, and you’ll come to a ladder about halfway through, guarded by a molten slime. Climb the ladder up.
Keep following the hallway, through a large room with another golem smith and molten slimes, and enter the hallway above. It’ll lead you to a metal platform and another hallway. Ignore the hallway and instead jump down to the bridge below, where you’ll see a golem smith vibing. Run past the golem and pull the lever to unlock the door from earlier.
Run down to the end of the hallway into a room with two golems and a corpse next to a waterfall. Loot the corpse for the Smithscript Crique backhand blade, though be prepared to fight the golems.
