Ready to slice through bosses in seconds and drench the battlefield in blood? Elden Ring’s infamous Rivers of Blood katana can make even tough enemies burst into fountains of gore with just a few quick hits. This guide is written by a seasoned Tarnished (that’s me) to show you exactly how to get the Rivers of Blood Elden Ring, where to find it, the best build to unleash its power, and step-by-step strategies to dominate both PvE and PvP with this blood-soaked blade. Let’s dive in and turn the Lands Between red!
Elden Ring Rivers of Blood Location (How to Get It)
Many players ask where to get Rivers of Blood Elden Ring. The short answer is that this katana is found in a late-game area and can be missed if you’re not careful.
Follow the steps below to find the Rivers of Blood Elden Ring location and claim this weapon – just make sure to grab it before defeating the Fire Giant boss (if you beat the Fire Giant first, the Rivers of Blood will no longer be obtainable in that playthrough).
How to Get Rivers of Blood Elden Ring
- Reach the Mountaintops of the Giants: Progress through the main story until you’ve access to the Mountaintops of the Giants region (this is after Leyndell, the Royal Capital, so it’s quite late in the game). Rivers of Blood is not obtainable early – you must reach this snowy end-game area.
- Go to the Church of Repose: In the eastern section of Mountaintops of the Giants (far south of Castle Sol), find the Church of Repose on the map. This church is the exact Rivers of Blood location Elden Ring – you need to go here to trigger an event.
- Prepare for an NPC Invader: As you approach the Church of Repose, you will be invaded by an NPC phantom named Bloody Finger Okina. He appears once you get near the church. Be ready! If you’re on horseback (Torrent), you’ll be forced off when the invasion happens, a clear sign an enemy invader is coming.
- Defeat Bloody Finger Okina: Okina wields the Rivers of Blood katana and inflicts heavy bleed damage if he hits you. Keep your distance or dodge his attacks – don’t let him land too many slashes, or you’ll hemorrhage (lose a big chunk of health). He’s aggressive but can be staggered; use your strongest attacks or spells to take him down quickly. Tip: Try to bait his attack, roll behind him, and punish him. If you have a summon or co-op partner, it can help distract Okina.
- Claim the Rivers of Blood (and Okina’s Mask): Upon defeating Bloody Finger Okina, he will drop the Rivers of Blood katana as well as the Okina Mask headpiece as your rewards. Congratulations – you now have one of Elden Ring’s most legendary weapons! (The Okina Mask gives +3 Dexterity at the cost of some Focus. It’s a nice bonus early on, but later you’ll likely replace it with a better helm for bleed builds – more on that below.)
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Important:
If Okina does not invade at the Church of Repose, double-check that you haven’t killed the Fire Giant boss yet. If you defeated the Fire Giant already, Okina won’t spawn, meaning you cannot get Rivers of Blood in this playthrough.
In that case, your only option is to wait for New Game Plus or use a previous save. Always get Rivers of Blood first before tackling the Fire Giant!
Rivers of Blood Stats and Unique Features
Before we talk builds and strategies, let’s go over what makes Rivers of Blood so special. This weapon is a katana that deals a mix of physical and fire damage with every attack, and it has a powerful bleed effect. Here’s a quick overview of the Rivers of Blood’s key stats and attributes:
Weapon Stat | Value / Description |
Required Attributes | 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 20 Arcane to wield |
Scaling | Strength E, Dexterity D, Arcane D (Dex scaling improves to B at +10) |
Damage Type | Slash/Pierce – deals Physical + Fire damage on hit |
Weapon Skill (Ash of War) | Corpse Piler – unique multi-hit combo of cursed blood slashes (costs 17 FP) |
Passive Effect | Causes Hemorrhage (Bleed) buildup (50) on each hit |
Upgrade Path | Special weapon (uses Somber Smithing Stones, max upgrade level +10) |
A few things stand out about Rivers of Blood’s stats.
First, it requires a hefty 20 Arcane to use – unusual for a katana – in addition to Dexterity and Strength requirements. The weapon scales with Arcane (D rating) as well as Dex (D rating that improves to B when fully upgraded). In practice, investing in Arcane significantly boosts this weapon’s effectiveness. Arcane not only increases the fire damage portion of Rivers of Blood’s attacks, but also speeds up the bleed buildup. In other words, the higher your Arcane, the fewer hits it takes to make an enemy hemorrhage.
Secondly, the bleed passive on Rivers of Blood is extremely powerful. Every strike you land builds up the target’s bleed meter by 50 points. When that meter fills, the enemy instantly loses a huge percentage of their max health. This means you can take big chunks of health from enemies with successive hits, turning even formidable foes into a breeze to dispatch once the bleed triggers. This “health chunk” effect works on most bosses too – bleed will rip out a chunk of a boss’s life bar in one go, no matter how large their health pool is. That’s why bleed-centric weapons like Rivers of Blood are so notorious (and effective) in Elden Ring.
Finally, we have the unique weapon skill, Corpse Piler. This skill is exclusive to Rivers of Blood (you won’t find it on any other weapon). When you press the skill button (L2/LT), your character unleashes a flurry of cursed blood slashes in front of you. Corpse Piler hits up to six times in rapid succession, and each hit deals both physical and fire damage while also adding bleed.
The slashes even leave behind trails of blood, effectively extending the range of the attack beyond the blade’s normal reach. In simpler terms, Corpse Piler is a massively damaging combo – if you catch an enemy in the full sequence, you will almost always inflict hemorrhage by the end of it. Few enemies can survive the full brunt of this attack. (Note: Using Corpse Piler costs 17 FP per use, so you’ll want to keep an eye on your Focus Points.) Overall, it’s the combination of fast multi-hit attacks, high innate bleed, and Arcane scaling that makes Rivers of Blood one of the deadliest weapons in Elden Ring.
Best Rivers of Blood Elden Ring build
To truly devastate your foes, you’ll want to build your character to maximize Rivers of Blood’s strengths. Many Tarnished seek the best Elden Ring Rivers of Blood build to capitalize on this katana’s bleed damage.
Below is a step-by-step plan for a powerful Rivers of Blood build Elden Ring players can use to dominate bosses and invaders alike. This build focuses on high Dexterity and Arcane, aggressive combat, and gear that enhances bleed. Let’s break it down:
Meet the Stat Requirements (and Beyond)
Make sure you have at least 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, and 20 Arcane to wield Rivers of Blood. After meeting these minimums, prioritize pumping Dexterity and Arcane evenly. Dexterity will increase the weapon’s physical damage (and at +10, Rivers of Blood gets B-scaling in Dex, boosting damage a lot). Arcane will boost the weapon’s fire damage and bleed buildup, which is key for this build. Aim for around 40–50 Dex and 40–50 Arcane by endgame for best results.
Don’t neglect Vigor (health) either – you need decent HP to survive close fights. Endurance is useful too, for stamina and equip load, but damage stats (Dex/Arc) are your priority with this Rivers of Blood Elden Ring build.
Upgrade the Rivers of Blood Katana
As soon as you obtain Rivers of Blood, upgrade it as much as possible using Somber Smithing Stones. Being a special weapon, it can be upgraded to +10 max. Every upgrade increases its base damage. Notably, at +3 and +6 you’ll see the Dex scaling improve (to C, then B at +10), which greatly boosts damage.
In short, get Rivers of Blood to +10 to fully unleash its power. If you need Somber Smithing Stones, explore mining tunnels or purchase them from the Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold after giving them the appropriate bell bearings. A +10 Rivers of Blood with high Dex/Arcane hits like a truck, and will make bleed procs happen very quickly.
Choose a Secondary Weapon (Optional)
Rivers of Blood can be used on its own (one-handed or two-handed), but you have a couple of options for your off-hand. One popular choice is to dual-wield katanas. For example, you could equip Nagakiba in your off-hand – it’s a long katana that also causes bleed. Dual-wielding (power stancing) two bleed katanas lets you attack with both blades in alternating swings, building up bleed even faster. Nagakiba pairs well because it’s another Dex-scaling katana and has great range.
Alternatively, if you prefer some spellcasting, you can equip a Dragon Communion Seal in your off-hand. This seal scales with Arcane, so it fits your build, and it allows you to cast blood-based incantations (like Swarm of Flies or Bloodboon) or dragon breath spells for range. Using a seal gives you a ranged option without needing to invest in Faith/Int (many dragon spells scale with Arcane).
Note: You do not need an off-hand weapon – Rivers of Blood alone is extremely strong. So if you’d rather use a shield or just two-hand the katana, that’s absolutely fine.
Wear Bleed-Boosting Armor
There isn’t a strict armor set required for a Rivers of Blood build, but one piece is almost non-negotiable: the White Mask. This is a special helm obtained in Mohgwyn Palace (from an invader Eleanora).
The White Mask gives you a ≈10% attack power boost for 20 seconds whenever a bleed proc occurs nearby. This effect stacks perfectly with Rivers of Blood – every time you make an enemy bleed, you’ll temporarily do even more damage, basically a free damage buff during fights. Since this build causes frequent hemorrhage, the White Mask’s buff will be active often.
If you don’t have the White Mask (say you missed it or haven’t gone to Mohgwyn yet), the Okina Mask you got with Rivers of Blood is a decent substitute early on – it boosts Dex by +3, which means a bit more damage. For the rest of your armor, use whatever keeps you under weight limit (so you can fast roll) and offers solid protection.
Some players like the Raptor’s Black Feathers chest piece, which boosts jump-attack damage (useful for katanas). Others just mix any light/medium armor pieces for fashion. The key is wear the White Mask for that bleed damage boost and it’s practically made for a Rivers of Blood build.
Equip the Right Talismans
Talismans can significantly enhance your Rivers of Blood build. There are two in particular that you should definitely use: Lord of Blood’s Exultation and Winged Sword Insignia. Lord of Blood’s Exultation increases your attack power by 20% for about 20 seconds whenever blood loss occurs nearby. This is basically the talisman version of the White Mask’s effect – and yes, it stacks with the White Mask.
So when you make an enemy bleed, you’ll get a 10% boost from the mask plus a 20% boost from the talisman! This synergy turns you into a damage machine. The Winged Sword Insignia talisman (or its higher-tier version, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia) boosts your attack power with each successive hit you land.
This pairs wonderfully with the rapid multi-hits of Corpse Piler – as you slice an enemy repeatedly, your attacks hit harder and harder. With Rivers of Blood’s quick combos, you’ll quickly max out the Winged Sword Insignia’s attack boost. These two talismans alone give you huge damage increases in the middle of fights.
For a fourth talisman slot (if you have it), good options include Shard of Alexander (boosts the damage of weapon skills like Corpse Piler by 15%) or Carian Filigreed Crest (lowers FP cost of skills by 25%, letting you spam Corpse Piler more). Those are optional, though – the core combo is Lord of Blood’s Exultation + Winged Sword Insignia for maximum bleed power.
Playstyle Tips
With your stats and gear set, the playstyle for a Rivers of Blood build is aggressive and close-range. Two-handing the Rivers of Blood katana will increase its damage (and let you use the weapon skill). In tough fights (bosses or tough mobs), open with Corpse Piler. The multi-hit flurry will rack up bleed extremely fast – often a single L2/LT combo is enough to cause a hemorrhage explosion on bosses, instantly shredding a huge portion of their HP bar.
Just be mindful of your FP; Corpse Piler costs 17 FP each use, so use a Cerulean (mana) flask or two if you plan to spam it. Against groups of weaker enemies, your normal katana swings are usually sufficient to cut them down, saving FP for when you really need the special attack.
Remember that the blood slash waves from Corpse Piler have slightly longer reach than the katana’s blade – you can hit enemies a few steps away, which helps keep you a bit safer. Also take advantage of the buffs: when you see that bleed proc (big burst of blood and enemy health dropping), know that your White Mask and Exultation talisman just kicked in – at that moment, go extra aggressive and lay on the hurt while your attack power is boosted.
With high Dex and Arcane, plus those buffs stacking, you can overwhelm even the mightiest foes. This Rivers of Blood Elden Ring build turns you into a relentless, bloodletting whirlwind. Play confidently and watch as almost nothing can withstand the bleeding onslaught!
Rivers of Blood in PvE (Boss Fights & Exploration)
In PvE (single-player or co-op), Rivers of Blood is a boss destroyer. This weapon earned its fearsome reputation because it can trivialize many late-game bosses through the bleed effect. Every time you strike an enemy, you’re building up that hemorrhage meter, and when it pops, the enemy instantly loses a large chunk of their health. Even gigantic bosses with massive health bars can be cut down after just a few Corpse Piler combos.
In fact, some players joke that Rivers of Blood can turn tough bosses into “fountains of gore” in seconds. It’s a brutal reality – you might see a boss go from half health to zero in one bleed explosion when you’re hitting them rapidly with this katana.
Fire Damage Helps Against Bleed-Immune Enemies
During general exploration, Rivers of Blood will make short work of most common enemies as well. A few quick slashes will usually kill normal mobs outright, and tougher mini-boss enemies will bleed out just as they’re gearing up for a second phase.
The weapon’s mix of physical and fire damage is an added bonus – for example, if an enemy is immune or highly resistant to bleeding (a few rare foes like some constructs or undead), they’ll still be taking solid damage from your hits due to the fire portion.
You won’t get the big hemorrhage burst against bleed-immune enemies, but Rivers of Blood is still a very strong damage-dealer on its own.
Timing Corpse Piler in PvE
One thing to be mindful of in PvE is the Corpse Piler animation lock. When you activate the skill, you commit to a series of slashes, during which you can’t dodge. If a boss is doing a huge attack, don’t spam Corpse Piler recklessly or you might get caught.
Instead, learn the boss’s openings and unleash your blood slash combo when it’s safe to do so. With a bit of practice, you’ll find that very few PvE adversaries in Elden Ring can withstand the onslaught of Rivers of Blood.
It’s truly one of the most powerful weapons for tackling the game’s toughest challenges, often turning difficult fights into complete cakewalks once that bleed starts flying.
Rivers of Blood in PvP (Duels and Invasions)
When it comes to PvP, Rivers of Blood has a notorious history. Early in Elden Ring’s lifespan, this katana was considered overpowered in player-vs-player fights – so much so that FromSoftware eventually nerfed it in a patch.
In patch 1.06, the developers specifically decreased the damage and bleed build-up of the Corpse Piler skill (the blood slash attack) because Rivers of Blood was dominating PvP encounters. Before that patch, a couple of quick Corpse Piler hits could make other players literally explode in a blood burst, deleting them almost instantly.
The nerf balanced the weapon for PvP, but good news: Rivers of Blood is still very strong and viable even after these changes – it just requires a bit more skill and strategy now.
How to Catch Players Off Guard
In duels or invasions, you can certainly leverage Rivers of Blood’s fast bleed buildup to pressure your opponent. A few landed hits will send their bleed meter skyrocketing, which often makes people panic (nobody likes seeing that bleed bar fill up!).
However, be aware that experienced players will be expecting the obvious move – spamming Corpse Piler. If you just run up and mash the weapon skill, a savvy opponent will dodge backwards or to the side, avoiding the multi-hit combo, and potentially punish you during the recovery. The Corpse Piler attack has a bit of a startup and no hyper armor, meaning you can be interrupted out of it if you get hit at the right time. So, while you should use it (it’s still very effective), don’t be predictable.
Mix up your approach: sometimes go for quick normal slashes or running attacks to catch your foe off guard. The katana moveset is quite good in PvP – for example, the running heavy attack of katanas covers great distance with a fast poke. Utilize those fundamental moves in addition to Corpse Piler.
Countering Rivers of Blood in PvP
A smart tactic is to apply pressure until you notice your opponent’s bleed meter is almost full (you’ll see their character flinch when bleed is about to proc). At that moment, one more hit will trigger hemorrhage, causing a massive chunk of damage.
So if you get someone to that point, go aggressive and try to land that next hit quickly. On the flip side, if you’re facing an invader using Rivers of Blood, the best counter is to play patient: maintain distance, bait out the Corpse Piler, and dodge it. Roll to the side rather than straight back when you see the flurry start – rolling sideways can avoid the entire sequence of slashes. Once they whiff the combo, you have a window to hit them while they’re stuck finishing the animation.
Another counter is using Bloodhound’s Step or Quickstep ashes of war to evade and reposition quickly if you have them, or simply turtling with a high stability shield to block the slashes (though the bleed will still build through your shield). After the nerfs, Rivers of Blood is no longer a “press L2 to win” weapon in PvP, but it remains a top-tier threat. It excels at forcing mistakes; the looming threat of a bleed explosion can make opponents play nervously.
If you wield it wisely – mixing up your attacks and capitalizing on bleed procs – you can absolutely still win duels and invasions with Rivers of Blood. Just be a good sport about it; the weapon’s bloody reputation precedes it, and defeated players might send you a salty message or two if you cut them down with this infamous katana!
Conclusion
In summary, the Rivers of Blood Elden Ring lives up to its fearsome name. It’s a weapon that delivers brutal, blood-soaked performance in Elden Ring, capable of shredding bosses with ease and keeping pressure on other players in PvP.
We’ve covered how to get Rivers of Blood (don’t forget to grab it before the Fire Giant, or you’ll miss it!), its unique stats and skill, and a powerful build to maximize its potential.
With high Dexterity and Arcane, bleed-enhancing gear like the White Mask and Exultation talisman, and an aggressive playstyle, Rivers of Blood can turn you into an almost unstoppable force. Few other weapons can match the combination of raw damage and devastating bleed proc that this katana offers. So go forth, Tarnished, and carve your way through the Lands Between with Rivers of Blood in hand.
Wielded wisely, it will make the very land run red with the blood of your enemies. Good luck, and enjoy your crimson conquest!
