Black Blade Kindred Elden Ring Location And Boss Guide
The Black Blade Kindred is one of the most formidable gargoyle bosses players encounter throughout The Lands Between in Elden Ring. Guarding key pathways in high-level territories, this ancient creature delivers devastating physical and holy attacks that can quickly end an unprepared player's journey. Understanding where to find this enemy and how to approach the combat encounter is essential for securing its valuable weapon drops and massive rune rewards.
Where to Find the Black Blade Kindred
Players can encounter the Black Blade Kindred in two distinct locations across the game world. The first encounter is situated directly outside the Bestial Sanctum in the northeastern region of Dragonbarrow. A second version guards the entrance to the Grand Lift of Rold in the snow-covered Forbidden Lands.
While the Dragonbarrow location can be accessed early via a waygate in Limgrave, fighting the boss immediately is highly discouraged due to its high stats. Returning later with upgraded weapons makes both encounters significantly more manageable.
Combat Mechanics and Moveset Strategy
The boss utilizes a hybrid arsenal consisting of a gargoyle blade and a halberd, allowing it to switch between long-range sweeps and high-impact slam attacks. One of its deadliest abilities is the vacuum wave projectile, which deals heavy holy damage and applies a damage-over-time effect. Dodging sideways right as the blade charges up is the most reliable way to avoid taking critical damage.
Positioning yourself near the boss's feet or under its wings provides safe openings to deal damage between its attack strings. Be cautious when it takes to the air, as a flying slam attack usually follows immediately after.
Recommended Builds and Combat Tips
Because the Black Blade Kindred possesses high resistance to standard status effects like bleed and poison, physical strike damage or stance-breaking attacks are recommended. Weapons equipped with stance-breaking skills can expose the boss for critical hits faster than standard light attacks. Bringing spirit ashes or NPC allies like Millicent can draw attention away from your character, giving you crucial time to recover health or cast spells.
Defeating the Dragonbarrow variant yields the Gargoyle's Blackblade and Gargoyle's Black Halberd along with a substantial sum of runes. Defeating the Forbidden Lands version awards the Gargoyle's Black Axes and Halberd to complete your collection.