How to get the Sword of Darkness in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

The Sword of Darkness offers tremendous build potential in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, but the route to it is typically shrouded in darkness.

Personally, I love a bleed build in Elden Ring with the best katanas. Shadow of the Erdtree widens the already sizable roster of weapons, and options such as the Sword of Darkness even have my head turning.

Like most powerful weapons, the Sword of Darkness is not resting on a rock waiting for you to grab it.

Sword of Darkness location in Shadow of the Erdtree DLC

There are two ways to get the Sword of Darkness in Shadow of the Erdtree: Collect the Stone-Sheathed Sword from Fog Rift Catacombs and use it on the altar in Ruins of Unte—or the same method, but the other war around.

I’ll use the method I did to get the sword, and this walkthrough replicates it:

1. First, head to Fog Rift Catacombs to get the Stone-Sheathed Sword—you can check the location of Fog Rift Catacombs in picture one above.
2. Progress through the area’s natural path, and you come to a stone lift taking you down a long way.
3. Get off, carry on going straight, turn left downstairs, and you eventually come to another room with a giant spike trap on the ceiling.
4. Reach the end of the room, clear the enemies, and opposite the open crypt with the item, get the ceiling trap to attack the floor.
5. From the platform you’re on, it’s easy to see a giant hole in the trap to jump into.
6. Jump into it, and when it reaches the top, hop out, make the trap move again, and climb to the very top of the trap.
7. Run across the trap to the opening on the far-right side, and the Stone-Sheathed Sword is on a stone altar.
8. Now, go to the Castle Watering Hole Grace—which you can reach by discovering the secret stone coffin in Shadow Keep.
9. Here, it’s time to get into the Ruins of Unte.
10. Once inside, go to the altar on the right and press “Raise the Stone-Sheathed Sword to the dark.“
11. Doing so gives you the rare Sword of Darkness.

In theory, you can acquire the Stone-Sheathed Sword from the Ruins of Unte altar, and transform it into the Sword of Darkness in Fog Rift Catacombs—so it’s up to you which way you choose to do it!

With the weapon in hand, check out the best Sword of Darkness build to eviscerate enemies, and use it to get to the Finger Ruins of Rhia more easily.