Elden Ring introduces a lot of interesting mechanics to make combat more involved, especially when it comes to melee combat specifically. One of these new mechanics is the Guard Counter, which can be activated after blocking an attack to deal huge damage to both HP and Posture. While powerful in its normal state, the Curved Sword Talisman makes this move even better.
The Curved Sword Talisman, like many combat-oriented Talismans in Elden Ring, improves the damage dealt with a specific type of move. In this case, Guard Counters become more damaging and more likely to stagger a target, letting you get a critical hit in sooner.
What Does The Curved Sword Talisman Do?
- "It is said that a blind swordsman was the originator of this technique, the art of allowing one's opponent to strike so as to leave them vulnerable to a well-timed reply."
Guard Counters in Elden Ring can be activated by pressing the Strong attack button of your primary weapon, usually in the right hand, immediately after blocking an incoming attack. A special sound will play, your weapon will glint for a moment, and your character will do a fast Heavy attack that deals extra damage. With enough damage done to Posture, an enemy becomes staggered and is able to be critically hit.
The Curved Sword Talisman increases the damage dealt by these attacks by a huge 20%. Players who use Guard Counters as one of their primary means of damaging enemies will find this Talisman to be a massive improvement as they can now stagger enemies a move or two earlier, especially if the Guard Counters are near-consecutive. If you're a melee player who isn't using Guard Counters, it's definitely a mechanic worth learning.
Where To Find The Curved Sword Talisman
The Curved Sword Talisman can be found towards that start of Stormveil Castle. When entering the Castle for the first time, take the shortcut that the gatekeeper suggests, and follow the route until you find a building with lots of bomb-throwing enemies and explosive crates all over the place. Head up the ladders, dispatching of enemies, until you see a dark room to your right.
Entering this room causes the lights to go dark and the door to slam shut behind you. After a second or two you will be ambushed by a Banished Knight, a pretty strong shield-user. Kill them and look around for a chest in the back of the dark room, which contains the Curved Sword Talisman.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.