Elden Ring is the latest in FromSoftware's distinct Souls-esque line of games, adding an open world to the established formula. The open world format fits the SoulsBorne title formula well, and players are literally killing themselves in the Elden Ring starting area just to make it more atmospheric for new players.
There is a lot to discover in Elden Ring, from weapons and armor to spells and incantations. Of course, there is also a lot of lore to unpack and new enemies around every corner. One of the most distinctive new enemy types is the Black Knives, an elite group of assassins of previously indeterminate height.
The Black Knives are an elite group of assassins who scattered to the four winds after killing a demigod. As such, there is not a lot of them, and they are typically miniboss or boss-level enemies. Unlike many other bosses which rely on size, huge attacks, or sweeping strikes, Black Knives weave forward with quick, fluid motions. This, plus their very useful Black Knife armor, let them get in close and attack the player with fast slashes. It also makes it really hard to tell how tall they are, so one player did a side-by-side comparison with the Tarnished.
As it turns out, the Black Knife assassins are very tall. They easily stand head and shoulder above the player character, who is generally considered to have the proportions of an average human being. This does not make the Black Knife assassins unique, as most bosses and more threatening enemies in Elden Ring are taller than the player. However, because the Black Knives spend most of their combat time crouched low, they often appear much shorter. This does not make them less deadly, as the debate for whether Black Knife Tiche or the Mimic Tear is the strongest Spirit Ash is still ongoing.
The strategy of the Black Knives in combat can take many players by surprise. Unlike other large bosses with sweeping strikes like Malenia who can sometimes be cheesed with silly weapons, the Black Knives fight quick and close. Dodging at the right time is trickier against them, as is landing a good hit on such a slippery foe.
As such, it is often best to adopt an uncommon strategy for the Black Knives: hunker down and face them head-on. Their light attacks can't get through tougher shields, so players must learn how to Guard Counter in Elden Ring and make good use of it.
Elden Ring is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
