Highlights
- Combining the Backhand Blade with the Swift Slash Ash of War is considered broken in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
- Players anticipate a nerf to the Swift Slash Ash of War due to its impact on PvP balance.
- The Swift Slash Ash of War can be obtained through the Hornsent sidequest in Shadow of the Erdtree.
Elden Ring players think that the Backhand Blade paired with the Swift Slash Ash of War is not only one of the most broken combinations in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC but also in the history of Souls games. In fact, several players are already anticipating that it will be nerfed pretty soon, considering it has made Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's PvP unbalanced too.
Whenever a new Soulsborne game or expansion is released, fans are always looking to find the best weapons and items. Elden Ring has seen several of these broken items over the years, starting with the 
Moonveil to the 
Rivers of Blood , 
Sword of Night and Flame , and whatnot. The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC's unforgiving difficulty has forced players to look for such powerful items to tip the scales in their favor, and it seems like they have finally found one deadly combo.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree No Longer Has 'Mixed' Steam Reviews
Following a rough start, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's Steam user reviews have recovered and are no longer in the 'Mixed' category.
In a new post on the Elden Ring subreddit, user Andromeda-OC asks the community about the best weapons available in Shadow of the Erdtree. While there are several good options highlighted by the players, several noted that the newly added Backhand Blade is extremely powerful in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. However, others were quick to add that there is an Ash of War, Swift Slash, that makes the 
Backhand Blade absolutely broken.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Swift Slash Ash of War Location
In order to get the Swift Slash Ash of War, players will need to take part in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's Hornsent sidequest. This is a long questline that also requires players to take down the unforgiving Belurat, Tower Settlement boss, 
Divine Beast Dancing Lion . Eventually, players will get the choice to side with either Hornsent or Needle Knight Leda at Shadow Keep, and if they choose the former, they will get the Swift Slash Ash of War.
Fans are already expecting the Swift Slash Ash of War to get nerfed in a future patch, considering how powerful it is. The Swift Slash Ash of War almost looks like Malenia's dreaded Waterfowl Dance in Elden Ring, with the only difference being that it is even more powerful. While one player noted that it is the "most busted" Ash of War in the game, another fan went to the extent of stating that if they see somebody using it in PvP, they simply jump off a cliff before even attempting to counter it. The Swift Slash Ash of War is so effective that it can even deal with 1v3 situations in PvP. Elden Ring fans who haven't tried the Swift Slash Ash of War in its full yet will probably want to before it gets its seemingly imminent nerf.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Shadow of the Erdtree is the first and only DLC expansion for FromSoftware's groundbreaking Elden Ring. It takes players to a whole new region, the Land of Shadow, where a new story awaits the Tarnished.
- Base Game
- Elden Ring
- Platform
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- June 21, 2024
- Developer(s)
- FromSoftware
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment , FromSoftware
