Marais Executioner's Sword
Marais Executioner's Sword is a legendary greatsword dropped by Elemer of the Briar in The Shaded Castle. It combines physical and magic damage with Eochaid's Dancing Blade, a chargeable corkscrew throw that rewards multi-hit setups.
Key Takeaways
Marais Executioner's Sword is a unique greatsword whose identity comes from its Arcane-dependent weapon skill, Eochaid's Dancing Blade, rather than from infusions or interchangeable Ashes of War.
Unique greatsword skill
Eochaid's Dancing Blade throws the sword into a spinning, returning attack, giving this greatsword a distinctive multi-hit option with more reach than its ordinary swings.
Boss-reward availability
The sword is obtained from Elemer of the Briar at the Shaded Castle, making it a reward tied to a specific optional boss rather than a common pickup or vendor purchase.
Arcane-focused requirements
Its attribute requirements include Arcane alongside Strength and Dexterity, so it is most naturally considered by characters willing to invest in Arcane rather than by a conventional Strength-only build.
Powerful but committal skill
The spinning skill can deliver repeated hits, but its animation commits the player for longer than a normal strike and can be punished if used without suitable spacing or an opening.
Fixed Somber upgrade path
As a unique weapon, Marais Executioner's Sword uses the Somber Smithing Stone reinforcement path and does not function like an ordinary infusable greatsword with freely interchangeable Ashes of War.
Closest thematic alternative
Regalia of Eochaid shares the same weapon skill and Arcane association, but its straight-sword moveset makes it a different choice from Marais Executioner's Sword's heavier greatsword profile.
Overview
Marais Executioner's Sword is a unique Greatsword in Elden Ring, defined by its fixed Eochaid's Dancing Blade skill: a telekinetically propelled, corkscrew attack that gives the weapon an unusual burst of reach and damage delivery for its class.
This is a base-game weapon associated with Elemer of the Briar and the Shaded Castle. Its identity is less about a conventional sword moveset than the contrast between ordinary close-range swings and its distinctive skill, which sends the blade forward while it spins. That makes it a Greatsword with a notable attack option beyond the usual melee space.
Eochaid's Dancing Blade is the weapon's defining behaviour. The sword is imbued with energy and thrown in a rotating path; holding the skill input extends the attack. The result is a committed offensive tool that can threaten targets beyond normal sword range, although using it still requires choosing the right opening rather than treating the weapon as a conventional ranged option.
Unlike infusable Greatswords, Marais Executioner's Sword is a unique weapon with a fixed skill and does not serve as a blank platform for Ashes of War or affinity changes. Its appeal therefore comes from learning the weapon's built-in attack and building around its requirements, rather than tailoring a standard Greatsword to many different skills.
The sword occupies a specialised role among Elden Ring's Greatswords. It offers familiar melee fundamentals for close combat, but its signature skill rewards spacing, timing, and sustained commitment when an enemy cannot interrupt the attack. Players seeking a flexible infusion platform have clearer alternatives; players interested in a distinctive weapon skill receive a more focused option from the base game's optional regional content.
Statistics
Elden Ring publishes no 0–100 stat bars, so this page lists the verified requirements, scaling and handling figures instead. Taken from the project's verified weapons database, not from generated text.
- CategoryGreatswords
- Damage TypeStandard/Slash
- Primary ScalingStr D / Dex D
- Weight13
- SkillCleanrot Rise
- Str Req21
- Dex Req15
- How to ObtainDeathbird / Caelid
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar greatswords
| Weapon | Str Req | Dex Req | Weight | Primary Scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marais Executioner's Sword | 21 | 15 | 13 | Str D / Dex D |
| Starscourge Greatsword | 30 | 10 | 13 | Str C |
| Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword | 24 | 10 | 13 | Str D / Int D |
| Alabaster Lord's Sword | 20 | 10 | 13 | Str D / Arc E |
| Greatsword of Solitude | 21 | 13 | 13 | Str C / Dex D |
Requirements, scaling grades and weight are the game’s own published figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
How to Obtain
- Access to the Altus Plateau.
- Reach and defeat Elemer of the Briar in the Shaded Castle.
- This is a base-game acquisition with no DLC requirement; the reward is limited to one copy per playthrough.
- 01Travel to the Shaded Castle in the northern part of the Altus Plateau and reach the boss arena at the castle’s upper end. The weapon is not purchased or found in a chest; it is awarded for defeating Elemer of the Briar there.
- 02Defeat Elemer of the Briar, the Shaded Castle’s area boss, to receive the Marais Executioner’s Sword as a guaranteed reward. The boss remains available until defeated, so the weapon is not normally missable; it can be obtained again in a later playthrough or NG+.
Availability
Requires Requires access to the Shaded Castle area and its boss encounter; wielding it requires 24 STR, 14 DEX, and 23 ARC.
No purchase price or rotating-stock condition applies. Availability is tied to the base-game progression route rather than a separate mode.
Mechanics and Handling
Marais Executioner's Sword uses the regular Greatsword moveset rather than replacing its close-range attacks with a special sequence. Its swings cover a broad area but commit the wielder to noticeable recovery, so spacing and attack timing matter more than rapid pressure. The weapon can be used one- or two-handed; two-handing changes handling and attribute calculation, but it does not turn the sword into a different weapon class.
Eochaid's Dancing Blade
The sword's unique skill imbues it with energy and launches it forward in a spinning, corkscrew attack before it returns to the wielder. The attack can be charged, increasing the time the blade remains in its spinning sequence and giving the user more opportunity to connect repeated hits. Because the blade travels away from the player, the skill can punish an enemy outside normal sword range, but its commitment also creates a risk if the target moves, interrupts the cast, or survives the sequence.
The skill is most effective when the target is stationary, staggered, trapped against terrain, or otherwise unlikely to leave the blade's path. It should not be treated as a guaranteed ranged attack: the projectile's path, the enemy's movement, and the animation commitment determine how many hits actually connect. Its repeated-hit behavior also makes it distinct from a single-impact weapon skill, although the exact result depends on the target's position and defenses.
Spacing, commitment, and defense
At close range, the sword's broad Greatsword swings are suited to catching groups or exploiting openings, while its weight and recovery make repeated trades hazardous against quick enemies. The charged heavy attack offers a stronger committed strike but requires a clear opening. Jumping attacks and attacks after an enemy's recovery are safer opportunities than attempting to force a complete sequence through incoming pressure.
The sword can be used while guarding, but it is primarily an offensive weapon and does not provide a special parry or shield-like defensive action. Elden Ring has no weapon durability system that causes this sword to wear out or break during normal use, so there is no maintenance or repair cycle to manage. Eochaid's Dancing Blade consumes FP; players relying on it repeatedly therefore need to account for their available FP and flask allocation rather than treating every engagement as a free special attack.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Eochaid's Dancing Blade gives this Greatsword a distinctive ranged option: the sword launches forward and spins through targets before returning, allowing repeated hits when the skill connects cleanly.
- The skill can remain active through multiple rotations, so large, stationary enemies and bosses provide favourable targets for its multi-hit attack.
- Its Arcane requirement and scaling give Strength/Arcane characters a Greatsword option that benefits from investing in Arcane rather than relying only on physical attributes.
- As a unique weapon, it has a fixed identity and uses Somber Smithing Stones rather than requiring affinity selection or Ash of War management.
Weaknesses
- The skill has a visible commitment and leaves the wielder exposed if the target moves, interrupts the cast, or reaches melee range during its activation.
- Its most distinctive damage comes from a weapon skill with an FP cost, so the weapon is less attractive for characters that rarely use skills or have limited FP support.
- The weapon cannot be infused or given another Ash of War, limiting customization compared with standard Greatswords.
- The spinning attack is much less reliable against agile enemies and targets that do not remain within its path.
Best uses
- Use it in PvE against large or predictable targets where Eochaid's Dancing Blade can land several hits.
- Choose it for a Strength/Arcane character that wants Greatsword reach and a skill-based ranged threat without switching weapons.
- Pair it with a playstyle that can create safe openings for committed weapon skills, rather than treating the sword as a replacement for fast close-range attacks.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Weapon | Class and build profile | Distinctive skill or trait | Flexibility and role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordovis's Greatsword | Ordovis's Vortex provides a charged, area-focused weapon skill | A comparable unique greatsword for Strength-based builds that want Faith investment rather than Arcane investment | — |
| Executioner's Greataxe | Uses its own axe moveset and can support a more conventional physical-damage setup | A practical alternative for players prioritizing heavy melee attacks over Marais Executioner's Sword's distinctive skill | — |
| Regalia of Eochaid | Shares Eochaid's Dancing Blade, linking it directly to Marais Executioner's Sword's signature mechanic | The closer skill-family alternative; Marais Executioner's Sword instead offers the greatsword moveset and heavier weapon profile | — |
Used In
- Elemer of the BriarThe Shaded Castle boss who drops the Marais Executioner's Sword.
- The Shaded CastleThe legacy dungeon in Altus Plateau where Elemer of the Briar is encountered.
- Somber Smithing StoneUsed to reinforce the Marais Executioner's Sword along its unique-weapon upgrade path.
Lore and Design
The Marais Executioner’s Sword is associated with Elemer of the Briar, the executioner who occupied the Shaded Castle. Its item lore identifies the weapon as a greatsword forged from the castle’s distinctive, twisted metal and notes the blade’s copper-green colour, attributing that appearance to immersion in an unspecified substance. The description does not identify the substance, so its nature remains unresolved.
Its unique skill, Eochaid’s Dancing Blade, connects the weapon mechanically and textually to Eochaid, but the weapon’s lore does not establish a broader canonical relationship between Elemer, the Marais family and that land. The sword’s design significance is therefore clearest in its association with the Shaded Castle and Elemer’s role as a heretical executioner, rather than in any confirmed real-world inspiration or documented development intent.
Trivia
- The weapon’s name refers to the Marais family: its item text says that Elemer of the Briar stole the sword from the family and brought it to the Shaded Castle.
- The blade is described as copper-green and laced with countless tiny blades. This detail is part of the weapon’s item description rather than a separate weapon effect.