The Unstoppable Bloodhound's Fang Build In Elden Ring (2025 Meta Guide)

The Bloodhound's Fang remains one of the most powerful and versatile weapons in Elden Ring, even in the current 2025 meta, thanks to its incredible damage, built-in bleed effect, and the highly mobile Ash of War, Bloodhound's Finesse. This Curved Greatsword is a true powerhouse that can carry a player from the early hours of Limgrave all the way through New Game Plus cycles, making it a perennial favorite for both new Tarnished and seasoned veterans. Its enduring strength lies in its unique combination of high physical damage, excellent Dexterity scaling, and the ability to be buffed with Incantations like Bloodflame Blade, creating a devastating hybrid build that excels in both PvE and PvP. As of the latest updates, including Patch 1.16, the core functionality and scaling of the Bloodhound's Fang have been solidified, ensuring its spot as a top-tier choice. The key to maximizing its potential is understanding the optimal stat distribution and the perfect synergy of Talismans and buffs, transforming this already great weapon into a boss-shredding machine that trivializes many of the Lands Between's toughest encounters.

How to Obtain the Bloodhound's Fang and Key Weapon Stats

The Bloodhound's Fang is uniquely accessible early in the game, a major reason for its popularity as a beginner-friendly yet endgame-viable weapon.

Acquisition: Defeating Bloodhound Knight Darriwil

The weapon is dropped upon defeating Bloodhound Knight Darriwil. This formidable foe is found within the Forlorn Hound Evergaol, located in the southern region of Limgrave, just west of the Agheel Lake South Site of Grace. This is a crucial early-game challenge, but the reward is one of the best weapons in the game.

• Location: Forlorn Hound Evergaol, Limgrave.
• Boss: Bloodhound Knight Darriwil.
• Requirement: No specific requirements other than finding the Evergaol.

Weapon Profile and Scaling

As a unique weapon, the Bloodhound's Fang is upgraded using Somber Smithing Stones, allowing it to reach +10. Its damage profile is excellent, focusing on raw physical damage with inherent bleed build-up.

• Weapon Type: Curved Greatsword.
• Damage Type: Standard/Pierce.
• Innate Effect: 55 Blood Loss Build-up.
• Attribute Requirements: 18 Strength (STR) and 17 Dexterity (DEX).
• Scaling (at +10): C in Dexterity, D in Strength.

The Bloodhound's Finesse Ash of War

The weapon's unique skill, Bloodhound's Finesse, is what truly sets it apart. This skill is not a standard Ash of War and cannot be applied to other weapons. It involves a quick, upward slash followed by a backward somersault, creating distance from the enemy. Crucially, this move can be immediately followed up with a Heavy Attack (R2/RT) to perform a devastating forward dash and slash, known as Bloodhound's Step (not to be confused with the separate Ash of War). This two-part attack is fast, deals massive damage, builds up significant posture damage, and is highly effective for repositioning.

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The Optimal Bloodhound's Fang Dexterity/Bleed Build

To maximize the weapon's potential in the current meta, a focus on high Dexterity and leveraging the weapon's innate Bleed effect is essential. This build is often referred to as the Bloodhound's Fang Bleed Build.

Stat Allocation (Level 150 Target)

Since the weapon scales better with Dexterity, this should be your primary damage stat. The following is a balanced endgame stat spread for a Level 150 character, suitable for both PvE and PvP:

• Vigor (HP): 50–60 (Essential for survivability in endgame and PvP).
• Mind (FP): 20–25 (Needed for frequent use of Bloodhound's Finesse and Incantations).
• Endurance (Stamina/Equip Load): 25–30 (Allows for Medium Roll with heavy armor and enough stamina for long combos).
• Strength (STR): 27–40 (The 27 STR breakpoint, combined with two-handing, hits the soft cap of 40 STR. For pure damage, push to 40).
• Dexterity (DEX): 60–70 (The primary damage stat. Pushing to 70 provides excellent damage returns).
• Faith (FTH): 12–15 (Minimum requirement to cast the essential Bloodflame Blade Incantation).
• Arcane (ARC): Base Level (Not needed for damage, but a small investment can boost the Bleed effect slightly if desired).

The Must-Have Incantation: Bloodflame Blade Synergy

The Bloodhound's Fang is a buffable unique weapon, which is a rare and powerful trait. The most potent buff is the Bloodflame Blade Incantation. This Incantation coats the weapon in fire damage and adds a secondary, delayed bleed effect to your attacks. When combined with the Fang's innate bleed, you can proc the powerful hemorrhage effect on enemies incredibly quickly, especially with the sweeping attacks of the Curved Greatsword moveset.

• Incantation: Bloodflame Blade.
• Requirement: 10 Faith and 10 Arcane (Requires the Dragon Communion Seal or similar Seal).
• Benefit: Stacks two types of bleed build-up, significantly increasing damage output against most enemies.

The Top 5 Talismans for Maximum Damage and Utility

The build is finalized by selecting Talismans that specifically boost the weapon's strengths: the Ash of War, jumping attacks, and raw damage.

The following Talismans are essential for achieving maximum damage and utility with the Bloodhound's Fang build:

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1. Shard of Alexander

This is arguably the most important Talisman for this build. It significantly boosts the damage of the Ash of War, Bloodhound's Finesse, including its powerful follow-up attack. Given how often you will rely on this skill for both damage and mobility, the damage increase is substantial.

2. Claw Talisman

The Curved Greatsword moveset, especially when two-handing, features powerful jumping attacks. The Claw Talisman boosts the damage of all your jumping attacks, synergizing perfectly with the aggressive, hit-and-run style of the Bloodhound's Fang.

3. Lord of Blood's Exultation

This Talisman is the cornerstone of the Bleed aspect of the build. It boosts your attack power by 20% for 20 seconds whenever blood loss is inflicted nearby. Since the Bloodhound's Fang has innate bleed and is buffed by Bloodflame Blade, you will be triggering this powerful damage buff constantly, especially against bosses.

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4. Green Turtle Talisman

Stamina management is crucial for a heavy-hitting weapon that relies on both a high-cost Ash of War and aggressive attack chains. The Green Turtle Talisman significantly raises stamina recovery speed, allowing you to attack more frequently and maintain your dodge/roll rhythm.

5. Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman (or Ritual Sword Talisman)

For your final slot, you have a choice based on focus:

• Defense (PvE/Endgame): The Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman provides a massive boost to physical damage negation, helping you survive the toughest late-game boss attacks.
• Offense (Aggressive): The Ritual Sword Talisman boosts attack power when your HP is at maximum. This is excellent for players who are confident in avoiding damage, maximizing the one-shot potential of the Bloodhound's Finesse combo.

The Bloodhound's Fang remains a dominant force in Elden Ring's current meta. By focusing on high Dexterity, utilizing the Bloodflame Blade Incantation, and equipping the right Talismans, you unlock a build that is powerful, fun, and capable of conquering any challenge the Lands Between can throw at you.