No, the Blasphemous Blade cannot be used at all without meeting its minimum Faith requirement. While you do need some Faith to wield it, it can still be highly effective even if your character build isn't primarily focused on Faith.
Understanding Blasphemous Blade's Requirements and Scaling
The Blasphemous Blade is a Greatsword in Elden Ring that has specific stat requirements to be wielded. Failing to meet any of these will prevent you from using the weapon effectively.
Here are the base requirements for the Blasphemous Blade:
| Stat Type | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Strength | 22 |
| Dexterity | 15 |
| Faith | 21 |
The weapon also scales with these stats, primarily with Strength (B scaling) and to a lesser extent with Dexterity (D scaling) and Faith (D scaling). This means while Faith does contribute to its damage, it's not the sole or even primary scaling attribute.
Effectiveness on Non-Faith Builds
Despite its Faith requirement, the Blasphemous Blade can perform remarkably well on builds that aren't heavily invested in Faith, such as Strength-focused characters. This is largely due to its unique weapon skill, Taker's Flames.
- Powerful Ash of War: Taker's Flames launches a wave of fire that deals significant fire damage, has a wide area of effect, causes a strong stagger, and most importantly, heals the user upon hitting an enemy. This skill is incredibly potent for both offense and sustain, making the weapon valuable even with just the minimum Faith investment needed to use it.
- Viability for Strength Builds: Many players find that a Strength character with just enough Faith to meet the 21 requirement can effectively wield the Blasphemous Blade. The weapon's physical damage benefits greatly from Strength, while Taker's Flames provides a powerful ranged option and healing utility that doesn't strictly demand high Faith scaling to be impactful. This allows Strength builds to gain access to a versatile and forgiving weapon without compromising their core stat distribution too heavily.
Alternatives for Pure Strength Builds
For those committed to a pure Strength build with no desire to invest any points into Faith, alternatives exist that excel in physical damage and are tailored for such setups. The Ruins Greatsword is a prime example. While it doesn't offer the healing utility of the Blasphemous Blade, it is often considered a superior choice for pure Strength builds, delivering high physical and magical damage based solely on Strength scaling.
