The Rivers of Blood katana is one of the most infamous weapons in Elden Ring. Known for its devastating bleed procs and Elden Ring Runes flashy Corpse Piler skill, this weapon has dominated both PvE and PvP since its introduction. While it has been adjusted in patches, it still remains a fan-favorite thanks to its reliable bleed buildup and damage versatility. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to master a Rivers of Blood build, from acquisition to stats, gear, and combat strategies.

How to Get Rivers of Blood

You can obtain the Rivers of Blood katana late in the game:

Location: Dropped by Bloody Finger Okina, an invading NPC.

Where: Church of Repose in the Mountaintops of the Giants.

When: Okina only spawns if you haven’t killed the Fire Giant yet.

Note: If you already defeated the Fire Giant, you’ll miss out on this weapon in that playthrough.

Because of its late-game location, many players plan a dedicated build around Rivers of Blood during NG+ or keep a respec ready once it’s acquired.

Rivers of Blood Weapon Stats

Weapon Type: Katana

Skill: Corpse Piler (unique to this weapon)

Scaling:

Strength: E

Dexterity: D

Arcane: B (primary scaling stat)

Passive Effect: Causes blood loss buildup (48 base)

This weapon is designed to scale heavily with Arcane, making bleed procs more consistent and increasing Corpse Piler’s damage output.

Best Stats for Rivers of Blood Build

When investing points, your priority is to balance damage with bleed efficiency. A strong endgame setup looks like this:

Vigor: 50 – Maximizes survivability, especially in PvP or boss fights.

Mind: 20–25 – Enough FP to spam Corpse Piler.

Endurance: 20–25 – Good stamina for combos and dodging, plus equip load for heavier armor.

Strength: 12 – Weapon requirement only.

Dexterity: 18–20 – Meets weapon requirement and provides a small damage boost.

Arcane: 50–60 – Core stat for bleed scaling and damage.

In NG, 50 Arcane is more than enough, but pushing to 60 maximizes damage output in late-game and NG+.

Best Armor for Rivers of Blood Build

Armor choice depends on whether you favor fashion or function, but for PvP and NG+ survival, consider:

White Mask: Boosts attack power by 10% for 20 seconds when blood loss is inflicted nearby. Perfect synergy with Rivers of Blood.

Raptor’s Black Feathers: Boosts jump attack damage, useful for alternating between Corpse Piler spam and aggressive jump slashes.

Bull-Goat Set: For poise-heavy playstyles, allowing you to tank through attacks and land Corpse Piler.

Mix and match for a balance of weight and resistances, but White Mask is practically mandatory for optimal damage.

Best Talismans

Talismans amplify the natural power of Rivers of Blood. The best choices are:

Lord of Blood’s Exultation: Boosts attack power when blood loss is inflicted (similar to White Mask, stacks multiplicatively).

Shard of Alexander: Greatly boosts the Corpse Piler weapon skill damage.

Carian Filigreed Crest: Reduces FP consumption for Corpse Piler, letting you use it more often.

Erdtree’s Favor +2: Raises HP, stamina, and equip load—solid all-around buff.

Optional swap-ins include Rotten Winged Sword Insignia for successive attack boosts or Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman for defense.

Best Ashes of War and Skills

Rivers of Blood comes with Corpse Piler, and it cannot be replaced with another Ash of War. This isn’t a weakness—Corpse Piler is one of the strongest weapon skills in the game:

Description: A flurry of slashes that apply heavy bleed buildup and stagger.

Usage: Excellent for melting bosses and PvP players alike, especially when bleed triggers mid-combo.

Pair Rivers of Blood with a support weapon in the off-hand (such as Seppuku Nagakiba or Dragon Communion Seal for incantations).

Best Spells and Incantations

Although Rivers of Blood is a pure melee weapon, you can complement it with Arcane-based incantations:

Swarm of Flies: Summons blood flies that track enemies and rapidly apply bleed buildup.

Bloodflame Blade: Enchants your weapon with bloodflame, causing bleed to trigger a DoT effect.

Dragon Communion Incantations: Arcane scaling makes these powerful options (e.g., Ekzykes’s Decay for scarlet rot or Borealis’s Mist for frostbite).

Use these to supplement your melee pressure, especially in PvP.

Best Spirit Ashes

Spirit Ashes can complement your bleed playstyle:

Mimic Tear Ashes: Copies your build, doubling bleed output.

Black Knife Tiche: High mobility and percentage HP damage makes her one of the best summons for bosses.

Omenkiller Rollo: Aggressive bleed-focused summon that synergizes with your playstyle.

Mimic Tear remains the go-to choice for NG+ bleed spam.

Gameplay Strategy

PvE Strategy

Spam Corpse Piler on large bosses—bleed will chunk their HP.

Use jump attacks and R1 combos when conserving FP.

Against bleed-resistant enemies (stone constructs, undead), rely more on raw Corpse Piler damage rather than bleed procs.

Mix in Swarm of Flies to keep pressure on bosses while dodging.

PvP Strategy

Rivers of Blood shines in roll-catch scenarios. Corpse Piler’s tracking punishes dodge-spam.

Use spacing—bait opponents into rolling and unleash Corpse Piler.

Combine White Mask + Lord of Blood’s Exultation buffs for huge burst damage.

Be mindful of FP management—don’t whiff Corpse Piler, as it leaves you open.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

Incredible bleed buildup.

Corpse Piler shreds through PvE bosses and PvP opponents.

Scales excellently with Arcane, opening hybrid incantation synergy.

Weaknesses:

Acquired late in the game.

FP hungry—requires Mind investment.

Less effective against bleed-immune enemies.

Final Thoughts

The Rivers of Blood build is one of the most satisfying ways to play Elden Ring. Its mixture of style, power, and effectiveness in both PvE and PvP makes it a top-tier choice for Arcane builds. With the right stats, gear, and strategy, you can melt bosses in seconds and buy Elden Ring Runes dominate duels with relentless bleed pressure. Whether you’re diving into NG+ or challenging friends in PvP, the Rivers of Blood katana remains a weapon that defines Elden Ring’s combat meta.