This build transforms the Banished Knight's Greatsword into a devastating hemorrhage machine by combining its innate bleed with the Sepuku Ash of War and high Arcane scaling. The goal is to trigger massive bleed procs in just 1-2 hits, often within a single true combo, while leveraging the hyper-armor and crowd-control of a Greatsword, a power some choose to accelerate by opting to buy Elden Ring Runes.

Core Mechanics & Why It Works

· True Combo: The Banished Knight's Greatsword has a guaranteed Jumping Light Attack → Light Attack combo. This is your primary engagement tool.

· Massive Hemorrhage Buildup: The Greatsword has natural bleed. Sepuku adds a huge flat increase to this buildup. High Arcane stat further scales it.

· Synergistic Buffs: The build uses items that activate when bleed occurs nearby, creating a feedback loop of increasing damage.

The Damage Cycle:

1. Apply Sepuku to your weapon (and yourself) for +bleed buildup and a personal damage buff.

2. Land the Jump Attack → Light Attack combo (2 hits).

3. This often triggers Hemorrhage, dealing massive %HP damage and activating your buffs.

4. White Mask and Lord of Blood's Exultation talisman now boost your attack power because bleed occurred.

5. Your next hit is even stronger.

Required Gear & Stats

Weapon

· Primary Weapon: Banished Knight's Greatsword

· Infusion: Occult or Blood (Occult is preferred for higher physical damage while still benefiting from Arcane scaling on bleed).

· Ash of War: Sepuku

Essential Armor

· White Mask (Varre's Questline) - Non-negotiable. Increases attack power by 10% for 20s when blood loss occurs nearby.

Talismans

1. Lord of Blood's Exultation - Increases attack power by 20% for 20s when blood loss occurs nearby. Core to the build.

2. Two-Handed Sword Talisman - Increases attack power by 15% when two-handing your weapon (which you always should be).

3. Ritual Sword Talisman / Great-Jar's Arsenal - Choice between increased damage at full HP or higher equip load for better armor.

4. Bull-Goat's Talisman - Recommended to boost poise and ensure your hyper-armor trades win.

Consumables & Buffs

· Sacred Tear / Flask of Wondrous Physick: Use the Thorny Cracked Tear (increases attack power after successive hits) and the Dexterity-Knot Crystal Tear (if needed for stat requirements) or Opaline Hardtear for defense.

· Uplifting Aromatic (Craftable Perfume) - Provides a damage-absorbing bubble and a 30-second 20% damage boost. The ultimate fight-starter.

· Exalted Flesh - Provides a 20% physical damage buff for 30 seconds. Use when other buffs are on cooldown.

Recommended Stats (RL 150 Example)

· Vigor: 55-60

· Mind: 15-20

· Endurance: 30-35 (For swinging, armor, and stamina management)

· Strength: 54 (The soft cap when two-handing, as two-handing gives a 1.5x Strength multiplier)

· Dexterity: Minimum to wield the Greatsword.

· Intelligence: Base

· Faith: Base

· Arcane: 45-60 (Primary damage and bleed scaling stat. Higher = more bleed buildup and Occult scaling damage)

Gameplay & Combat Strategy

Engagement Pattern:

1. Pre-Buff: Before engaging, use Sepuku on your weapon. This is your core buff.

2. Approach: Close the gap. Your best opening is the Jumping R1.

3. Combo: Immediately follow the jump attack with a standard R1. This is your true combo.

4. Against many enemies and players, this 2-hit combo will trigger Hemorrhage.

5. Follow-Up: After the bleed proc, you are now buffed by your mask and talisman. Press the advantage with rolling attacks (great for roll-catching) or charged R2s.

Advanced Tips:

· Hyper-Armor Trades: The Greatsword's moveset has high poise damage and hyper-armor. Don't be afraid to trade hits, especially against faster weapons. You will often win the trade by triggering bleed.

· Heavy Attack Utility: The running and standing R2s have wide horizontal swings, perfect for hitting multiple opponents or punishing heals.

· Managing Ganks: Against groups, use terrain. Your goal is to isolate one target, land your 2-hit combo to delete them, then reposition. The Uplifting Aromatic is crucial here for survivability.

· Weapon Buff Priority: Sepuku is your bread and butter. If it wears off mid-fight, create space and re-apply it. It's that important.

PvP & Invasion Tactics

· Ambush Predator: Use the level geometry to your advantage. A jump attack from above is often a death sentence.

· Target Selection: In a 3v1, prioritize the phantom with the lowest health or weakest armor. Your combo can often one-shot them, quickly turning the tide.

· Bait & Punish: Your jump attack is threatening. Use it to make opponents panic roll, then catch them with a delayed R1 or a roll-catching running attack.

· Watch for Heals: Your hyper-armor allows you to aggressively sprint at and punish players attempting to use Crimson Flasks.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths:

· Extremely High Burst Damage: Can kill many opponents in a single, easy-to-execute combo.

· Excellent Trade Potential: Greatsword hyper-armor combined with instant bleed payoff wins most exchanges.

· Strong Against Ganks: The true combo can eliminate one opponent instantly, making 3v1s more manageable.

· Roll-Catch King: The Greatsword's moveset is excellent at catching panic rolls.

Weaknesses:

· Predictable Buff Routine: The need to apply Sepuku makes you vulnerable at the start of a fight. Skilled opponents will try to rush you down.

· Stamina Hungry: Greatsword attacks consume a lot of stamina. Poor management will leave you vulnerable.

· Range Management: You have less range than colossal weapons or spears. You must be adept at spacing to get in without being poked to death.

· Status Effect Reliance: Against enemies or players immune to bleed, you lose a significant portion of your damage and all your synergistic buffs.

Final Notes

This build exemplifies "high risk, high reward." Managing your buffs and health (as Sepuku damages you) is key. When executed properly, it's one of the most terrifyingly efficient damage-dealers in the game, capable of ending fights in the blink of an eye, especially if you've optimized your setup with top-tier Elden Ring Items for sale from trusted providers like MMOEXP. Master the jump attack combo, learn to space, and you will dominate.