What Does Rotten Winged Sword Insignia Work With? Unleashing its Power
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The Rotten Winged Sword Insignia in Elden Ring is a potent talisman that significantly boosts your attack power with successive attacks. It’s primarily effective with rapid, multi-hit attacks, rewarding aggressive playstyles that maintain consistent offensive pressure. Think katanas, dual-wielded weapons, weapons with quick attack animations, and spells with fast casting speeds.
Understanding the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia
The Rotten Winged Sword Insignia is one of the few talismans in Elden Ring that provides a percentage-based increase to attack power, scaling with the number of consecutive hits landed. This makes it particularly useful for builds that can quickly rack up attack hits.
Key Mechanics
- Successive Attack Bonus: The talisman provides a stacking attack power increase after each successful hit, up to a maximum bonus.
- Reset Mechanic: The bonus resets after a brief period of inactivity or when the player is hit. Maintaining a constant offensive flow is crucial to maximize its effectiveness.
- Percentage Increase: The bonus is a percentage of your base attack power, making it scale well into later stages of the game as your weapon upgrades and stats improve.
Builds That Benefit Most
The Rotten Winged Sword Insignia shines in several build archetypes:
Dual-Wield Builds
Dual-wielding allows for a rapid series of attacks, making it easier to trigger and maintain the talisman’s bonus. Dual katanas, curved swords, or twinblades are excellent choices. The inherent speed and multi-hit potential of these weapon types synergize perfectly with the talisman’s effect.
Katanas and Fast Weapons
Single katanas like the Rivers of Blood, Moonveil, and Uchigatana can benefit from this talisman, but generally not as much as dual katanas. Faster weapons like daggers, thrusting swords, and straight swords are also good choices, although they might require a bit more skill to keep the attack chain going, compared to dual katanas.
Spells and Incantations
Certain spells and incantations with rapid casting times or multiple projectiles can also activate and sustain the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia’s bonus. This is especially true for spells that unleash a flurry of attacks. Glintstone Pebble, Swift Glintstone Shard, and Flame Sling are examples of sorceries and incantations that can be effectively used to build up the bonus quickly.
Weapons with Unique Skills
Weapons with special skills like “Corpse Piler” or “Waterfowl Dance” can also benefit tremendously from the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia. Since these weapon skills deliver a barrage of attacks, they can easily maximize the talisman’s stacking attack power buff.
Synergistic Talismans and Equipment
To further amplify the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia’s effectiveness, consider pairing it with the following talismans and equipment:
- Millicent’s Prosthesis: Another talisman that buffs attack power with successive attacks. Stack it with Rotten Winged Sword Insignia for an even bigger bonus.
- Kindred of Rot’s Exultation: Increases attack power when poison or rot is inflicted on a nearby enemy. This works well with weapons that can inflict these status effects.
- Lord of Blood’s Exultation: Similar to Kindred of Rot’s Exultation, but triggered by bleed.
- White Mask: Increases attack power when bleed is inflicted on a nearby enemy.
- Armor that Increases Attack Power: Certain armor sets and pieces may offer additional attack power bonuses to synergize further.
Location
The Rotten Winged Sword Insignia can be obtained by defeating Millicent after completing her questline and choosing to challenge her.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the exact percentage attack power increase provided by the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia?
The exact percentage increase is roughly 6% per hit, up to a maximum of 13%, although these values might be slightly different depending on the game version and patches.
Does the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia stack with other attack power-boosting talismans?
Yes, it stacks additively with other talismans such as Millicent’s Prosthesis, Godfrey Icon, and Ritual Sword Talisman.
How long does the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia bonus last before resetting?
The bonus duration is approximately 3 seconds between hits. If you do not land another attack within that timeframe, the bonus will reset.
Does the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia work with charged attacks?
While charged attacks can be powerful, they don’t necessarily trigger the successive attack bonus. The focus is on landing multiple hits in quick succession.
Does the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia work with summons?
The talisman bonus only applies to the player’s attacks. It does not affect the damage output of summons or spirit ashes.
Does the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia work with ranged attacks like bows?
While possible, it’s less effective with bows. The attack speed is generally slower, making it harder to maintain the bonus. Short bows or bows with rapid-fire skills might be more viable.
Is the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia worth using in the late game?
Yes, it is worth using in the late game, especially if you have a build that can consistently maintain the successive attack bonus. The percentage-based increase becomes more impactful as your base attack power increases.
Can the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia be acquired in early game?
Yes, but the questline requires reaching certain areas and completing objectives that may be challenging for early-game characters. It is recommended to focus on obtaining it later in the game, when you have a more powerful character build.
Does the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia bonus apply to status effect buildup, like bleed or frostbite?
No, the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia only affects the physical attack power of your weapons and spells. It does not directly increase the buildup of status effects. However, more rapid attacks can increase the frequency of status effect buildup.
Does the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia affect critical hits?
No, the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia does not directly affect critical hits.
Does the talisman work with Ashes of War?
Yes, the talisman works with Ashes of War as long as the attacks performed via the Ash of War meet the criteria of successive and rapid attacks.
Does the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia’s bonus apply to both weapons when dual-wielding?
Yes, the bonus applies to both weapons, maximizing its effectiveness with dual-wielding builds. Each hit from either weapon contributes to the stacking attack power increase.
If I get hit, does the bonus immediately disappear?
Yes, getting hit will instantly reset the attack power bonus from the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia.
Is the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia more effective than the Ritual Sword Talisman?
It depends on your playstyle. The Ritual Sword Talisman provides a flat 10% attack power boost when at full health, while the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia provides a stacking bonus up to 13%. If you can consistently maintain the attack power bonus and avoid taking damage, the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia is better. If you’re constantly taking damage, the Ritual Sword Talisman might be a better choice.
What is the best weapon to use with the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia?
There is no single “best” weapon. Generally, katanas, dual-wielded weapons, and twinblades are some of the best choices because of their quick attack animations and multi-hit potential. The weapon that works best is highly dependent on the player’s specific playstyle.