Mastering the Ice Reaper: The Definitive Guide to a Friede’s Great Scythe Build
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The Friede’s Great Scythe, a formidable weapon obtained by transposing the soul of Sister Friede in Dark Souls 3, is a unique and powerful tool for those willing to master its intricacies. It’s not just a scythe; it’s a dynamic weapon capable of dealing both physical and frostbite damage, making it a nightmare for unsuspecting opponents. But what is the absolute best way to wield this weapon? The answer lies in a well-rounded Dexterity/Intelligence (DEX/INT) build, carefully optimized for both PvE and PvP encounters.
This build prioritizes maximizing the scythe’s inherent strengths while mitigating its weaknesses. Forget pumping points into Faith or Strength – these stats offer minimal return. Instead, we will focus on the synergy between DEX and INT, making the most of the scythe’s scaling and supplementary spells.
The Optimal Stat Allocation for Friede’s Great Scythe
The foundation of our build rests upon a solid core of stats designed to keep you alive and capable in the brutal world of Dark Souls 3.
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Vigor: 40 Vigor (or 35 with Prisoner’s Chain) is non-negotiable. This will give you the necessary health pool to survive most encounters and boss attacks.
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Dexterity: Prioritize getting DEX to at least 40 initially. This directly enhances the scythe’s physical damage output and significantly affects its weapon art.
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Intelligence: While DEX focuses on the physical aspect, Intelligence is critical for the magic damage scaling of the weapon art and, crucially, for your spells. Aim for at least 40 INT to maximize damage output.
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Endurance: This is a key stat for your stamina, allowing you to string together attacks and use the weapon art more effectively. A good starting point is around 30, but feel free to adjust based on your play style.
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Vitality: This dictates how much equipment load you can carry. Adjust this based on your desired armor and weapon loadout. Light or medium armor is recommended for better mobility with this build. You will probably want a good amount of Vitality so you can take advantage of the Pontiff’s Right Eye.
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Attunement: This will give you the Focus Points (FP) necessary for weapon arts and spells. 24 Attunement will be optimal, giving you 3 spell slots.
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Strength and Faith: These can be left at their base levels, since they do not impact the scaling of Friede’s Great Scythe.
The Importance of DEX/INT Synergy
The Friede’s Great Scythe isn’t a weapon that benefits from a pure physical approach. Its unique Weapon Art, the “Elfriede’s Blackflame”, scales with both DEX and INT, making a DEX/INT build more effective. This is an enhanced jump attack with great reach that releases a frost explosion on impact. By investing in both stats you are maximizing not just the physical damage, but also the damage output of its powerful weapon art. Furthermore, this dual focus opens up access to powerful sorceries.
Gear and Equipment
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Rings:
- Prisoner’s Chain: This ring gives a boost to Vigor, Endurance, and Vitality at the cost of increased damage taken. The additional stats are usually well worth it.
- Pontiff’s Right Eye: This ring boosts attack power with successive attacks and synergizes well with the scythe’s multi-hit attacks.
- Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring: This increases sorcery damage, boosting your spells to further your damage potential.
- Sage Ring: Increases spell casting speed, making sorceries more viable in the middle of a fight.
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Armor: Lightweight or medium armor is preferable. Focus on armor that offers a balance between defense and weight, allowing you to maintain agility. Some examples include the Fire Witch Set or the Master’s Set. The choice here depends on your preference for damage versus protection.
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Spells: Sorceries such as Great Soul Arrow, Soul Greatsword and Farron Flashsword can provide additional damage and utility at range.
PvE and PvP Considerations
PvE Strategy
For PvE, the Friede’s Great Scythe is exceptional. Its range allows you to engage enemies from a safer distance, and the frostbite buildup can stagger and weaken even the most resilient opponents. Utilize the weapon art for burst damage on larger enemies and bosses.
As stated in the original article, split damage is fine for PvE. Feel free to infuse the Great Scythe with an elemental gem, like a Crystal Gem for example, if you want to maximize magic damage potential and increase your damage against monsters that are weak to it.
PvP Tactics
In PvP, the Friede’s Great Scythe requires a more nuanced approach. The weapon is slow to swing, and its attacks are predictable if used carelessly. Focus on using the weapon art for mix-ups and catching opponents off-guard. The Blackflame attack also deals frostbite damage and has deceptive range. Utilizing your spells at range is vital to create pressure and set up openings to attack. Be mindful that split damage sucks for PvP, so do not infuse this weapon with an elemental gem.
Why This Build Works
This DEX/INT build isn’t just about wielding the Friede’s Great Scythe effectively; it’s about synergy. The combined scaling of DEX and INT creates a devastating offensive presence, while the spells and rings offer added versatility. The build is strong enough to take on both PvE and PvP challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you get Sister Friede’s scythe?
Yes, you can obtain Sister Friede’s Great Scythe by transposing her soul at Firelink Shrine, after defeating her. You’ll need to acquire the Transposing Kiln by defeating the Curse-Rotted Greatwood in the Undead Settlement.
2. What infusion is best for Friede’s Great Scythe in PvP?
In PvP, it’s generally best not to infuse the Friede’s Great Scythe with an element. Split damage is less effective against human opponents, so the default physical scaling is better.
3. How does split damage work in Dark Souls 3?
Split damage means a weapon deals both physical and elemental damage. While effective in PvE against enemies with elemental weaknesses, it’s often less potent in PvP because players typically have resistances to multiple damage types.
4. What is the best weapon for dealing bleed damage?
The Grave Scythe is an excellent option for bleed builds, boasting a high bleed buildup (55), as well as good range. However, it does not scale with Intelligence.
5. What is the scaling of the Corvian Great Scythe?
The Corvian Great Scythe has A/A scaling in INT/FTH when infused with a Chaos gem, making it a potent option for pyromancy or faith builds. However, Friede’s scythe does not have these options.
6. Is the Hollowslayer Greatsword good against Sister Friede?
Yes, the Hollowslayer Greatsword deals bonus damage to Hollow enemies, including Sister Friede. It is a great option to use in the fight against her.
7. What is Sister Friede weak to?
Sister Friede is primarily weak to strike damage, but also takes substantial damage from bleed.
8. Can you parry Sister Friede?
Yes, Sister Friede can be parried and riposted during all phases of the fight, though her attacks are very quick and can be tricky to predict.
9. Can you summon help for the Sister Friede fight?
Yes, you can summon the Slave Knight Gael for the Sister Friede boss fight. He appears for Phase 2 of the battle. He is located just to the left of the sliding altar.
10. What is the best greatsword in Dark Souls 3?
The Claymore is widely regarded as one of the best greatswords due to its versatility, decent damage, low weight, and useful Stance weapon art.
11. What is the hardest boss in Dark Souls 3?
Many consider The Nameless King to be the hardest boss in Dark Souls 3. The fight is in two phases. The second phase requires you to watch out for piercing attacks once he is on foot.
12. What is the recommended level to fight Sister Friede?
It’s generally recommended to fight Sister Friede at an endgame level (around level 80-100), with weapons upgraded to +9 or +10.
13. Can you backstab Sister Friede?
Yes, you can backstab Friede, though this is more easily done during the first phase of the fight.
14. Can you use the Storyteller’s Staff to damage Father Ariandel in Phase 2?
Yes, you can use the Storyteller’s Staff and its Toxic Mist weapon art on Father Ariandel during Phase 2 of the fight with near instant application. This can greatly help with the second phase.
15. What’s the lore behind Sister Friede?
Sister Friede, or Elfriede, is the main antagonist and final boss of the Ashes of Ariandel DLC. She’s a powerful and dark Ashen One, ruling the Painted World of Ariandel alongside Father Ariandel.
Mastering the Friede’s Great Scythe requires a dedicated build, and the DEX/INT route provides the most significant benefits. By focusing on the correct stats, rings, armor, and playstyle, you can turn this unique weapon into a devastating force, both in PvE and PvP.