In the Lands Between, few weapons strike fear like the Rivers of Blood, a katana that has become infamous in both PvE and PvP circles. With its devastating weapon skill Corpse Piler, unmatched bleed buildup, and Elden Ring Runes stylish flair, this blade turns combat into a deadly performance—a true dance with death.

In this ultimate guide, you’ll learn how to wield Rivers of Blood at its peak efficiency, from where to find it to optimizing your stats, gear, talismans, and strategies for both bosses and players alike.

What Is Rivers of Blood?
Rivers of Blood is a unique katana that scales with Dexterity, Arcane, and Strength, and comes equipped with the legendary weapon skill Corpse Piler.

Weapon Skill – Corpse Piler

A flurry of blood-laced slashes that deal both physical and fire damage, while rapidly building up Hemorrhage (bleed). Repeated use can melt even the toughest bosses and break PvP opponents’ composure.

How to Get Rivers of Blood
You can find Rivers of Blood in the Mountaintops of the Giants region.

Location: Church of Repose
Head east from the Giants’ Gravepost Site of Grace.

You’ll encounter Bloody Finger Okina, an invader who wields Rivers of Blood.

Defeat him to obtain the katana.

Important: If you defeat Fire Giant before going to Church of Repose, Okina may not invade, locking you out of this weapon for that playthrough. Plan accordingly!

Recommended Stats
To get the most out of Rivers of Blood, your build should focus on Dexterity and Arcane, with enough Vigor and Mind for survivability and stamina management.

Attribute Recommended Value Notes
Vigor 45–50 Essential for PvP and late-game bosses.
Mind 15–20 Helps manage Corpse Piler spam.
Endurance 15–20 Allows for more slashes and armor.
Strength 12 Minimum to wield the weapon.
Dexterity 40–50 Major scaling stat for damage.
Arcane 30–45 Boosts bleed buildup and scaling.
Faith/Int 0 Not needed unless hybridizing.

Weapon Scaling & Infusion
Since Rivers of Blood is a unique weapon, it cannot be infused with Ashes of War or further altered—but it naturally scales with Dex and Arc, and deals a mix of physical and fire damage. Bleed buildup scales with Arcane, making it your key secondary stat.

Upgrade it to +10 using Somber Smithing Stones to maximize its potential.

Armor Choices
The best armor for this build balances mobility, fashion, and defense. Here are a few solid picks:

White Mask – Boosts damage when bleed is triggered. Must-have item.

Raptor’s Black Feathers – Boosts jump attack damage (optional for mixed playstyle).

Briar Set – Stylish and functional; decent resistances without sacrificing roll speed.

Bull-Goat Set – For PvP tankiness, if you're okay with heavy rolls (requires high Endurance).

Tip: Use light to medium armor to maintain a fast roll for mobility during boss fights and PvP.

Best Talismans
Talismans can dramatically improve your effectiveness, especially with Corpse Piler and bleed stacking:

Top Talismans:
Lord of Blood’s Exultation – Increases attack power on bleed proc. Synergizes perfectly.

Erdtree’s Favor – Boosts HP, stamina, and equip load.

Shard of Alexander – Enhances the damage of Corpse Piler.

Carian Filigreed Crest – Reduces FP cost of skills. Helps with spamming Corpse Piler.

Optional:

Green Turtle Talisman – Boosts stamina recovery for extended fights.

Radagon’s Scarseal/Sourceal – Temporary Dex boost, useful early on (with defense tradeoff).

Essential Items
These items support your Rivers of Blood build and optimize your bleed application:

Flask of Wondrous Physick Mix:

Thorny Cracked Tear – Increases successive hit damage.

Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear – Boosts fire damage (part of Corpse Piler’s output).

Blood Grease – Not applicable to Rivers of Blood, but useful on secondary weapons.

Swarm of Flies (Incantation) – Applies bleed from a distance. Requires Faith and Arcane.

Bleed Mechanics 101
Hemorrhage triggers when you fill an enemy’s hidden bleed meter. It instantly deals a chunk of max HP as damage—making it deadly even to high-health bosses or shielded PvP players.

Rivers of Blood's Corpse Piler rapidly fills this meter, and with high Arcane, you can trigger multiple bleeds in seconds.

Playstyle & Strategy
PvE Strategy:
Use Corpse Piler in short bursts, especially when the boss is staggered or locked in animation.

Keep distance until you can safely punish; don’t spam Piler blindly.

Roll-catch humanoid enemies or invaders with the weapon’s wide arc.

Boss Melting Combo:

Dodge toward the boss.

Activate Corpse Piler – one to two times.

Roll out, reposition, repeat.

Let bleed do the rest.

Works best against:

Godskin Duo

Morgott

Mohg

Malenia (with good timing!)

PvP Strategy:
Open with a light attack or roll-catch.

Use Corpse Piler as a whiff punish, not a spam tool—experienced players will punish reckless use.

Bait with standard katana strikes, then unleash the skill when they overcommit.

Pro Tip: Most players try to roll through Corpse Piler—delay the second half of the combo to catch them mid-roll.

Secondary Weapon Options
You may want a secondary weapon for variety or specific matchups:

Uchigatana (Bleed Infused) – Dual katana setup for powerstancing.

Serpentbone Blade – If you're going for poison hybrid.

Dragon Communion Seal – If mixing in Arcane-based incantations (like Swarm of Flies).

Recommended Bosses and Areas to Farm
Farming with Rivers of Blood is fast and satisfying—especially in bleed-vulnerable areas.

Best enemy types:

Giants

Humanoid bosses

Albinaurics (great Rune farming)

Godrick soldiers and knights

Areas:

Mohgwyn Palace (for blood builds)

Consecrated Snowfield

Haligtree

Final Thoughts
Rivers of Blood is more than a weapon—it’s a statement. With the right build, it becomes a fluid, lethal extension of your will, capable of melting bosses and frustrating PvP opponents alike. Between its gorgeous animation and devastating bleed synergy, it offers one of the most enjoyable playstyles in all of Elden Ring.

Just remember: every dance has rhythm. Time your strikes, manage your stamina, and Elden Ring Runes buy let the blood flow.