Random Player: "Oh look! Someone who wants to PvP me! I hope we'll have an honorable duel-"


Let's be honest. The majority of PvP matches, whether you're dueling them in a PvP Fight Club or fighting off the invader / trying to murder the host ... the fight themselves end up feeling rather cheap. Not all duels of course, but far to many have you going "Well wasn't that person just fun fighting against. Spamming that Ice Rapier into my face" or "Jester using that long @$$ katana again sure was worth it..." / sarcasm.

Between you and I, there's not a lot to say about Dark Souls 2's PvP. You have those honorable PvPers who fight well, then you have incredible PvPers with a bad attitude, or you face those people who'll do anything to win a fight no matter how cheap.

Want proof? Okay.. here.








Now tell me... you've never thought how tiresome this is? How your efforts were futile because someone two-handed a long spear and kept hitting you despite the fact you're nowhere near where the spear is thrusting? Yeah ... no. Let me tell you something my friend. There is in fact, a weapon capable of handling all the bullcrap and overcoming any opponent. I give you ...

The Butcher's Knife.

"An oddly large butcher's knife. Not your standard weapon, but certainly deadly enough to be utilized as one. Absorbs the HP of foes. Who in their right mind would create such a thing? Perhaps it is best not to dwell on how it was likely used in the past. Effects HP absorb."

Random Oblivious User: "What? It's worthless! Lol get gud scrub! #Hashtag COD4LIFE"

Oooohhhhh ... if only you knew the true power of the Butcher's Knife.

If only you understood it's devastating damage and everything else going for this God-tier beauty of a weapon... you would easily change your mind. I'm going to share with you why exactly this is THE weapon of choice you'll want to use forever and ever ... and ever ... and EVER.

No but really, you'll want to only use this in PvP when you realize what you've been missing out on.

NOTE: .. Before I continue, let me take a moment to thank you all for at least reading this far into my Guide. If you have any feedback, questions, or seek advise on the Butcher's Knife, do hit me up. I'd be happy to help and again thank you everyone for giving me your attention.

I'm already seeing it now. People are going to call me out saying it's not the absolute best PvP weapon in the game. Truth of the matter is... it's not. You're right, it isn't the best weapon and to believe by having this weapon, you'll automatically wreck in PvP. That's not how it goes.

This weapon is only godly if you revolve your entire build around the Butcher's Knife. What I mean is that you can't use this as some side arm or expect your current build to make the thing work. Rather, you have to be very dedicated to this unique Boss weapon and give it the proper loving. With that said, let's open our textbooks to chapter "General Information".



Butcher's Knife Wiki[darksouls2.wiki.fextralife.com]

• Requires 15 Petrified Dragon Bones to upgrade Butcher's Knife to +5.
  
• Each successful attack restores a tiny bit of HP (unless the hit was blocked).
  
• Has the moveset of an axe, and has a sweet spot for maximum damage.
  
• Attack type is 'Slash' only.
  
• Weight of the Butcher's Knife is 16.0 in-game.
  
• Has 40 durability, meaning it won't last too long without Repair Powders.
  
• Can be infused as well as buffed with spells or resins.
  
• Requires 25 strength and 8 dexterity to properly be used in one hand.

The Butcher's Knife is a Boss weapon that can only be aquired by defeating The Rotten in Black Gulch. In order to create this weapon, one must bring the Soul of the Rotten to trade with Weaponsmith Ornifex in Brightstone Cove Tseldora for 5,000 souls.

Any questions? Oh, let me guess what you'll probably end up asking me:

• The Butcher's Knife has an A scaling in strength at +5 ... but why does it scale bad?
  
  
• It requires Petrified Dragon Bones though! Where exactly do I get 15 to upgrade it fully?
  
  
• Should I power stance two Butcher's Knives or power stance one with another weapon?
  
  
• How is it beastly? Even if I infuse this weapon, it's still not nearly as good as my other infused weapons.
  
  
• If I go with infusion anyways, what is the best path to take? Fire, Magic, Lightning, or...?

I'll answer all of your questions. But for now, let me take you step by step in getting the darn weapon. Most of you already know this, but i'll dedicate one section to people whom never bothered looking into the Butcher's Knife. Now, let's-

• Wait who was that girl with the paper bag on her head? I want to know!!

....

The quest in getting this weapon isn't simple. It's not like you're going into a normal area and farming for it. No, you have to venture into three different zones and defeating one of the 'Old One' Bosses in order to get the Soul.. and that's not even the point when you actually get the Butcher's Knife.

I highly suggest you do not attempt this quest until you've already defeated the Iron King Boss. Simply because this weapon requires 15 Petrified Dragon Bones, so there's really no rush in getting it ASAP. This weapon is meant for late game PvP simply due to how long it takes to establish the build you need. With that said, here's what you need to do ....

I'll guide you through step by step.

Step 1: First, ensure your Vigor is either at 15-20 at least. Not only because you need to survive for what lies ahead, but the only way to even get started in this journey is by jumping down the gigantic well in Majula. Vigor won't be enough, you'll need-

Step 2: The Silvercat Ring. Our beloved Sweet Shalquoir (the cat) sells it for 13,400 souls. Funny.. instead of it being just 13,000 souls, she has you paying tax of 400. What a scam. Anyhow, you'll need it to survive those deadly drops unless you're a sorcerer with the spell 'Fall Control'.

Step 3: Have fun fighting your way through the mountains of rats in the Grave of Saints. Although you do get to meet a friendly NPC called the Rat King. He's a pretty cool guy I guess.

Rat King: "Swearest thou by the sweet-tempered sludge that laps at our bosoms?"



Step 4: Trying to speedrun through the Gutter. It's not hard, especially if you remember where to go exactly in this forsaken place. However, in case it's to confusing I will gladly link a video to show you how to get through the area.


Step 5: You've made it this far, I salute you in your dedication. But we're far from done.. because now you must strive through the Black Gulch which will very likely to poison you. So do bring plenty of Poison Moss with yah or stacks & stacks of Life Gems. If you're lucky, you'll make it without dying to the 2nd hidden bonfire that's right next to the Rotten's boss gate.

There's also a secret pathway down near the first bonfire to take a nice shortcut. On the way, you'll see Lucatiel of Mirrah hanging around. If you exhaust her dialogue, she'll have her sign down at the 2nd bonfire... not that you really need her to be honest.

Just remember one thing... this is not going to get you the Butcher's Knife. You're simply getting the item needed to 'make' the Butcher's Knife later on. Alright, now to the final step in this Chapter-

Step 6: Ripping the soul out of politely taking Soul of the Rotten from the Rotten Boss.

Out of all the Old Bosses, he's the easiest in my opinion. A slow, very predictable Boss who hits hard, but takes a long time charging up his attacks. What's sadder is the fact you can cut his arms off if you continue to attack his arms... making him unable to hurt you. Once he is defeated, you'll get the key in making the ultimate weapon. But that's only the start of our progress, we need to ...
go deeper.

.. Yes I stole your line. Deal with it bro.

What a lovely ... set of wings you have there. Mind if I-

Me: DUDE SHE'S A FREAKEN DEMON CROW WITH A BIRD'S HEAD. GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE GUTTER, LITERALLY.

......
.......... *sigh*

This very hybrid of a creature is the answer in crafting you the Butcher's Knife. There are some steps in order to do this, but one must be patient... unless you continue to stare at her backside... using binoculars.

Why can't people just treat her like a nice little NPC and have like... a cup of tea with her or something? Demon Crows have feelings too obviously!



Anyhow before she can even 'make' your beloved Butcher's Knife, you must free her from the Fanged Door in the Shaded Woods. This will require you to have at least one Fragrant Branch of Yore in order to obtain the 'Fanged' key from one of the Undead Lion Warriors. Here's a tutorial in how to free her.


You can see why getting the actual weapon takes time... because you must complete half of the game in order to retrieve the Boss weapon. But trust me.... it'll pay off my friend.

Once you do in fact, free her and then reach the Brightstone Cove Tseldora, she'll be in a room next to the lower Tseldora bonfire which contains two spiders. I should warn you to first kill the enemies next to Ornifex's room, for they have a chance of harming her through the window.

Remember you need 15 Petrified Dragon Bones to upgrade any Boss weapon to +5!

When you finally get the chance to speak with the nice Demon Bird, she'll offer a Boss trade for free. Yes, free... because she want the D to show how good of a friend you are to her. Either you can trade Soul of the Rotten to her for free, or pay 5,000 souls if you've already gotten another Boss weapon for free. Since she's also a Blacksmith, you can immediately get her to upgrade the Butcher's Knife for you. However, the actual Blacksmith you'll need to make it complete is Steady Hand McDuff in The Lost Bastille.

In order to get him to infuse weapons for yah, you'll need to first light the lantern in his hidden room. Second, you'll need the Dull Ember from the Iron Keep to trigger his services. Now ... this is when it gets tricky. Depending on what build you're aiming for, there are multiple routes to take in making the Butcher's Knife a very effective tool in PvP.

Will you go with Fire?
Will you submit to the Dark?
Will you forge your weapon with Lightning?
Will you place your very soul into the steel with Magic?

Here are the items you'll need to make this decision.

... Now what?

Well for starters, we need to decide which infusion is best for the weapon, depending on your build. I know you're going to say, "But didn't you tell us we needed to work around the Butcher's Knife?" Yes, but let me explain first. (Warning: Chart is crap, see the real one Here[darksouls2.wiki.fextralife.com].)



Now to finally answer the questions from earlier...

• The Butcher's Knife gets an A scaling in Strength, but has crappy scaling. Why?

When upgraded to +5, the Butcher's Knife deals a total of 280 damage plus whatever your strength is at, combined with the Ring of Blades +2 gives it over 355 to 370 damage. However, this is still moderately LOW for dealing damage. Most weapons on average can deal 400-600 per hit, without including the bonus stats if you scale it. Also the counter damage for this weapon is only at 100, which isn't to impressive.

In other words, the Butcher's Knife lies to you about having great Strength scaling. It's a joke, and because it has no letter in dexterity, it also benefits in no shape for having any dexterity past 8 leaving you in a tough spot.

• So can I infuse it with Bleed, Poison, Raw, or Mundane instead?

Truth be told, these would be bad infusions and make the Butcher's Knife suffer. Poison scales the damage down, in return for poison buildup. It's not meant to do so, since Daggers or weapons already infused with Poison is much better. Bleed is a joke overall... and best for Fist weapons or Daggers. Giving it Raw would not only make the Butcher's Knife deal less damage than leaving it pure, but because it loses Strength scaling ... it'd deal less damage than ever before. Making all of your stats even to make the Mundane Butcher's Knife have higher damage than Pure + Raw would still suck, because the damage itself is still insignificant in comparison with most weapons.

No, you'll want to either infuse it with Magic, Fire, Lightning, or Dark. I am not counting 'Enchanted' because it's not as powerful or well scaled as Magic. SO let me express why these are you options.

Example: Regardless of what path you choose, it gives your Butcher's Knife a 196 in damage, and a 196 in whatever infusion you went with. Let's say I chose Lightning and my Faith is at 40-50. Although my Butcher's Knife will only get a bonus of 30-50 in Lightning, it now has a B scaling in Lightning and by adding the buff spell such as Sunlight Blade, not only does my Butcher's Knife get 50-75 more Lightning Damage but because the buff is stacking on the infusion, it gets a 30% damage increase too. Meaning now my Butcher's Knife is dealing 600-900 DAMAGE PER HIT.





In other words, infusion + buffs is VITAL to make the Butcher's Knife a lethal weapon!!

• So .. that's it? My Short Dragon Sword can deal more da-

If you would let me finish, i'd happily explain what else is going for this weapon.
*Ahem* The Butcher's Knife may not deal the most damage out of any other infused weapons, let alone outmatch them in power... but have you seen it's freaken moveset? It's insanely FAST!!

The Butcher's Knife is the only Axe in the game to act like a light weapon, meaning it'll swing far faster than the usual axe. Not only that, but the Butcher's Knife requires the same amount of stamina as the Longsword, Sun Sword, and most Straight Swords meaning you can swing 6-7x in one combo with the R1 attack. Only one swing less (5-6x) if you two hand it, but deals more damage. That's not all. That's right... the moveset is also unique and great for punishing enemies.

Because it's hitbox is so large, and the swings are horizontal- you can totally hit PvPers during their roll. Every time they try rolling past you, wait for them to get midway in the roll- only to swing that Butcher's Knife into their face. It'll land, trust me. Only PvPers with Adaptability over 50 can sometimes avoid that, but even then it can still land. If you've tried the R2 attack, instead of doing a harder hit, your character will launch themselves out like a jumping attack to wherever he or she is aiming. So even if they avoid your first R1 attacks, simply do a followed up R2 to jump attack and punish them for dodge spamming.

Remember: It's counter attacks are weak, so don't trade blows with the enemy. Bait them into attacking, dodge, then attack or wait for them to roll frenzy to reward them with punishment.

I'm definitely going to get into more detail about what makes the Butcher's Knife a PvP machine, but right now let me tell you what's important ... your build. Yea, now we're finally getting to what makes the Butcher's Knife all the better depending on your build.

Let my mistress Wraith Lilith be our prime example of how to do the build.






Notice how I only have enough strength, 25 in order to one hand the Butcher's Knife? The only reason why I have 25 dexterity is to properly use the Alonne's Bow to punish Flask drinkers. Anyhow, what makes the Butcher's Knife godly in it's own right is the fact you do NOT have to pump stats into Strength or Dexterity.

Do you understand what this means?

You only need to have 25 strength and 8 dexterity to wield the Butcher's Knife. That's it.
Everything else can go into whatever you want. It's insane, because when infused along with having it's special buff- the Butcher's Knife can deal as much damage as any weapon, all while have the speed + moveset to compete against any Swordsman. Congrats, you've now became OP. From Software has given you the weapon of your prayers.

You know what I mean?

Perfect.

Another thing to note, is that your build must also work around the Butcher's Knife armor wise + ring wise + equipment wise. I cannot address which armor works best with the Butcher's Knife, but light to medium armors are best since the weapon hits fast and requires a good amount of stamina to be used constantly in the heat of battle.

With that said, let's take a look at my garl, see what she's steam-rolling with.




Stone Ring: Out of all the rings, this is the most crucial ring you can have. By giving you 30 points of extra poise damage, a Butcher's Knife 1-2 quick R1 attacks can stun a Havel even if said Havel is wearing Ring of Giants +2. It's a must have for certain.

Cloranthy Ring +2: Because you'll be mostly swinging that weapon often and frequently at that, you'll certainly need a fast-recovering stamina bar. This ring does the trick, and if you at least manage to get 25-40% stamina recovery speed, you will be in good hands.

Third Dragon Ring: Alright... who doesn't wear this ring on them? Despite the fact it can break easily, the Third Dragon Ring gives you more HP by 7.5%, more stamina and bigger equipment load by 12.5% which is a lot for one ring. Very useful to have in PvP against any build.

Ring of Blades, Flynn's Ring, [Blank] Clutch Ring, ect: The fourth ring slot is always optional in most builds. If you want more raw damage, go for the Ring of Blades +2 or Flynn's Ring (although, that one ring requires you to not invest in vitality which is unwise). Since you're going with a infused build I HOPE, you can try out the Clutch Rings which dramatically boost your infusion damage at the cost of armor defense. Risky, but can be really good against tank builds.


Caitha's Chime: If you decided to go with the DARK path, this does wonders. When infused with the Darknight Stone and upgraded to +10 ... it gets an S scaling in Dark. Combine that with your infused Dark Butcher's Knife with 30 / 30 int & faith, you're destroying people. Sunset Staff works too, but when testing both... I got more damage boost from Caitha's Chime instead. Plus it seems using the Resonant Weapon spell, which adds 50 dark damage, then multiplying total dark damage by 1.3X... you reach the 600-900 hit mark. Insanely good overall.

Dragon Chime: If you decided to go with the FAITH path, this is the one for you. It may require 50 Faith in total to use, but if you infuse it with a Boltstone... it gets a S scaling in Lightning and is in fact the strongest Faith Chime in the game overall. Using this on a Lightning Butcher's Knife with Sunlight Blade buff added... it's godly in terms of power. Also scares people too, even more so than any other buff because people will be way more cautious around a Butcher Knife coated in lightning!

+ Pyromancy Flame with Flame Weapon: If you decided to go with the PYROMANCY path, the only option you have is to go with this. Having your Pyromancy Flame at +10, having intelligence and / or faith at 50, or having both at 30 even ... it's a force to be reckoned with. Since most players don't wear to much armor, their flesh counts as getting the full benefit of damage from the weapon. Do note, fully armored tanks seem to take LESS damage from fire than they would from Lightning, Dark, or Magic. This is the weakest of the infusions but still great.

Staff of Wisdom: If you decided to go with the MAGIC path, my friend you will want this overall. Regardless of the fact it requires 50 intelligence to use, it's the best staff in the game. Have a Faintstone infused with this shall give the Staff of Wisdom a S scaling in intelligence while using spells like Crystal Magic Weapon will make your Butcher's Knife a legendary weapon. None shall be able to handle the might of a Butcher's Knife surrounded by freaken spiky crystals!

By using Soul Vessels and Bonfire Ascetics .. i've tested out each path on a total of 12-14 PvPers each ... and I concluded that the best path to take is in fact, DARK. I'm not entirely sure why, but I believe Hexes in general are OP. Not only that, but most people DO NOT have the build or armor with good resistance towards Dark which might explain it. Dark doesn't outpower pure Fatih or Magic builds, but the resistence meter is what determines the most damage output. Even when Fatih builds use Great Magical Barrier against me, I noticed that Dark deals 75-110 more damage than the Magic or Lightning, especially Pyromancy. So let that sink in for a moment. It also might be because having both Faith & Intelligence at even numbers above 30 is like having 60 in one setting, or more so. This was my experience however, and I would like to know what you guys think works.

There are other weapons that can compete with the Butcher's Knife such as the Sun Sword, Short Dragon Sword, the Blacksteel Katana, and so forth ..... but they all have their flaws. Let me get started right away by saying the requirements to get said weapons are bothersome.

Short Dragon Sword: Can only be dropped by the Black Dragon Vanguard at the very top of the stairs right before the Ancient Dragon. Now I don't know about you, but the drop rate for the sword is extremely low. Even with items like the Jester's hat, Covetous Gold Serpent Ring +2, and Prisoner's Tatters along with Rusted Coins ... the likelyhood of getting the item is still slim. Only people willing to kill everything on the way up, or using Bonfire Ascetics to get the weapon can manage, but the pain & time spent is to great.

Plus that too requires Petrified Dragon Bones. A really good weapon of course, but the cost of trying to obtain it is- you saw it coming didn't you?



Drakekeeper Sword: It's basically like the Longsword except bigger and black ... just how your wife loves it you want it. Deals more damage, has a slight increase of stat requirements but also only needs regular Titanite to upgrade. Still, the pain to get this is quite high because only the sword + shield Drakekeepers in Dragonshrine drop it. Even then, the % to get the weapon itself is slim when all these stupid enemies drop is FREAKEN DRAGON CHARMS!!! Arrgh!! *ahem* sorry about that.

Sun Sword: Might be the best 'Quality' weapon overall, this is just as bad at the first two listed. In order to obtain this weapon, you must offer 20 Sunlight Medals to the Sun Covenant in order to get the Sun Sword. Not only that, but unlike the first two weapons... to get the best out of this thing you must have 40 strength and 40 dexterity due to the fact the Sun Sword scales A in both strength and dexterity. The investment is to high for me, and infusing the weapon damages the scaling overall. Of course, adding a buff with the Pure build makes it god-tier but again the investment is to much for most builds until they pass 9 million souls in NG+ and even then might be to much since you also have to invest in your Magic / Faith / Dark stats too. Hefty build to handle.

Reminder: All of these weapons are absolutely amazing. In the right hands, they can help you reach Rank 3 in either the Blue Sentinels or Brotherhood of Blood covenants which is saying something. The only problem is for such legendary weapons, they're hard to obtain and are hard on the player in investing for while the Butcher's Knife is the 'easiest' legendary weapon to obtain despite the amount of work it takes to get it working.

I won't lie either. As great as the Butcher's Knife is... it too, has flaws. Here are some examples.

Fun Fact: Do not spam attack someone who has a Target Shield. Ever.

• Parrying and using the Butcher's Knife isn't the best combo I admit, but it still does a great amount of damage. I personally believe you shouldn't try parrying when you're mainly using a Butcher's Knife because the style of the weapon can kill someone quicker than the amount of parries + ripost attacks you deal using the weapon. Still, Short Dragon Sword does only 40-60 damage more than a buffed Butcher's Knife, and the Drakekeeper Sword does 80-120 damage more ... odd I know but that's the numbers I racked up. However, their counters ARE higher too so trading blows will likely have you lose with the Butcher's Knife. It's a baiting weapon, not a tank weapon.
  
  By the way, best upgrade path for Short Dragon Sword is Magic or Raw. Same can be applied to the Drakekeeper Sword simple because both weapons have scalings close to E, so might as well make the best of them infusion wise.

• Backstabs, shield break riposts, ect. also deal great damage too but like the parry ripost, aren't as strong as the other combinations. Trust me, you'll still 'want' to try getting backstabs or shield break riposts when you can, but the amount of kills i've gotten for just fighting someone head on with the Butcher's Knife exceeded getting kills through the backstabs / riposts for sure. This weapon requires you to be brutal, but patient. Trying to get those backstabs and parries will likely end up your downfall because you're not using the Butcher's Knife to it's fullest potential. It's massive damage comes from comboing and timing attacks during a PvPer's roll or missed attack.

What's interesting though, is that the Butcher's Knife benefits the MOST from infusion + buffs over the three other weapons above. Unlike the Short Dragon Sword, Drakekeeper Sword, Sun Sword, or even a [Insert Path] Longsword, the Butcher's Knife gets the biggest spell % damage out of the combination. Plus due to it's long reach and sweet spot, the maximum damage is more likely to occur than the other weapons too.

But the con of this, is that it still requires skill to use. You can't simply expect to outmatch any PvPer by grabbing this and thinking you're a God. No, it takes practice and getting used to, knowing what button / key to press in the given situation. It takes patience and well timed attacks. Plus if your opponent can outlive you with his / her weapon, those tiny HP drains aren't going to save you.

Especially if someone faces you with a Butcher's Knife, but is a pro ... you're in DEEP trouble.

I cannot stress this enough. The way the Butcher's Knife moveset works, is that it swings horizontally along with coming back and forth in sweeps. If someone immediately dodges you, you're going to still be aiming in that general direction while slashing away. This is because of the Auto Target, when you have that circle icon over the enemy.

Don't Auto Target.

With the Butcher's Knife, you'll want to 'bait' enemies. Usually, the common PvPer will try to roll past you, turn, and do a series of attacks. This is what you want them to do. Right as they roll, use the analog stick (or keyboard users turn with your mouse) to turn a 180 and immediately start attacking. You'll be in their direction and the Butcher's Knife is fast enough to punish them, if not stun them for a 3-hit combo.

If a PvPer tries dashing towards you with a running attack, simply jump backwards (you can try rolling backwards, but jumping back gives you more recovery speed) thus wait for them to attack (because after a dash attack, they'll ALWAYS try hitting you as a follow up) so with that, punish them with a spree of R1's. As they try to roll away, if they spam it... this is GOOD. You'll know they will and therefore, the R2 attack is highly suggested because it's a leap attack. It'll punish them harder, and make people panic.


That's what we want. To be PvP monsters. To have a big advantage over the battle and 'bait' players to attack. I've had battles were i've won with barely losing any health because I allowed the PvPer to attack, and me counter-attack (not counter as in trading blows).

Please Note: You will have bad games. You might lose to someone who strategized better, or just had luck on their side. But this Guide is to help you likely win way more fights than you would had otherwise when using the Butcher's Knife.

• Still wanted to know if you should powerstance Butcher's Knives or use a different weapon?

It's strongly recommended that you do not duel wield with the Butcher's Knife. Not only because you'd need to pump more strength and dexterity in your build in order to duel wield (32 strength and 15 dexterity to powerstance Butcher's Knives) but because the moveset entirely changes. Even when paired with a straight sword or fast weapon, the Butcher's Knife acts like a greatsword and will be at the speed of a greatsword. You will sincerely not want to do this. Best to just use that weapon only and master it. Of course, you can have a sidearm such as a dagger or other weapon, because as long as you aren't powerstancing, the Butcher's Knife will be it's own thing. Just remember to buff your Butcher's Knife for the best results in a PvP match.

• How do I fight against Spell Casters whom spam spells?

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[/list]

First thing's first is to ensure your Adaptability is above 30. The amount of dodge frames you have determines whether you live or die. Second, do not try 'rushing' into Spell Casters. When you run, you'll waste stamina and likely run into a spell you didn't expect to be casted. Instead, power walk to the PvPer and let him / her waste spells. They WILL run out eventually, and you can remain patient if you really wanted to win the duel. As backup, Spell Casters will either use a long ranged weapon or a dagger. Just remember to bait their attacks and punish them. What's delightful is the fact most Spell Casters do not invest in Vigor or heavy defense so you'll be really hurting them. Plus they'll panic more likely by rolling in a frenzy, giving you the joy of punishing them with the R2 attack. Double points if you just want to two hand your weapon and smack them as they're trying to cast another spell if you're able to.

• Where exactly can I farm Petrified Dragon Bones?

Aldia's Keep - Dragon Acolytes drop Petrified Dragon Bones.


Dragon Aerie - A few Crystal Lizards drop Petrified Dragon Bones.


Dragon Aerie - Wyverns may drop Petrified Dragon Bones.


Sunken King DLC's Dragon Sanctum - The Imperfects drop Petrified Dragon Bones.


However, if you want to score EIGHT Pertrified Dragon Bones in one go, watch this video. You can find them in a chest, hidden from view in the Iron King DLC.

• What if i'm fighting against a Hacker?

But seriously, there's not much you can do. Butcher's Knife is great, but it cannot compete against a modder who has infinite health, stamina, or more. Best to just accept defeat or 'try' to push them off a cliff. Otherwise yea ... no. Screw everything at that point, get out while you can.

• Even after reading EVERYTHING, I keep sucking with the Butcher's Knife.

You have to take in account what armor you're wearing... if it's to light, to heavy, or if your Adaptability can make up for the armor you have on. Don't forget, certain people can be more skillful. It really sucks to hear this, yes, but it's the truth. Some people are just experts in PvP and will outsmart / outlive you in a PvP duel. Just accept and move on. The Butcher's Knife is to ensure you have an amazing build, not a 100% unstoppable build that cannot lose. That's dreaming bud. Also it takes practice. Even if you did the stats / armor / build right, you have to learn when to strike and when to do it's other movesets, and against which enemies. It's difficult but you'll get it!

• Why didn't you expand on the HP drain concept?

It literally sucks. You can't even really tell the difference if you've gained much or not. A tiny bit of HP drain again will not save you from a massive hit from a claymore or fast-slashing weapon. The only way to benefit this is to make your entire build around HP gain / drain.

Wearing armor such as the Loyce armor (only works on female characters), Crown of the Ivory King, wearing the Evil Eye Ring +2, Ring of Restoration, Butcher's Knife AND having miracles like Replenish will be the only way of gaining massive HP advantage. Otherwise, it's best to ignore the HP drain concept overall.

• Can the Butcher's Knife be parried?

YES

Whatever you do, don't spam it when facing people using Parrying Dagger, Target Shield, or a known weapon / shield that is good for parrying. If you're reckless, you will definitely get parried. Don't get crazy, think before you strike. Best method is to roll into the PvPer and see him 'try' to parry you, and wait until he / she does so... THEN attack, but best to sometimes back off in case they spam the parry button. Also keep watching, because they'll always try to parry you. Even two handing the Butcher's Knife won't keep you from being parried.

• What SM must I be at to take full advantage of the Butcher's Knife?

I'd honestly say when you've beaten the game. Most real PvP matches such as the Iron Bridge duels or beyond that don't take place until you've completed everything (main game). NG+ is where the real action is at, trust me. I'd say between 2-3 million soul memory is when you're capable of carrying out the Butcher's Knife best potential let alone competing in Covenant Arenas (though they're broken... a person with 300 million soul memory can be paired up with you which is utter bullcrap.) Make sure to also upgrade your armor, side arms, Butcher's Knife especially ... for the best results. Infusion is a MUST again, or else a plain Butcher's Knife will make you suffer.

• Hey! You didn't list [Insert Chime / Side Arm here], it's WAY better!

I only went with what I tested. I didn't wish to assume anything and see the results for myself. Like for example, even though the Chime of Want is probably superb in terms of power for Dark spells... it requires Petrified Dragon Bones to cast and has a much higher faith & intelligence stat requirement to use. I also liked the Caitha's Chime because it only required regular titanite, was a hex chime only, and has a faster cooldown. But to each their own, it's your build after all. Only go with what you agree with me on :)



Besides, so far my build has served me well. Been gathering a ton of Dragon scales from fallen Dragon duelists, have over 80+ Human Effigies from fallen Red Phantoms (most summoned), so on. Do note, I have died quite a bit. Not all my duels were constant wins, but I have far more wins then I have losses.

• How often do I need to use Repair Powders?

Sadly, the Butcher's Knife has low durability, meaning it won't last to long. Luckily for PvP, you usually sit at a bonfire right after or when succeeding in an invasion / summoned duel, you automatically have everything restored. But if you fail to do either, you'll need them as backup for sure in order to keep it working. A broken Butcher's Knife will serve no one in such a bad condition. Keep at least 20-30 on yah, and continue to buy more when you can of course.

• You do not need to invest past 25 strength and 8 dexterity.
  
• Infusion plus added buff makes it insanely powerful.
  
• The hitbox and reach makes it great for punishing rollers.
  
• Moveset along with the speed makes it on par with Straight Swords.
  
• Easiest weapon to obtain out of the other PvP legends.
  
• Poise damage is high and able to stun Havels.
  
• Not to heavy, allowing you to wear a variety of armor choices.
  
• It's R2 attack has a high chance of landing hits on fleeing PvPers.
  
• Uses little stamina per swing so you can recover easily from a combo.
  
• Without auto targeting, can do 180 degree attacks and keep you distant from PvPers.

• Has low durability and can't last after two or so matches.
  
• Not a PvE weapon whatsoever. Only good for PvP duels.
  
• Cannot save you from a Gank Squad ... usually.
  
• Must be infused along with your faith and / or intelligence stats being above 30.
  
• Cannot trade hits for it's counter sucks in comparrison.
  
• Not relying on auto target meaning you might have to fight the camera sometimes.
  
• Certain PvPers can easily parry the Butcher's Knife if you get reckless.
  
• Smart PvPers who have longed ranged weapons will wait for you to attack instead.
  
• HP drain per hit is a joke unless you dedicate your build around that instead.
  
• Fighting against someone who uses a Butcher's Knife well is really challenging.
  
• Your entire build must revolve around the Butcher's Knife or else it'll fall apart.

Just want to thank everyone for taking the time of course, for reading my entire Guide (unless they skipped to the last section which is fine.) If you guys have feedback, want advise on the Butcher's Knife, offer criticism in any manner- PLEASe do so!! I'm an open minded guy, I can take it!

With further a due, hoped you got the best out of the Butcher's Knife Guide!!
Thank you so much again!!