In this Shadow of the Erdtree Smithscript Dagger Build, I'm going to be showing you my Shadowblade build. This build focuses on using the Smithscript Dagger, a unique throwing blade among Smithscript weapons. Every attack with this weapon—whether it's a running attack, jumping attack, or heavy attack—throws its blades, making it the only weapon in the game with this feature.

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Smithscript Dagger build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a Throwing Blade build that rapidly attacks enemies from afar, then you might want to check this build-out.

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Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build - Equipment

First, let's discuss the Smithscript Dagger, a unique throwing blade. All attacks with this weapon, including running attacks, jumping attacks, and heavy attacks, will throw the blade, making it the only weapon in the game with this mechanic. However, the damage is low compared to other melee weapons, as it allows you to attack from a greater range.

The Smithscript Dagger scales primarily with Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence and Faith and is a good Weapon for players that want a throwable weapon that can also function at melee range.

Despite its range, the Smithscript Dagger's effective range is shorter than expected, and enemies can quickly close the distance. This makes it a challenging weapon to master. Still, the dagger works well on horseback, allowing for rapid, safe damage from a distance. It's particularly effective against bosses that can be fought on horseback.

The weapon skill Piercing Throw is fantastic, offering more damage and range, making it ideal for picking off difficult enemies from a distance. While the FP cost is high, the added range and ability to make enemies flinch can be very useful, especially against spellcasters.

Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build Shadowblade (Shadow of The Erdtree)

The Smithscript Dagger deals physical damage and has excellent Dexterity scaling, reaching S scaling with the Keen infusion. There are two main ways to set up this weapon: full Dexterity for maximum damage per throw, or Blood infusion, splitting points between Dexterity and Arcane to leverage bleed damage. If opting for the Blood setup, use Scattershot Throw to significantly increase blood loss buildup, especially effective against large bosses.

Deciding between these setups may depend on the situation. The Blood setup is better for general gameplay, while the Dexterity setup with Piercing Throw is better for picking off elite enemies safely. This weapon is best dual-wielded for faster attacks and higher damage. Using talismans that boost attack power with successive hits can enhance this further.

Shadow Militiaman Armor is part of the Shadow Militiaman Set, and is worn by Shadow Militiamen throughout Shadow Keep

For defense, this build relies on dodging, with a light equip load for better rolling distance. The Shadow Militiaman Armor complements the ninja-like aesthetic of this build, but any light armor will work. A medium load with at least 51 poise can help avoid interruption during throws. The Blue Dancer Charm can further boost physical damage if the total equip load is kept very light.

Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build - Talismans

For this build, I recommend the following talismans:

Shard of Alexander greatly boosts the attack power of Skills by 15%

Shard of Alexander boosts Piercing Throw or Scattershot Throw, making it universally useful for this build.

Arrow's Sting Talisman raises attack power of arrows and bolts by 10%

Arrow's Sting Talisman is essential as it boosts the damage of all your thrown attacks, including weapon skills, ensuring a consistent damage boost.

Lord of Blood's Exultation raises attack power by 20% for 20 seconds when Blood Loss occurs in the vicinity

When using the bleed setup, Lord of Blood's Exultation is very effective, especially with Scattershot Throw, as it easily triggers the talisman’s damage boost.

Crucible Knot Talisman can be used to reduce the damage from the impact of headshots taken

Crucible Knot Talisman is also beneficial, providing a damage boost upon enemy kills, which is handy in areas with many enemies or in legacy dungeons. White Mask can be a good armor piece to complement the bleed setup, giving an additional 10% attack power boost when bleeding is triggered.

Spear Talisman increases thrusting weapon counterattack damage by 15%

The Spear Talisman is another option, boosting counter damage, which is frequent in this build due to the nature of thrown attacks during enemy attacks.

Millicent's Prosthesis increases Dexterity by 5, and raises attack power with successive attacks
Rotten Winged Sword Insignia greatly raises attack power with successive attacks

Millicent's Prosthesis or Rotten Winged Sword Insignia are excellent choices for increasing attack power with successive hits, with Millicent's Prosthesis being more effective if focusing on Keen scaling.

Claw Talisman increases jump attack damage by 15%.

Finally, the Claw Talisman can boost jump throws, and pairing it with armor pieces like Black Raptor's Feathers or Gravekeeper Cloak can further enhance jump attack damage, although this is situational based on your playstyle.

Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build - Attributes Distribution

Attribute-wise for this build, the specifics can vary depending on your setup.

Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build Shadowblade (Shadow of The Erdtree)

Ideally, Vigor should be at 60 for better survivability, especially in light armor. However, at level 156, I only have it at 50 due to point limitations. If you can allocate more points, increasing Vigor is essential.

Both Mind and Endurance are at 30, which provides a good amount of FP to use your weapon skill regularly without constantly needing FP flasks. A decent amount of stamina is also necessary due to the constant attacking, rolling, and weapon skill usage, which drains stamina quickly. This also helps maintain a light load for easier rolling.

Strength is at 8 because it couldn't be lower; you only need 5 for this build, but no class starts with 5 Strength.

Intelligence isn't needed; disregard this as it is a remnant from starting as an Astrologer.

Faith is at 11 to meet the weapon requirements.

For the Blood setup, points are divided between Dexterity and Arcane. Although the attack power difference between pure Dexterity and pure Arcane is minimal (about 11 points), the Blood buildup increase per throw makes Arcane valuable. I opted for Blood buildup over a small attack power increase, but going beyond 40-45 Arcane isn't beneficial as the additional Blood loss buildup is minimal. Any extra points for damage should go into Dexterity.

If using Keen infusion, all points should be allocated to Dexterity with no need for Arcane, and other stats should meet the weapon requirements.

Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build - Final Tips

For the Flask of Wondrous Physick, I'm using the Opaline Hardtear and the Greenburst Crystal Tear. Stamina Recovery is crucial for fights, especially boss battles, while Opaline Hardtear helps with damage reduction, particularly since you're wearing light armor. If you switch to medium armor, you might need different tears. Another option is the Thorny Cracked Tear for boosting attack power with repeated attacks, but I find myself using weapon skills more in boss fights than regular attacks, so it doesn't build up attack power as much as expected.

Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build Shadowblade (Shadow of The Erdtree)
Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build Shadowblade (Shadow of The Erdtree)
Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build Shadowblade (Shadow of The Erdtree)

For the Great Rune, I recommend Radahn's Great Rune because it increases Stamina, FP, and health, which are all beneficial for this build. While Godrick's Great Rune is an option, the attribute bonuses it provides (five or six out of eight) aren't substantial enough to justify its use. For maximizing benefits, Radahn's is the better choice.

Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build Shadowblade (Shadow of The Erdtree)
Elden Ring Smithscript Dagger Build Shadowblade (Shadow of The Erdtree)

This wraps up my Shadowblade build. I hope you enjoyed it. More builds are on the way. As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree so stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check the Elden Ring Map.