Brand of the Inferno

Ogre blade strikes and active shield parrying

Obtained by defeating the Ogre during Tier 2 of the Old One's Army event. This broadsword inflicts the Hellfire debuff while dealing 95 base melee damage at Very fast velocity. When wielded alongside an equipped shield accessory such as the Cobalt Shield or Ankh Shield, pressing the secondary attack button raises a guard stance. Timing the parry right before enemy contact blocks the attack, negating damage and activating the Striking Moment buff, which multiplies the player's next melee strike by five.

Counter-attack burst damage and mid-tier sword dueling

The parry mechanic offers skilled sword wielders a potent defensive tool that transitions into heavy burst damage against durable targets. Landing a counter-strike under the Striking Moment enhancement can defeat tough minibosses in few swings, especially when combined with a critical hit. It stands as a distinctive alternative to projectile blades like True Night's Edge and Excalibur. The optimal prefix is Legendary, providing ideal improvements to attack speed, critical strike chance, and knockback.

Trivia

• The parrying stance functions with any shield item in the game, including decorative and defensive shields like Squire's Shield.
• The fivefold damage multiplier granted by Striking Moment can stack multiplicatively with critical strike rolls.