Among the many Ashes of War available in Elden Ring, Bloodhound Step is widely regarded as one of the most powerful mobility tools for players who favor agility and quick repositioning. Whether you are avoiding devastating attacks from late-game bosses or trying to gain an edge in PvP duels, mastering Bloodhound Step can significantly improve your survivability and combat efficiency. Its blink-like effect allows your character to dodge with incredible speed, leaving behind a trail of shadows. To use it effectively, you need to understand how to acquire, equip, and optimize it within your build.
Understanding Bloodhound Step
What Is Bloodhound Step?
Bloodhound Step is an Ash of War that replaces your standard dodge roll or dash with a fast, near-invisible teleport in a chosen direction. Unlike the normal roll, Bloodhound Step grants invulnerability for a slightly longer duration, making it more forgiving and efficient. It’s especially helpful in fights where timing a roll is difficult due to rapid or erratic enemy attacks.
Where to Get Bloodhound Step
To use Bloodhound Step, you must first acquire it:
- Travel to the northeastern area of Caelid, near the Lenne’s Rise Site of Grace.
- Wait until nighttime, as the enemy only appears then.
- Defeat the Night’s Cavalry boss found patrolling the bridge in this area.
Upon defeating the Night’s Cavalry, you will receive the Bloodhound Step Ash of War. You can then equip it to a compatible weapon at a Site of Grace or through a blacksmith NPC.
How to Equip Bloodhound Step
Weapon Compatibility
Bloodhound Step can only be applied to weapons that allow infusion with Ashes of War. This generally includes:
- Daggers
- Straight swords
- Curved swords
- Katanas
- Spears and similar one-handed weapons
It does not work with colossal weapons or weapons that come with unique skills that can’t be overwritten.
Infusing the Ash of War
Once you’ve obtained Bloodhound Step, follow these steps to apply it:
- Rest at a Site of Grace.
- Select the Ashes of War menu.
- Choose the weapon you wish to enhance.
- Select Bloodhound Step from the available Ashes.
- Choose an affinity standard or keen are common choices depending on your build.
How to Use Bloodhound Step in Combat
Activating the Skill
To use Bloodhound Step during combat:
- Equip the weapon that has the Ash of War installed.
- Hold theL2(on PlayStation) orLT(on Xbox) to enter skill stance if needed.
- While locked onto an enemy, press the skill button and a directional input (left, right, back) to dash instantly in that direction.
The move consumes a small amount of FP (Focus Points), so ensure your mind stat and flask allocation support repeated usage.
Using Bloodhound Step Offensively
Although primarily a defensive tool, Bloodhound Step can be used aggressively:
- Quickly close the distance between you and ranged opponents.
- Dash behind enemies to strike from blind angles.
- Chain it with fast attacks to confuse your target in PvP encounters.
The high speed allows you to keep pressure on enemies while still avoiding incoming counterattacks.
Using Bloodhound Step Defensively
This is where Bloodhound Step shines the most. It gives you:
- A generous window of invulnerability during the dash.
- Incredible range compared to the standard dodge roll.
- The ability to reposition safely without committing to slower movements.
In boss fights, especially against enemies like Malenia or Radagon, Bloodhound Step allows for safer evasion than traditional rolls.
Best Builds for Bloodhound Step
Dexterity-Based Builds
Bloodhound Step pairs well with dexterity weapons due to their light weight and fast attack speed. Recommended weapons include:
- Uchigatana or Nagakiba
- Scimitars or Falchions
- Blood-based curved swords
With a keen infusion, you benefit from faster strikes and reduced stamina usage, which synergizes with Bloodhound Step’s evasive nature.
Bleed Builds
If you’re focusing on bleed buildup, using Bloodhound Step allows you to stay close to your target while dodging effectively. Combine with:
- Rivers of Blood (though it has a fixed Ash of War, so can’t be infused directly)
- Reduvia
- Hookclaws or other fast bleed weapons
Bloodhound Step helps maintain uptime on enemies, maximizing your chance to inflict hemorrhage.
Low Poise, High Mobility Builds
Glass cannon characters benefit most from Bloodhound Step. Since you can’t tank damage, dodging becomes your best defense. Equip light armor to maintain high mobility and allocate FP to maximize your usage of the skill.
Managing FP and Stamina
FP Management
Each use of Bloodhound Step costs FP, so monitor your blue bar carefully. To maintain uptime:
- Invest some points into the Mind stat.
- Allocate a few charges of your Flask of Cerulean Tears.
- Use talismans like Carian Filigreed Crest to reduce FP cost if stacking skills.
Stamina Considerations
While Bloodhound Step doesn’t use much stamina, the attacks that follow often do. Combine it with stamina-boosting gear like:
- Green Turtle Talisman
- Endurance stat increases
This ensures you can dodge and retaliate without running out of stamina at critical moments.
PvP vs PvE Applications
In PvE Encounters
In PvE, Bloodhound Step allows you to learn boss patterns with less punishment. You can afford to mistime dodges without immediate risk. It’s particularly helpful for:
- Bosses with wide AoE attacks
- Enemies with combos that are hard to roll through
- Escaping from enemy mobs or ambushes
In PvP Duels
Bloodhound Step is notorious in PvP for being hard to punish. It’s used by many competitive players due to:
- Its ability to dodge spells and melee attacks with ease
- Confusing enemy lock-ons due to your rapid movement
- Allowing counterplay even when on low health
However, some PvP communities consider it overpowered, and it has been subject to balancing in various patches. Always check current patch notes for possible nerfs or changes.
Mastering Bloodhound Step in Elden Ring provides a massive advantage for both PvE and PvP. Its speed, invincibility, and low FP cost make it one of the best mobility tools in the game. Whether you’re dodging boss attacks or trying to outmaneuver a clever invader, this Ash of War turns the tide in your favor. Equip it on a light weapon, manage your resources wisely, and you’ll become nearly untouchable. With practice, Bloodhound Step transforms your character into a blur on the battlefield hard to hit, harder to catch, and always one step ahead.