Hand of Malenia is the legendary katana dropped by Malenia, Blade of Miquella. Its Waterfowl Dance skill replicates Malenia's signature flurry attack — a devastating multi-hit combo that can decimate bosses in seconds. This katana has the longest reach of any katana aside from Nagakiba, and its pure physical damage means it works against all enemy types, including bleed-immune foes. Fextralife's Hand of Malenia page has detailed Waterfowl Dance guides. Wikipedia's Elden Ring weapons list covers all legendary armaments.
Requires STR 16, DEX 48, ARC 24. At max upgrade (+10 Somber), scaling becomes STR E, DEX C, ARC C.
| Stat | Requirement | Max Scaling |
|---|---|---|
| STR | 16 | E |
| DEX | 48 | C |
| INT | 0 | - |
| FAI | 0 | - |
| ARC | 24 | C |
Waterfowl Dance launches the user into the air and performs a rapid series of slashes. The first volley strikes in a wide area, followed by a second volley of targeted strikes, ending with a powerful ground slam. Each hit deals physical damage with low individual damage but high cumulative output. The full combo deals approximately 2000+ AR against most enemies. The skill can be aimed mid-combo by tilting the movement stick.
DEX 80 — Maximum physical damage, lightning infusions for secondary weapons
ARC 40 / DEX 50 — Bleed hybrid using Occult off-hand weapons
DEX 70 / STR 30 — Max AR with quality physical damage across all weapon slots
Pro Tip
Waterfowl Dance's final slam has a small AoE shockwave. Use it against groups of tightly-packed enemies to hit multiple targets at once. The full skill chain can be interrupted, so save it for boss openings or when you have a guaranteed hit window.