Elden Ring sleuth cracks Shadow of the Erdtree to unmask NPCs, finds a new nod to Berserk manga: "This is From's most Guts-like guy in a long list of Guts-like guys"
Jun. 25, 2024Turns out the Blackgaol Knight is a Guts lookalike under that helm
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When Shadow of the Erdtree first launched,many players were quickly wreckedby an early optional boss: the unassuming Blackgaol Knight. And I meanrightwhen the DLC launched – this boss is just around the corner from the first Site of Grace checkpoint, which makes for a humbling introduction to the Land of Shadow. It turns out this knight isn’t just some guy with a big sword, either, buttheguy with a big sword. In more ways than one, the Blackgaol Knight is basically Guts from Berserk.
We know this now thanks to reputableFromSoftwaresleuthZullie the Witch, who recently cracked Shadow of the Erdtree open to peer under the helmets and masks of its many new NPCs, sneaking a peek at the oddly detailed faces we never get to see. One of those characters is the Blackgaol Knight (2:16 in the video), also known as the Knight of the Solitary Gaol, and as Zullie puts it he is “From’s most Guts-like guy in a long list of Guts-like guys.”
The knight’s heavy armor, massive greatsword, and unconventional ranged weapon are already eyebrow-raising clues, especially given the nature of that greatsword. The Blackgaol Knight’s Greatsword of Solitude is a normal, non-colossal weapon, yet it carries a hefty 27 Strength requirement – the highest of any normal greatsword, and perhaps an echo of the famous heft of Guts' iconic sword, said to be more like a hunk of iron than a blade.
Plenty more NPCs are unmasked in Zullie’s video, and it’s fascinating to see the time that FromSoftware has invested in functionally invisible appearances. Somehow several characters look exactly as I would’ve expected, their face and hair matching their voice and demeanor perfectly.
Here’s how to beat theShadow of the Erdtree Blackgaol Knightfor yourself.
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