The Exaiphanes Blade, a potent 5-star sword, is now available to all Genshin Impact players, offering significant Crit Rate and attack bonuses. This versatile weapon can be acquired early in the Snezhnaya Archon Quest and fully upgraded without the need for traditional weapon enhancement materials.
Acquiring the Exaiphanes Blade
Players can obtain the Exaiphanes Blade by progressing through Chapter VII, Act 1 of the Archon Quest in Snezhnaya. The sword is discovered within a cave explored with the character Odette. While this quest is part of Snezhnaya's narrative, players can access it relatively early. Completing the Mondstadt Prologue, specifically Act 3 'Song of the Dragon and Freedom,' allows access to Snezhnaya and its Archon Quests via the 'Volkodlak Tundra' Teleport Waypoint.
Upgrading the Exaiphanes Blade
Upgrading the Exaiphanes Blade is a unique process that involves interacting with Statues of the Seven in Snezhnaya. By hitting a Statue of the Seven with a Cryo attack, players can initiate an automatic upgrade and refinement process within the 'View Exaiphanes Blade' menu. This must be done seven times, using seven different Statues of the Seven, to reach the maximum level and refinement.
Any character utilizing a Cryo element can activate these upgrades, which can streamline the process. The sword is automatically refined to its maximum level (R5) after interacting with seven Statues of the Seven.
Best Characters for the Exaiphanes Blade
The Exaiphanes Blade's passive abilities are exclusively activated by the Traveler. When equipped by the Traveler, the weapon increases their attack by up to 40% and regenerates up to five Elemental Energy upon hitting an opponent, effects that can trigger even when the character is off-field. The weapon's refinement levels also add Crit Damage bonuses for the Traveler, scaling with the number of elements they have resonated with.
However, any sword-wielding character can benefit from the Exaiphanes Blade's base stats, which include a significant Crit Rate increase and a strong base attack. This makes it a valuable 'stat stick' for characters who rely on these attributes for their damage output. Characters like Odette, Clorinde, Ayato, and Keqing can utilize the sword effectively if their Crit Damage needs are met by other means.
Exaiphanes Blade Stats and Skills
At its base level (Level 1, Refinement 1), the Exaiphanes Blade offers a base attack of 46 and a Crit Rate bonus of +7.2%. At its maximum level (Level 90, Refinement 5), it provides a base attack of 608 and a Crit Rate of +33.1%.
The weapon's unique passive skill at R1 grants the Traveler a 16% attack bonus for eight seconds and regenerates three Elemental Energy after hitting an opponent, with a five-second cooldown. At R5, this translates to a 40% attack bonus and five Elemental Energy regeneration for the Traveler, alongside a Crit Damage increase based on their elemental resonances.