I’ll be honest—when I first spotted the Shamshir in Elden Ring, I thought it was just another curved sword with a fancy name. Turns out, I was very wrong. This little blade has a personality of its own: quick, pokey, and a touch dramatic. It’s also the same weapon Millicent carries around with the Waterfowl Ash of War, so if you’ve ever admired her flashy style, you already know this sword can put on a show.
Even in 2026, after years of balance patches and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, the Shamshir is still one of my favorite early-game pickups for Dexterity builds. Let me walk you through exactly where to find it, what it needs, and why it deserves a place in your loadout.
Where to Find the Shamshir
The Shamshir is hiding inside Highroad Cave, which sits in Northern Limgrave at the bottom of a ravine. The closest Site of Grace is Saintsbridge. Once you arrive, look to the right side of the bridge and you’ll spot a Spirit Spring. Fair warning: the jump can feel a little dramatic, but it’s the fastest way down.
Here’s the route in a quick list:
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Touch the Saintsbridge Site of Grace.
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Use the Spirit Spring on the right side of the bridge.
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Drift down to the ravine floor.
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Head north through the ravine.
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Pass a few squid enemy types along the way.
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Enter Highroad Cave at the end of the ravine.
Once inside, you’ll need to do a bit of careful platforming to reach the bottom floor. Think of it as a tiny obstacle course before the reward. At the bottom, a group of Giant Bats will be waiting. Look for a pile of them near the lower levels surrounding a dead corpse. That corpse is holding the Shamshir. It’s not the most glamorous introduction, but trust me, the weapon is worth a little bat drama.
Stat Requirements and Scaling
Before you start swinging, make sure your character can actually use the thing. The Shamshir requires:
| Attribute | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Strength | 7 |
| Dexterity | 13 |
The Shamshir primarily scales with Dexterity and Strength, so it feels right at home on a Dexterity build. If you two-hand it, the attack patterns don’t change, but you do get an effective Strength boost. That extra Strength can nudge your overall melee damage a bit higher, which is a nice little bonus for a weapon this quick.
Spinning Slash and Combo Potential
The default Ash of War on the Shamshir is Spinning Slash. This move launches your character into a series of spinning combo slashes. It has a fast start-up, so you can use it to pressure enemies, slip in quick hits between dodges, or extend combos after light attacks. I like to think of Spinning Slash as a very pushy dance partner—it keeps the rhythm going and doesn’t give enemies much room to breathe.
You can also swap in different Ashes of War if Spinning Slash isn’t your style. That kind of flexibility is a big part of why I keep coming back to this weapon. But honestly, the default setup already does a great job for long string combos.
Why the Shamshir Stands Out
Compared to other Curved Swords, the Shamshir has slightly faster light and heavy attack combos and a bit more range. That combination is surprisingly rare in the early game. You can hit enemies from a little farther away while still recovering quickly, and that extra reach makes a bigger difference than it sounds when you’re dodging and punishing.
The pointy tip that extends from the bottom of the blade isn’t just for looks either—it feels like the sword is leaning forward, ready to poke someone. If you’re running a Dexterity build, or you just want a reliable early curved sword, the Shamshir is absolutely worth the detour.
Whether you’re on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, or PC, the pickup route is the same. Go grab it, throw on Spinning Slash, and enjoy being a little too fast for your enemies to handle.