History of Master of Swords

Overview

Master of Swords is a Triumph worth 15 score. It requires completing the Sword Dance Cyst without ever dropping your Sword.

The cyst is part of the Convalescence: Greenery quest from Micah, and it takes place in Refraction, reached from The Landing in the Pale Heart.

How to complete

1. Open the Overthrow chests at The Landing. Completing all four Overthrow levels also completes that step.
2. Head to the tunnel on the far northeast of The Landing's map, toward Refraction. No flying is needed.
3. In Refraction's crystalline chamber, follow the Traveler's spirit bird left through the tunnels, then past the black shattered mirror and the subterranean chamber.
4. At the end of Refraction, drop into the crystal cave rather than continuing ahead, go left, and jump up the ledge.
5. Kill the Blister Knight at the exit, then follow the bird back into the cave and turn left toward the Hive Knight's tunnel.
6. Shoot the three Hive runes on the walls in the order shown on the barrier, top to bottom, to open the arena.
7. Kill the Ogre and the wizard, then interact with the Hive statue to summon the sword.
8. Clear the arena. The three Lucent Hive bosses must all fall. Grab their Ghosts as they drop, or they respawn.

Tips

• The sword's fast attack lets you glide across gaps and keep moving toward the next statue.
• Heavy attacks are needed to break the rocks and the final bosses' shields. Use them on the barriers around the crystals, including those on enemies above.
• Shatter the crystals in order. One sits on a lower platform, so use the roots to climb back up.
• Once the three bosses are down, heal your Ghost on the top platform of the spiral staircase, then return to the arbor and interact with the light fissure.

The triumph fails the moment the sword is dropped, so plan each fight around keeping it in hand.