Executor Complete Guide — Highest-DPS Melee Nightfarer
One-liner: Highest pure DPS in the game. Bleed + Frost dual-status melts bosses. Requires mastery of dodge and parry timing.
| Stat | Grade |
|---|---|
| HP | B |
| FP | D |
| Stamina | B |
| Strength | C |
| Dexterity | S |
| Intelligence | D |
| Faith | D |
| Arcane | S |
Background
Section titled “Background”A criminal bound to his armor. Imprisoned in the Lands Between, then disappeared. Wields a demonic katana that grows malevolent on the battlefield.
Kit Breakdown
Section titled “Kit Breakdown”Skill: Aspect of the Beast
Section titled “Skill: Aspect of the Beast”- Channels enhanced katana strikes
- Low stamina cost (signature trait)
- Critical mechanic: parry windows during draw, sheath, and even mid-skill
Ultimate: Cursed Sword Beast Form
Section titled “Ultimate: Cursed Sword Beast Form”- Transforms into giant beast
- Gains extra HP bar (great for emergency revives)
- AoE crowd control
- Best used to revive downed teammates safely
Special Ability: Parry Mastery
Section titled “Special Ability: Parry Mastery”- Katana acts as “strongest shield” with 100% physical block on most attacks
- Sekiro-like low stamina cost on perfect parry
- Parries chain into riposte damage
Combat Basics
Section titled “Combat Basics”| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| R1 / RB | Quick slash |
| R2 / RT | Heavy slash (charged) |
| L1 / LB | Parry (perfect timing = riposte) |
| Δ+L2 / Y+LT | Aspect of the Beast |
| L1 (hold) | Ultimate Beast Form |
Build Recommendations
Section titled “Build Recommendations”T0 Build — “Bleed + Frost”
Section titled “T0 Build — “Bleed + Frost””| Slot | Choice |
|---|---|
| Starting Weapon | Katana (innate bleed) → upgrade to Purple |
| Relic 1 | Frost on starting weapon ★★★★★ |
| Relic 2 | Bleed damage amplifier |
| Relic 3 | Flask heals nearby allies |
| Special | Save Ultimate for ally revives |
Why this is broken: Katana has innate bleed. Adding frost = both procs every 3-4 hits = boss melts.
Caveat: Heolstor (Final Boss) is bleed-immune. Drop bleed amplifier for raw damage Relic when fighting him.
Alternative — “Sustain Bruiser”
Section titled “Alternative — “Sustain Bruiser””- Roar regen Relic + Beast Form heals = self-sustain
- Lower DPS but solo-viable
Upgrade Path
Section titled “Upgrade Path”- Blue Smithing Stone: 6,500 Runes from any merchant
- Purple Smithing Stone: drops from Mine (special tunnel level)
- Always upgrade starting katana to Purple before considering picked-up weapons
Performance vs Each Nightlord
Section titled “Performance vs Each Nightlord”| Nightlord | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gladius | ★★★★★ | Bleed obliterates Phase 1 |
| Adel | ★★★★★ | Poison + bleed double status |
| Gnoster | ★★★ | Tricky due to flier weakness |
| Maris | ★★★★ | Risky melee but doable |
| Libra | ★★★★ | OK |
| Fulgor | ★★★★★ | Bleed boss = Executor heaven |
| Caligo | ★★★★★ | Bleed + fire (sub-weapon) |
| Heolstor (Final) | ★★★ | Bleed immune — drop the build |
Trio Synergy
Section titled “Trio Synergy”Best comp: T0 Meta — Executor + Raider + Ironeye
Role: Carry. You burst boss while Raider buffs, Ironeye marks.
Advanced Parry Tech
Section titled “Advanced Parry Tech”Executor’s parry windows are unusually generous:
- During katana draw
- During sheath animation
- During skill execution (this is the “broken” part)
Master pattern: R1 → cancel into parry on enemy windup → riposte → R1 chain.
Think of it like Monster Hunter Long Sword Spirit Slash + Sekiro mikiri.
Tips & Tricks
Section titled “Tips & Tricks”- Don’t swap weapons — your katana is the only weapon you need
- Save Ultimate for revives — Beast Form’s extra HP bar trivializes risky pickups
- Practice the parry before tackling hard bosses
- Heolstor strategy: switch to raw damage Relics, you’re not bursting with bleed
Common Mistakes
Section titled “Common Mistakes”- ❌ Stacking bleed for Final Boss
- ❌ Wasting Ultimate on solo DPS instead of revives
- ❌ Trying to brute-force without learning parry
- ❌ Switching to picked-up rare weapons (none surpass upgraded katana)
Q: Is Executor still S-tier after the bleed nerf in 1.03.4? A: Yes for solo/random. Pre-made trios prefer Recluse/Scholar but Executor remains top DPS.
Q: Can Executor solo all 8 Nightlords? A: Yes (except difficulty spike at Heolstor). Need mastery.
Q: Best off-hand? A: None needed. Single-weapon build optimal.
Sources
Section titled “Sources”- Executor Combat Mechanics by Fbnc (Gamersky) (Chinese, includes deep parry analysis)
- Mobalytics Executor