Where to find Greatsword of Solitude & armor in Shadow of the Erdtree

The Greatsword and armor of Solitude are new to Elden Ring and can be found in the Shadow of Erdtree DLC.

These new armaments are perfect for those who like a heavy weapon and protective armor. So, here’s how to get the Greatsword of Solitude and the armor set that comes along with it, as well as the stats and best build for them.

How to get Solitude Greatsword & armor

You can get the Greatsword of Solitude and Solitude armor set by defeating Blackgaol Knight. You’ll encounter the boss early on in the Western Nameless Mausoleum, found in the starting area of the DLC. He’s not the easiest boss to beat despite being found early on, so come prepared.

Blackgaol Knight location

The Blackgaol Knight can be found in the Western Nameless Mausoleum, which is in the west of Gravesite Plains (see image below for map location).

Make your way to the Western Nameless Mausoleum and you’ll see a set of descending stairs. Take them and pass through the fog to fight Blackgaol Knight. Once you defeat the boss, you’ll be rewarded with the Solitude Greatsword and armor set.

How to beat Blackgaol Knight

When you enter the boss room, wait for the knight to do his ranged crossbow attack. Avoid it by running to the left or right then go straight for him as it leaves him open.

Then, just play patient and do your best to avoid his hard-hitting attacks. The Blackgaol Knight isn’t affected by any status build-up, but heavy weapons like Great Swords, Great Axes, and Hammers will stun him out of his attacks and do big damage.

If your build doesn’t feature a heavy weapon, you’ll need to rely on timing and patience, as the fight doesn’t allow summons to distract the boss.

Greatsword of Solitude stats

Attack Power
Physical	120
Critical	100
Guarded Damage Negation
Physical	89
Magic	40
Fire	40
Lightning	40
Holy	40
Guard Boost	53
Attribute Scaling
Strength	B
Dex	E
Attributes Required
Strength	27
Dex	13
Weight	15.5

The Greatsword of Solitude is a heavy weapon, sitting at a weight of 15.5. It also features the Solitary Moon Slash Ash of War which costs 12 FP to perform.

Solitude armor stats

Stat	Helm of Solitude	Armor of Solitude	Gauntlets of Solitude	Greaves of Solitude
Damage Negation
Physical	6.8	18.7	4.7	10.8
Vs Strike	6.4	17.7	4.5	10.2
Vs Slash	6.7	18.3	4.6	10.6
Vs Pierce	6.3	17.5	4.4	10.1
Magic	4.7	13.3	3.3	7.6
Fire	5.2	14.5	3.6	8.3
Lightning	4.8	13.5	3.3	7.7
Holy	4.9	13.8	3.4	7.9
Resistance
Immunity	26	60	20	37
Robustness	27	63	21	39
Focus	42	99	33	61
Vitality	22	50	17	31
Poise	11	45	10	27
Weight	10.3	24.0	8.0	14.8

This armor is very heavy, so to wear it all you’ll need to have a high Endurance stat.

Best build

The best build for the Solitude Greatsword and armor set focuses on Strength and Endurance. The latter will help increase your equip load so that you can wear and wield the Greatsword of Solitude, and the weapon also scales with Strength so you’ll want that high to get the most out of the weapon.

I then recommend Talismans like Great-Jar’s Arsenal and Erdtree’s Favor +2, as these will increase your max equip load even further.

Strength builds looking to find something new to enjoy early in the Elden Ring DLC should definitely give this Greatsword and armor a go, as it’s strong enough to take you all the way in Shadow of the Erdtree. Or, if you want something a bit faster, check out the Beast Claw.