How to get and use the Main-gauche dagger in Elden Ring

Finesse at its best.

Although not the most eye-catching Shadow of the Erdtree addition, the Main-gauche’s Parry Weapon Skill and unique combo with certain swords can make it a great pick for those looking to dual-wield in Elden Ring.

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But how exactly can you get the weapon? Here’s how to get the Main-gauche dagger in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

Elden Ring Main-gauche dagger location

You can find the Main-gauche dagger in Elden Ring by heading to the Shadow Keep legacy dungeon (which you can do by heading north from Castle Ensis) and progressing until you defeat the Golden Hippopotamus boss. After defeating the boss, you will be able to get the weapon by first going through the pathway located right off the Main Gate Plaza Site of Grace and continuing forward until you reach a wooden staircase. Once there, head to the room highlighted in the image below.

Image by Destructoid

In the room, you will find a sole Messmer Soldier, so backstab them and head to the area on the right. On it, you will be able to find the Main-gauche atop a body guarded by a couple of soldiers and a Black Knight. To deal with them, I recommend luring both soldiers outside and then dealing with the knight in a one-on-one scenario. You can check out the in-map location of the weapon below.

Image by Destructoid

Main-gauche stats and scaling

You will need to have 7 Strength and 15 Dexterity to wield the weapon. Main-gauche will also have an initial D and C scaling. But that does not mean those investing in other builds will be locked out, as enhancing it to Flame and Sacred will allow it to primarily scale off Faith while going with Magic and Occult will allow it to scale heavily off Intelligence and Arcane, respectively. You can check out an overview of all of the remaining stats for the Main-gauche below:

  • Type: Dagger (Slash/Pierce)
  • Weapon Skill: Parry
  • Weight: 2.0
  • Attack Power: Physical 79 / Critical 110
  • Guarded Damage Negation: 38.0 Physical, 22.0 Magic/Fire/Lightning/Holy, Guard Boost 16

How to use the Main-gauche

Image by Destructoid

The Main-gauche is best used as an offhand weapon in duel-focused builds, as its ability to parry will allow you to keep pressing opponents or get some early critical hits. Another plus for the weapon lies in its briefly mentioned combos. To be more specific, when used in your left hand together with a non-great thrusting weapon —such as Rogier’s Rapier, Cleanrot Knight’s Sword, and the DLC-exclusive Carian Sorcery Sword— the Main-gauche’s light attack sequence will become an up-nine moves dual weapon combo.

Like most daggers, however, Main-gauche is not a meta weapon and can easily be overpowered by those capable of applying status effects. So keep that in mind.

About The Author
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Franklin Bellone Borges
An avid RPG fan, and someone who cannot seem to stop spending money while playing his favorite gacha games, Franklin began writing about games in 2018 and has since then been living the dream of working with what he loves. He joined the Destructoid team in May 2024 as a Contributing Writer and can always be found either thinking about Final Fantasy VII or eagerly waiting for news on Kingdom Hearts IV.
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