Guides · Executor · patch 1.03.5 (balance 1.03.2) · updated 2026-11-01
Executor: Cursed Sword (Suncatcher)
1. Summary
Executor’s character skill draws the Cursed Sword (players call it Suncatcher after his Remembrance quests). It is a toggle: no duration, no cooldown. With it out he has his own moveset, deflects attacks, and every few deflects unlocks a big dashing slash. His skill relic adds +35% to everything the Cursed Sword does. Players call it “the best character skill in the game” with its relic, and the default Executor core.
No relics: 184 DPS. With the core lines: 296 DPS (+60.6%). Standing with players: 1 (1 = the current meta). Model: rank pack 10350000-429b9ee52d80.
For: solo and trio, normal and Deep of Night. Needs: nothing found in the run: the Cursed Sword is his.
2. How it plays
- Draw the Cursed Sword and keep it out. Its light chain is five two-handed hits in 3.6 s (Nightreign animation a278).
- Block attacks at the right moment to deflect. A deflect adds 15 points, a knockback deflect 20, plain guarding 5 (decoded accumulator, SpEffect 707050). At 50 points the unlocked skill is ready: 4 deflects, or 3 if one is a knockback deflect. Players report the same.
- Use the unlocked skill (one hit at 384% motion value, AtkParam 600000350).
- Ultimate: Beast form, 15 s.
- The skill relic makes you take 40% more damage for 5 s after each Cursed Sword hit lands. That is exactly what the red Balancer’s “Nullify Attacks” needs (“when damage negation is lowered”), so the two pair up.
Decoded rotation Cursed Sword stance: light chain + unlocked skill (style rotation), no relics: 184 DPS on the 8 Nightlords’ mean (level 15, weapon tier 3, 60% of the fight attacking).
| Use | Uses / min | Share of DPS | Where the numbers come from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cursed Sword R1 2-4 | 8.1 | 40% | decoded AtkParam_Pc 960210, 960220, 960230 on the Cursed Sword’s AR 283; relic scope from sub-categories (melee, character_skill); rate: Nightreign TAE: c0000.anibnd a278 (Executor cursed-sword stance) 2h light chain, loop 3.57s; × share 0.9 × uptime 0.6 |
| Ultimate Art | 0.5 | 15% | decoded AtkParam_Pc rows 700000350 (row choice: pickRows, 1 hit each (estimate)) on weapon AR where they use motion values; scaled to 3615 on the sparring dummy at level 15 (Aspects of the Crucible: Beast full sequence 3,615, no relics (muni1337 sparring, 2026-06-20; taken as level 15), other levels by the decoded Beast Attack Boost table); rate: knob ultimateUsesPerMinute = 0.5 (estimate) |
| Cursed Sword R1 5 (chain finisher) | 8.1 | 14% | decoded AtkParam_Pc 960240 on the Cursed Sword’s AR 283; relic scope from sub-categories (melee, chain_finisher, character_skill); rate: Nightreign TAE: c0000.anibnd a278 (Executor cursed-sword stance) 2h light chain, loop 3.57s; × share 0.9 × uptime 0.6 |
| Cursed Sword R1 1 | 8.1 | 13% | decoded AtkParam_Pc 960200 on the Cursed Sword’s AR 283; relic scope from sub-categories (melee, initial_attack, character_skill); rate: Nightreign TAE: c0000.anibnd a278 (Executor cursed-sword stance) 2h light chain, loop 3.57s; × share 0.9 × uptime 0.6 |
| Cursed Sword unlocked skill | 1.8 | 11% | decoded AtkParam_Pc 600000350 on the Cursed Sword’s AR 283; relic scope from sub-categories (melee, character_skill); rate: piece unlockedPerMinute 2 (estimate: deflects per minute ÷ ~3.3 to fill the 50-point accumulator) |
| 1H Light 2-4 | 0.9 | 4% | AR 283 × decoded motion values of the hero moveset’s hits (1/1/1 hits per step); rate: Nightreign TAE: c0000.anibnd a277 (executor-s-blade), 1h R1 1-5 loop 3.57s; × share 0.1 × uptime 0.6 |
| 1H Light 5 (chain finisher) | 0.9 | 2% | AR 283 × decoded motion values of the hero moveset’s hits (1 hits per step); rate: Nightreign TAE: c0000.anibnd a277 (executor-s-blade), 1h R1 1-5 loop 3.57s; × share 0.1 × uptime 0.6 |
| 1H Light 1 | 0.9 | 1% | AR 283 × decoded motion values of the hero moveset’s hits (1 hits per step); rate: Nightreign TAE: c0000.anibnd a277 (executor-s-blade), 1h R1 1-5 loop 3.57s; × share 0.1 × uptime 0.6 |
3. Core relics
| Line | Players | Model value | Decoded |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Executor] Character Skill Boosts Attack but Attacking Drains HP | 9 agree | +25.8% | SpEffect 7034401: every 0.1 s, while state 2269; 7034402: attack ×1.35, only attack sub-categories 122, 6 s, while state 609; 7034403: damage taken ×1.4, 5 s |
| Attack power up after defeating a Night Invader | 6 agree | +14.0% | SpEffect 7060201 (engine-coded: no number in the params) |
| Occasionally Nullify Attacks When Damage Negation is Lowered | 7 agree | +3.7% | SpEffect 7037800 (engine-coded: no number in the params) |
| Physical Attack Up +4 | 6 agree | +12.0% | SpEffect 7001404: phys ×1.12 |
- [Executor] Character Skill Boosts Attack (in-game since 1.03.2: “…but Lowers Damage Negation While Attacking”). Decoded: SpEffect 7034402 multiplies attack by 1.35, but only for attack sub-category 122 (character-skill attacks). It is refreshed every 0.1 s while state 609 (“Cursed Sword Active”) holds, and lasts 6 s after. Every Cursed Sword move carries 122, so it is +35% on the whole stance and nothing on katana R1s or the Beast form. The cost (SpEffect 7034403): hits taken ×1.4 for 5 s. The model prices that as attack time (more flasks, more deaths). Players: 9 agree.
- Attack power up after defeating a Night Invader. +7% per invader killed (players); the model counts 2.
- Physical Attack Up +4. Decoded ×1.12 physical; the whole Cursed Sword moveset is physical.
- Occasionally Nullify Attacks When Damage Negation is Lowered (red Balancer). The chance isn’t in the params; wiki.gg and Steam testers say 20% of hits are nullified while your negation is lowered. With the skill relic it is lowered for most of the fight, so the model counts 20% of hits avoided over the stance share.
4. Strong and flex lines
| Line | Players | Model value | Decoded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved Skill Attack Power | 7 agree, 1 disagree | +1.7% | SpEffect 7006700: attack ×1.15, only attack sub-categories 112/111 |
| Improved Attack Power with 3+ Katana Equipped | 2 agree, 1 disagree | +3.0% | SpEffect 7080600: attack ×1.2 |
| Defeating enemies fills more of the Art gauge | 3 agree | +0.0% | SpEffect 7090000 (engine-coded: no number in the params) |
| Attack power up when facing frostbite-afflicted enemy | 2 agree, 1 disagree | +0.0% | SpEffect 7260400: attack ×1.1; 7260401: attack ×1.16; 7260402: attack ×1.2 |
| Changes compatible armament’s skill to Blood Blade at start of expedition | 2 agree | +0.0% | SpEffect 7123700 (engine-coded: no number in the params) |
The model’s own strongest lines that players don’t list for this style:
| Line | Players | Model value | Decoded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Attack Up +3 | – | +10.5% | SpEffect 7001403: phys ×1.105 |
| Physical Attack Up +2 | – | +6.0% | SpEffect 7001402: phys ×1.06 |
| Poison Buildup When Below Max HP | – | +5.6% | SpEffect 6851300: every 0.22 s; 6851301: 40 s, every 1.3 s, HP −10, HP −0.1% max; 505: 900 s, while state 2 |
| Rot Buildup When Below Max HP | – | +5.4% | SpEffect 6851400: every 0.24 s; 6851401: 40 s, every 1.3 s, HP −15, HP −0.15% max; 1120: 900 s, while state 5 |
| Improved Melee Attack Power | – | +5.3% | SpEffect 7006600: attack ×1.06, only attack sub-categories 130 |
| Physical Attack Up +1 | – | +5.0% | SpEffect 7001401: phys ×1.05 |
| Attack power permanently increased for each evergaol prisoner defeated | – | +5.0% | SpEffect 7060001 (engine-coded: no number in the params) |
| Taking attacks improves attack power | – | +4.3% | SpEffect 7032200: every 1 s; 7032201: while state 2374; 7032202: attack ×1.15, 10 s, while state 2374 |
| Physical Attack Up | – | +4.0% | SpEffect 7001400: phys ×1.04; 7001401: phys ×1.05; 7001402: phys ×1.06; 7001403: phys ×1.105; 7001404: phys ×1.12 |
| Taking Damage Causes Blood Loss Buildup | – | +4.0% | SpEffect 6820301: 0.1 s, every 1 s; 6820302: 1 s, every 2 s, HP −100, HP −12.5% max |
- Improved Skill Attack Power (Balancers) reaches only the unlocked skill: it is the only Cursed Sword move with sub-category 112. The light chain doesn’t carry 112, so the line is worth less here than players’ “buffs Suncatcher” suggests.
- Improved Attack Power with 3+ Katana Equipped is contested: players say the Cursed Sword doesn’t count as a katana for it.
5. Curses
Cost = what the model measures on this rotation (damage, stats, attack time) plus any hand penalty for what it can’t measure (stuns, death risk). Lower is cheaper.
| Curse | Cost (≈ % damage) | Model | Hand penalty | Players |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poison Buildup When Below Max HP | -3.1 | +5.6% | 2.5 | |
| Rot Buildup When Below Max HP | -2.4 | +5.4% | 3 | |
| Taking Damage Causes Frost Buildup | -1.6 | +3.1% | 1.5 | |
| Taking Damage Causes Blood Loss Buildup | -0.5 | +4.0% | 3.5 | |
| Taking Damage Causes Poison Buildup | -0.2 | +3.2% | 3 | |
| Reduced Strength and Intelligence | 0.0 | -0.0% | – | |
| Reduced Faith and Strength | 0.0 | -0.0% | – | |
| Reduced Dexterity and Faith | 0.1 | -0.1% | – | |
| Reduced Intelligence and Dexterity | 0.1 | -0.1% | – | |
| Ultimate Art Charging Impaired | 0.1 | -0.1% | – | |
| Reduced Damage Negation for Flask Usages | 0.3 | -0.3% | – | |
| Taking Damage Causes Sleep Buildup | 0.4 | +3.6% | 4 | |
| Taking Damage Causes Madness Buildup | 0.4 | +3.6% | 4 | |
| Continuous HP Loss | 1.0 | -1.0% | – | |
| Reduced Rune Acquisition | 1.0 | +0.0% | 1 | |
| Reduced Vigor and Arcane | 1.1 | -1.1% | – | |
| Taking Damage Causes Rot Buildup | 1.1 | +2.9% | 4 | |
| Near Death Reduces Max HP | 1.5 | +0.0% | 1.5 | |
| Reduced Flask HP Restoration | 1.6 | -1.6% | – | |
| Repeated Evasions Lower Damage Negation | 2.0 | -2.0% | – | avoid |
| All Resistances Down | 2.0 | +0.0% | 2 | |
| Reduced Damage Negation After Evading | 2.8 | -2.8% | – | |
| Lower Attack When Below Max HP | 4.2 | -4.2% | – | |
| Taking Damage Causes Death Buildup | 8.0 | +0.0% | 8 |
The Cursed Sword scales with Dexterity (73) and Strength (13), so Intelligence, Faith and Arcane curses cost nothing. Players avoid Repeated Evasions Lower Damage Negation, though it matters less on Executor, who deflects instead of rolling.
6. Avoid
None listed.
- Drawing the Cursed Sword removes weapon buffs (Seppuku, Chilling Mist, greases) from the katana. Imbues and skill swaps do nothing for the stance.
- A second copy of the same Balancer relic does nothing (1.03.2); red and blue together do stack.
7. Vessels
| Vessel | Relic slots | Deep slots |
|---|---|---|
| Executor’s Chalice | blue, yellow, any | yellow, yellow, green |
| Executor’s Goblet | red, blue, green | red, blue, green |
| Executor’s Urn | red, yellow, yellow | red, yellow, yellow |
| Soot-Covered Executor’s Urn | red, red, blue | red, red, blue |
| Sealed Executor’s Urn | yellow, yellow, red | green, green, blue |
| Decrepit Executor’s Goblet | red, red, yellow | red, red, yellow |
| Forgotten Executor’s Goblet | green, blue, red | yellow, green, any |
| Giant’s Cradle Grail | blue, blue, blue | blue, blue, blue |
| Sacred Erdtree Grail | yellow, yellow, yellow | yellow, yellow, yellow |
| Spirit Shelter Grail | green, green, green | green, green, green |
| Scadutree Grail | red, red, red | red, red, red |
| Giant’s Cradle Grail | blue, blue, blue | blue, blue, blue |
| Sacred Erdtree Grail | yellow, yellow, yellow | yellow, yellow, yellow |
| Spirit Shelter Grail | green, green, green | green, green, green |
| Scadutree Grail | red, red, red | red, red, red |
The red Balancer is a red relic, and the skill relic comes in several colors. Vessels with a red slot and an “any” slot fit the core most often.
8. Synergies
- Skill relic × red Balancer: the relic lowers your negation, which is the Balancer’s trigger. Players: “they pair very well”. In the model, Nullify takes back most of the relic’s survival cost (the attack time it costs in flasks and deaths).
- Every damage buff multiplies the others (separate SpEffects, separate attack rates).
Interaction = DPS(both) × DPS(none) ÷ (DPS(payoff) × DPS(enabler)) − 1: what the pair adds beyond the two lines alone.
| Payoff | Enabler | Interaction | Through |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved Attack Power with 3+ Katana Equipped | Dormant Power Helps Discover Katana | +4.8% | three_weapons_of:katana |
9. The data
The biggest use, Cursed Sword R1 2-4 (3 hits a use), each hit on a Nightlord with the core lines worn:
Basis: decoded AtkParam_Pc 960210, 960220, 960230 on the Cursed Sword’s AR 283; relic scope from sub-categories (melee, character_skill).
| Hit | Element | Attack | Relics (core set) | Defense 100 | Nightlord absorption (mean of 8) | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Executor Skill - Cursed Sword] Light 2 960210 | Phys | 294 | ×1.724 | ×0.6 | ×1.02 | 310 |
| [Executor Skill - Cursed Sword] Light 3 960220 | Phys | 297 | ×1.724 | ×0.6 | ×1.02 | 313 |
| [Executor Skill - Cursed Sword] Light 4 960230 | Phys | 300 | ×1.724 | ×0.6 | ×1.02 | 316 |
Relic multiplier: the core lines’ attack rates multiply (different SpEffects), each limited to the attack sub-categories it names. Defense: Nightlords have defense 100 on every type, which keeps 0.6 of attack in the sparring tests (dps_model DEF100_FACTOR). Absorption: the decoded *DamageCutRate per element.
Decoded rows used: the Cursed Sword is its own weapon (EquipParamWeapon 60700000: 61 physical, Dex 73 / Str 13, crit rate 1.5). Two-handed at level 15 that is about 158 attack before upgrades; players report “Suncatcher has an AR of 150”. The model upgrades it like his weapon (section 11 says why). Moves: AtkParam_Pc 960200–960240 (light chain, 103–113% motion value), 600000350 (unlocked skill, 384%). Animation: a278.
10. Evidence
Sources players’ tiers for this style rest on (docs/research/relic-priority/Executor.json, researched 2026-11-01):
- comment: ‘Exec has the huge cursed sword dmg buff’ as a must-fit unique (reddit, 2026-10-23)
- Executor relic roll thread (Cursed Sword relic 35% / -40%; Balancer 5% melee + skill; Dregs + Seppuku keep stacks through the ult) (reddit, 2026-10-22)
- Executor Has It All | Deep of Night Build Guide (Sentinel, 2026-10-20)
- Heolstor clutch clip (score-44 comment: Suncatcher L2 is the main damage; sheath/unsheath deflects charge it 50% slower, 4 deflects -> 6) (reddit, 2026-10-20)
- Executor Best Depth Relics? (reddit, 2026-10-15)
- The Best Build For Critical Hits Executor | Solo | Depth 5 (NerfLordMykie, 2026-10-14)
- best executor build depth 4/5? (double balancer + invader + phys+4; blood blade; roar heal must-have) (reddit, 2026-10-12)
- Weapon-class attack power thread (‘Suncatcher does not count as a katana’; ‘Katana atk power also does NOT buff skills’ on Executor) (reddit, 2026-10-12)
- Which of these two relics would you say is more valuable on my tank Executor build? More hp or more damage (reddit, 2026-10-11)
- Thoughts on these executor relics? (‘improved cursed blade effect … after invaders it’s the most important’) (reddit, 2026-10-02)
- This Tank Executor build has me on a deathless Depth 5 streak of 17 games (113 pts) (reddit, 2026-09-13)
- Should I change the slot 2 for double balancer executor? (Night Invader advice) (reddit, 2026-09-08)
- Executor - Triple Status vs Double Balancers (reddit, 2026-09-03)
- The Executor Build I Can’t Stop Using (NerfLordMykie, 2026-07-09)
- TIL Executor’s Cursed Sword relic effect is much more dangerous than it may seem (debuff triggers on every Suncatcher hit, 5 s, +40% damage taken, persists after sheathing and through the ult) (score 390) (reddit, 2026-06-16)
- With the Night of Dregs relic no need for RNG any more (Cursed Sword relic 35% + Dregs 45%; ‘All you need is Dreg relic, Seppuku relic and poison/rot when below max HP’) (reddit, 2026-05-02)
- Executor in deep of night (replies by Lukas, Chris1, NewPhoneWhoDis, Lu2, Moyu Wang) (RexRunner + replies, 2026-03-07)
- Executor’s Suncatcher Relic (new version: +35% Suncatcher damage, -40% negation for 6 s after attacking) (Lukas + Marthzie, 2026-01-30)
- Nightreign:Executor (relic numbers: Cursed Sword +35% / -40% negation, Roar heal 15%, Slowly Restore HP regen, Tenacity +20%) (Eldenpedia, 2026-01-22)
- Executor balancer relics + river of blood is OP. (Moyu Wang + replies, 2026-01-19)
- Both balancers relics now buff the executor Cursed Sword (screenshots: no relics / both Balancers / + skill damage) (reddit, 2026-01-15)
- HOT TAKE: If you play executor and like to deflect attacks, Seppuku is worse than Blood Blade (reddit, 2025-09-08)
Measurements (Executor.json numbers): unlocked skill 396 at level 15 with no relics (Switchblade; the model gives
364, −8%); another report says 559 under the same conditions (flagged: they can’t both be right). In a run with the
skill relic, Physical Attack Up +3 and both Balancers: light hits 270–275 (model 299 at the top weapon tier, +10%) and
an unlocked skill of 1,325 (model 1,445, +9%). The skill relic’s +40% damage taken lasts
5 s after each hit landed and persists through sheathing (Reddit, score 390). Nullify: 20% (wiki.gg, Steam).
11. Gaps and confidence
The model agrees with players’ tier order on 100% of 22 line pairs.
- Estimates: 90% of attack time with the sword out (players who play it “stay in stance”); 2 unlocked skills a minute (4 deflects each, so 8 deflects a minute); survival as attack time.
- The Cursed Sword’s upgrade path is a reading, not a decode. The params give it its own reinforce rows (×1.04 / 1.08 / 1.12), which would make the stance weaker than his upgraded katana, which no one reports. Upgrading like his weapon (×1.29 / 1.58 / 1.79) fits all three Cursed Sword measurements within 10%. The Sparring Grounds list (item 5) settles it.
- To measure: see the Sparring Grounds list, item 5 (Cursed Sword uptime, deflects per unlock, the unlocked skill with and without the relic).
12. On your save
The Builds page ranks this preset on your own relics (drop your save there). The Builder opens the same preset to tweak.