The Blood of Dawnwalker is hiding a powerful legendary sword in the game’s opening

The Blood of Dawnwalker can be challenging during its opening hours, but players can get their hands on a powerful legendary sword very early in the game. Finding this weapon can give Coen a valuable stat boost, making it a particularly useful addition to your arsenal as you begin your adventure in Vale Sangora.

Like many modern fantasy RPGs, The Blood of Dawnwalker can provide a challenging experience, particularly when Coen is still lacking powerful abilities, upgrades and gear. Early encounters can be tough when your character hasn't had the opportunity to build up their stats, making every advantage worthwhile.

Thankfully, players can obtain the aforementioned legendary sword early in The Blood of Dawnwalker, giving Coen a significant boost and helping him take on some of the dangerous enemies lurking throughout Vale Sangora. If you're struggling with the game's opening sections, tracking down this powerful weapon could give you the edge you need.

How to get a legendary sword early in The Blood of Dawnwalker

As explained by YouTuber Sarthetv, you can acquire the legendary Durandal sword immediately after completing the game's prologue. Not only is Durandal an incredibly powerful early-game weapon, but it also comes with a unique skill. The area surrounding the sword also contains useful loot and crafting materials dropped by the enemies you'll need to defeat.

Once the prologue concludes, follow the nearby road to the west and mark an area called the Coward's Path on your map. There is also a fast travel point nearby, which will come in handy if you need to leave and return later.

Turn right when you reach the area and look for a broken bridge above a rocky clearing. Make your way towards the bridge and carefully drop down to the area below. As Sarthetv warns, try to minimise your fall damage, as you'll need to fight several enemies before you can claim Durandal.

Once you've landed, head towards the underside of the broken bridge. A wolf will spawn as you approach, which you’ll need to defeat. The wolf itself shouldn't cause too many problems, but things get considerably more difficult immediately afterwards, as a group of Shades will appear.

Shades can deal significant damage, particularly at the beginning of The Blood of Dawnwalker when Coen is still relatively weak. Don't rush into the fight. Instead, make use of your blocks and dodges, wait for an opening and land a few attacks before backing away and preparing for the next opportunity.

The Blood of Dawnwalker, Bandai Nacom

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Sarthetv also warns that you should close the distance quickly whenever the Shades teleport away from you. If you allow them to maintain their distance, they can drain your health from afar, making an already difficult encounter considerably more dangerous.

Once you've defeated all of the enemies, you'll be rewarded with the legendary Durandal sword, alongside crafting materials and a substantial amount of XP to help level up Coen. Durandal should be one of the most powerful melee weapons available to you at this point in the game, meaning it can remain a valuable part of your arsenal for a considerable amount of time.

If the Shades prove too difficult at this early stage, don't worry. The nearby fast travel point means you can leave the area, explore elsewhere, level up Coen and improve your gear before returning to claim Durandal later.

What is The Blood of Dawnwalker?

Developed by Rebel Wolves, a studio consisting of former CD Projekt RED developers who have worked on The Witcher series, it is the latest fantasy RPG that has taken the video game community by storm.

Players take control of Coen, a half-human, half-vampire known as a Dawnwalker, as he fights to save his family from a powerful vampire force. The Blood of Dawnwalker puts players in the middle of difficult moral choices that can shape the course of the story, with branching paths and multiple possible endings.

The game combines intense action combat with open-world exploration, while its unique day-and-night cycle forces Coen to adapt his approach depending on the time of day. With his human and vampiric abilities offering different ways to overcome challenges, players have plenty of freedom in how they choose to tackle Coen’s journey.

Our verdict on The Blood of Dawnwalker

“The Blood of Dawnwalker deserves to be a new AAA mainstay, and I’d gladly join Coen on future ventures. Rebel Wolves’ debut outing is everything you could want from the former director of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but it’s also something entirely new,” said GAMINGbible’s Kate in her review, scoring it an “Exceptional” 9/10.

“Its time mechanic is risky - and a nightmare for completionists - but it adds a brilliant sense of urgency into the open-world. The Blood of Dawnwalker is all about consequence. Which quests should you tackle? As a human or a vampire? It’s entirely what you make of it, offering up a bold and engaging formula that I’d be glad to see walk away with 2026’s GOTY trophy.”

The Blood of Dawnwalker is out now on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.