Blackflame
 | For the spells, see Godslayer Incantations. |
Blackflame, also known as Black Flames and the God-slaying black flame, are ancient black-and-white colored flames associated with the Godskin Apostles and their leader, the Gloam-Eyed Queen. It possessed god-slaying power, capable of killing Gods.
Background
Prior to the creation of the Golden Order, the Rune of Death was the source of the power of the Black Flames, which was channeled by the Gloam-Eyed Queen through her Godslayer's Greatsword. Under her leadership, the Godskin Apostles wielded the god-slaying Black Flames during their god hunt.
When Queen Marika the Eternal desired to remove the Rune of Death from the Elden Ring in order to establish the Golden Order, her Shadowbound Beast and half-brother Maliketh defeated the Gloam-Eyed Queen and her apostles, and the Rune of Death was sealed away in his black blade. Thus, the true power of the Black Flame was lost while the Gloam-Eyed Queen's sword was locked away at the bottom of the Divine Tower of Caelid.
At some point, Amon, a Fire Monk, became enthralled by the Black Flames, leading him to cowardly abandon his duty as a guardian of the Giants' Flame. He swore fealty to the god-slaying blackflame, becoming the first Blackflame Monk. Other Fire Monks soon followed suit, and they turned traitor after also becoming enthralled by the Black Flames.
Characteristics
Blackflame is an ancient fire that is fueled solely by Faith alone. Back when it had its true power, the Black Flames held the deadly power of killing Gods and were channeled through Black Flame incantations such as Scouring Black Flame and Black Flame Ritual. The Godskin Apostles also used Blackflame for protection as if it were armor.
In their current, weaker state this means that all offensive Black Flame effects deal additional damage equal to 2% of the target's maximum HP + 20 over the course of 2 seconds per hit (note that this doesn't stack, with another hit merely refreshing the duration).
All bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree are resistant to this percentage-based damage, only taking damage equal to 1% of target's maximum HP + 10 over 2 seconds. Messmer the Impaler, Bayle the Dread, and the Promised Consort are even more resistant to the effect, only taking damage equal to 0.7% of target's maximum HP + 7.
