Unlock Sir Chadwell by conquering Forest Tier 3 and you gain access to the Corrupted Sword. It is not a rush-down weapon; let corruption tick, manage positioning, and only detonate waves once elites are bathing in rot. Survivability and timing matter more than raw button mashing—when you plan harvest windows, the sword overpowers every other melee tool.
- Corruption damage stacks and spreads, turning elite packs into cascading DoT bombs.
- Soul Harvest windows grant huge temporary damage boosts; chaining them snowballs runs.
- Shadow waves pierce indefinitely, clearing lines of enemies once corruption density is high.
Unlock Complete Forest Tier 3, purchase with Silver Expect to invest in Tier 3-specific survivability before attempting the unlock.
Core scaling Damage → Size → Cooldown
Risk profile High Frontline weapon that spikes late, so misplays early hurt.
Best pilots Sir Chadwell, Vlad, Sir Oofie
Corruption Rank Milestones
| Rank | Corruption Spread | Soul Harvest | Shadow Wave |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | Single target | +15% damage | Short ripple |
| 6-10 | Small radius contagion | +1 stack duration | Medium wave pierce |
| 11-15 | Chain spread within 6 tiles | +25% harvest potency | Adds armor shred |
| 16+ | Full-room propagation | +40% harvest duration | Twin waves with higher tick rate |
- Corruption spread benefits from Size Tome and survivability—stay in combat long enough to build stacks.
- Soul Harvest duration scales with cooldown. Keep swing speed up so you can capitalize on every stack.
Core mechanic breakdown
Corruption contagion
Apply rot to elites first so it jumps to fodder on death, guaranteeing multi-target erosion.
Harvest windows
Trigger finishing blows only when multiple corrupted enemies are near death to bank enormous buffs.
Shadow wave routing
Position so piercing waves sweep spawn lanes, not just immediate threats.
Mod priority and alternatives
Must-have mods
- Damage Tome rank 10—the sword scales multiplicatively with corruption ticks.
- Size Tome rank 8+ so contagion actually spreads between packs.
- Cooldown Tome rank 7 to keep shadow waves and harvest uptime tight.
Flexible picks
- Crit Tome for mixed builds with Chadwell or CL4NK secondary weapons.
- Health Tome when learning Tier 3 boss patterns.
Situational tech
- Soul Amplifier or Reaper relics when you expect dense endless waves.
- Armor boosters for solo corruption runs where mistakes are lethal.
Recommended build patterns
Dark Lord
Pure Sir Chadwell corruption scaling that overwhelms late-game waves.
Core mods
- Damage Tome 10
- Size Tome 9
- Cooldown Tome 8
Priority relics
- Soul Amplifier
- Corruption Crown
- Shadow Cloak
- Death's Embrace
Gameplay notes
- Spread corruption before executing enemies—patience multiplies damage.
- Time harvests when two or more elites are about to fall.
- Use waves to clear lanes, then dive in once buffs are active.
Shadow Warrior
Balanced variant for players still learning harvest timing.
Core mods
- Damage Tome 8
- Health Tome 7
- Size Tome 6
Priority relics
- Balanced Blade
- Shadow Guard
- Soul Shield
- Warrior's Resolve
Gameplay notes
- Rotate between direct swings and controlled retreats.
- Keep one defensive shrine active before major pushes.
- Focus corruption on high-health targets then clean up fodder.
Soul Reaper
High-risk, high-reward soul stacking for speed clears.
Core mods
- Cooldown Tome 9
- Size Tome 8
- Agility Tome 6
Priority relics
- Reaper's Scythe
- Soul Magnet
- Corruption Accelerator
- Death Timer
Gameplay notes
- Aggressively dive to chain harvests before buffs expire.
- Use movement bonuses to kite while corruption chews through packs.
- Always know your escape lane—power spikes vanish if you die.
Synergy quick reference
Partner Synergy Usage tips Sir Chadwell Signature pairing—corruption mastery adds potency to every mechanic. Mandatory choice for endgame routes focused on corruption. Vlad Blood magic amplifies over-time damage and leech keeps you alive. Swap to Vlad when you need sustain without giving up corruption theme. Sir Oofie Armor scaling buys time for corruption to cook. Great stepping stone while practicing Tier 3 the first time. Ninja Mobility turns soul harvest into hit-and-run bursts. Pair with Katana in slot two for execution bursts.
Weapon matchup comparisons
Dexecutioner
- Edge: Corrupted Sword scales infinitely with stack management.
- Watch for: Dexecutioner delivers faster execution if you need immediate clears.
- Best when: Runs last long enough for stacking mechanics to pay off.
Lightning Staff
- Edge: Corruption waves hit harder once stacks build.
- Watch for: Lightning is plug-and-play for crowd control without setup.
- Best when: You can survive the first 10 minutes to reach exponential scaling.
Blood Magic
- Edge: Corrupted Sword spikes damage much higher once harvests chain.
- Watch for: Blood Magic offers safer sustain when you cannot afford mistakes.
- Best when: You already understand corruption timing and want bigger ceilings.
Playstyle rhythm and details
Prime the battlefield
- Tag elites before minions so spread has targets ready to explode.
- Rotate around corrupted groups instead of tunneling one enemy.
Harvest discipline
- Wait until harvest stacks are about to expire before refreshing them.
- Step out briefly after harvest to let buffs settle before re-engaging.
Stay alive
- Use armor or lifesteal relics until you can reliably read Tier 3 telegraphs.
- If harvest buffs fall off, back out; reckless swings kill scaling.
Operational checklist
- Finish Forest Tier 3 and buy Sir Chadwell plus the Corrupted Sword.
- Reach Damage Tome rank 10 before leaning on pure harvest kills.
- Secure Size and Cooldown upgrades to make contagion reliable.
- Practice harvest timing on elite packs before entering Endless.
- Carry a ranged secondary to clear ranged threats during setup.
FAQ quick answers
Why does my damage feel low early?
Corrupted Sword is a ramp weapon. You must apply corruption first, then finish enemies together to trigger soul harvest bonuses.
How do I avoid dying during Tier 3 unlock attempts?
Invest in survivability tomes and keep a defensive relic slot. You only need one carry stat early—the rest should keep you alive.
Is Sir Chadwell mandatory?
He delivers the cleanest synergy, but Vlad or Sir Oofie can bridge the gap while you learn corruption windows.