Sanguine Reach.

Sanguine Reach is the lengthy two-handed relative of Sanguine, forged by Forge out of the very material that makes up Soul's blood-red blade.

Where Sanguine is a blade of sword size for close fighting, Sanguine Reach is longer by a head and needs both hands. Forge made it broad so it sweeps instead of fighting tight. No boss stands in the way; it simply rests at the forge in the Outpost of Weeping Creek Valley.

Treat it as a weapon for managing crowds and distance. One swing travels along a long, flat arc and covers plenty of ground, though the price for that range is a wind-up heavier than that of the quick blades in the Sanguine line.

What the blade becomes later is as important as what it is now. Near the end of the story it can be remade as Blazing Edge, a fire weapon of identical length and weight. For that reason, levelling Sanguine Reach early feeds into a stronger weapon down the line.

Before you start:

• Arrive at the Outpost in Weeping Creek Valley

1. Travel to the Outpost in Weeping Creek Valley and talk to Forge, who opens up weapon upgrades.
2. Lift Sanguine Reach off the rack right at Forge's back.

Each strike with this blade is a full commitment of both hands. Its light strings fan out widely. Position yourself so a single swing strikes several foes, because the weapon is not meant for pursuing one target.

Why a surrounding crowd is no trouble

Its flat arc stretches far enough to take in a whole ring of enemies at once. This reverses the common wisdom that crowds are risky: for this blade, a crowd is exactly what it was designed to hit.

Longblade Chain Slash

Spending 1 Sha-Chi sends out a chain of long cuts that mixes heavy pressure with a fast ending. Since blocking cannot stop it, use it whenever a guard would otherwise keep you out.

Positioning around the slow wind-up

Whiffing a swing carries a high cost. Draw enemies into a line prior to committing, and do not begin a string if an enemy is already within range and poised to attack.

Bonuses as you level

Each upgrade level grants the blade fresh moves and passives. These are Whirlwind Slash at level 5, Fatal Execution at levels 10, 20 and 30, Sweeping Slash at level 15, and Tempest Wheel at level 25.

Levelling steps

Every upgrade adds one level, with a cap at level 60.

Soul Tempering

An irreversible change performed by Myst in Pangzhen after you gather the fire materials.

Strengths

• Since its long flat arc catches multiple enemies per swing, packs and ambushes go more smoothly than they do with short blades.
• For 1 Sha-Chi, Longblade Chain Slash ignores blocking, giving you a way to punish enemies who guard.
• You get it at no cost from the first forge, so upgrades can begin early.

Weaknesses

• A slow wind-up means that any swing that misses leaves you open for a long time.

Best used for

• Taking on packs of foot soldiers, where a single sweep can hit the full line.
• Battles on open ground, where managing distance is up to you.
• Keeping an upgrade route going toward Blazing Edge.

The in-game description says Forge made this as an elongated copy of Sanguine, drawing on Sanguine's material, and describes a long blade cast from that substance, sweeping over entire armies. Both it and Sanguine Twin come from one origin; the Twin is short and dances up close while this one is long and cuts through full ranks. Artisans under Inanis' command forge Sanguine Twin and Sanguine Reach alike.