The Exaiphanes Blade is a free five-star sword introduced in Genshin Impact’s Version 7.0 update. It is built around Crit Rate and attack, and it doubles as the Traveler’s personal weapon, so any sword user can wield it while the Traveler gets extra passive buffs on top.
Quick answer: Follow the Chapter 7, Act 1 Archon Quest “Everwinter Without Mercy” in Snezhnaya, pick up the sword in the cave you explore with Odette, then hit seven different Statues of the Seven in Snezhnaya with Cryo to fully level and refine it.
How to get the Exaiphanes Blade in Genshin Impact
You get the Exaiphanes Blade for free by playing through the Snezhnaya Archon Quest. The Traveler finds the sword at the end of a cave they explore alongside Odette. You are close to that moment once you start talking with Sandrone during Act 1.
You do not need to clear every earlier Archon Quest to reach this point. As long as you finish the Mondstadt Prologue up to Act 3, “Song of the Dragon and Freedom,” you can travel to the Volkodlak Tundra Teleport Waypoint to reach Snezhnaya and start its Archon Quest early.
You will know it worked when the sword lands in your weapon inventory during the quest. From there it is yours to keep, though it starts at a low level until you upgrade it.
How to upgrade and refine the Exaiphanes Blade
The Exaiphanes Blade does not use normal ascension materials. Instead, you power it up at the Statues of the Seven scattered across Snezhnaya. Each statue you activate raises both its level and its Refinement Rank at the same time.
Tip: Selecting the sword at a statue also uncovers a piece of its lore, so it is worth reading through if you enjoy the story side of Snezhnaya.
Exaiphanes Blade stats and passive skill
The Exaiphanes Blade is a five-star sword with a base attack stat and a Crit Rate secondary stat. Its passive skill, Traveler’s Path, only activates for the Traveler, but every character benefits from the raw attack and Crit Rate it provides.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Weapon type | Sword |
| Rarity | 5-star |
| Signature of | The Traveler |
| Base attack (Lv. 90) | 608 |
| Bonus stat (Lv. 90) | Crit Rate +33.1% |
The passive at Refinement 1 works like this: when the Traveler equips the sword, their attack rises by 16% for eight seconds after hitting an opponent, and they regenerate three Elemental Energy. It can trigger once every five seconds and works even when the Traveler is off the field.
Stats at each level
These base attack and Crit Rate values apply to any character who equips the sword.
| Level | Base attack | Crit Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 46 | +7.2% |
| 20 | 122 | +12.7% |
| 40 | 235 | +18.5% |
| 50 | 308 | +21.5% |
| 60 | 382 | +24.4% |
| 70 | 457 | +27.3% |
| 80 | 532 | +30.2% |
| 90 | 608 | +33.1% |
Refinement effects (Traveler only)
Only the Traveler benefits from these Refinement upgrades. From Refinement 2 onward, the sword adds a Crit Damage bonus of 6% for every Element the Traveler has resonated with, on top of a larger attack boost and more energy regeneration.
| Refinement | Attack boost | Energy regen | Crit DMG per resonated Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | 16% for 8s | 3 | None |
| R2 | 20% for 8s | 3 | 6% |
| R3 | 24% for 8s | 5 | 6% |
| R4 | 32% for 8s | 5 | 6% |
| R5 | 40% for 8s | 5 | 6% |
Each of these effects triggers once every five seconds after the Traveler hits an opponent and works while off the field.
Best characters for the Exaiphanes Blade
The Traveler gets the most out of this sword because they are the only one who activates its passive. Everyone else uses it purely as a Crit Rate and attack stat stick, which is still valuable for damage-focused units.
The Traveler (any element)
The Exaiphanes Blade was released alongside the Cryo Traveler, so it is essentially their signature weapon. It boosts attack and Crit Rate while supplying enough energy for a steady Elemental Burst without heavy Energy Recharge investment. Whether you play the Cryo Traveler as a main DPS in Stellar Conduct teams or a sub-DPS in Stellar Swirl teams, this is the default pick.
The same logic applies to the Anemo, Geo, Electro, Dendro, Hydro, and Pyro Travelers. Since only the Traveler unlocks the passive skill and the resonance-based Crit Damage bonus, any elemental form of the Traveler treats this as a top-tier option.
Sword users who want a free Crit Rate stat stick
Other sword characters cannot trigger the passive, but the high base attack and Crit Rate still make the Exaiphanes Blade a strong free option, especially for DPS and sub-DPS roles that already have Crit Damage covered from artifacts or other sources.
| Character | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Odette | Her signature sword also boosts Crit Rate and base attack, so this acts as a free-to-play stand-in without the passive bonuses. |
| Clorinde | A solid free choice when her Crit Damage needs are met elsewhere. |
| Ayato | A strong free-to-play alternative, since he wants Crit and attack for his DPS role. |
| Keqing | Works well if her Crit Damage is already handled by artifacts or team buffs. |
Beyond these, the sword suits any sword-wielding DPS or sub-DPS that scales well with more attack and Crit Rate. Since it costs nothing but a little questing and some Cryo hits at statues, it is worth grabbing even if you only use it as a placeholder while you chase a signature weapon.
