The Black Needle fixes the classic problem with spears in this genre: it is fast. Rapid multi-thrusts, aggressive chains, and the spear-exclusive Phantom infusion make this one of the most fun late-game weapons in Mortal Shell II — and the whole kit drops from a single gate.
Note: screenshots below are in-game frames referenced from a community weapon-guide video, credited in the sources section.
Where to find the Black Needle
Travel to Sester's Gate in the far south — this is late-game territory. The boss at the end of the gate drops the spear, and the surrounding gate content hands you the rest of the package: a ranged weapon and the Phantom stone come from the same trip, and clearing the gate itself grants the unique special. One visit, full spear kit.
Moveset overview
- Light attacks — thrust, thrust, spin, thrust. The chain covers a surprising arc for a spear.
- Heavy attacks — a sweep-sweep-sweep-sweep chain that finishes with a heavy thrust.
- Running light — a quick stab.
- Running heavy — a heavier, committed thrust.
The speed is the identity: quickness on the thrusts plus the multi-thrust finisher feels closer to an aggressive ranged-marksman playstyle than the usual slow polearm poke.
Best Tarstones: a genuinely flexible slot
No single stone wins here, which is rare. Three directions all work:
- Light combo finisher — remixes the final attack into an additional thrust.
- Thief's Stone — Warp-stacked attack speed on a weapon this fast is self-explanatory.
- Zealot's Stone — for the Resolve-hungry playstyle.
Pick whichever matches the fight; you will be in good shape regardless.
Infusions: Phantom, the spear exclusive
Poison is available, but Phantom is strictly unique to the Black Needle and worth building around: damage builds up on the target, then splashes out as a large burst of stagger. It turns the spear's rapid hits into a delayed control bomb — great against bosses with big poise pools.
Special ability
Two directions: the Infused Stone hurls the spear like a boomerang for ranged AoE coverage, while the Conqueror's Reward delivers big, bulky melee damage and is the recommended pick for most builds. Like Magdalena's Memento and the Captive's Scabstone, it drops from a gate boss, so it slots into the collection naturally as you clear gates.
Verdict
A late-game spear that actually plays like an action weapon. Clear Sester's Gate, socket Phantom, and stay on the offensive — the Needle rewards never letting go of the trigger.