Welcome to the most comprehensive Elden Ring best weapons tier list you’ll find anywhere! As a seasoned Tarnished who’s spent countless hours testing every weapon in both the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, I’m excited to share my detailed rankings and analysis. Whether you’re a new player looking for early game weapons or a veteran seeking the ultimate endgame power, this guide has everything you need to dominate the Lands Between.
In this ultimate guide, I’ll break down the best weapons for every build type, reveal hidden gems that most players overlook, and provide detailed analysis of why certain weapons outperform others. I’ve personally tested each weapon extensively across different scenarios to ensure these rankings reflect real-world performance, not just theory crafting.
| Build Type | S-Tier Weapons | Best Early Game | Top DLC Pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Giant-Crusher, Greatsword | Greatsword | Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword |
| Dexterity | Rivers of Blood, Bloodhound’s Fang | Uchigatana | Backhand Blade |
| Intelligence | Moonveil, Dark Moon Greatsword | Meteorite Staff | Carian Thrusting Shield |
| Faith | Blasphemous Blade, Black Knife | Reduvia | Bloodfiend’s Arm |
| Arcane | Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear | Reduvia | Bloodfiend’s Arm |
| Hybrid | Sword of Night and Flame | Uchigatana | Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana |
These weapons represent the pinnacle of power in Elden Ring, offering exceptional damage, unique abilities, and versatility that makes them stand above all others. If you can get your hands on these weapons, they’ll carry you through the entire game with ease.
Why it’s S-Tier: The Blasphemous Blade isn’t just a weapon; it’s a survival package. Its weapon skill, Taker’s Flames, deals massive fire damage while healing you for a percentage of the damage dealt. This self-healing mechanic makes it incredibly forgiving for aggressive playstyles and turns challenging boss fights into manageable encounters.
Requirements: 22 Strength, 15 Faith, 17 Dexterity Best For: Faith builds, Quality builds Location: Defeat Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy
Pro Tip: Pair this with the Flame, Grant Me Strength incantation and Fire Scorpion Charm for absolutely devastating damage output. The healing effect scales with your Faith stat, making pure Faith builds particularly potent.
Why it’s S-Tier: Despite several nerfs over the years, Rivers of Blood remains one of the most powerful weapons in the game. Its Corpse Piler weapon skill can rapidly build up Blood Loss on enemies, dealing massive chunks of health with each proc. The weapon skill is also incredibly FP-efficient, allowing for sustained pressure in extended fights.
Requirements: 12 Strength, 18 Arcane, 20 Dexterity Best For: Arcane builds, Dexterity builds Location: Defeat Okina at Mountaintops of the Giants
Pro Tip: Use the Lord of Blood’s Exultation talisman to boost your attack power whenever Blood Loss occurs. This creates a deadly feedback loop where your weapon skill procs bleed, which increases your damage, making subsequent hits even more devastating.
Why it’s S-Tier: Moonveil is the quintessential Intelligence weapon, offering both excellent melee damage and a powerful ranged option. Its Transient Moonlight weapon skill can be used for a quick horizontal slash or charged for a powerful projectile attack. The low FP cost and high damage output make it incredibly versatile.
Requirements: 12 Strength, 23 Intelligence, 18 Dexterity Best For: Intelligence builds, Quality builds Location: Defeat the Magma Wyrm in Gael Tunnel
Pro Tip: The charged version of Transient Moonlight deals more damage and has better range, making it perfect for hitting enemies from a safe distance. Pair with the Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear for extended damage output during boss fights.
Why it’s S-Tier: If raw physical damage is what you’re after, look no further than the Giant-Crusher. This colossal weapon achieves S-Strength scaling when upgraded to +25 with Heavy infusion, making it the hardest-hitting Strength weapon in the game. When paired with Royal Knight’s Resolve, it can one-shot many bosses and mini-bosses.
Requirements: 60 Strength (two-handable at 40) Best For: Pure Strength builds Location: Found in Altus Plateau near the Minor Erdtree
Pro Tip: Use the Two-Handed Sword Talisman and Winged Sword Emblem to maximize your damage output. The Giant-Crusher benefits immensely from charged heavy attacks, so learn enemy patterns to land these devastating blows consistently.
Why it’s S-Tier: The iconic Dark Moon Greatsword offers a unique blend of melee and ranged capabilities. Its weapon skill, Moonlight Greatsword, imbues the blade with frost magic, allowing both melee attacks to build Frostbite and charged heavy attacks to shoot frost projectiles. This versatility makes it excellent for various encounter types.
Requirements: 16 Strength, 38 Intelligence, 11 Dexterity Best For: Intelligence builds, Hybrid builds Location: Complete Ranni’s questline
Pro Tip: The frost buildup from this weapon synergizes incredibly well with the Frostbite status effect. Once an enemy is Frostbitten, they take increased damage, making follow-up attacks even more devastating. Consider using the Cerulean Hidden Tear to spam the weapon skill during critical moments.
These weapons are just a step below S-Tier but still offer exceptional performance that will carry you through any content in the game.
Why it’s A-Tier: Bloodhound’s Fang is arguably the best early-game weapon that remains viable all the way to the endgame. Its Bloodhound’s Finesse weapon skill deals significant damage while providing a dodge-like animation, making it both offensive and defensive. The weapon also builds Bleed naturally, adding extra damage over time.
Requirements: 18 Strength, 17 Dexterity Best For: Dexterity builds, Quality builds Location: Defeat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil in Forlorn Hound Evergaol
Pro Tip: The dodge animation from Bloodhound’s Finesse has invincibility frames, making it perfect for dodging boss attacks while simultaneously dealing damage. Time your usage carefully to avoid incoming attacks while maintaining offensive pressure.
Why it’s A-Tier: This unique spear combines the reach of a spear with the devastating Blood Loss buildup of arcane weapons. Its Bloodboon Ritual weapon skill creates an AoE blood explosion that can proc Bleed multiple times on groups of enemies, making it exceptional for crowd control.
Requirements: 24 Strength, 27 Arcane, 14 Dexterity Best For: Arcane builds, Hybrid builds Location: Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood
Pro Tip: The AoE effect from Bloodboon Ritual can hit enemies behind walls and around corners, making it perfect for dealing with groups of enemies safely. Use the Kindred of Rot’s Exultation to boost your attack power whenever Poison or Blood Loss occurs.
Why it’s A-Tier: Sometimes simplicity is best, and the Greatsword proves this point perfectly. While it lacks flashy weapon skills, its excellent moveset, high damage output, and versatility with Ashes of War make it a reliable choice for any Strength build. It’s particularly effective at staggering bosses and breaking their posture.
Requirements: 31 Strength (two-handable at 20) Best For: Strength builds, Quality builds Location: Found in a carriage chest northwest of Caelem Ruins in Caelid
Pro Tip: The Greatsword has one of the best running heavy attacks in the game, offering excellent range and damage. Use this to your advantage by creating distance and then closing in with devastating running attacks. Consider infusing it with Heavy for pure Strength builds or Quality for balanced builds.
Why it’s A-Tier: As a replica of Malenia’s weapon, the Hand of Malenia offers incredible dexterity scaling and a unique Waterfowl Dance-like weapon skill. While not as powerful as the original version, it still provides excellent damage output and a moveset that many players find intuitive and effective.
Requirements: 16 Strength, 22 Dexterity Best For: Dexterity builds, Quality builds Location: Defeat Malenia, Blade of Miquella, and transcribe her remembrance
Pro Tip: The weapon skill, Waterfowl Dance, can be difficult to land consistently. Practice timing it when enemies are recovering from their own attacks or when you have them cornered. The final hit of the combo deals the most damage, so try to ensure it connects.
Why it’s A-Tier: This unique spear offers excellent dexterity scaling and a powerful lightning-based weapon skill. Its unique property is that the lightning damage scales exclusively with Dexterity, making it a perfect choice for pure Dexterity builds looking for elemental damage options.
Requirements: 20 Strength, 40 Dexterity Best For: Dexterity builds Location: Found in Leyndell, Royal Capital
Pro Tip: The weapon skill, Ancient Lightning Strike, can be charged for additional damage and range. Use this to your advantage when fighting at a distance or when you need to hit multiple enemies in a line. The lightning damage is particularly effective against heavily armored enemies and dragons.
The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC introduced 8 completely new weapon types that have significantly expanded the game’s combat options. These new weapons offer unique playstyles and mechanics that weren’t available in the base game, making them essential considerations for any comprehensive tier list.
Overview: Thrusting Shields revolutionize shield gameplay by allowing players to attack and defend with the same equipment. These weapons can perform lunging stabs while maintaining the ability to block incoming attacks, creating a new hybrid playstyle that’s both offensive and defensive.
Best Options:
Why They’re Meta: Thrusting Shields excel in situations where you need to maintain defensive pressure while still dealing consistent damage. They’re particularly effective against aggressive enemies and bosses, as you can block their attacks while simultaneously looking for openings to counter-attack.
Overview: Hand-to-hand Arts remove weapons entirely, instead using your character’s fists and feet as lethal weapons. This martial arts style offers quick combos, staggering finishers, and unique weapon skills that include flying kicks and acrobatic maneuvers.
Best Options:
Why They’re Meta: Hand-to-hand Arts provide some of the fastest attack speeds in the game, making them excellent for applying status effects quickly and breaking enemy posture. The lack of weapon requirements also makes them accessible to any build, though they benefit most from Dexterity and Strength investments.
Overview: Throwing Blades represent a new paradigm in ranged combat, allowing players to throw their weapons that automatically return to their hands. This creates a unique hit-and-run playstyle that’s perfect for players who prefer to fight at a distance.
Best Options:
Why They’re Meta: Throwing Blades excel at safely dealing damage from range while maintaining the ability to switch to melee combat when needed. The automatic return mechanic means you never run out of ammunition, making them incredibly sustainable for extended fights.
Overview: Reverse-hand Swords are wielded in a reverse-grip style, offering rapid slashing attacks and unique mobility options. Unlike regular dual wielding, these weapons can be dual-wielded while still maintaining the ability to block, creating a versatile combat style.
Best Options:
Why They’re Meta: Reverse-hand Swords offer some of the best mobility in the game, with quick dashes and flanking attacks that make it difficult for enemies to track your movements. The ability to block while dual-wielding also provides defensive options that aren’t available with other dual-wielding setups.
Overview: Perfume Bottles transform what were once consumable items into full-fledged weapons. These bottles can fling various elemental effects, dealing fire, frost, lightning, poison, or frenzy damage depending on the specific bottle.
Best Options:
Why They’re Meta: Perfume Bottles offer incredible elemental versatility, allowing players to adapt their damage type to enemy weaknesses. The area-of-effect nature of many perfume attacks also makes them excellent for crowd control and dealing with groups of enemies.
Overview: Great Katanas (also known as Odachi) are larger, more powerful versions of traditional katanas. They offer extended reach, higher damage per hit, and unique movesets that differentiate them from their smaller counterparts.
Best Options:
Why They’re Meta: Great Katanas combine the elegance and speed of katanas with the raw power of larger weapons. They’re particularly effective against large enemies and bosses, where their extended reach allows you to hit vulnerable spots from a safer distance.
Overview: Light Greatswords offer a middle ground between regular greatswords and smaller swords, providing excellent reach with surprisingly quick attack speeds. They excel at long combo attacks and have unique stance-based weapon skills.
Best Options:
Why They’re Meta: Light Greatswords offer some of the best combo potential in the game, with long attack strings that can keep enemies stun-locked for extended periods. Their guard counter capabilities also make them excellent for defensive playstyles.
Overview: Beast Claws are a new variant of claw weapons that emphasize rapid mobility and aggressive attacks. They offer quick lunges, dashes, and powerful jumping slashes that make them incredibly dynamic and fun to use.
Best Options:
Why They’re Meta: Beast Claws offer unparalleled mobility and aggression, allowing players to constantly pressure enemies with rapid attacks while avoiding damage through quick movement. They’re particularly effective against faster enemies and bosses where traditional slower weapons might struggle.
Starting your journey in the Lands Between can be overwhelming, but getting the right weapons early can make all the difference. Here are the best weapons you should prioritize obtaining in your first 10-20 hours of gameplay.
Why Get It Early: Bloodhound’s Fang is arguably the best early-game weapon in Elden Ring. It can be obtained within the first few hours of gameplay and remains viable all the way to the endgame. Its Bleed buildup and excellent weapon skill make it effective against both regular enemies and bosses.
How to Get: Defeat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil inside the Forlorn Hound Evergaol in Limgrave. This boss can be challenging for new players, but with proper preparation (summoning Spirit Ashes, using consumables), it’s very manageable.
Early Game Impact: This weapon will carry you through Limgrave, Liurnia, and even into Caelid without needing upgrades. Its versatility means it works well against all enemy types you’ll encounter early on.
Why Get It Early: The Uchigatana is a classic starting weapon for Samurai players, but it’s excellent for any build focusing on Dexterity. It has a quick moveset, good Bleed buildup, and the Unsheathe weapon skill deals impressive posture damage.
How to Get: Found inside the Deathtouched Catacombs in Limgrave. The catacombs are relatively straightforward, and the weapon is located in a room near the end of the dungeon.
Early Game Impact: The Uchigatana’s quick attacks make it perfect for learning enemy patterns and maintaining offensive pressure. Its Bleed buildup helps deal with tougher enemies and bosses early on.
Why Get It Early: For Intelligence builds, the Meteorite Staff is a must-have early-game weapon. It offers S-tier Intelligence scaling right from the start, making it the best staff for early-game spellcasting.
How to Get: Found inside a broken tower at the Street of Sages Ruins in Caelid. While Caelid is a high-level area, you can sprint to the location on horseback without fighting enemies.
Early Game Impact: Pair this staff with the Rock Sling spell, and you’ll have a devastating early-game combo that can stagger and kill most enemies quickly. This setup will carry you through the first half of the game easily.
Why Get It Early: Reduvia is a unique dagger that can be obtained very early and offers excellent Bleed buildup from range. Its weapon skill can be used safely from a distance, making it perfect for dealing with tough enemies and bosses.
How to Get: Defeat Blood Finger Nerijus outside Murkwater Cave in Limgrave. This invasion happens automatically when you approach the cave entrance.
Early Game Impact: Reduvia’s ranged Bleed application makes it incredibly safe to use against dangerous enemies. You can often kill bosses without ever getting close by spamming the weapon skill from a distance.
Why Get It Early: For Strength builds, the Greatsword is one of the best early-game options. It offers high damage output, excellent stagger potential, and versatility with Ashes of War.
How to Get: Found inside a carriage chest to the northwest of the Caelem Ruins site of grace in Caelid. Like the Meteorite Staff, you can sprint to this location on horseback.
Early Game Impact: The Greatsword’s high damage and stagger potential make it excellent for dealing with tough enemies and early bosses. Its two-handed requirements are also manageable for early-game Strength builds.
Why Get It Early: While not a traditional weapon, the Great Turtle Shell is one of the best early-game items for any melee build. Its passive effect provides continuous stamina regeneration, which is invaluable for extended combat encounters.
How to Get: Use the spirit spring jump near the Castle Morne Ramparts site of grace to reach the tower containing the shield.
Early Game Impact: The constant stamina regeneration allows for more aggressive playstyles and longer combos. This effect stacks with other stamina regeneration sources, making it even more powerful as you progress.
Different builds require different weapons to maximize their effectiveness. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the best weapons for each major build type in Elden Ring.
Strength builds focus on raw physical damage and overwhelming enemies with heavy weapons. These builds typically prioritize Strength stat investment and use weapons with high Strength scaling.
Giant-Crusher: The undisputed king of raw physical damage. When Heavy-infused and upgraded to +25, it achieves S-Strength scaling and can one-shot many bosses when paired with Royal Knight’s Resolve.
Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword (DLC): This DLC weapon offers excellent Strength and Arcane scaling, making it perfect for hybrid Strength/Arcane builds. Its White Light Charge skill is fast and has great reach.
Greatsword: The classic Strength weapon that never goes out of style. Its excellent moveset and versatility with Ashes of War make it a reliable choice for any Strength build.
Black Steel Greathammer (DLC): This DLC weapon deals holy damage on guard counters and achieves A-Strength scaling when Heavy-infused. It’s perfect for players who like to play defensively while still dealing heavy damage.
Starscourge Greatsword: While requiring high stats, this weapon offers incredible damage output and a unique weapon skill that can devastate groups of enemies.
Ruin Greatsword: Another high-stat weapon that offers excellent damage and a unique weapon skill that creates a gravity well, pulling enemies in for massive damage.
Grafted Blade Greatsword: This weapon offers excellent damage and the unique ability to temporarily boost all your stats with its weapon skill.
Rusted Anchor: A surprisingly effective Strength weapon that deals blood loss buildup and has excellent range for its class.
Dexterity builds focus on speed, combo potential, and status effect application. These builds prioritize Dexterity stat investment and typically use faster weapons with good Dexterity scaling.
Rivers of Blood: Despite nerfs, it remains one of the best weapons for Dexterity builds. Its Corpse Piler skill can rapidly apply Bleed and deal massive damage.
Bloodhound’s Fang: The perfect balance of early-game accessibility and endgame viability. Its Bloodhound’s Finesse skill offers both damage and mobility.
Hand of Malenia: A fantastic Dexterity weapon with a moveset that many players find intuitive and effective. Its Waterfowl Dance skill can deal devastating damage when timed correctly.
Backhand Blade (DLC): This DLC weapon offers S-Dexterity scaling and a useful weapon skill that lets you dodge to the side for a strike. It’s also a paired weapon, enabling dual-wield when two-handed.
Nagakiba: An extended katana with excellent reach and Bleed buildup. Perfect for players who want to keep enemies at a distance.
Bolt of Gransax: A unique spear where the lightning damage scales exclusively with Dexterity. Excellent for players who want elemental damage options.
Uchigatana: The classic Dexterity weapon that’s effective from the moment you find it until the end of the game.
Godskin Peeler: A twinblade with excellent Bleed buildup and a unique weapon skill that can hit multiple times.
Intelligence builds focus on magic damage and spellcasting. These builds prioritize Intelligence stat investment and typically use weapons that deal magic damage or scale well with Intelligence.
Moonveil: The quintessential Intelligence weapon that offers both excellent melee damage and a powerful ranged option. Its Transient Moonlight skill is incredibly versatile.
Dark Moon Greatsword: An iconic weapon that offers a unique blend of melee and frost damage. Its Moonlight Greatsword skill imbues the blade with frost magic.
Carian Regal Scepter: While technically a staff, it’s the best sorcery scaling Glintstone Staff in the game and essential for pure Intelligence casters.
Carian Thrusting Shield (DLC): This DLC weapon allows you to block enemy hits while attacking, creating a unique defensive playstyle for Intelligence builds.
Death’s Poker: A unique weapon that deals both physical and magic damage, with a weapon skill that creates a trail of fire.
Wing of Astel: Another unique weapon that deals magic damage and has a versatile weapon skill that can be used for both close and ranged combat.
Meteorite Staff: The best early-game staff for Intelligence builds, offering S-tier Intelligence scaling from the start.
Rotten Crystal Sword: A weapon that deals magic damage and builds up Poison, making it excellent for extended fights.
Faith builds focus on incantations and fire/holy damage. These builds prioritize Faith stat investment and typically use weapons that deal fire or holy damage or scale well with Faith.
Blasphemous Blade: The ultimate Faith weapon that deals fire damage and heals you with its weapon skill. It’s incredibly versatile and forgiving for aggressive playstyles.
Black Knife: A unique dagger that deals holy damage and has a weapon skill that can quickly deplete enemy HP bars.
Godslayer’s Greatsword: A powerful weapon that deals fire damage and has a unique weapon skill that creates a massive explosion.
Bloodfiend’s Arm (DLC): This DLC weapon can easily proc Bleed with heavy attacks and deals high physical damage, making it perfect for hybrid Faith/Arcane builds.
Magma Blade: A curved sword that deals fire damage and has a unique moveset that many players find enjoyable.
Sword of Night and Flame: A hybrid weapon that can deal both magic and fire damage, making it versatile for different encounter types.
Winged Scythe: A reaper weapon that deals holy damage and has a unique weapon skill that can hit multiple enemies.
Golden Order Greatsword: A weapon that deals both physical and holy damage, perfect for players who want to balance between physical and elemental damage.
Arcane builds focus on status effect application and discovery. These builds prioritize Arcane stat investment and typically use weapons that build up status effects like Bleed, Poison, or Sleep.
Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear: The ultimate Arcane weapon that deals Blood Loss buildup with its weapon skill. The AoE effect can hit multiple enemies and proc Bleed repeatedly.
Rivers of Blood: While also excellent for Dexterity builds, its Arcane scaling makes it perfect for hybrid Arcane/Dexterity builds.
Bloodfiend’s Arm (DLC): This DLC weapon excels at Bleed buildup and deals high physical damage, making it perfect for pure Arcane builds.
Eleonora’s Poleblade: A twinblade with excellent Bleed buildup and a unique weapon skill that can hit multiple enemies.
Reduvia: An early-game weapon that’s surprisingly effective for Arcane builds. Its ranged Bleed application makes it very safe to use.
Godskin Peeler: Another twinblade with excellent Bleed buildup and a unique weapon skill that can hit multiple times.
Morgott’s Cursed Sword: A curved greatsword that deals both physical and fire damage, with good Arcane scaling.
Antspur Rapier: A thrusting sword that builds up Scarlet Rot, making it excellent for dealing with tough enemies and bosses.
To truly master Elden Ring’s combat, you need to understand the deeper mechanics that govern weapon performance. This section covers advanced concepts that will help you maximize your damage output and combat effectiveness.
Weapon scaling determines how much additional damage you gain from investing in specific stats. Understanding scaling is crucial for optimizing your build’s damage output.
Scaling Tiers (from best to worst):
Pro Tip: Always check a weapon’s scaling before investing heavily in a specific stat. Some weapons may have lower base damage but better scaling, making them more powerful at higher stat levels.
Weapon affinities change a weapon’s scaling and damage types, allowing you to customize weapons for your specific build. Understanding how to use affinities effectively is key to maximizing your damage output.
Common Affinities and Their Effects:
Pro Tip: Some weapons perform better with specific affinities due to their base stats and movesets. Experiment with different infusions to find what works best for your playstyle and build.
Ashes of War allow you to customize your weapon’s skill and change its affinity. Choosing the right Ash of War can dramatically change a weapon’s effectiveness and playstyle.
Top Ashes of War for Different Builds:
Pro Tip: Some Ashes of War have unique properties that make them exceptionally powerful in specific situations. For example, Royal Knight’s Resolve doubles your next attack’s damage, making it perfect for one-shot setups with heavy weapons.
Status effects like Bleed, Poison, Frostbite, and Sleep can dramatically increase your damage output against tough enemies and bosses. Understanding how to optimize status effect application is crucial for advanced play.
Status Effect Buildup Tips:
Pro Tip: Different weapons have different status effect buildup rates. Generally, faster weapons with multiple hits (like twinblades or claws) build up status effects more quickly than slower, heavy weapons.
Guard counters are a advanced combat technique that allows you to punish enemy attacks while blocking. Mastering guard counters can dramatically increase your combat effectiveness against tough enemies and bosses.
Guard Counter Tips:
Pro Tip: Practice guard counters on regular enemies before attempting them on bosses. The timing window is relatively small, so muscle memory is crucial for consistent execution.
Even experienced players can fall into bad habits when it comes to weapon selection and usage. Here are some common mistakes to avoid to maximize your effectiveness in Elden Ring.
The Mistake: Many players try to use weapons they don’t have the stats for, resulting in poor damage output and ineffective combat performance.
Why It’s a Problem: Using a weapon without meeting its requirements results in significantly reduced damage and sometimes even inability to use the weapon properly.
The Solution: Always check weapon requirements before investing in upgrading them. It’s better to use a slightly weaker weapon that you meet the requirements for than a powerful weapon you can’t use effectively.
The Mistake: Focusing solely on damage numbers while ignoring how a weapon actually handles and feels in combat.
Why It’s a Problem: A weapon with high damage but a clunky moveset will often perform worse than a weapon with slightly lower damage but excellent handling.
The Solution: Test weapons at Sites of Grace before committing to upgrading them. Pay attention to attack speed, range, and how the weapon feels in actual combat.
The Mistake: Ignoring status effect buildup in favor of raw physical damage.
Why It’s a Problem: Status effects like Bleed and Frostbite can deal massive burst damage and provide significant combat advantages that raw damage alone can’t match.
The Solution: Experiment with weapons that build up status effects, especially against bosses and tough enemies. The burst damage from status procs can often turn the tide of battle.
The Mistake: Using the same weapon throughout the entire game without experimenting with other options.
Why It’s a Problem: Different weapons excel in different situations, and sticking with just one limits your versatility and adaptability.
The Solution: Keep multiple weapons upgraded and ready for different situations. Have a fast weapon for groups of enemies, a heavy weapon for bosses, and a ranged weapon for specific encounters.
The Mistake: Dismissing Shadow of the Erdtree DLC weapons as unbalanced or not worth learning.
Why It’s a Problem: Many DLC weapons offer unique mechanics and playstyles that can significantly enhance your combat effectiveness and enjoyment of the game.
The Solution: Experiment with DLC weapons, even if they seem unfamiliar at first. Many of them offer unique advantages that base game weapons can’t match.
To truly excel at Elden Ring combat, you need to go beyond basic weapon usage and master advanced techniques and strategies. This section covers pro-level strategies that will elevate your combat performance.
Power stancing (dual-wielding two weapons of the same type) offers unique movesets and damage potential that single-wielding can’t match. Mastering power stancing can dramatically increase your damage output.
Power Stancing Tips:
Pro Tip: Experiment with different weapon combinations to find synergies. For example, power stancing two katanas with Bleed buildup can create devastating status effect application.
Jump attacks are some of the most powerful moves in Elden Ring, dealing massive posture damage and often breaking enemy stance. Mastering jump attacks is crucial for boss fights and tough encounters.
Jump Attack Tips:
Pro Tip: Practice jump attack timing on regular enemies to build muscle memory. The goal is to land the jump attack as the enemy’s attack animation is ending, maximizing your damage while minimizing risk.
Charged heavy attacks (R2) often have unique properties and increased damage compared to regular attacks. Learning when and how to use charged attacks effectively can significantly increase your combat effectiveness.
Charged Attack Tips:
Pro Tip: Practice charged attack timing in safe environments. The goal is to start the charge when you anticipate an opening and release it at the perfect moment for maximum damage.
Advanced players often switch between weapons mid-combo to maximize damage and status effect application. Mastering weapon switching can create devastating attack sequences that enemies can’t handle.
Weapon Switching Tips:
Pro Tip: Create weapon loadouts with complementary properties. For example, have a fast Bleed weapon and a heavy physical weapon, switching between them based on the situation.
Using the environment to your advantage is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of weapon mastery. Understanding how to use terrain, obstacles, and positioning can dramatically increase your combat effectiveness.
Environmental Tips:
Pro Tip: Always scan the environment before engaging enemies. Look for advantageous positions, escape routes, and environmental hazards that you can use to your benefit.
The “best” weapon in Elden Ring depends on your build and playstyle, but the Blasphemous Blade is widely considered one of the top weapons overall due to its excellent damage, self-healing capability, and versatility. For Dexterity builds, Rivers of Blood is often considered the best, while Moonveil excels for Intelligence builds.
The best early-game weapons include Bloodhound’s Fang (obtained by defeating Bloodhound Knight Darriwil), Uchigatana (found in Deathtouched Catacombs), Meteorite Staff (found in Caelid), and Reduvia (obtained by defeating Blood Finger Nerijus). These weapons are accessible early and remain viable throughout the game.
Many Shadow of the Erdtree DLC weapons offer unique mechanics and playstyles that can’t be found in the base game, making them excellent additions to any arsenal. However, whether they’re “better” depends on your specific build and preferences. Weapons like the Backhand Blade and Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword are certainly top-tier options.
The Giant-Crusher is widely considered the best weapon for pure Strength builds due to its S-Strength scaling at +25 and massive damage output. Other excellent options include the Greatsword for its versatility and the Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword (DLC) for its unique weapon skill and scaling.
Rivers of Blood is often considered the best weapon for Dexterity builds due to its excellent damage, Bleed buildup, and versatile weapon skill. Other top choices include Bloodhound’s Fang for its early-game accessibility and Hand of Malenia for its unique moveset and damage potential.
Weapon scaling determines how much additional damage you gain from investing in specific stats. Scaling ranges from S (best) to E (worst), with S providing the highest damage bonus per stat point. Higher scaling means more damage from stat investment, making it crucial for optimizing build performance.
The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC introduced 8 new weapon types: Thrusting Shields, Hand-to-hand Arts, Throwing Blades, Reverse-hand Swords, Perfume Bottles, Beast Claws, Light Greatswords, and Great Katanas. Each offers unique mechanics and playstyles not found in the base game.
To optimize status effect buildup, use weapons with high status effect application rates (typically faster weapons), equip talismans that boost status effects (like the Kindred of Rot’s Exultation), and use Ashes of War that enhance status effect application. Power stancing two weapons with the same status effect also dramatically increases buildup rate.
Weapon affinities change a weapon’s scaling and damage types. For example, Heavy affinity improves Strength scaling, Keen improves Dexterity scaling, and Fire adds fire damage but removes all scaling. Choosing the right affinity for your build is crucial for maximizing damage output.
Weapon requirements are extremely important. Using a weapon without meeting its stat requirements results in significantly reduced damage and sometimes inability to use the weapon properly. Always check requirements before investing in upgrading a weapon.
Creating the ultimate Elden Ring best weapons tier list requires careful consideration of countless factors, from raw damage output to moveset versatility and build synergy. Through extensive testing and analysis, I’ve identified the weapons that truly stand above the rest and will serve you well throughout your journey in the Lands Between.
Remember that the “best” weapon ultimately depends on your personal playstyle and build preferences. What works for one player might not work for another, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different weapons and find what feels right for you. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the incredible combat system that Elden Ring offers.
The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has added an exciting new dimension to weapon variety, with 8 new weapon types that offer fresh playstyles and mechanics. Whether you’re a veteran player or just starting your journey, these new weapons provide excellent options to explore and master.
Keep this guide bookmarked and check back regularly for updates as new patches and balance changes may affect weapon rankings. The world of Elden Ring is constantly evolving, and staying informed about the latest changes will help you maintain your edge in combat.
Happy hunting, Tarnished! May your strikes be true and your enemies fall before you.
Looking for more Elden Ring content? Check out our Nightreign Tier List for the latest rankings in the Elden Ring universe!
