Elden Ring Weapon Tier List is widely regarded as a masterpiece of modern gaming, offering players an expansive world filled with challenges, lore, and a wide range of weapons. Whether you’re a first-timer exploring the Lands Between or a seasoned warrior seeking the most powerful gear, your choice of weapon can significantly impact your combat style, progression, and enjoyment of the game.
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Choosing the right weapon in Elden Ring isn’t always a straightforward decision. With dozens of options, each with unique scaling, abilities, and playstyles, understanding which weapons truly shine is essential for making the most of your adventure. In this Elden Ring Weapon Tier List, I’ll guide you through the top-tier weapons in the game based on extensive gameplay experience, providing real-world tips to help you get the most out of your favorite builds.
Whether you’re looking to dominate PvP, obliterate bosses, or just enjoy the fluidity of combat, there’s a weapon for every playstyle. Let’s dive into the world of swords, katanas, and colossal weapons to help you decide what’s best for your character.
S-Tier Weapons: The Pinnacle of Power
These weapons are not just strong—they’re game-changers. Offering unparalleled damage, versatility, and scaling, they are perfect for players who want to conquer Elden Ring with ease.
1. Rivers of Blood (Katana)
Best For: Bleed Builds, Quick Attacks, PvP
Why It’s S-Tier: Rivers of Blood is a perfect weapon for players who love aggressive, fast-paced combat with a deadly bleed effect. This katana’s Corpse Piler special ability sends out a flurry of bloody slashes, quickly building up bleed damage over time. Its rapid attack speed and bleed scaling make it an excellent choice forPvE and PvP situations. I’ve found that using this katana in high-pressure boss fights results in faster, smoother victories, especially against foes with large health pools.
Gameplay Tip: Use Rivers of Blood with the Flame, Grant Me Strength buff for an even more devastating Bleed build. It’s also a great weapon for aggressive PvP combat, as its quick slashes make it difficult for opponents to predict and counter.
2. Greatsword (Colossal Sword)
Best For: Strength Builds, Heavy Damage, Tanky Builds
Why It’s S-Tier: The Greatsword is one of the best colossal swords in Elden Ring, known for its incredible damage output and reach. If you prefer a slower but more deliberate playstyle, this weapon delivers massive damage per hit. Its wide sweeps can hit multiple enemies, making it an excellent choice for crowd control. The Beast Roar weapon art adds a powerful ranged attack that can stagger enemies.
Gameplay Tip: This weapon is especially effective when paired with heavy armor, allowing you to tank hits while dealing devastating damage. Consider combining it with a high-Strength build to maximize its potential.
3. Moonveil (Katana)
Best For: Hybrid Magic Builds, Dexterity/Faith Hybrid
Why It’s S-Tier: The Moonveil katana is a favorite for hybrid builds, offering a blend of dexterity-based speed and Intelligence scaling. The Transient Moonlight ability unleashes a powerful magic projectile that adds a ranged component to an otherwise close-range weapon. This makes it incredibly effective in both melee combat and as a long-range magic weapon.
Gameplay Tip: If you’re building an Intelligence or Dexterity-based character, the Moonveil is a must-have. It lets you seamlessly switch between physical and magical attacks, making it incredibly versatile in boss fights and PvP.
A-Tier Weapons: Reliable Power and Flexibility
These weapons might not be as overwhelmingly strong as those in the S-tier, but they offer a great balance of power, versatility, and usability for most builds.
1. Uchigatana (Katana)
Best For: Bleed Builds, Dexterity Builds
Why It’s A-Tier: The Uchigatana is a fan-favorite katana for good reason. It’s fast, has a solid bleed effect, and works well for players focused on Dexterity-based builds. It doesn’t have the magical or ranged abilities of some other katanas, but it excels at quick, fluid attacks that build bleed damage quickly.
Gameplay Tip: The Uchigatana is perfect for players who like to stay on the move, using hit-and-run tactics to quickly apply bleed damage in PvP or against bosses. Try pairing it with the Bloodflame Blade incantation to further enhance its bleed buildup.
2. Dragon Slayer (Colossal Sword)
Best For: Strength Builds, High Damage Output
Why It’s A-Tier: The Dragon Slayer is a massive, heavy weapon that delivers punishing blows. It has excellent reach and can stagger even the toughest enemies, making it ideal for pure Strength builds. The Lion’s Roar weapon art boosts the weapon’s damage even further, allowing you to obliterate bosses with ease.
Gameplay Tip: Use this weapon with a high-end Strength build, and don’t forget to buff it with Golden Vow to increase both its attack power and defensive capabilities. If you enjoy crushing everything in your path, the Dragon Slayer is the perfect fit.
3. Eleonora’s Poleblade (Twinblade)
Best For: Dexterity/Arcane Hybrid Builds, Aggressive Combat
Why It’s A-Tier: The Eleonora’s Poleblade twinblade is a high-speed weapon with rapid, sweeping attacks that make it ideal for fast, aggressive combat. It scales well with both Dexterity and Arcane, making it perfect for hybrid builds that want to focus on both physical and elemental damage.
Gameplay Tip: Use the Bloodblade Dance ability to rapidly build Bleed damage, and combine this with high Arcane scaling for powerful elemental damage. This weapon is a nightmare in PvP, where its fast attacks leave little room for opponents to react.
B-Tier Weapons: Solid Choices for Tactical Players
While these weapons aren’t as overpowered as those in the higher tiers, they can still be effective in the right hands. They’re perfect for players looking for reliability and practicality.
1. Great Club (Colossal Weapon)
Best For: Strength Builds, High Stagger Potential
Why It’s B-Tier: The Great Club offers incredible raw damage with each swing, making it an excellent choice for players who want to land crushing blows. Its high stagger potential means that you can easily break enemy poise, leading to devastating follow-up attacks.
Gameplay Tip: The Great Club can be slow and cumbersome, so you’ll need to time your attacks carefully. If you enjoy tanking hits and dealing massive damage in return, this weapon is a powerful choice.
2. Bloodhound’s Fang (Curved Greatsword)
Best For: Dexterity Builds, PvP
Why It’s B-Tier: The Bloodhound’s Fang is a curved greatsword that delivers high mobility and fast attacks. Its Bloodhound Step ability allows you to quickly close gaps and dodge attacks, making it an excellent weapon for hit-and-run tactics in PvP.
Gameplay Tip: The weapon’s quick attacks and bleed buildup make it deadly in PvP. Combine it with an agility-focused build to maximize its potential in dodging and striking.
3. Dark Moon Greatsword (Greatsword)
Best For: Intelligence Builds, Magic Melee Combat
Why It’s B-Tier: The Dark Moon Greatsword is a powerful option for players who want to combine melee combat with magic. It scales well with both Strength and Intelligence, and its Moonlight Greatsword ability fires an ice projectile at enemies.
Gameplay Tip: The Dark Moon Greatsword is perfect for players who enjoy versatile combat, switching between magic and physical attacks. Enhance its effectiveness with Comet Azur or Glintstone Pebble for ranged combat.
C-Tier Weapons: Fun to Use but Less Optimal
While these weapons are still enjoyable and can be effective in certain situations, they generally fall behind the higher-tier options in terms of raw power, scaling, and utility.
1. Falchion (Curved Sword)
Best For: Dexterity Builds, Quick Attacks
Why It’s C-Tier: The Falchion is a decent curved sword with fast, agile attacks. However, it lacks the special abilities and damage scaling of other katanas and curved swords. It’s a lightweight option but not the most powerful in endgame content.
Gameplay Tip: While the Falchion won’t outshine other weapons in raw damage, it’s still fun to use for agile, fast-paced combat. Try pairing it with the Quickstep skill to maximize your dodging and attacking speed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which weapon is best for beginners?
The Uchigatana is a solid starting weapon for beginners, thanks to its speed, bleed effect, and straightforward design. It’s effective in both PvE and PvP without requiring complex strategies.
What weapon should I use for magic builds?
The Moonveil katana is perfect for hybrid builds that combine magic and melee. For pure Intelligence builds, the Dark Moon Greatsword offers a solid balance of magic and physical combat.
How do I use Bleed effectively?
Weapons like Rivers of Blood, Uchigatana, and Eleonora’s Poleblade excel at Bleed builds. Focus on hitting enemies multiple times to build up Bleed damage, which will trigger devastating bursts of damage.
Final Thoughts: Find Your Perfect Weapon
In Elden Ring, the weapon you choose can dramatically alter your playstyle and overall experience. There’s no single “best” weapon, as each weapon excels in different situations and with different builds. Whether you prefer the quick, agile strikes of a katana or the slow, crushing power of a greatsword, the key is to find a weapon that suits your playstyle and helps you take on the many challenges of the Lands Between.
Remember that Elden Ring rewards creativity, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different weapons and builds. The journey through the game is as much about the weapon you wield as it is about how you wield it.
Good luck, and may your battles in the Lands Between be legendary!
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