Elden Ring Weapons Guide: Every Weapon Class, Affinities and Best Weapons#
Elden Ring has the deepest weapon pool in Soulsborne history — over 300 weapons across 18 classes. Every weapon has its own Ash of War, scaling profile and moveset.
Weapon Class Overview#
| Class | Representative weapons | Main scaling | Speed | Poise damage | Reach | Overall rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Swords | Broadsword, Sword of Night and Flame | Str/Dex | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Greatswords | Blasphemous Blade, Dark Moon Greatsword | Str/Dex | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Colossal Swords | Greatsword, Ruins Greatsword | Pure Str | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Curved Swords | Falchion, Shotel | Dex/Int | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Thrusting Swords | Antspur Rapier, Bloody Helice | Dex/Arc | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Hammers | Mace, Marika’s Hammer | Str | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Great Hammers | Dragon Greatclaw, Starscourge Halfjaw | Pure Str | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Axes | Banished Knight’s Axe, Executioner’s Cleaver | Str | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Greataxes | Omen Cleaver, Iron Greataxe | Pure Str | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Spears | Cross-Naginata, Death Ritual Spear | Dex/Arc | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Great Spears | Treespear, Raptor’s Hook | Str | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Reapers | Halo Scythe, Grave Scythe | Dex | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Fist Weapons | Caestus, Claw | Str/Dex | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Twinblades | Godskin Peeler, Gargoyle’s Twinblade | Dex | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Katanas | Uchigatana, Rivers of Blood, Moonveil | Dex/Int/Arc | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Whips | Whip, Thorned Whip | Dex | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Greatbows | Lions Greatbow | Str | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Glintstone Staffs | Meteorite Staff, Lusat’s Glintstone Staff | Int | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | - | ★★★★★ |
| Sacred Seals | Erdtree Seal, Frenzied Flame Seal | Fth | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | - | ★★★★★ |
| Light Greatswords | Milady | Dex/Fth | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
Beginner tip: starting as the Vagrant class with the Uchigatana is the best starting weapon setup — high bleed buildup, an excellent moveset, and a strong Unsheathe Ash of War.
The Weapon Scaling System#
Weapon scaling determines how much your attributes boost a weapon’s damage — rated from S down to E.
Base Scaling Grades#
| Grade | Damage bonus | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| S | 140%+ | Best scaling — the higher the stat, the more explosive the damage |
| A | 110-139% | Excellent scaling — worth raising that stat to its soft cap |
| B | 80-109% | Good scaling — worth investing points |
| C | 50-79% | Average scaling — a secondary-stat supplement |
| D | 25-49% | Poor scaling — only meets the weapon’s minimum requirement |
| E | 1-24% | Terrible scaling — never invest |
Affinity Overview#
| Affinity | Physical | Elemental | Str scaling | Dex scaling | Int scaling | Fth scaling | Arc scaling | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 100% | None | Mid | Mid | None | None | None | Balanced pure physical builds |
| Heavy | 100% | None | High | Low | None | None | None | Strength builds |
| Keen | 100% | None | Low | High | None | None | None | Dexterity builds |
| Quality | 100% | None | Mid | Mid | None | None | None | Str/Dex hybrid builds |
| Magic | Low | Magic | Low | Low | High | None | None | Intelligence builds |
| Fire | Low | Fire | High | None | None | None | None | Strength fire builds |
| Flame Art | Low | Fire | None | None | None | High | None | Faith fire builds |
| Lightning | Low | Lightning | None | High | None | None | None | Dexterity lightning builds |
| Sacred | Low | Holy | None | None | None | High | None | Faith holy builds (great vs undead) |
| Poison | 100% | Poison buildup | Mid | Mid | None | None | High | Arcane poison builds |
| Blood | 100% | Bleed buildup | Mid | Mid | None | None | High | Arcane bleed builds (strongest) |
| Cold | 100% | Frost buildup | Mid | Mid | High | None | None | Intelligence frost builds |
| Occult | 100% | Arcane scaling | Low | Low | None | None | High | Pure Arcane builds (inflated AR) |
Core affinity rule: pure Strength → Heavy; pure Dexterity → Keen; pure Int → Magic; pure Faith → Flame Art/Sacred; pure Arcane → Occult; bleed builds → Blood; frost builds → Cold.
Somber Weapons vs Regular Weapon Upgrades#
| Comparison | Regular weapons | Somber weapons |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade materials | Smithing Stones [1]-[8] + Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone | Somber Smithing Stones [1]-[9] + Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone |
| Max upgrade level | +25 | +10 |
| Affinity changeable | Yes — Ashes of War can change the affinity | No — fixed affinity |
| Ash of War swappable | Yes — Ashes of War can be replaced | No — fixed skill |
| Scaling flexibility | Extremely high — switch freely between builds | Fixed — only suits specific builds |
| Material availability | Bought in unlimited quantity from Bell Bearings mid-game | Unlimited purchase — but requires the matching Bell Bearing |
| Representative weapons | Broadsword, Longsword, Greatsword, Uchigatana, Cross-Naginata | Moonveil, Dark Moon Greatsword, Rivers of Blood, Blasphemous Blade |
Advice: in the early game take one regular weapon to +12–+18 (Smithing Stones [1]-[4] are easy to find), then bring one Somber weapon to +6–+9 — upgrade both in parallel.
Best Endgame Weapons#
The strongest weapons in the game, sorted by build — the optimal pick for every main attribute spread.
Strength Builds#
| Weapon | Class | Recommended affinity | How to get | Ash of War | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greatsword | Colossal Sword | Heavy | Caelid — carriage chest | Lion’s Claw | ★★★★★ |
| Starscourge Greatsword | Colossal Sword | Fixed | Caelid — defeat Starscourge Radahn | Starcaller Cry | ★★★★★ |
| Dragon Greatclaw | Great Hammer | Heavy | Altus Plateau — the outer wall | Endure | ★★★★★ |
| Ruins Greatsword | Colossal Sword | Fixed | Altus Plateau — stone guardian boss | Wave of Destruction | ★★★★☆ |
| Prelate’s Hammer | Great Hammer | Heavy | Mountaintops of the Giants — defeat the prelate | War Cry | ★★★★☆ |
Dexterity Builds#
| Weapon | Class | Recommended affinity | How to get | Ash of War | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uchigatana | Katana | Keen | Samurai starting weapon | Unsheathe | ★★★★★ |
| Cane Sword | Straight Sword | Fixed | Caelid — boss drop | St. Trina’s lullaby | ★★★★☆ |
| Flowing Curved Sword | Katana | Fixed | Volcano — boss drop | Serpent Slash | ★★★★☆ |
| Nagakiba | Katana | Keen | Bloody Finger Hunter Yura questline | Unsheathe | ★★★★★ |
| Godskin Peeler | Twinblade | Keen | Dropped by Godskin Apostles | Black Flame Tornado | ★★★★★ |
Intelligence Builds#
| Weapon | Class | Recommended affinity | How to get | Ash of War | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Moon Greatsword | Greatsword | Fixed | Final reward of Ranni’s questline | Moonlight Greatsword | ★★★★★ |
| Lusat’s Glintstone Staff | Glintstone Staff | Fixed | Caelid — Sellia Hideaway | - | ★★★★★ |
| Sword of Night and Flame | Straight Sword | Fixed | Inside Caria Manor | Night-and-Flame Stance | ★★★★★ |
| Prince of Death’s Staff | Glintstone Staff | Fixed | Deeproot Depths | - | ★★★★★ |
| Moonveil | Katana | Fixed | Caelid — mine boss | Transient Moonlight | ★★★★★ |
Faith Builds#
| Weapon | Class | Recommended affinity | How to get | Ash of War | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blasphemous Blade | Greatsword | Fixed | Remembrance trade — Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy | Taker’s Flames | ★★★★★ |
| Golden Order Greatsword | Greatsword | Fixed | Leyndell — boss drop | Establish Order | ★★★★☆ |
| Marika’s Hammer | Hammer | Fixed | Remembrance — Elden Beast | Gold Breaker | ★★★★☆ |
| Vyke’s War Spear | Great Spear | Fixed | Mountaintops of the Giants — invader kill | Frenzied Flame thrust | ★★★★☆ |
| Erdtree Seal | Sacred Seal | Fixed | Leyndell — cathedral of the Erdtree | - | ★★★★★ |
Arcane Builds#
| Weapon | Class | Recommended affinity | How to get | Ash of War | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers of Blood | Katana | Fixed | Ainsel River — defeat the Bloody Finger hunter | Corpse Piler | ★★★★★ |
| Eleonora’s Poleblade | Twinblade | Fixed | Ainsel River — invader reward | Bloodblade Dance | ★★★★★ |
| Morgott’s Cursed Sword | Greatsword | Fixed | Remembrance — Morgott, the Omen King | Cursed-Blood Slice | ★★★★★ |
| Cross-Naginata | Spear | Blood | Caelid — carriage chest | Charge | ★★★★★ |
| Godskin Stitcher | Great Spear | Blood | Dropped by Godskin Nobles | Impaling Thrust | ★★★★☆ |
Overall Top 5 Weapons#
| Rank | Weapon | Why | Best build | Difficulty to get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Rivers of Blood | The Corpse Piler skill stacks bleed at absurd speed — top tier in both PVE and PVP | Arcane | ★★★☆☆ |
| 🥈 | Blasphemous Blade | AOE skill plus healing on kill — the strongest map-clearing weapon in the game | Faith | ★★★☆☆ |
| 🥉 | Dark Moon Greatsword | High-damage magic beam at range plus frost buildup — the mage’s ultimate weapon | Intelligence | ★★★★☆ |
| 4 | Moonveil | Transient Moonlight is fast, long-ranged and hard-hitting — a godsend for spellblades early on | Dex/Int | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 5 | Greatsword | The king of pure Strength AR — Heavy affinity plus Lion’s Claw jump attacks wreck everything | Strength | ★☆☆☆☆ |
New Weapon Types Added in the DLC#
Shadow of the Erdtree introduces 8 brand-new weapon types.
| Type | Traits | Recommended weapon | How to get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Greatsword | Faster than a greatsword, nimbler than a colossal — unique skills | Milady | Castle Ensis |
| Martial Arts | Bare-handed fighting — extremely fast attacks, decent poise damage | Dane’s Footwork | Gravesite Plain |
| Beast Claws | Beast-style fighting — rapid raking attacks plus bleed buildup | Red Bear’s Claws | Northern unnamed catacomb |
| Throwing Blade | A ranged melee weapon — can be thrown to attack | Smithscript Dagger | Gravesite Plain — merchant |
| Great Spiked Club | Colossal strike weapon — very high poise damage | Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword | Finger Ruins |
| Perfume Bottle | Uses perfumes / AOE buffs | Sparking Perfume Bottle | Belurat, Tower Settlement |
| Thrusting Shield | Shield and attack in one | Carian Thrusting Shield | Shadow Keep |
| Backhand Blade | Reverse-gripped blades — unique attack angles | Smithscript Cirque | Gravesite Plain — merchant |
Weapon Upgrade Materials Quick Reference#
| Upgrade range | Regular Smithing Stones | Somber Smithing Stones | Key locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| +0→+3 | Smithing Stone [1] ×2 ×3 levels = 6 | Somber [1] ×1 ×3 levels = 3 | Limgrave tunnels |
| +3→+6 | Smithing Stone [2] ×2 ×3 levels = 6 | Somber [2] ×1 ×3 levels = 3 | Liurnia, Caelid tunnels |
| +6→+9 | Smithing Stone [3] ×2 ×3 levels = 6 | Somber [3] ×1 ×3 levels = 3 | Caelid/Altus tunnels |
| +9→+12 | Smithing Stone [4] ×2 ×3 levels = 6 | Somber [4] ×1 ×3 levels = 3 | Altus/Leyndell tunnels |
| +12→+15 | Smithing Stone [5] ×2 ×3 levels = 6 | Somber [5] ×1 ×3 levels = 3 | Leyndell/Mountaintops |
| +15→+18 | Smithing Stone [6] ×2 ×3 levels = 6 | Somber [6] ×1 ×3 levels = 3 | Mountaintops/Consecrated Snowfield |
| +18→+21 | Smithing Stone [7] ×2 ×3 levels = 6 | Somber [7] ×1 ×3 levels = 3 | Consecrated Snowfield/Haligtree |
| +21→+24 | Smithing Stone [8] ×2 ×3 levels = 6 | Somber [8] ×1 ×3 levels = 3 | Haligtree/Deeproot Depths |
| +24→+25 | Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone ×1 | Somber Ancient Dragon ×1 | Limited per playthrough — roughly 13 per run |
Weapon Pairing Suggestions#
| Main hand | Off hand | Pairing strengths | Best build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers of Blood | Dragon Communion Seal | Flame enchantment + Rot breath + bleed pressure | Arcane |
| Dark Moon Greatsword | Lusat’s Glintstone Staff | Moonlight beam at range + Comet Azur bursts | Intelligence |
| Blasphemous Blade | Erdtree Seal | AOE skill healing + Golden Vow + Flame, Grant Me Strength | Faith |
| Greatsword | Greatshield | Heavy colossal jump attacks + greatshield guard that barely drains stamina | Strength |
| Moonveil | Carian Regal Scepter | Transient Moonlight + Carian melee sorceries | Dex/Int |
| Cross-Naginata | Fingerprint Stone Shield | Bleed spear R2 thrusts pierce shields + near-total guard | Arcane |
Weapon Acquisition Route Quick Reference#
Must-Grab Early Weapons#
| Weapon | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Uchigatana | Samurai starting weapon | Excellent bleed moveset, your workhorse through the mid game |
| Greatsword | Caelid carriage chest | Best Strength endgame weapon, but very heavy |
| Meteorite Staff | Street of Sages Ruins | Highest early Int scaling, needs no upgrades |
Mid-Game Transition Weapons#
- After entering Liurnia you can pick up the Cane Sword and Moonveil, and a spells-plus-melee hybrid starts to take shape
- Completing Ranni’s questline ultimately rewards the Dark Moon Greatsword, one of the endgame Intelligence weapons
- The Bloody Finger Hunter Yura questline rewards Nagakiba, letting Dexterity builds come online by mid game
Late-Game Additions#
- Once you reach the Altus Plateau, prioritize the Rykard Remembrance trade — the Blasphemous Blade clears maps extremely efficiently