As a hardcore Elden Ring fan with over 500 hours across multiple playthroughs, I‘ve tested every weapon in this expansive game extensively. And let me tell you: not all weapons are created equal!
Some transform even modest builds into absolute powerhouses. Others remain niche and underwhelming. This definitive weapons tier list for 2024 will showcase the best from the rest, factoring the latest patches and meta.
Here‘s what I assess each weapon on:
- Damage Output: Raw damage plus bonus effects like bleed or frost buildup.
- Skills: Quality and power level of unique skills.
- Requirements & Scaling: Stats needed to wield effectively based on scaling grades.
- Availability: How easy obtaining the weapon is.
- PvP & PvE Utility: Versatility covering both player and enemy encounters.
Now let‘s rank all 309 armaments from the tier list top tiers to the least impressive options.
God Tier S-Rank Weapons
God tier weapons make you feel truly powerful wielding them. They dominate both PvE and PvP when mastered, enabling builds to crush even the toughest endgame bosses and arena duelists.
Rivers of Blood
This katana defined 2022 bleed builds, and remains my top pick entering 2023. The weapon skill Corpse Piler shreds bosses rapidly when used aggressively. In PvP, it roll catches aggressively and applies devastating blood loss.
Skill animations and effects received nerfs, but with good spacing you can still delete players and even hardy enemies like Malenia with repeated corpse piling. It just feels so satisfying to wield!
How to Get: Defeat Okina invasion at Mountaintop of the Giants
Requirements: 18 Strength, 20 Arcane, 12 Dexterity
Scaling: D Dexterity / D Arcane
Skill: Corpse Piler
Hand of Malenia
Lady Malenia‘s famed katana suits advanced players, with the complex Waterfowl Dance skill enabling devastating combos when mastered properly. Charging the skill to delay initial strikes or catch rolls remains essential in PvP.
The weapon lacks poise but heals on hits. In the right hands, Malenia‘s Hand can completely dominate both PvE and PvP with practice. The most skill testing weapon that delivers excellence when mastered.
How to Get: Trade Malenia remembrance to Enia at Roundtable Hold
Requirements: 48 Dexterity, 16 Strength
Scaling: E Dexterity
Skill: Waterfowl Dance
Blasphemous Blade
Rykard‘s storied greatsword offers my favorite sustainability through its skill Taker‘s Flame. Kills regenerate HP, enabling hyper-aggressive play. At +10 upgrades, it also restores FP on kills!
The weapon lacks range or speed. But the fiery explosions on each swing devastate groups and even tanky enemies like Crucible Knights. Bonus damage against the undead makes it exceptional in dungeons and catacombs too.
How to Get: Trade Rykard remembrance to Enia at Roundtable Hold
Requirements: 20 Strength, 15 Dexterity, 20 Faith
Scaling: B Strength / C Faith
Skill: Taker‘s Flame
Top Tier S- Weapons Worth Building Around
While not as versatile as the absolute cream of the crop God weapons, these remain fantastic armaments that enable powerful builds under the right circumstances.
Dark Moon Greatsword
This gorgeous iridescent greatsword hits with fluid slashes alongside a projectile weapon skill. As a faster colossal sword, the Dark Moon can roll catch in PvP excellently while bringing ranged magic attacks.
It shines most on Intelligence builds, backed up by melee attacks enhanced with scholar‘s armaments. Frost accumulation can also hinder enemies struck by the beams. One of the most well-balanced and visually striking weapons available.
How to Get: Gift from Ranni after giving her the Darkmoon Ring in Renna‘s Rise
Requirements: 16 Strength, 11 Dexterity, 38 Intelligence
Scaling: C Intelligence / D Dexterity
Skill: Wave of Darkmoon
Sword of Night and Flame
This mythical straight sword remains rightfully infamous, enhancing both Intelligence and Faith magic to explosive results. The skill Morphing Blade lets you switch between dealing fire and magic damage.
Repeatedly chaining the skill obliterates even late game bosses with ease. And the beams still catch overeager PvP opponents. However, after patches, stat requirements limit early access so I‘ve dropped this sword from God tier dominance into simply a top choice.
How to Get: Chest in Caria Manor‘s Forbidden Lands
Requirements: 24 Intelligence, 24 Faith, 12 Dexterity, 12 Strength
Scaling: E Intelligence / E Faith
Skill: Morphing Blade
Mohgwyn‘s Sacred Spear
My favorite spear introduces a totally unique Ash of War multi-hit skill that wrecks foes rapidly applying blood loss. Enhanced charge attacks roll catch beautifully in PvP. Plus the weapon looks badass impaling enemies and contrasts holy with blood magic.
It really shines on Arcane builds also utilizing other hemorrhage armaments. But with good spacing, whiff punishing Mohg‘s spear skill pulls wins even against meta builds. The animation disguises an initial thrust well for catching warriors unaware.
How to Get: Leyndell Catacombs in Mountaintops of the Giants
Requirements: 16 Strength, 12 Dexterity, 20 Arcane
Scaling: D Strength / C Arcane
Skill: Bloodblade Dance
Great A-Tier Weapons
The best of the rest! A-tier weapons deliver excellent well-rounded performance that compete with top tier choices in the right situations.
Moonveil
This beloved katana enhances battle magic wielders with fluid slashes and unique ranged attacks from its Transient Moonlight skill. Attacks stagger enemies while projectiles shred from afar or up close.
It demands Dexterity and Intelligence investment but offers versatile power for spellblade builds. Extensively used even after minor projectile damage nerfs due to great moveset flow enhanced by ranged attacks to control combat spacing.
How to Get: Dropped by Magma Wyrm in Gael Tunnel
Requirements: 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 23 Intelligence
Scaling: E Dexterity / C Intelligence
Skill: Transient Moonlight
Ruins Greatsword
This colossal weapon hits devastatingly hard despite middling speed. Charging the skill Stone Ruin Thrust enhances poise to tank while dealing massive damage that pancakes foes. Plus, the strong attack combos well in PvP.
Fantastic at punishing mistakes. I‘ve one shotinvaders not respecting its powerful skill and combos. Requires high stats but Strength builds wield it as one of the hardest hitting colossal options in the game with versatility.
How to Get:boss in Volcano Manor
Requirements: 50 Strength, 12 Dexterity, 16 Intelligence
Scaling: C Strength
Skill: Stone Ruin Thrust
Gargoyle‘s Black Blades
This exciting twinblade offers strong bleed capacity alongside a skill that enhances successive attacks, rewarding aggressive flurries with ramping damage. Jumps attack and roll catches efficiently while keeping mobility.
Extensively used even post bleed nerfs since multi-hits trigger hemorrhage rapidly. The unique multi-hit combos shred both groups and even sturdy solo enemies once you get a string of attacks going. However, range remains limited so mind spacing.
How to Get: Valiant Gargoyle duo in Nokron
Requirements: 15 Strength, 20 Dexterity, 20 Arcane
Scaling: E Strength / D Dexterity / E Arcane
Skill: Spinning Strikes
Viable B-Tier Weapons
The most middling, yet usable, tier. B-tier weapons work perfectly fine for casual players but often get outclassed in competitive environments by higher tier armaments.
I‘d only run these for meme builds or if lacking upgrade materials for top weapons. They can still succeed but demand excess skill to compete against top tiers.
Coded Sword
A niche holy infused straight sword offering utility against enemy weak to holy damage, which most spectral enemies are. As one of the fastest weapons in the game, it quickly stacks bleed or frostbite status effects.
The Ash of War provides a unique unblockable blade skill. However, awful range and split physical + magic damage limits pure offense potential. But nice as supplemental damage type or pulled out quickly in emergencies.
How to Get: Chest in abandoned house, Mt. Gelmir
Requirements: 20 Faith
Scaling: B Faith
Skill: Unblockable Blade
Morgott‘s Cursed Sword
King Morgott‘s flowing curved greatsword combos well with precise slashes and strong bleed capacity enabled by its skill. It catches less experienced PvP players but struggles against passive or highly aggressive opponents.
The weapon looks stylish yet demands excess skill to compete against meta picks in duels. Also nice for ruthlessly slaughtering those annoying rats! But the high cost of the skill ultimately limits pressure compared to cheaper options.
How to Get: Trade Morgott remembrance to Enia at Roundtable Hold
Requirements: 14 Strength, 35 Dexterity, 17 Arcane
Scaling: E Dexterity / D Arcane
Skill: Cursed Blood Slice
Maliketh‘s Black Blade
Malekith‘s Rune of Death colossal sword synergizes well with Destined Death builds, recommended for PvE shred potential. However, in PvP many late game builds resist Death blight. Area of effect skills also remain easy to dodge.
It devours mid game enemies and even bosses like Draconic Tree Sentinel. But endgame enemies in Farum Azula and Haligtree resist the unique damage type. Still, the drip earns style points for my fellow Fashion Ring enthusiasts.
How to Get: Trade Maliketh remembrance to Enia at Roundtable Hold
Requirements: 34 Strength, 12 Dexterity, 20 Faith
Scaling: C Strength / D Faith
Skill: Destined Death
Mediocre C-Tier Options
Frankly, C-tier weapons fail to impress in the current meta compared to more versatile or powerful alternatives. I‘d only use them temporarily before locating a better weapon then mostly ignore them.
However, completionists like myself will end up trying everything available regardless. So enjoy some thoughts on the most mediocre bunch!
Curved Great Club
This basic club deals less damage than the mighty Brick Hammer or Envoy‘s Greathorn. The moveset remains so slow that even PvE mobs punish whiffed attacks. Low requirements make it available early but seriously – don‘t use this!
I‘ve tried a meme bonk build in PvP dual wielding these…it ended poorly each time. Even with the best offense talismans, the awful move speed means I struggled landing more than one extremely telegraphed attack. Embarrassing!
How to Get: Treasure chest at minor Erdtree in Weeping Peninsula
Requirements: 11 Strength
Scaling: E Strength
Lucerne
This humble halberd serves as an early game staple thanks to availability near the start and respectable damage. However, range underwhelms compared to better endgame options like the Golden Halberd, Nightrider Glaive or Guardian Swordspear. Attacks feel awkward as well.
I used a Heavy infused Lucerne during my first playthrough desperately clinging to my comfort zone halberd moveset until locating the vastly superior Golden Halberd to swap it for good. It gets the job done initially but seriously lacks compared to cooler weapons available later.
How to Get: Chest on clifftops near First Step site of grace
Requirements: 16 Strength, 12 Dexterity
Scaling: D Strength / E Dexterity
Vulgar Militia Shotel
An early available curved sword usable with low requirements. Infusing with Keen or Occult enhances performance. The weapon skill remains awkward to use effectively though – requiring hitting with the shaft rather than blade during the spin.
Feedback on controller feels disjointed. This weapon only excels at proccing bleed reasonably fast. But the unreliable weapon skill and poor range ensure more versatile curved swords or katanas outclass it shortly after early areas. D for disappinting!
How to Get: Impaled corpse on cliffs near Seaside Ruins in Limgrave
Requirements: 9 Strength, 13 Dexterity
Scaling: D Dexterity
F-Tier Weapons to Avoid
I only recommend using F-tier weapons if doing a naked punching character for laughs. Otherwise they‘re so bad there exist zero reasons to ever equip them.
Seriously, these may as well be left on the ground rather than clogging up your precious inventory space:
- Broken weapons like the Starter Club that can‘t be two-handed
- The absolute worst options in a particular class like daggers and whips
- Joke stuff like skulls or Ballistas requiring unreasonable stat investments
Using these weapons are purely to flex “git gud” skills against groups or invaders after you inevitably crush them with actual good gear!
Final Verdict: Top Weapons Per Category
Rather than overwhelm with full rankings per class, let‘s summarize by highlighting my top 3 standout choices per weapon category as we wrap up.
Best Swords
- Sword of Night and Flame
- Dark Moon Greatsword
- Moonveil
Best Katanas
- Rivers of Blood
- Hand of Malenia
- Moonveil
Best Greatswords
- Blasphemous Blade
- Ruins Greatsword
- Starscourge Greatswords
Best Spears
- Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear
- Serpent Hunter
- Bolt of Gransax
And there you have it – the best weapons across categories to utterly crush Elden Ring PvE and PvP combat! I‘m excited to continue wrecking bosses and fellow Tarnished alike using these exceptional armaments.
Let me know which weapons exceeded expectations or felt disappointing in the comments section. And remember to always praise the sun!
