Welcome to the ultimate Elden Ring weapons tier list guide, designed to help you conquer the Lands Between with absolute confidence. Whether you are facing brutal bosses like Malenia, exploring the haunting depths of the Shadow of the Realm, or dominating in PvP invasions, having the right best weapons in Elden Ring makes all the difference. With hundreds of armaments available across various classes—from colossal swords and curved greatswords to lightning-fast daggers and devastating magic staves—choosing what to upgrade can feel overwhelming.
In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the meta for Patch 1.12 and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. We have ranked every top-tier armament based on its raw damage output, poise damage, scaling potential, versatility, and unique weapon art skill. Let us dive straight into the ultimate Elden Ring weapon rankings.
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Understanding the Elden Ring Tier List Criteria
Before we look at the specific weapons, it is crucial to understand how we categorize them. The meta has shifted significantly since the game's initial launch, especially with the introduction of new weapon types and rebalancing patches. Our tier list is structured as follows:
- S-Tier (Meta-Defining): These are the absolute best Elden Ring weapons in the game. They offer overpowered weapon skills, incredible scaling, and exceptional utility that trivializes difficult encounters.
- A-Tier (Strong & Reliable): Highly viable choices that can easily carry you through New Game Plus (NG+) and late-game bosses. They require slightly more skill or specific builds to shine.
- B-Tier (Niche & Fun): Perfectly functional armaments that are fun to use and viable for casual playthroughs, but they fall short in optimized or speedrun setups.
- C-Tier (Outclassed): Weapons that are generally underwhelming due to slow animations, poor scaling, or low damage multipliers.
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S-Tier: The Best Elden Ring Weapons
If you want to maximize your damage and breeze through challenging encounters, these are the top-tier Elden Ring armaments you need in your inventory.
Rivers of Blood (Katana)
Despite receiving balance adjustments, Rivers of Blood remains a staple for dexterity and arcane hybrid builds. Its signature skill, Corpse Piler, unleashes a rapid flurry of physical and blood loss damage that shreds boss health bars from a safe distance. Combined with the Lord of Blood's Exultation talisman, this katana melts almost any enemy vulnerable to hemorrhage.
Moonveil (Katana)
For intelligence and dexterity builds, Moonveil is arguably the most consistent and powerful weapon in the game. The Transient Moonlight skill launches a beam of magical energy that deals massive poise damage. You can easily stagger bosses like Radagon and Malikast after just a few well-timed skill activations, making it a favorite for both PvE and PvP.
Blasphemous Blade (Colossal Sword)
The Blasphemous Blade is widely considered the king of faith builds for its incredible survivability. Its unique skill, Taker's Flames, projects a wave of fire that knocks down standard enemies and heals the player for a massive percentage of their maximum health upon hitting a target. This sustain allows you to trade blows aggressively without relying heavily on your Flask of Crimson Tears.
Bloodfiend's Arm (Colossal Weapon)
Introduced in the expansion, the Bloodfiend's Arm quickly rose to S-Tier status due to its innate arcane scaling and ridiculous stagger potential. When infused with bleed using the Blood Affinity, heavy attacks trigger massive hemorrhage procs alongside staggering physical damage. It is currently one of the fastest ways to break boss stances in the entire game.
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A-Tier: High-Performance Armaments
While they might not hold the absolute crown of the meta, these weapons offer incredible power and flexibility for dedicated builds.
Eleonora's Poleblade (Twinblade)
Spinning strikes, fluid animations, and innate blood loss buildup make Eleonora's Poleblade an absolute joy to use. Its weapon skill, Bloodblade Dance, allows you to leap gracefully into the air while executing a multi-hit combo that closes distance quickly and deals heavy damage. It works exceptionally well in a dedicated Arcane/Dexterity build.
Starscourge Greatswords (Colossal Swords)
Wielded two-handed simultaneously despite only requiring one slot in your equipment menu, the Starscourge Greatswords offer fantastic crowd control. Their unique skill, Starcaller Cry, pulls surrounding enemies inward before slamming the earth with gravitational force. This makes it phenomenal for clearing out mobs of lesser enemies in legacy dungeons.
Dark Moon Greatsword (Greatsword)
The quintessential choice for magic users who prefer melee combat. The Dark Moon Greatsword grants a buff via Moonlight Greatsword that covers the blade in frost, projecting powerful projectile waves with heavy attacks at zero FP cost once activated. It combines massive magic damage output with reliable frostbite buildup.
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B-Tier: Niche and Playstyle-Specific Weapons
These choices are fantastic for specific themed builds or casual playthroughs, though they require specific setups to match the raw power of S-Tier gear.
Reduvia (Dagger)
A fantastic early-game weapon that remains surprisingly viable well into the late game. Reduvia allows you to throw blood blades from a medium distance at the cost of very little FP, letting you apply heavy bleed buildup while remaining completely safe from melee counter-attacks.
Godslayer's Greatsword (Colossal Sword)
While technically classified as a colossal sword, the Godslayer's Greatsword swings significantly faster than its peers. Its weapon skill, Queen's Black Flame, deals percentage-based damage over time to enemies, making it exceptionally deadly against high-health bosses, provided you have the time to wind up the attack animation.
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Essential Tips for Upgrading Your Arsenal
Obtaining the best Elden Ring weapons is only half the battle. To truly excel, you need to manage your upgrade materials efficiently.
- Focus on One Main Weapon: Smithing Stones and Somber Smithing Stones are limited during your first playthrough. Commit early to upgrading one or two weapons to maximum level rather than spreading your resources thin.
- Match Your Stats to Scaling: Always check the letter grades (S, A, B, C, D, E) at the bottom of the weapon stat screen. Ensure your attribute points in Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, or Arcane align with where the weapon scales best.
- Leverage Ashes of War: Experiment with different affinities. Changing a weapon to Magic, Flame Art, or Heavy can completely transform its viability based on your character build.
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Conclusion
Mastering the weapon meta in Elden Ring allows you to approach the game's toughest challenges with confidence. Whether you prefer the staggering power of the Bloodfiend's Arm, the ranged magic utility of the Moonveil, or the life-stealing sustain of the Blasphemous Blade, there is a playstyle suited for every Tarnished warrior. Experiment with different combinations, upgrade your favorite armaments, and conquer the Lands Between today!
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Q: What is currently the absolute best weapon in Elden Ring?
A: While opinions vary based on patches and builds, the Blasphemous Blade and Moonveil consistently rank as the top choices for PvE due to their incredible weapon skills, high damage, and ease of use.
Q: Are katanas still good in the current Elden Ring meta?
A: Yes, katanas like Rivers of Blood, Moonveil, and the Nagakiba remain exceptionally strong due to their fast attack speeds, innate bleed buildup, and versatile movesets.
Q: How do I get ancient dragon smithing stones for max upgrades?
A: Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones and Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones are rare, finite resources found in late-game areas like Crumbling Farum Azula, the Miquella's Haligtree, and through specific NPC questlines.
Q: Can I beat Elden Ring using C-Tier or B-Tier weapons?
A: Absolutely. Player skill, proper stat allocation, talisman choices, and learning boss attack patterns matter far more than tier lists. Almost any weapon is viable if upgraded correctly.
Q: Which stat should I prioritize for the highest overall damage?
A: It entirely depends on your chosen weapon. However, Arcane/Dexterity hybrid builds focused on status effects (like bleed) and Intelligence/Faith spellsword builds tend to offer the highest damage ceilings in the late game.
Q: Are DLC weapons from Shadow of the Erdtree stronger than base game weapons?
A: Many weapons introduced in the expansion, such as the Bloodfiend's Arm and Backhand Blades, feature extremely powerful movesets and scaling that rival or exceed base game meta options.
Q: How many weapons can I equip at once?
A: You can equip up to three weapons in each hand (right and left), allowing you to quickly cycle through different armaments during combat without opening your menu.
