Elden Ring Weapons Tested: Picks, Scaling, and Build Tips

I’ve spent years breaking down elden ring weapons like a gremlin in a basement. Katanas, colossal swords, ashes of war—yeah, I’m that person. In my experience, the right blade makes a boss melt. The wrong one makes you cry.

If you like knowing what’s going on in the wider scene (patch notes, nerfs, buffs, silly drama), I keep an eye on gaming news so I’m not blindsided when my favorite sword suddenly hits like a wet noodle.

Why I Obsess Over Weapons (And Why You Probably Should Too)

I don’t worship damage numbers. I worship consistency. If a weapon lets me stay calm while a dragon sneezes lightning in my face, I’m in. If it makes me button-mash like a caffeinated raccoon, hard pass.

What I think is simple: pick a tool that fits your hands. Your build. Your patience level. Not what a YouTuber told you at 3 a.m.

If you want the dry background lore and who-made-what and all that, the Elden Ring page on Wikipedia is decent. I skim it when my brain wants facts instead of vibes.

How I Test a Blade (My Lazy But Honest Method)

I take it to a spot with wolves and a knight. I check the moveset. I do jump attacks, guard counters, a few charged heavies. Then I try an Ash of War and see if it feels spicy or clunky.

I’ve always found that a weapon’s “feel” shows in the third swing. If I’m already forcing it, we’re not soulmates. Swap. Life’s short. Rune arcs shorter.

If you care what other folks are loving or hating this month, I scroll through game reviews when I’m thinking about new runs. Not to follow the crowd—just to hear the noise.

Quick Scaling 101 (Plain English, No Headache)

Scaling is how your stats boost damage. S is great. A is nice. B is fine. C is “eh.” D is “why.” But scaling only matters if you build for it. A B-scaling weapon on 20 Strength can beat an A-scaling on 12 Strength. Basic math. I try not to overthink it.

My Hot Takes on Weapon Families

Katanas

They’re popular for a reason. Bleed procs, fast moves, stylish sheaths. Rivers of Blood got nerfed and it’s still rude. Uchigatana’s a brilliant starter—clean moveset, easy upgrades. I prefer Nagakiba if I want obnoxious reach that gets me hate mail.

Colossal Swords

They turn bosses into pottery. Yes, they’re slower. But jump L1 with powerstance? It deletes posture bars like a refund request. Greatsword (the big slab) is my comfort food. Remember to manage stamina or you become a decorative smear.

Greatswords (Non-Colossal)

Claymore is honest work. Messers slice nicely. I like their balance: not too slow, not flimsy. Strong guard counter game. You can be patient and still win trades.

Straight Swords

Reliable, kind of vanilla, but sometimes vanilla is the move. Longsword is like a warm hoodie. It just works. If I’m doing a “don’t die” run, I grab one and yawn through half the map.

Spears and Halberds

Range wins fights. Poking from behind a shield is not “cowardice.” It’s self-care. Halberds have spicy movesets, and the jump attacks feel like cleaving bread loaves. Good against dogs. I hate dogs. The in-game ones, not real ones. Relax.

Curved Swords

Graceful, fast, bleed-friendly. Scavenger’s Curved Sword with bleed infusion? That thing rips. Dual curved swords are like blender mode. Bosses hate it, which means I love it.

Thrusting Swords

Prisoner builds rock these. Precise pokes, great in duels. Not as good for swarms unless you weave in weapon arts. But the counter damage is nasty. You feel clever even when you’re not.

Twinblades

Has no right to look this cool. Move set is a dance. The bleed version chunks. It’s a show-off weapon and I salute it. Not my first pick for pure poise trading, but if you got style, go off.

Daggers

They’re not weak. They’re focused. You go for crits, staggers, backstabs. Misericorde crit multiplier is silly. It’s a scalpel, not a hammer. Use the right tool.

Hammers and Flails

Underrated. Hammers with guard counters will crunch most knights. Flails build bleed and look ridiculous in a good way. And they swing over shields, which is ruder than it sounds.

Whips

No shield blocking, but they ignore some guard rules and feel unique. Flame-dance vibes. Watch the spacing. Great style points for Instagram brain.

Bows and Crossbows

Bows reward patience; crossbows reward planning. Sleepbone arrows turn a nightmare into a nap. Great in open world. Less great in cramped boss rooms where dragons try to french kiss you with fire.

Staves and Sacred Seals

Technically not “weapons” to some, but tell that to the guy who ate my Lightning Spear from across the swamp. I love hybrid play: sword in one hand, holy nonsense in the other. Feels like cheating without being actual cheating.

If you want a neat roundup of portals to big gaming sites and where to find deeper breakdowns, this overview on top games feature sites is handy when I’m hunting for patch history breadcrumbs.

On Patch Changes and Meta Panic

Every few months, the meta shifts. A number moved from 0.9 to 0.85 and people throw funerals for their katana. I’ve survived enough patches to say: you’ll be fine. Adapt a little. Try a new Ash. Swap infusion. Chill.

And if you actually want official info and trailers, the official Elden Ring site drops the glossy stuff. Pretty art. Fancy words. Occasional crumbs we can overthink.

Ashes of War: The Sauce That Changes Everything

Ashes of War are the secret spice. Unsheathe is smooth. Lion’s Claw slaps. Flaming Strike adds damage and fires up your blade like a tiny barbecue. Bloodhound Step—controversial, yeah—but on big weapons it makes you feel like a truck with rollerblades.

For staying organized with news, guides, and long reads, I bookmark a couple of gaming article hubs so I don’t have 40 tabs open like a digital raccoon.

Status Effects: Bleed, Frost, Poison, Sleep, Madness

Bleed is the loud one. Everyone knows it. Does a big chunk based on max HP. Bosses hate it. Frost is quieter but stacks well: damage plus debuff. Poison is patient. Put it on and watch health tick while you sip tea.

Sleep is hilarious in the right areas. Madness is niche but funny in PvP. In my experience, mixing statuses is where the fun starts. Cold + Bleed on curved swords? Chef’s kiss.

Infusions and When to Use Them

Heavy for Strength, Keen for Dex, Cold for Frost builds, Sacred/Flame/Lightning for Faith, Magic for Int, Occult for Arcane and status. Don’t be precious. If a boss resists fire, switch. If you’re not sure, Cold is safe. Frost proc + decent scaling = reliable output.

Wondering how balanced or “Souls-y” all this is? You can nerd out on the roots of the design in the Souls series overview. It’s neat to see how we got from bleak corridors to open-world swamps with birds that throw knives.

Early Game Picks That Don’t Require a Degree

Uchigatana from the start (if Samurai) or grabbed in Deathtouched Catacombs. Lordsworn’s Straight Sword off a soldier. Morning Star for bleed. A spear for safe pokes. And a shield with 100% physical block if you’re honest about your reflexes.

I’ve always found the easiest early recipe is: fast weapon, small shield, Storm Stomp or Unsheathe. That’s it. You’ll bulldoze half the map without getting sweaty.

I collect “how-to” write-ups the way raccoons collect shiny lids, so I keep a list of solid guides & tutorials when friends ask, “Where do I get X without crying?”

Powerstancing: Double Trouble

Powerstancing is dual-wielding with matching weapon type to unlock special L1 moves. Katanas? Spin blender. Colossals? Jump L1 earthquake. Curved swords? Human food processor. It’s powerful. It’s also greedy. Respect stamina or look very silly on the ground.

What I think is the real secret: know when not to swing. Let the boss whiff. Then you unload. Aggression is cool. Timing is cooler.

If you like seeing how the pros design the pain, the studio behind this madness is FromSoftware. They do “joy through struggle” like a weird art school.

Shield Talk (I Know, Boring, But Listen)

Medium shields are the sweet spot. I use greatshields only when I want to role-play a refrigerator. Small shields are for parry gods and people who enjoy risk. If I’m tired, I slap Barricade Shield on a medium one and stop thinking for an hour.

Guard Counters: The Forgotten Superpower

Block. Heavy attack. That’s it. Guard counters chew through posture, especially with heavier weapons. Works on so many enemies it feels illegal. Try it on knights. Watch them fall down like they forgot leg day.

Talismans That Make Weapons Sing

Claw Talisman for jump builds. Millicent’s Prosthesis for dex volume. Shard of Alexander for Ash damage. Great-Jar’s Arsenal for equip load so you can wear pants and still roll. That last bit matters.

Weight, Poise, and Not Dying

Medium roll gives freedom. Heavy roll gives pain. Poise lets you finish swings without being sneezed out of your animation. Find your limit. Two-hand for more poise damage when needed.

When I want to see how other people frame a build or rate a weapon after patches, I check periodic gaming news spreadsheets and community chats, then ignore half of it and go touch grass. Balanced.

PvP Reality Check

Bleed is everywhere. Colossal jump L1s are still rude. Straight swords are back in fashion because they’re honest and efficient. Whips surprise folks. Halberds: chef-approved spacing games. My rule: don’t spam one trick. People adapt in two fights.

Boss Fights and Weapon Matchups

Dragons like to fly? Bows help. Knights turtle? Hammers and guard counters. Agile bosses? Fast weapons, rolling attacks, and frost buildup. Big fat trolls? Colossal jump attacks, Storm Stomp into free hits. Tailor your tool to the room.

If you’re comparing multiple viewpoints and you like curated write-ups with fewer pop-ups, I browse a few game reviews pieces during coffee breaks. It’s my low-stress way to catch trends without drowning in discourse.

Weapons I Keep Coming Back To

• Uchigatana: simple, sharp, bleeds. Day-one keeper.
• Greatsword (big slab): feels illegal when it stance-breaks giants.
• Claymore: reliable moveset, good thrusts, great two-hand heavy.
• Nagakiba: reach turns hard rooms into normal rooms.
• Scavenger’s Curved Sword: dual-wield for blender mode.
• Morning Star: early bleed bonks, easy to buff.
• Halberd: spacing clinic, punishes jumpy enemies.
• Misericorde: crit king, pairs with parry or sleep setups.

I keep a tiny bookmarks folder for umbrella roundups like this guide to gaming article hubs so I don’t get lost when I’m researching patch quirks and weird interactions.

Little Rants and Odd Wisdom

• Stop sleeping on Cold infusion. It’s not sexy. It’s effective.
• If your weapon feels bad, it’s not you. It’s the moveset and the math. Try another.
• Jump attacks are basically a second win button. Use them. Talisman helps.
• Guard counters exist. I will shout this forever.
• Don’t marry one weapon. Date a few. Commitment is for NG+.

If you want a roundup of my more practical how-tos and step-by-steps, I stash them with other guides & tutorials so I can toss links at friends instead of re-explaining bleed math for the tenth time.

Fast Build Templates You Can Steal

Strength Bonk (Beginner-Friendly)

• Weapon: Greatsword or Brick Hammer
• Infusion: Heavy
• Talisman: Claw, Radagon’s Scarseal early
• Ash: Lion’s Claw or War Cry
• Plan: Jump heavy, guard counter, stance break into crit

Dex Bleed (Crowd Pleaser)

• Weapon: Uchigatana or Twinblades
• Infusion: Keen + Seppuku for spice, or Occult with Arcane focus
• Talisman: Millicent’s Prosthesis, Lord of Blood’s Exultation
• Ash: Unsheathe, Bloodhound Step if you’re feeling sweaty
• Plan: Fast procs, roll-catch, stack bleed, laugh a little

Faith Hybrid (Swiss Army Paladin)

• Weapon: Straight sword or Halberd
• Infusion: Sacred or Lightning (match boss weakness)
• Talisman: Godfrey Icon, Flock’s Canvas
• Incants: Flame, Grant Me Strength; Lightning Spear; Black Flame
• Plan: Buff, poke, delete chunks safely

Int Spellblade (Blue Sparks, Sharp Steel)

• Weapon: Magic-infused curved or straight sword
• Staff: Lusat’s later; basic Glintstone early
• Ash: Glintblade Phalanx or Carian Grandeur for swag
• Plan: Set up blades, punish, stagger into R2

Arcane Trickster (Status Gremlin)

• Weapon: Occult curved swords or daggers
• Items: Sleepbone, Rot Pots, Poisons
• Plan: Layer status, kite, watch bars fill up

I sometimes skim broader site roundups like this list of top games feature sites when I want different angles or nerdy spreadsheets people cooked up at 2 a.m.

A Few Weapon Etiquette Notes (Mostly for PvP, Honestly)

• Don’t spam the same Ash of War five times in a row. People learn.
• Mix light attacks, charged heavies, and a jump here and there. Unpredictable wins.
• If your build is one-trick bleed, pack a backup for bleed-resistant bosses.
• Respect stamina. If you drain the bar, you lose the turn-based fight you didn’t know you were in.
• Keep your equip load under control. Medium roll makes you feel alive.

I’ll occasionally peek at long-form impressions in curated game reviews to see if anyone discovered a new goofy synergy I missed. Then I go test it and, if it’s real, I quietly steal it.

FAQ (The Stuff My Friends DM Me Every Week)

• Q: What’s the best early weapon if I’m bad at dodging?
  A: A spear with a 100% block shield. Poke, back up, repeat. Add Storm Stomp to control crowds.
• Q: Is bleed still good after nerfs?
  A: Yes. Maybe not “delete the planet” good, but still very strong. Pair it with Cold for safety.
• Q: Do I need to respec if my weapon feels weak?
  A: Not always. Try an infusion swap first. Heavy/Keen/Cold changes everything.
• Q: Are colossal swords too slow for bosses?
  A: They’re slow, not bad. Jump L1 and guard counters carry. Learn openings. You’ll crush posture.
• Q: What’s one Ash of War I should try today?
  A: Flaming Strike. Buff plus wave. Works on tons of weapons and feels great.

Anyway, that’s me rambling. I’ll be in the corner testing a halberd on some poor knight and pretending I’m not addicted to numbers. If you see me swapping builds mid-fight… no you didn’t. And yeah, I still think elden ring weapons are 50% math, 50% vibe, and 10% pure spite. Don’t @ me.

Darius Lukas

I’m Darius Lukas. On my blog, I break down what makes games tick with honest reviews, deep analyses, and guides to help you conquer your next virtual challenge.