Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is packed with more of everything than most expected, whether it’s the size of the world we’re talking about, how many bosses there are to fight, or just how many different weapons there are to find and use. Where the latter in particular are concerned, the abundance of new options to choose between is simply staggering, and with a large number of them incredibly useful in combat in different ways, experimentation is always encouraged. Here, we’re going to go over what we feel are the fifteen best weapons you’ll find in Shadow of the Erdtree.
EUPORIA TWINBLADE
One of several new hidden Legendary weapons scattered throughout the DLC, the Euporia twinblade can be found in Belurat Tower Settlement, and though getting to it takes some work, it’s worth seeking out. Particularly of note is its weapon skill, Euporia Vortex, which allows you to violently twirl the blade in a circle in front of you to deal heavy damage to foes. A charging mechanic also lets you shoot out bolts with the weapon skill.
SMITHSCRIPT GREATHAMMER
Found in Taylew’s Ruined Forge in the Scadu Altus region, the Smithscript Greathammer is a salivating prospect for anyone who prefers melee builds. Unlike most other melee weapons in the game, this greathammer can be thrown at enemies as a heavy attack, which gives it some decent ranged capabilities. Beyond that, it also has an incredibly useful weapon skill in Endure, which significantly boosts your poise when assuming a stance, making it particularly useful for withstanding heavyhitting attacks from larger foes.
BLACK STEEL TWINBLADE
The Black Steel Twinblade may not boast the sort of high-flying weapon skills that some other weapons in this feature do, but it’s still an incredibly useful weapon to have, thanks to a solid set of stats and plenty of upgrade potential with smithing stones. Its weapon skill, Spinning Slash, is an effective move that can deal damage to multiple foes, while a potential follow-up attack can make the skill that much more effective. You can find it on the Black Knight in the camp in front of Shadow Keep.
DRAGON-HUNTER’S GREAT KATANA
Shadow of the Erdtree has plenty of new dragon foes and bosses to take on, and if those are fights that you have in your crosshairs, this is a weapon you’ll want. The Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana, which can be nabbed off the Ancient Dragon-Man in the Dragon’s Pit, is extra effective against dragons, thanks not only to the weapon skill Dragonwound Slash, but also the fact that even the base damage it doles out against dragons is notably higher than most other weapons.
RELLANA’S TWINBLADE
Obtained in exchange of the Remembrance of the Twin Moon Knight, Rellana’s Twinblade is one of the best weapons you will find in the game. That, of course, means defeating one of the expansion’s hardest bosses in Rellana, but the reward is well worth it, because of the devastating stats that her weapon possesses. The weapon can also be dual-wielded, while its weapon skill, Moon-and-Fire Stance, imbues it with elemental magic.
SWORD OF NIGHT
Not to be confused with the base game’s Sword of Night and Flame, the Sword of Night is a new katana that can be obtained from Jolan after completing the Count Ymir questline. Again, that means taking on one of the game’s most grueling bosses in Metyr, Mother of Fingers, but the Sword of Night is a deadly weapon to have. Most notable of its attributes is the Witching Hour Slash weapon skill, which imbues the blade with the dark of night before you unleash a vicious slash that cannot be blocked.
SPIRIT SWORD
Found in the Cerulean Coast area on the remains of a demi-human corpse is a solid weapon to have in your arsenal for a number of reasons, but as you would expect, it’s its weapon skill that makes it stand out. True to the weapon’s name, its skill, Rancor, summons vengeful spirits that then chase your foes around the battle while dealing constant damage. Rancor also allows for a follow-up attack, which makes it yet more useful.
SMITHSCRIPT CIRQUE
Found in the Ruined Forge of Starfall Past in the Scadu Altus region, this new Blackhand Blade is your go-to weapon if you want to be a classic rogue. It allows dual wielding and lets you move about the battlefield with relative dexterity in order to deal faster attacks. It can also be thrown with a heavy attack, while the Blind Spot skill lets you quickly swipe to an enemy’s side and attack them in their flank before they can catch on.
SWIFT SPEAR
Swift Spear If you’re melee-focused, the Swift Spear is one of the best, easy-to-obtain early weapons. Located southeast of the Castle Front Site of Grace, it scales off Dexterity and provides some decent range. Its weapon skill is Impaling Thrust, perhaps one of the most underrated weapon skills in the game. It deals good damage, excellent poise damage (which is especially useful against many of the DLC’s bosses) and costs very little FP.
DEATHKNIGHT’S LONGHAFT AXE
Acquired by defeating the Death Knight in the Scorpion River Catacombs, this new greataxe weapon is every bit as formidable as its form suggests. On top of even regular attacks being capable of dealing heavy damage in the hands of the right melee build, it boasts an excellent weapon skill in the form of Blinkbolt: Long-hafted Axe, which quite literally transforms you into a bolt of lightning that charges at foes.
ANCIENT METEORIC ORE GREATSWORD
The Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword is one of the toughest weapons to find in the entirety of Shadow of the Erdtree, but it’s also worth the effort. Found at the Ruined Forge of Starfall Past in Scadu Altus (though it’s way easier said than done), it’s a Colossal Sword that lives up to that description. It also boasts a weapon skill that is excellent for quickly closing on distant enemies while also dealing some damage.
CLAWS OF NIGHT
Obtained by defeating the invading Swordhand of Night Anna in the Finger Ruins during Ymir’s questline, the Claws of Night are Dexterity-scaling and can deal Bleed damage. While fairly potent, the weapon skill, Scattershot Throw, is exceptional. It throws out a spread of knives, which can hit multiple enemies and also shotgun damage on certain bosses if you’re close enough.
STAR-LINED KATANA
If you are going through Shadow of the Erdtree with a Dexterity focused build, the Star-Lined Katana is a weapon that you’re almost definitely going to want to spec your character around sooner rather than later. Dropped by Demi-Human Queen Marigga in Charo’s Hidden Grave, this weapon is great for unleashing deadly strings of combos (assuming you have the stamina to do that, of course). Its weapon skill, Onze’s Line of Stars, sees you dealing a string of heavy slashes enhanced with sorcerous energy.
REPEATING CROSSBOW
For ranged builds, the Repeating Crossbow is a great weapon to have in your arsenal. You can find it on a corpse in a camp close to the Moorth Highway, and we recommend seeking it out, because of how useful it is for picking out enemies from a distance. Its skill also lets you shoot out a flurry of quick ranged shots, which can be particularly effective against larger, more aggressive foes that you want to keep some distance from.
RAKSHASA’S GREAT KATANA
You’ll have to defeat Rakshasa in Eastern Nameless Mausoleum to get your hands on this weapon, and that’s not necessarily an easy fight, but if you’re the kind of player that can deal well with risk/reward mechanics, this is quite a useful weapon. With Rakshasa’s Great Katana equipped, you’ll become significantly less prone to being staggered by counterattacks, but at the same time, you will also start taking more damage. As long as you can avoid getting hit, however, this is quite a useful weapon.