10 Best Weapons in Elden Ring (Based on Real Experience)

If you've spent even a few hours in Elden Ring, you’ll know that the right weapon can completely transform your gameplay. Whether you're going for a Strength build, Dexterity finesse, or magical power, having a reliable weapon is key to surviving the Lands Between. After hundreds of hours exploring every corner of the map, defeating optional bosses, and testing builds, here are my picks for the 10 best weapons in Elden Ring—based on actual use, not just stats.

1. Rivers of Blood (Katana)

Why it’s great: This katana has dominated PvP and PvE due to its Corpse Piler weapon art, which dishes out rapid, bleeding strikes. I used it for the second half of my first playthrough and watched bosses melt under bleed procs.

Best for: Dexterity/Bleed builds

2. Blasphemous Blade (Greatsword)

Why it’s great: Perfect for Strength/Faith hybrids. It heals you with every kill, making it ideal for longer fights or mob-heavy zones. After switching to this for my NG+ run, I barely needed flasks.

Best for: Strength/Faith builds

3. Moonveil (Katana)

Why it’s great: Fast, stylish, and deadly. Its Transient Moonlight skill shoots a magical beam and is extremely effective in both early and mid-game. It helped me defeat Rennala on my first try.

Best for: Intelligence/Dex builds

4. Greatsword (Colossal Sword, aka Guts’ Sword)

Why it’s great: If you love the feeling of smashing enemies in one or two hits, this is your weapon. It's slow, yes, but incredibly powerful and very satisfying.

Best for: Pure Strength builds

5. Eclipse Shotel (Curved Sword)

Why it’s great: This one surprised me. It’s excellent against shielded enemies due to its unique weapon skill that causes Deathblight—a rare and dangerous status effect.

Best for: Faith/Dex hybrid builds

6. Dark Moon Greatsword

Why it’s great: A spiritual successor to the iconic Moonlight Greatsword. Its frost-based damage plus Intelligence scaling makes it ideal for spellblades. I paired this with Carian spells and loved the synergy.

Best for: Intelligence builds

7. Reduvia (Dagger)

Why it’s great: This little dagger is surprisingly powerful early on. Its bleed buildup stacks fast, and the ranged blood projectiles make it perfect for ambushes or quick PvP bursts.

Best for: Arcane/Dex builds

8. Nagakiba (Katana)

Why it’s great: Think of it as a longer Uchigatana—amazing range and flexibility. I used this with a poison/blood infusion for PvP and was amazed at how many duels it carried me through.

Best for: Dex builds with status infusions

9. Sword of Night and Flame

Why it’s great: Once considered overpowered, it’s still very effective. The dual-scaling (Int/Faith) beam and fire wave combo can shred enemies if used correctly. I used it to cheese tough dungeons with ease.

Best for: Hybrid spellcasters

10. Dragon Slayer’s Cragblade

Why it’s great: A hidden gem, especially against dragons and large enemies. It has a unique stagger effect that interrupts even some boss attacks. I picked it up late but wish I had found it earlier.

Best for: Strength/Poise-breaking builds

Final Thoughts from My Experience

What I love about Elden Ring is that there’s no one "best" weapon—just the one that fits your build and playstyle. Over time, I’ve switched from fast bleed builds to hulking Strength tanks and magical glass cannons. And each time, the weapon changed the game.

If you're unsure what to use, test each weapon type early on. Your perfect blade might not be the one with the highest numbers—but the one that just feels right when you're rolling through a boss fight with 2% HP left.