Bloodhound’s Fang is the best all-around sword for a typical Elden Ring PvE playthrough because it combines strong damage, bleed buildup, a useful evasive skill, and early availability. For other builds, the top choice changes: Blasphemous Blade suits Strength/Faith, Dark Moon Greatsword suits Intelligence, and Moonveil rewards an Intelligence-focused katana build.
This is an editorial ranking of 20 base-game swords by usefulness across a normal PvE playthrough, with build fit and progression timing considered—not an objective damage tier list. A weapon’s value depends on your attributes, upgrades, enemy matchup, and preferred moveset. Bandai Namco’s combat guide notes that attack patterns change by weapon type and that matching weapon types in both hands unlocks a different dual-wield moveset (official combat guide).
How this ranking works
The order favors a useful combination of damage, skill or status utility, build accessibility, and how soon a weapon can contribute. It does not mean the weapon at rank 1 is best for every character. The weapon-class rankings and item recommendations published by GameSpot and Windows Central are also editorial guides, not official rankings or performance measurements.
Acquisition windows below are broad progression guidance, not a claim that every player will reach a location at the same level. “Early” means obtainable well before the late-game areas; “late” means tied to later regions, a quest, or a major boss. No exact stat requirements or damage figures are used because they depend on weapon upgrades and character setup.
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The 20 best swords in Elden Ring
| Rank | Weapon | Strongest fit | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloodhound’s Fang | Flexible melee with bleed | Early |
| 2 | Blasphemous Blade | Strength/Faith | Late |
| 3 | Dark Moon Greatsword | Intelligence | Late; quest reward |
| 4 | Moonveil | Intelligence/katana | Early-to-mid |
| 5 | Claymore | Adaptable greatsword build | Early |
| 6 | Uchigatana | Dexterity and bleed | Starting option or early |
| 7 | Sword of Night and Flame | Intelligence/Faith | Early-to-mid |
| 8 | Wing of Astel | Intelligence and fast melee | Mid-to-late |
| 9 | Rivers of Blood | Dexterity/Arcane and bleed | Late |
| 10 | Greatsword | Strength and heavy attacks | Early |
| 11 | Nagakiba | Dexterity and reach | Early-to-mid; quest-related |
| 12 | Bloody Helice | Arcane and evasive thrusting | Mid-game |
| 13 | Sacred Relic Sword | Faith and groups of enemies | Endgame |
| 14 | Banished Knight’s Greatsword | Strength or quality melee | Early-to-mid |
| 15 | Morgott’s Cursed Sword | Dexterity/Arcane | Late |
| 16 | Magma Wyrm’s Scalesword | Strength/Faith | Mid-game |
| 17 | Broadsword | Strength-focused straight sword | Early |
| 18 | Lordsworn’s Straight Sword | Flexible early straight sword | Early |
| 19 | Golden Epitaph | Faith and situational undead utility | Early-to-mid |
| 20 | Zweihander | Strength or quality heavy weapon | Early, purchasable |
1. Bloodhound’s Fang — best all-around PvE pick
This curved greatsword is a strong recommendation for players who want substantial melee damage without committing to a narrow spell-focused build. It builds bleed and its skill pairs an attack with a backward evasive movement, giving it both offensive and defensive value. GameSpot describes it as a relatively early bleed option. Its early availability is a major part of why it ranks above several powerful weapons that arrive much later.
2. Blasphemous Blade — best for Strength/Faith sustain
Blasphemous Blade is a late-game choice for a character investing in Strength and Faith. Its Taker’s Flames skill sends a damaging fire attack forward, and the weapon’s healing effect when enemies die while it is equipped can help sustain a PvE run. GameSpot highlights both traits. It is not a general-purpose answer for characters who have not invested in its build.
3. Dark Moon Greatsword — best Intelligence greatsword
This is an Intelligence-oriented greatsword with frost buildup. After activating its skill, charged heavy attacks launch a magic projectile, giving the weapon a ranged option while retaining a greatsword’s close-range moveset. GameSpot describes those defining traits. Its late quest acquisition means it cannot carry the early part of a first run.
4. Moonveil — best fast Intelligence katana
Moonveil pairs a quick katana moveset with Intelligence scaling and the Transient Moonlight skill, which can send a ranged slash from the weapon. It is a potent fit for a character who wants both close and mid-range options without switching weapon classes. It is acquired in the early-to-mid game. GameSpot notes that the weapon has received nerfs, so older claims that it dominates without qualification should be treated cautiously.
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5. Claymore — best adaptable greatsword
The Claymore is a practical choice for a player who wants a conventional greatsword moveset and room to shape the build around it. Its thrusting heavy attack offers a different approach angle from broad slashes, making it versatile in confined spaces and against enemies that are easier to punish in a straight line. It is available early, so an upgrade investment can pay off across a long stretch of the game.
Rank #2
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6. Uchigatana — best accessible katana
The Uchigatana brings a quick moveset and bleed buildup, making it a natural option for Dexterity-oriented characters. Samurai starts with one; other characters can find one early. Its straightforward weapon identity makes it easier to build around than a katana with a more demanding split-stat profile. Plarium also discusses its place among notable Elden Ring weapons, though its ranking is editorial rather than an official verdict (Plarium’s weapon guide).
7. Sword of Night and Flame — best split Intelligence/Faith weapon
This straight sword’s Night-and-Flame Stance offers two distinct skill attacks: a beam-like magic attack or a fire attack. That flexibility is useful, but the weapon asks for an unusual Intelligence-and-Faith investment, so it is a poor fit for a character focused on only one of those attributes. GameSpot describes the two skill options; its strength here is versatility within the right build, not universal accessibility.
8. Wing of Astel — best Intelligence curved sword
Wing of Astel combines a fast curved-sword moveset with the Nebula skill. Its magic heavy attacks do not consume FP, which gives an Intelligence build a useful ranged option without spending the resource required by a skill. GameSpot calls out both the skill and the FP-free magic heavies. It becomes a mid-to-late progression pickup rather than an early-game solution.
9. Rivers of Blood — best late-game bleed katana
Rivers of Blood is a katana with bleed buildup and a skill that deals physical and fire damage. That combination makes it attractive to Dexterity/Arcane builds seeking pressure at close range, but it arrives late enough that it cannot be judged as a full-playthrough weapon on the same terms as Bloodhound’s Fang or Uchigatana. Its reputation also reflects balance history; consider your current game version rather than relying on old claims about its skill.
10. Greatsword — best colossal sword for a Strength build
The Greatsword is a colossal sword for players who prefer deliberate, heavy attacks over speed. Its reach and weight make it well suited to punishing openings and dealing stance damage with heavy attacks, but its slower swings require more careful timing than a katana or straight sword. It can be found early, letting a Strength-focused character build around it before the late game.
Rank #3
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11. Nagakiba — best katana for reach
Nagakiba’s standout practical advantage is its long reach relative to other katanas. That makes it easier to tag enemies at the edge of their attack range while retaining the katana’s quick attacks and bleed-oriented identity. It is tied to an NPC questline and can be obtained before the endgame, depending on how that quest unfolds. It is a strong choice for a Dexterity build that values spacing more than a unique projectile skill.
12. Bloody Helice — best evasive heavy thrusting sword
Bloody Helice is a heavy thrusting sword, so it should not be evaluated as if it had a conventional slashing moveset. It builds bleed and has Dynasty’s Finesse, an evasive skill that can create room to reposition before counterattacking. GameSpot highlights those qualities. It suits an Arcane-leaning build and a player comfortable with thrusting attacks, rather than someone specifically seeking broad sweeping hits.
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Sacred Relic Sword is an endgame reward with a Faith-friendly profile and a skill that sends a broad wave across the ground. That makes it especially useful when a late-game character needs to hit several enemies at once. Its rank is limited by timing: the weapon arrives after the main journey’s final major boss, so it is more valuable for cleanup, optional content, or subsequent play than for progressing through most of the story.
14. Banished Knight’s Greatsword — best conventional greatsword alternative
This greatsword offers a dependable melee option for Strength or quality builds, with a familiar balance of reach, damage, and swing speed. It is a reasonable choice if the Claymore’s thrusting heavy attack is not a priority and you want a straightforward sword to upgrade as you progress. It can be acquired through enemy drops during early-to-mid progression; the timing depends on where you farm and how readily the drop appears.
15. Morgott’s Cursed Sword — best Dexterity/Arcane curved greatsword
Morgott’s Cursed Sword is a late-game curved greatsword for a character willing to invest in Dexterity and Arcane. It brings bleed and a weapon skill built around a forward rush and follow-up attacks, giving it a more aggressive feel than a standard greatsword. The attribute and progression commitment make it a specialist pick, but its speed relative to heavier greatswords can suit players who want a more mobile heavy weapon.
Rank #4
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16. Magma Wyrm’s Scalesword — best fire-leaning Strength/Faith choice
This curved greatsword offers a Strength/Faith route into fire damage and a skill that creates magma around the user. That area effect can punish enemies that remain close, but it also asks for careful timing because the animation commits the player in place. It is obtained from a mid-game boss, making it an option for a build already developing both physical and Faith attributes.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors17. Broadsword — best Strength-leaning straight sword
The Broadsword is a simple early straight sword for players who want fast attacks without moving into a katana or curved-sword build. Its short reach is the trade-off: it asks you to fight closer than weapons such as Nagakiba or a greatsword. Its availability near the start and compatibility with a straightforward melee setup make it a useful early upgrade path, especially for characters prioritizing Strength.
18. Lordsworn’s Straight Sword — best flexible early straight sword
This early straight sword is a practical base for a flexible melee build. Straight swords attack quickly and can be paired with a shield or another matching weapon; the best affinity and skill depend on the character’s stats and preferred combat rhythm. It is obtainable near the beginning of the game and can fill the gap until a more specialized weapon suits the build better.
19. Golden Epitaph — best situational Faith straight sword
Golden Epitaph is a Faith-associated straight sword whose skill provides a situational advantage against undead enemies. That niche utility is useful in the areas and encounters where it applies, but it is less broadly compelling than a weapon with persistent bleed or a flexible ranged skill. Plarium includes it in its weapon discussion, while its placement here reflects this narrower use rather than an official tier position (Plarium’s weapon guide).
20. Zweihander — best early colossal-sword alternative
The Zweihander gives Strength or quality builds access to a colossal sword’s reach and heavy-hit style early in the journey. Compared with faster swords, it is slower and more demanding to use safely; the payoff is a moveset suited to punishing recovery windows and staggering enemies with heavy attacks. It can be purchased early, making it an alternative to finding and building around the Greatsword.
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Which sword should you choose for your build?
- Want one weapon for a first PvE run? Start with Bloodhound’s Fang if its curved greatsword style suits you; it offers early bleed and an evasive skill.
- Building Strength/Faith? Blasphemous Blade is the strongest broad recommendation once it becomes available; Magma Wyrm’s Scalesword is an earlier fire-oriented alternative.
- Building Intelligence? Choose Moonveil for a fast katana and ranged skill, Dark Moon Greatsword for frost and charged projectiles, or Wing of Astel for quick attacks and FP-free magic heavies.
- Building Dexterity or bleed? Uchigatana is available early, Nagakiba favors reach, and Rivers of Blood is a later specialist option. Bloodhound’s Fang is an alternative if you want bleed without switching to a katana.
- Prefer heavy attacks and stagger? The Greatsword and Zweihander offer colossal-sword play; Claymore and Banished Knight’s Greatsword are more conventional greatsword options.
- Need a weapon for one matchup? Golden Epitaph’s undead utility or Sacred Relic Sword’s broad late-game attack can matter more than a weapon’s general ranking in the right situation.
Why weapon type and game version matter
Moveset is not cosmetic: Bandai Namco Entertainment America says a weapon’s basic attack pattern changes with its type, and charged heavy attacks can hit harder and deal more stance damage. The same official guide explains that using two weapons of the same type, one in each hand, unlocks a moveset that swings both together. Affinities can also be changed at a Site of Grace, so a weapon’s usefulness may extend beyond one fixed damage setup (official combat guide).
For version context, Bandai Namco Europe published patch 1.16.1 on 21 August 2025 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. Its notes include fixes for incorrect weapon affinity or status ailments under specific actions. That is the latest official patch verified here, not a guarantee that it remains the live version; check the title screen’s regulation version and apply the offered update for online play (official patch notes).
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