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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →This comparison assumes you mean the Elden Ring Colossal Swords: the Greatsword (often called the “Guts Greatsword”) and the Zweihander. There is no universal winner. The Greatsword suits a committed Strength build prioritizing physical damage; the Zweihander is the more flexible pick when lower weight and attribute requirements matter.
Which weapon should you choose?
| Choose | Best fit | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Greatsword | A high-Strength build focused on physical damage, particularly with Heavy affinity. | Its greater weight and attribute cost make it a bigger commitment. |
| Zweihander | A build that values lower requirements and weight, or wants more room for other stats and affinities beyond Heavy or Fire. | Its appeal is accessibility and flexibility rather than a verified universal damage advantage. |
Reference descriptions characterize the Greatsword as having high attack power among infusable Colossal Swords, especially on Heavy, and the Zweihander as unusually accessible for the class. These are qualitative comparisons, not a measured damage-per-second ranking.
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Elden Ring (PS5) (European Version) | $34.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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Demon's Souls - PlayStation 5 | $39.45 | Buy on Amazon |
What changes the comparison?
Attributes and equip load
The Zweihander’s lower requirements and weight can reduce the cost of wielding it and help preserve the equipment load you want. The Greatsword asks for a heavier investment. How much that matters depends on your character and the rest of your equipment.
Affinity and damage plan
Both weapons’ damage depends on attributes, affinity, and upgrades. The Greatsword is a strong candidate for a Strength-focused Heavy setup. The Zweihander’s lower overhead can make it easier to fit into builds using other affinities or investing more heavily in survivability and other stats. A Heavy Greatsword compared with a differently configured Zweihander would not establish which weapon is better in general.
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Upgrade level and moveset
Compare them at the same upgrade tier and with the affinity you actually plan to use. Choose based on the attacks you expect to use in play, too; available references do not establish complete current move data or exact frame measurements, so they do not support a categorical claim that one moveset is faster or better.
How to make the choice for your character
- Check your build. Decide whether you can comfortably meet the Greatsword’s higher attribute and weight demands, or whether those points and equip load are better spent elsewhere.
- Set your intended affinity. Compare each weapon using the affinity that fits your build rather than treating one weapon’s optimized setup as a universal result.
- Compare like with like. Use the same upgrade tier and evaluate the attacks you actually use. If exact numbers matter, check a current in-game or reliable stat table for your game version before committing upgrade materials or respeccing.
- Pick the trade-off you prefer. Favor the Greatsword when damage on a heavy Strength setup is your priority; favor the Zweihander when lower carry and stat costs or build flexibility matter more.
Where to find the Greatsword
The Greatsword is in a chest on the back of a carriage in Caelid, beside the road northwest of Caelem Ruins. The reference available for the Zweihander did not establish a verified location, so this comparison does not give one.
Rank #3
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How certain is the ranking?
The available weapon references provide qualitative comparisons, not a controlled test. Exact current attack ratings, weight, attribute requirements, detailed moveset data, and applicable patch were not verified. The advice here is therefore a build-based recommendation rather than a claim from gameplay testing or a patch-specific DPS calculation.
If you meant the historical Zweihänder rather than the Elden Ring weapon, that is a different subject: it refers to a large two-handed sword associated with German Landsknechte, primarily in the 16th century.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
