Elden Ring: the best weapons in the base game

The best weapons you can find in the base game of Elden Ring

Elden Ring / FromSoftware

The options for how you build your character in Elden Ring are virtually endless. What stats you favor, how you use your off-hand, which Talismans you choose, and how well your gear boosts your endurance can all be a big factor in determining where you fall on that thin line between victory and defeat. Still, the one thing that will serve as the lifeblood of any build is your main weapon, and it can serve as a good starting point for determining everything else.

We’ve picked out a variety of great weapons you can find in Elden Ring that are perfect for building a character around, as long as you can beat the trials you need to unlock them.

Table of Contents

1. Moonveil Katana
2. Dark Moon Greatsword
3. Axe of Godrick
4. Reduvia
5. Starscourge Greatsword

Moonveil Katana

Moonveil Katana / FromSoftware

Moonveil is great for a build that favors variety. It scaled with both DEX and INT, meaning it fits well with a magic build. Using this katana you can easily make great use of sorceries if you have a staff in your off-hand. Its Transient Moonlight weapon skill is brilliant, serving as a more powerful version of the Sheathe skill on katanas like the Uchigatana.

Dark Moon Greatsword

Dark Moon Greatsword / FromSoftware

Sticking with the theme of big swords that aid magic builds, the Dark Moon Greatsword scales greatly with INT, and once you can turn it into the Moonlight Greatsword, the magical attacks it can unleash are hard to beat. You can get this sword by completing Ranni’s quest in Elden Ring, so it’s something you’ll likely encounter during your adventure anyway.

Axe of Godrick

Axe of Godrick / FromSoftware

Enough of this fancy magic stuff, here’s a STR and DEX based weapon that does big damage to anything nearby. It does huge damage and swings a little fast than the likes of the Grafted Blade Greatsword, making it the ideal choice for any build that relies on raw power and little else.

Reduvia

Reduvia / FromSoftware

A small blade doesn’t always mean small damage, and Reduvia is a fantastic dagger for any build that prefers to strike with speed and precision. Scaling with DEX and ARC, Reduvia can utilize powerful weapon skills like Reduvia Blood Blade, which is similar to the capabilities of weapons like Rivers of Blood, except you’ll only be spending stamina, not health to do it.

Starscourge Greatsword

Starscourge Greatsword / FromSoftware

The main downside of using a Greatsword in any Souls game is how easily your enemies can avoid your attacks if you’re not careful. The Starscourge Greatsword is brilliant because it can help negate this problem. It doesn’t swing fast, but its Starcalled Cry weapon skill pulls nearby enemies in so you can strike them while they’re helpless.