Best Weapons in Elden Ring (Tier List)

FromSoftware games have a tradition of adding tons of various weapons to their games to ensure that players have a variety of arsenal at their disposal. As such, Elden Ring also has a wide variety of weapons that ranges from swords, axes, hammers, staffs, and even bows. That is why we will be looking at the best weapons in Elden Ring and compiling them into a tier list.

Since there are so many weapons in the game, newer players can have a tough time. Whether you prefer swords, bows, or spears, this list has weapons for everyone. With that said, let’s dive right in and take a look at the best weapons in Elden Ring tier list.

Elden Ring: All Weapons Tier List

As aforementioned, there are tons of weapons in Elden Ring. It can be quite overwhelming to pick the best weapon out of the bunch without having to experiment with all the bad ones. To make the process easier, we’ve come up with this tier list to show you which weapons are the best and which ones you need to avoid.

Here are the criteria on which each weapon is placed in its respective tier:

• S-Tier: Weapons that perform the best, especially in the current meta. The weapons here deal a lot of damage and have great stats that can help you take out any boss or win any PvP fight.
• A-Tier: These are strong weapons that can help you out in most sticky situations. The stats are great and the scaling is also quite good, albeit not on the level of S-Tier.
• B-Tier: The weapons in B-Tier are decent choices but they do not have the best scaling. These weapons are fine in the early game but will be difficult to use later on.
• C-Tier: These weapons are extremely average and will only be useful around the start of the game. Later on, they will not help you out at all due to their stats.
• D-Tier: These weapons are below average and have bad stats and do not scale well at all. Use them just to try them out but don’t keep them for long.
• E-Tier: Any weapon in this tier is bad. They do not deal enough damage, don’t get good even after upgrading them, and have bad abilities as well.
• F-Tier: Avoid weapons in this tier. These weapons are terrible due to their stats and scaling. They can be used just for fun but they won’t give you any positive results.

Also, keep in mind that this is just my tier list so you might not agree with all of my picks. I would love to hear your thoughts and your tier list in the comments below!

I am not here to gatekeep the game for anyone so use whatever weapon you fancy. This tier list is only to help you out especially in PvP matches so that you can perform well.

Daggers Tier List

Daggers are swift weapons that allow the user to deal rapid attacks. While they are not my personal favorite choice of weapons, they surely can pack a punch. Plus, they are lightweight weapons that won’t make you go to the “Heavy Load” debuff.

Reduvia

The Reduvia is an extremely powerful early-game dagger that can destroy your enemies. This weapon has a bleed passive on it, so you’ll deal an insane amount of damage after a short while as the enemy’s bleed bar fills up. The best part is that you can even dual-wield this weapon to double its effectiveness.

To get it, you must go North from the lake where you fight the dragon Agheel. Keep following the river, and eventually, you’ll be invaded by Bloody Finger Nerijus. Taking on this enemy can be problematic in the early game. However, if you stall the fight a bit, you will be helped by Bloody Finger Hunter Yura, making the battle easier. Kill Nerijus, and you’ll be rewarded with this dagger.

Scorpion’s Stinger

The Scorpion’s Stinger is an intimidating weapon that has excellent DEX scaling. On top of that, it also has good STR scaling as well, making it ideal for hybrid builds. The best part is that you can use it pretty early on in the game due to the requirements being low.

Plus, if you upgrade this weapon, it will have impressive stats throughout the game. The ability of this weapon allows you to repeatedly thrust it into the enemy to deal tons of damage in quick succession.

Ivory Sickle

This sickle can deal a good amount of damage despite its low initial stats. After upgrading it, you can have a weapon that will be great throughout the mid-game. However, it isn’t the best against some end-game bosses. If you are curious to know, you need 6 STR, 11 DEX, and 13 INT to properly wield the Ivory Sickle.

Bloodstained Dagger

If you are looking for a Bleed weapon and cannot get the Reduvia, then this is the best alternative when it comes to Daggers. Every attack builds up the Bleed stat and it can deal a lot of damage when that Bleed effect takes place.

Plus, it has a scaling of C in STR and E in DEX. It requires 9 STR and 12 DEX to properly equip. Since the requirements are quite low, you can use it in the early game without any worries.

Wakizashi

Looking more like a katana than a dagger, the Wakizashi scales well with your Dex and Str. Plus, you can even power-stance it with katanas as well. It requires 9 STR and 13 DEX to wield, scaling most from players’ dexterity stat.

The highlight of this weapon comes in the form of bleed damage. You can quickly build up bleed thanks to its swift attack speed and make up for heavier-hitting bleed weapons. Like most other daggers, it comes with the Quickstep skill but you can infuse it with other ashes of war if you want.

Overall, this dagger is quite basic but it can be customized according to your build in the early game. After getting through the early game, make sure that you look for a better dagger or you’ll have a tough time in the game.

Great Knife

The Great Knife is a decent Dagger that deals good damage but it eventually falls off the later you get into the game. It is superb against low-level enemies but it doesn’t perform well later. However, the good thing about it is that it has great DEX scaling and it also causes Bleed to build up with every attack.

Since you can infuse it with the Ashes of War of your choice, it is a good choice since you can customize it accordingly.

Swords Tier List

Swords are the most popular choice of weapons in FromSoft games. They are well-balanced and are ideal for new players.

Swords are usually the best when going for a Dex or STR build. However, in Elden Ring, there are some Swords that can be used with Faith and Intelligence builds as well. These weapons are swift and can deal a lot of damage depending on your and the sword’s stats.

With that said, though, Swords come in all shapes and sizes. Some are Straight Swords, Greatswords, and Curved Swords. Straight Swords are ideal for dealing slash and thrust damage and are usually light in weight. You can attack swiftly with them.

Greatswords are larger than normal swords but they deal an insane amount of damage. They can stagger most enemies due to their damage and size. However, they are heavier in weight and are a bit slow to use.

Finally, Curved Swords are a mix between normal and Greatswords. They are relatively quick to use and also are lightweight.

Maliketh’s Black Blade

As the name suggests, you can get this weapon after defeating Maliketh. When you first see this weapon, it will not have the best stats when it comes to Faith weapons. However, after upgrading it a few times, it is one of the best Faith weapons in the game.

Plus, you can take a page right out of Maliketh’s book by using its ability – Destined Death. You will swing the blade around your character which deals a lot of Holy damage. This is a great skill that can help you take out enemies that get too close to you or surround you.

On top of that, if the enemy gets hit, their maximum HP will be lowered briefly and their health will be drained as well for a short time. This puts a lot of pressure on the player, especially in PvP.

Blasphemous Blade

The Blasphemous Blade is a cool-looking greatsword that has unique look. If you are doing PvP, your opponents will surely fear you due to how intimidating this weapon looks. The best part about this weapon is that its skill heals 10% of your max HP plus a base 150 HP upon each hit of an enemy.

As for the stats, you get Str D, Dex D, and Fai D. What’s more is that you can even heal yourself without using your skill. While the healing is significantly reduced, it is still better than having no healing at all. This will allow you to stay in the fight longer and without wasting any Flasks.

If you want one of the best greatswords in Elden Ring, certainly pick this up. To get it, you must progress through the game and reach the Volcano Manor. Here, you will have to face Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy. Defeating him will give you his Remembrance.

Once you have the Remembrance of the Blasphemous, trade it with Enia at the Roundtable Hold to get this amazing weapon.

Sword of Night and Flame

The Sword of Night and Flame was my go-to weapon for the majority of my Intelligence playthrough. It is one of the best weapons for the mid-game due to its scaling and stats. This sword has three unique forms of attack, which provide variety to the user.

Wielding it requires 12 STR, 12 DEX, 24 FAI, and 24 INT. As you can see, this isn’t purely an intelligence-based sword but it requires Faith as well. Since you can get this weapon relatively in the early game, it offers STR E, DEX E, INT D, and FAI D in scaling. Once upgraded, however, that’s a different story.

However, once you meet the requirements, you can use its ability depending on the stance you are using. Using a heavy attack in the Night and Flame stance will summon a wave of flames that deals an insane amount of damage.

Similarly, if you use a light attack, you’ll summon a Night Comet that has a decent range. Despite getting nerfed in an update, this weapon still holds up against all bosses. But, the nerfs were enough to drop it into the B-tier.

Bloodhound’s Fang

I love using the Bloodhound’s Fang due to two main reasons. The first reason is that its ability is quite awesome and can be a lifesaver in most cases. Pressing L2 (LT) will cause your character to do a quick swing of the sword while jumping back to reach a safe distance. This allows you to attack the enemy without getting punished.

The second reason why this sword is awesome is thanks to its passive-bleed damage. After a few attacks, your opponent will take bleed damage that will suddenly reduce their HP. The higher the HP, the more bleed damage they take. Plus, this sword has some pretty great stats all things considered.

The Bloodhound Fang is easily one of the best DEX weapons in the game, especially in the earlier stages of it. However, since it is locked behind an optional boss, most players either miss it or avoid the boss since it can be a little tricky. To get this large curved sword, go to Forlorn Hound Evergaol, which is located South of Lake Agheel. You’ll have to fight and defeat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil to get this sword.

I suggest doing the Blaidd questline side by side since you can summon him for this fight. Plus, completing his quest rewards you with his sword and armor. The Bloodhound’s Fang has a C in Dexterity right off the bat.

Mantis Blade

The Mantis Blade is a unique-looking weapon that can deal a lot of damage. It required 10 STR and 12 DEX to equip it so, you can properly wield it during the early game. Plus, it has a D scaling in both STR and DEX. So, if you’re going for a hybrid build, this weapon is perfect for you.

The best part about this weapon is that it has a unique effect when you press the heavy attack. Like the trick weapons in Bloodborne, it can unfold itself to extend the range. Plus, the Spinning Slash ability is good for dealing with enemies that have you surrounded.

Zweihander

Zweihander – as the name suggests – is a two-handed sword that can deal tons of damage. While you can hold it in one hand, it won’t be nearly as effective. Requiring 19 STR and 11 DEX to properly equip, this weapon is great, especially for the early-mid game.

However, due to this being a heavy weapon, it has a lot of weight. Be careful while equipping this as your character might go over the weight limit and get a fat roll debuff.

Ornamental Straight Sword

Finally, the Ornamental Straight Sword is a weapon that you can get extremely early on if you are skilled enough. You can get this weapon alongside the Golden Beast Crest Shield if you kill the tutorial boss.

The sword has a Strength of 10 and a Dexterity of 14 and has a unique weapon Skill called “Golden Tempering.” Using this skill will coat your blade in golden magic and unlock swift jabs, which deal tons of damage.

It is ranked so low despite having decent stats because this is an early-game weapon. At max, you can use it during the mid-game, but that’s about it. You’ll want to change this weapon as it doesn’t offer the best late-game scaling as you progress through the game.

Katanas Tier List

Katanas are sharp weapons that can deal an insane amount of damage. These weapons excel in Slash damage and most of the Katanas have bleed effects as well. Katanas have a slight range advantage over normal Swords which gives them an edge.

On top of that, every Katana has a unique moveset that can keep the other players on their toes. Players that are looking for a unique moveset should definitely pick up this weapon.

Rivers of Blood

This doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone that Rivers of Blood is the best bleed weapon in Elden Ring. It has dominated the PvP meta for a long time since the launch of the game. Plus, despite being nerfed a lot, Rivers of Blood is still extremely strong and will lead you to victory.

Not only is it the best bleed weapon, but you can also use its skill – Corpse Piler – to increase fire and physical damage as well as increase the amount of blood loss. Once you get used to this weapon, there is no way you can go back to any other bleed weapon in the game.

Meteoric Ore Blade

Meteoric Ore Blade scales primarily with Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence and is a good weapon for dealing melee Slash and Pierce damage in combat. Its accompanying unique skill can also allow the user to thrust their weapon into the ground to create a gravity well to pull in enemies and damage them in the process.

The Meteoric Ore Blade can be found inside a chest in a small room at the back of an underground hall filled with sarcophagi and Prawn Miner enemies. The entrance to the area is found in the northwest section of the ruins.

Hand of Malenia

The Hand of Malenia scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for Samurai Build and Bleed Builds. This Katana has a scaling of E in STR, and C in DEX. You need to have 15 STR and 48 in DEX to properly equip it.

To get this amazing weapon, you need to interact with Enia and use the Remembrance of the Rot Goddess at the Roundtable Hold, obtained after killing Malenia, Blade of Miquella. Keep in mind that Malenia is the hardest boss in Elden Ring so you’ll have to try extremely hard to defeat her.

Dragonscale Blade

The Dragonscale Blade scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for Slash and Pierce damage. Its skill – Ice Lightning Sword – calls down a bolt of ice lightning that damages an enemy.

It also leaves the blade with extra lightning damage and frostbite buildup for the next 20 seconds. You can get it by killing the Dragonkin Soldier in the Lake of Rot.

Spears Tier List

Spears are good thrusting weapons that have good slashing capabilities as well. On top of that, their additional range allows the user to keep a safe distance from the enemy. Most of the spears are relatively light in weight so you won’t have to worry about fat rolling.

Inquisitor’s Girandole

Finally, this is a great spear that scales primarily with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith. It is a great weapon that has a medium reach when in melee combat. You can take advantage of the reach and damage the enemy while they try to attack you.

If you are curious to know where you can find it, we’ve got you covered. You can find this spear by killing the Abductor Virgins in Volcano Manor’s underground. Since the drop rate is a bit low, you will have to kill multiple enemies to get it. If you are lucky enough, you might even find it during the first few tries. 
This spear has a skill called Charge Forth.

You can use this to track enemies and run straight at them. While that sounds simple, it is surprisingly difficult to hit considering you run straight ahead. If you manage to hit the enemies, you can cause Bleed damage to build up after every hit thanks to its passive.

Cleanrot Spear

This Spear drops from the spear-wielding Cleanrot Knights just south of the Heart of Aeonia by Commander O’Neil. Since the drop rate is quite low, you’ll have to kill multiple enemies before you get it.

If you’re lucky, you can get it within a few tries. It has a scaling of D in STR, D in DEX, and D in Faith. Plus, you need to have a minimum of 16 STR, 16 DEX, and 14 Faith to equip it properly.

Torch Pole

The Torchpole scales primarily with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith and is a good weapon for inflicting fire-based attacks. Users can obtain the Torchpole by killing the Stormveil Castle courtyard guards. While this spear isn’t good in the mid-game, it is quite decent during the early stages.

Winged Spear

If you’ve played Dark Souls 3, you’ll be quite familiar with this Spear. While it isn’t called the Winged Spear anymore, it was initially called that during the network test of the game. The Spear scales primarily with Dexterity and Strength and is great for short-range dexterity-build fighters. 

It can drop from Castle Guards that wield it in Stormveil Castle. Near the Rampart Tower bonfire, up the wooden stairs is a farmable Castle Guard with a spear. You can also get a +7 version from Patches in Murkwater Cave if he is killed after pleading for mercy.

Short Spear

The Short Spear scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for short-range melee combat. If you choose the Prophet Class, you’ll automatically get it. Otherwise, you can purchase it from the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold for 600 Runes.

Spiked Spear

The Spiked Spear scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for melee users who want to perform longer-reaching piercing attacks with the potential to bleed. This weapon has a chance to drop from 1 spear-wielding Marionette Soldier just outside of Witchbane Ruins. The Bleed effect is quite useful against a lot of enemies.

Twin blades Tier List 

Twin Blades are spears that have two ends – just like a dual-edged lightsaber. These blades can use various combos to deal with enemies in quick succession while dealing decent damage. Plus, their abilities are good at dealing with enemies that surround you.

Gargoyle’s Black Blades

Gargoyle’s Black Blades is a Twinblade in Elden Ring. The Gargoyle’s Black Blades scales primarily with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith and is a good weapon for inflicting Holy damage. If you are going for a Strength / Faith hybrid build, this Twin Blade is extraordinary thanks to its scaling and overall stats.

This weapon can be dropped by Black Blade Kindred at the Forbidden Lands just before Mountaintops of the Giants. Since this is a late-game weapon, you’ll have to fight strong enemies and bosses to get it.

Eleonora’s Poleblade

The weapon is extremely good, especially for the early game. Its scaling is decent at first but becomes superb once upgraded. At first, STR is E, DEX is E, and ARC is D. You will need to have 12 STR, 21 DEX, and 19 ARC to properly equip this pole blade.

On top of that, it also applies a bleed debuff on enemies which is always a good passive to have. Using its skill – Bloodblade Dance – will allow you to do a flurry of tornado-like attacks while leaping in the air. This is a superb way to attack an enemy and immediately go back to your starting position to evade their counterattacks.

Godskin Peeler

The Godskin Peeler scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for melee users but requires a high dexterity character. This weapon is extremely effective for players that are going for a Strength and Dexterity hybrid build since it has a scaling of C in DEX and E in STR.

To get this weapon, you need to defeat the Godskin Apostle in the Windmill Village. While the boss itself isn’t that tough, he can use some attacks that are quite erratic.

Simple Twinblade

The Twinblade is a two-handed weapon that deals an insane amount of damage thanks to its ability. Players can use the Spinning Slash twice in quick succession to take out enemies surrounding them. Plus, this weapon has the added benefit of scaling well with Strength and Dexterity.

That’s not even the best part, however. Fans of Star Wars will be pleased to know that you can fulfill your desire of cosplaying as Darth Maul with this weapon.

If you use the Bloodflame Blade ability, your character will light the edges of this weapon in red flames. This gives a look of a two-sided lightsaber like the one Darth Maul uses. Plus, this combination deals a lot of damage to anyone standing in your way.

Axes Tier List

Axes are big weapons that naturally have a heavy weight but they sure do pack a punch. Whether you decide to two-hand the axe or hold it in a single hand, you’ll be guaranteed to destroy anyone standing in your way. The heavy attack on these weapons is quite strong and can stagger most enemies.

Rosus’ Axe

The Rosus’ Axe scales primarily with Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence, and is a good weapon for melee players who want to deal considerable damage with each swing. You can use its skill – Rosus’s Summons – to “Raise the axe aloft to summon those lost in death.

Three skeletons will appear at a distance and attack in tandem before vanishing.” This axe is located behind a Stonesword Key door in Black Knife Catacombs.

Butchering Knife

Butchering Knife is a Greataxe in Elden Ring. The Butchering Knife scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for characters with high Dexterity builds. Its skill allows users to increase their attack power and execute strong combo attacks.

The skill of the Butchering Knife states “Let loose a bestial roar to rally the spirit and increase attack power. While active, strong attacks change to savage combo attacks.” This weapon is dropped by Anastasia, Tarnished-Eater.

Icerind Hatchet

The Hatchet has a scaling of E in STR and D in DEX. However, you require 11 and 16 stats respectively to properly wield the hatchet. Don’t worry since you’ll have these stats by the time you reach this area if you are going for this build. Since this is primarily a DEX weapon, the scaling will be B once you fully upgrade it.

This Hatchet is extremely useful against Maliketh – who is one of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring.

Rusted Anchor

The Rusted Anchor is a good early-mid-game weapon if you are going for a Strength build. If you keep spamming right-handed light attacks, you’ll notice that the anchor has a looping attack pattern. If you have high Endurance (stamina), you will destroy any enemy that is standing in your way. Plus, it staggers the enemy which is extremely good.

You can use its heavy or light jump attacks to deal additional damage. The light jump attack does a swiping attack that hits enemies from right to left. While the Rusted Anchor isn’t the best late-game weapon, it will come in handy in the early-mid part of the game.

Jawbone Axe

The Jawbone Axe scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for aggressive characters who like to face enemies head-on. This weapon allows players to take swing after swing, especially with the Skill, Wild Strikes. 

Wild Strikes is a damaging skill that temporarily allows wild swinging, affecting foes within range. This item can be found by killing the Ancestral Follower.

Winged Greathorn

The Winged Greathorn scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good Weapon for inflicting damage upon foes and temporarily reducing their defense.

Its unique Skill, Soul Stifler grants the user the ability to raise the greenhorn’s wings to summon a soul-sapping miasma. It can be obtained when unlocking the Remembrance of the Regal Ancestor’s power by handing it over to Enia at Roundtable Hold.

Warped Axe

The Warped Axe scales primarily with Strength and is a good weapon for melee users who want to deal considerable damage with each swing. This axe has a scaling of C in STR, so it is one of the best Strength-based weapons. Plus, the requirements aren’t that high since you need 24 STR and 8 DEX.

Its skill, War Cry, temporarily boosts the attack to give players an extra advantage during combat. There are several ways in which you can get this weapon. Firstly, it has a chance to drop from Omen enemies but it can also drop from the Ogre enemy in the Cliffbottom Catacombs.

Hammers and Warhammers Tier List

Hammers and Warhammers both deal tons of damage and can be used to stagger various enemies. Alongside their damage, if you use Ashes of War on them, you’ll have a unique weapon that can take out anyone standing in your way. These are primarily Strength weapons that are great against Shields as well.

Fallingstar Beast Jaw

If you are doing a Strength build, you have to use a Fallingstar Best Jaw. Its main damage types are piercing and strike damage which can be extremely useful against certain types of enemies.

Equipping it requires you to have 32 STR, 12 DEX, and 20 INT. By the time you get this weapon, you will have met the STR requirements if you are going for a Strength build. You will only need to focus on putting some points in INT to properly wield this Colossal Weapon.

The best part is that you can use its ability – Gravity Bolt – to deal damage from afar. It sends a bolt in the enemy’s direction, and it can be fired rapidly.

Ghiza’s Wheel

Ghiza’s Wheel is a superb weapon and a must-have for Strength builds. For a colossal weapon, it has relatively decent speed and deals extremely high damage. It has a relatively normal heavy attack that can be charged to make further use of the wheel.

It’s also one of the very few Colossal weapons, if not the only one, that can cause high bleed build-up making it even more powerful due to how effective Bleed is in Elden Ring.

By far the standout attack of the Ghiza’s Wheel, however, is its weapon skill. It works almost exactly as it did in Bloodborne, you basically turn the Ghiza’s Wheel into a lawnmower while walking toward enemies to deal continuous damage.

Coupled with the high bleed stack of this attack, players can melt even the strongest enemies of this game using this attack at the right time.

In terms of stats, the weapon is no slouch either. The weapon boasts high base damage with a +10 Ghiza’s Wheel doing 382 Base AR without scaling. What’s also unique and somewhat of a drawback about this weapon is that even at +10 it has a C scaling in both Strength and Dexterity. 

To get the most out of this weapon, I highly suggest running a Quality build that focuses on both Strength and Dexterity.

Marika’s Hammer

If you have completed Elden Ring, you will know that this is the weapon that Radagon uses. It is an amazing weapon that packs a strong punch. Plus, its unique skill – Gold Breaker – allows you to do strong AOE damage and a high amount of both holy and physical damage.

However, the reason why it’s so low on the list is that you need to beat Elden Ring to get this weapon. Other than that, it is worth getting this hammer and defeating everyone in PvP.

Great Club

While the stats on this weapon are good, there are better – and more viable – options available for a good Strength build. It requires 24 STR, and 10 DEX to equip and allows you to use the Barbaric Roar. This roar increases your attack power and your strong attacks are changed to “savage combos”. You can find this item relatively early on but the scaling isn’t the best, making it a solid choice.

Varre’s Bouquet

Varré’s Bouquet is a Hammer in Elden Ring. The Varré’s Bouquet scales primarily with Strength, Dexterity, and Arcane and is a good weapon for blood loss buildup. It can be found at the Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum, right before the Dynasty Mausoleum Midpoint site of grace. It is received from White Mask Varré after invading him and depleting his dialogue. 

Spiked Club

The Spiked Club scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for melee-ranged combat. This weapon comes with an additional blood loss effect and a Skill to add to its basic stats to allow players to gain a temporary attack power stat boost. This weapon can drop in the Coastal Cave from the larger Demi-human just below the ledge you find a lesser Demi-Human looking over just past the Grace. 

Staffs Tier List

If you are a magic user, Elden Ring has tons of staffs – or staves (whatever word you fancy). Since magic is quite strong in this game, you’ll want to have the best staff so that you can cast powerful spells to destroy anyone standing in your way.

Astrologer’s Staff

Another sleeper hit in this tier is the starting staff of the Astrologer class which can be underestimated very easily considering it a default weapon. But as you upgrade it, it will show you that in terms of sheer numbers and stats, this staff is second to the Academy staff mentioned before. So pump this bad boy at the smiths and bask in the glory of this mighty humble staff.

Meteorite Staff

Found in the Caelid Region, this staff is the best thing your mage can find early on, you can beeline to it right from the beginning of the game without any fight. It has the best Intelligence (S) and Sorcery Scaling (248) that you can get at the start of the game and can carry you through much of the journey. Also if you are fond of using gravity sorcery like Rock Sling then this staff can be in the S-tier for you.

Mind you this staff cannot be upgraded at any smith so there is a point where other staves will overtake this when they are upgraded enough. Though this staff can be your backup choice until you are collecting all the necessary resources to upgrade your main staff.

Demi-Human Queen’s Staff

Another early great staff you can find in the Weeping Peninsula that has good stat scaling for an early mage build. This staff can too carry you to the mid-game if you choose to not journey through the Caelids for the Meteorite staff. This staff will soon be underpowered when you start coming across better staves.

Lusat’s Glintstone Staff

Found after killing Nox Swordstress & Nox Priest boss. This staff is a weird one. The initial Intelligence requirement is huge and it is upgraded with Somber Stones. Also, it has another doozy, it costs 50% more FP to cast each spell with this staff on the contrary the damage output is greater too.

This staff is recommended for players that prefer to keep higher FP flasks and have massive Mind investment, or if you are rocking Cerulean Hidden Tear talisman that eliminates all FP consumption for some time to truly take advantage of that enhanced damage without the downside of the FP running out early.

Prince of Death’s Staff

Prince of Death’s Staff is a Glintstone Staff in Elden Ring. The Prince of Death’s Staff scales primarily with Intelligence and Faith and is a good weapon for death sorceries. This staff has good scaling with E in STR, D in INT, and D in Faith. If you are someone who uses a lot of Dark Sorceries, then this weapon is ideal for you as it boosts that effect.

You can get this staff in the Deeproot Depths by making your way across the map and finding it in a tower when you are climbing the large roots. One of the good parts about this staff is that it is light in weight so you don’t have to worry about having a heavy load.

Crystal Staff

The Crystal Staff is a great choice as it has D STR and B INT scaling. Since you will be using it with mostly Intelligence builds, the scaling is amazing. However, you need to have 8 STR and 48 INT to equip it properly. The best part is that it boosts Crystal Magic so if you are using that, this is the best staff to have.

The Crystal Staff can be found in the academy crystal cave. It’s in a room guarded by a sorcerer behind a fog wall, located right before the boss gate. The path to the chest containing the staff is through an illusory rock wall on the left side of the tunnel, just before the stone archway. 

Albinauric Staff

Albinauric Staff is a Glintstone Staff in Elden Ring. The Albinauric Staff scales primarily with Strength, Intelligence, and Arcane, and is a good weapon for Arcane builds. It has a scaling of E in STR, D in INT, and C in ARC. To wield it effectively, you need 6 STR, 10 INT, and 12 ARC.

It can be found in Volcano Manor near the Guest Hall grace. Head left from the bonfire, then left again, taking the stairs to the next floor. Head outside and take the ladder to your left onto the roof.

Go to the back of the roof and jump off the right side to be taken to a room with an Omenkiller, the Albinauric Staff, and Albinauric Mask.

Halberds and Reapers Tier List

Halberds are strong weapons that have a decent range and can deal a lot of damage. They are usually slow weapons but they will pack a mean punch. You can use them to either deal thrusting or slashing damage, depending on the enemy type.

Reapers are similar to Halberds but have less weight and are slightly faster. Plus, they can only deal slashing damage.

Golden Halberd

While this isn’t exactly a Strength weapon, it still has phenomenal scaling. Leveling it up a bit will cause it to have a C in Strength scaling which makes it superb.

On top of that, if you are planning to go for a Strength / Faith hybrid build, the Golden Halberd is a great choice. You can use its ability – Golden Vow – to increase your attack and defense powers for about 45 seconds.

The best part is that you can get this weapon pretty early on after defeating the Tree Sentinal. However, you will need a Strength of 30 to equip it. If you are fighting an enemy while using your trust steed, Torrent, using this Halberd will prove beneficial. The wind-up time is quite decent and you can get good range from it as well.

Halo Scythe

Like other scythes, the Halo Scythe is an amazing weapon that does a lot of bleed damage. It is extremely easy to build up bleed if you hit the enemy. On top of that, it also deals Holy damage that scales from your Faith stat.

Its skill – Miquella’s Ring of Light – casts a ring of Holy damage that fires at the enemy’s current location. It forces the enemy player to run away and quickly reposition. During this time, you can run at them and strike them while they are vulnerable.

Nightrider Glaive

The Nightrider Glaive scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for horseback combat based on its size and length. This allows the weapon to keep its power. When on the ground, the Spinning Slash can be implemented to make a damaging spin action and deal a follow-up attack.

This Glaive is dropped by the Night’s Cavalry wandering the road between East Raya Lucaria Gate and Bellum Church.

Guardian’s Swordspear

The Guardian’s Swordspear attacks faster compared to other halberds and it has a unique moveset as well. It does share the same move set with Loretta’s War Sickle. It is a good weapon for Dexterity builds. This Swordspear can be found by defeating the Erdtree Guardians.

Commander’s Standard

The Commander’s Standard scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for those users with high Strength builds. It is dropped by Commander O’Neil upon his defeat. He can be found in eastern Caelid, in a clearing within Aeonia Swamp.

Its ability –  Rallying Standard – is a special ability that is only available for the Commander’s Standard and cannot be added to another weapon using Ashes of War. It applies a buff to self and allies lasting 30 seconds

Lucerne

The Lucerne scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon choice for melee characters investing in dexterity that like to deal mainly Pierce damage from a safe distance.

You can get it by going Southeast of Highway Lookout Tower in East Liurnia of the Lakes, found on the battlefield between phantoms and knights near where the armored giant spawns. From Liurnia Highway North Site of Grace, ride a short way northwest. Break some carts to reveal the treasure.

Fists and Claws Tier List

The Fists or the Claws are similar weapons and they can be dual-wielded. Both of these weapons are extremely effective at a close range and can deal a lot of damage. However, you’ll have to really get up and close to the enemy to hit them. They are lightweight weapons that are best suited for Dexterity builds.

Grafted Dragon

You can get this amazing Faith weapon after defeating Godrick the Grafted in Stormveil Castle. You will need 20 STR, 14 DEX, and 16 FAI to properly wield it. Plus, despite being a fist-type weapon, it has a good amount of reach thanks to its skill.

However, without its skill, you need to get up close and personal with the enemy to attack them. This can often leave you in sticky situations so be careful while using this weapon. If you want to use a dragon as a weapon, this fist is more than worth it for a good Faith build.

Hookclaw

Fans of Wolverine will be familiar with this weapon, and you’ll want to get it to complete your Logan cosplay. The Hookclaw is a bleed-inducing tool that deals tons of damage and has its own skill on top of the bleed effect. You can use the Quickstep ability to zip around enemies with ease. Plus, the bleed damage is more than the Reduvia that we mentioned above.

However, the only thing holding it back is its concise range. You really have to get next to the enemy to attack them. You at least have some breathing room with the other weapons, but not with the Hookclaw. You’ll have to get nice and close to the enemy to make sure that your hits land.

Bloodhound Claws

If you have defeated the Bloodhounds in Elden Ring you would surely appreciate this weapon. The Bloodhound Claws are perfect for dealing Bleed damage and the swiftness of the attacks accelerates the filling of the bleed meter. Their skill, the Bloodhound Step, is another cherry on top of the deadly cake, which makes the user teleport dash around to confuse the opponent and easily traverse dangerous grounds like lava.

Venomous Fang

The Venomous Fang scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for an extra poison effect on top of the initial Physical Damage this weapon causes. This weapon can be found in the Abandoned Cave in Caelid.

The cave is above the swamp area and you have to walk along a branch to get to it. It’s also completely filled with rot. The item can be found behind a Giant Poison Flower by jumping up the pile of dead Abductor Virgins behind it.

Star Fist

Star Fist scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for pummeling enemies to death while adding a bit of protection, thanks to Endure.

Endure is a regular skill that can be found in Ashes of War and can be applied to all melee armaments. Endure will greatly complement playstyles that rely on blocking and tanking hits during combat.

The Star Fist can be found on the left side of the Coliseum near the West Capital Rampart Site of Grace in the last opening on a body in Leyndell, Royal Capital.

Raptor Talons

The Raptor Talons scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for dealing with an extra blood loss effect on top of the initial Physical Damage this weapon causes. It’s a lightweight piece and can be equipped on both hands. This weapon is located at Sage’s Cave, in one of the chests, behind several secret walls. 

These Claws have unique R2’s. Uncharged and charged R2’s hit twice when 2-handed. The first R2 will leap forward when fully charged while the second R2 will make you jump backward regardless of whether you’re one-handing or two-handing.

Cipher Pata

Cipher Pata is attached to the player’s wrists like the hidden blades in Assassins Creed. These blades lunge forward to slice through whatever is standing in your way. These weapons require points in the Faith stat to be used properly.

Cipher Pata can be found in Elden Ring after beating Mad Tongue Alberich in Roundtable Hold’s main chamber. Keep in mind that this NPC is quite tough, especially in the early game. I had to fight him over and over again to finally be successful.

Flails, Whips, Torches, and Sacred Seals Tier List

If you are tired of using swords, axes, and other conventional weapons, worry not because Elden Ring has got you covered. The game features Flails, Whips, Torches, and other weapons as well that you can use to defeat your enemies.

The best part is that these weapons are also quite viable and are not considered bad. However, you need to find the perfect weapon in order to deal a good amount of damage. Worry not because we went ahead and listed down the best and worst miscellaneous weapons so you don’t have to try random weapons.

Flails are long-reach weapons that can give you an advantage over enemies as they will give you more range on them. The best part is that they also deal a decent amount of damage as well.

Whips are swift weapons that deal good damage and can stagger smaller enemies. However, if you use them against larger enemies, they won’t get staggered in most cases. Whips are still good for dealing damage in quick succession.

Torches are mainly used to light the path and help you see in dark caves or during the night. While they don’t deal a lot of damage, some torches can scare away smaller beasts to help clear the way.

Finally, Sacred Seals can be used if you are going for a Sorcery build. They deal magic damage and can be quite useful in most cases.

Bastard’s Stars

This flail has a unique design and some incredible scaling with STR E, DEX D, and INT C. On top of that, you need to have 8 STR, 22 DEX, and 22 INT to equip it properly. Its special ability – Nebula – leaves behind a dark smoke that explodes after a while, dealing tons of gravity damage.

To get this weapon, you must defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, and use its Remembrance.

Nightrider Flail

The Nightrider Flail scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for inducing blood loss to victims and bludgeoning foes with its triple spiked heads. This will require players to have raised their Dexterity a significant amount before this weapon can be wielded. 

This flail is dropped by the Night’s Cavalry at Weeping Peninsula. Check out our nighttime bosses list to find out where you can find this boss.

Hoslow’s Petal Whip

Hoslow’s Petal Whip scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity. It is a good weapon for inflicting bleed against enemies. It can also be acquired by completing Diallos’ questline if Rykard is defeated before completing the Volcano Manor questline. This weapon can build up Bleed with every attack.

Beast-Repellent Torch

The Beast-Repellent Torch scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for keeping Beast-type enemies away. It is sold by the Isolated Merchant in Dragonbarrow for 1,200 Runes. However, keep in mind that this weapon can not be infused with Ashes of War.

While lit, this torch will keep Beast-type enemies passive (Wolves, Dogs, Caelid Dogs, Bears, Rats, Basilisks, Snails, Giant Lobsters) unless attacked by the player or feel cornered with no room to move away (then they will attack regardless of the torch). 

Simple Flail

The Flail scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for extra blood loss causing effects that cannot be parried by enemies during combat. It can be found in a chest in the back of the eastern carriage, defended by a group of soldiers, near the Gatefront Ruins.

Bows are long-range weapons that are used to take out the threat from a safe distance. There are various types of bows that use different types of arrows which can be found all across the Lands Between. However, keep in mind that using a bow requires you to have a decent aim so that you can hit your enemy.

On top of that, unlike most other weapons, Bows cannot be infused with Ashes of War so you’ll have to make do with the preset stats. Most of the Bows are good for luring in enemies that are otherwise standing in a group.

Lion Greatbow

The Lion Greatbow scales primarily with Strength, Dexterity, and is great for ranged combat enhanced with the gravitational power of the Starscourge and with an added unique skill, Radahn’s Rain. It allows the user to fire a flurry of arrows and let it rain onto foes within range. You can find it by trading the Remembrance of the Starscourge with Enia at Roundtable Hold. 

Black Bow

The Black Bow scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity. It can be found on a corpse on a rooftop, in the area to the northeast of the Avenue Balcony site of grace, in the Leyndell, Royal Capital. Its skill, Barrage, is a special Archery skill using a bow held horizontally.

Golem Greatbow

The Golem Greatbow scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is good for ranged combat. It has a scaling of D in STR and E in DEX. You also need 24 STR and 18 DEX to properly equip it.

You can find it by defeating any of the Golem archers found across the map of the Lands Between. The description of its skill reads “Powerful archery skill using a greatbow held in an oblique stance. Ready the greatbow, then twist the bowstring to fire a mighty great arrow that can penetrate through enemies.”

Horn Bow

The Horn Bow scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for hunter warriors and dealing with additional Magic Damage. After a recent patch, INT scaling was also added to the Bow. It can be found on a corpse in Siofra River under the stairs leading to Hallowhorn Grounds.

Composite Bow

The Composite Bow scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for ranged combat and breaching enemy guards from a distance. The Composite Bow can be purchased from the Nomadic Merchant located in Liurnia of the Lakes near Bellum Church for 3,500 Runes.

Light Crossbow

The Light Crossbow does not scale with any primary attribute. but requires both Strength and Dexterity. It is a good weapon for those who prefer ranged combat. It can be bought from the Nomadic Merchant on the eastern side of the Weeping Peninsula, for 1500 Runes.

Shields Tier List

While Shields are not good damage dealers, they are great at protecting the player against damage from enemies. Some Shields allow you to negate physical damage while others are effective against magic damage.

They are normally equipped in your off-hand and can be used to either negate damage, reduce damage at the cost of Stamina, or parry the enemy.

Golden Beast Crest Shield

The Golden Beast Crest Shield is a Shield that scales primarily with Strength. Great shields weigh a decent amount and provide the best protection in the game. 

They provide a greater value of blocking and protecting one’s self from enemy and boss attacks, but greatly increase the weight and reduce the player’s mobility. This type of shield works best at reducing damage or guarding instead of parrying.

You can get this by killing the Grafted Scion in the Chapel of Anticipation.

Great Turtle Shield

This Shield defends against Physical and Magical damage. While the magic damage reduction isn’t the best, it still is useful, especially in the early game. Its ability – Barricade Shield – increases the shield’s guard boost stat by 40% (1.4x) while it is active.

To get it, you must go to Castle Morne. From the Castle Morne Rampart Site of Grace, look towards the east to find a Spiritspring and use your horse to jump from it towards the roof of a tower section of the ramparts. The shield can be found on a corpse atop this tower. 

Riveted Wooden Shield

The Riveted Wooden Shield is a Shield that scales primarily with Strength. If you want to get it, it is a starting equipment piece for the Warrior Class but it can be bought from the Nomadic Merchant in East Limgrave for 600 Runes. This Shield comes with the Parry Ashes of War so it makes it easier for you to deal with certain types of enemies.

Rift Shield

The Rift Shield is a Shield that scales primarily with Strength. It comes as the starting equipment for the Prisoner Class. However, if you did not choose that class, it can be purchased from the Nomadic Merchant located in Liurnia of the Lakes, and it costs 1800 Runes.

Red Thorn Roundshield

The Red Thorn Roundshield is a Shield that scales primarily with Strength. Small Shields usually weigh very little and have the least form of protection from attacks. They are often used by players who prefer Parrying rather than Blocking. Its lighter weight also makes it ideal for quick, agile characters with low equipment weight capacity.

This item can be bought from the Nomadic Merchant on the eastern side of the Weeping Peninsula, for 600 Runes.

Flame Crest Wooden Shield

The Flame Crest Wooden Shield is a Shield that scales primarily with Strength. You can get this Shield at the Ailing Village in the Weeping Peninsula. It is found on a corpse inside a small shack on the north side of the village.

Large Leather Shield

The Large Leather Shield is a Shield that scales primarily with Strength. Medium Shields feature a good balance between defense and weight which is great for most situations in combat. Although it may not be as light as a Small Shield which is good for agility and parrying, the Standard Shield works best at reducing damage and blocking. 

Large Leather Shield is one of the cheapest Shields that lets you Parry enemies, making it suitable for beginners. This Shield can be purchased from Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold after giving them Kale’s Bell Bearing.

Ballista Tier List 

Ballistas are long-range weapons that you can aim and fire just like bows. However, unlike bows, Ballista deals tons of damage and can be quite explosive. They also need longer to recharge but with the amount of punch that they pack, it is worth the wait. These weapons can potentially one-shot every PvP player that you come across.

Also, they are perfect for dealing with AFK PvP players that summon you and stand in almost unreachable places. Since there are only two Ballista in the game right now, we placed them in their respective tiers.

Jar Cannon

The Jar Cannon requires 32 STR and 12 DEX to equip, but all those points are worth it due to the sheer amount of damage on this weapon. It can literally one-shot most enemies, especially if you use it in PvP. It also has a good range that allows you to use it from a safe distance without getting yourself involved in the action.

The best part is that you can use the arrow talisman to benefit here as well. You’ll have increased damage that will further add to the firepower of this bad boy.

Hand Ballista

Moving on to the second – and final – Ballista in Elden Ring, the Hand Ballista. This weapon also deals an insane amount of damage but it doesn’t come close to the Jar Cannon. It requires 30 STR and 14 DEX to properly equip, but you can equip it in two hands to lower these values. The range is just like the Jar Cannon but it does not deal any explosive damage – only Ballista Bolts.

Conclusion

And there you have it; those are the best weapons in Elden Ring ranked in a tier list format. Hopefully, this guide allowed you to find a good weapon so that you can be better in PvP as well as in PvE.

Again, this tier list doesn’t mean that my word is final. Due to new updates, various weapons will move up or down. Plus, you should try out all the weapons and see what suits you best.

Which weapon do you like the most? We would love to hear your thoughts on this tier list. Let us know in the comments below if you think a specific weapon should be higher than it currently is.