Weapons range from Melee weapons, to ranged weapons. The weapon types go from Ultra Greatswords to Curved Swords to Hammers. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the variety this game offers when choosing a weapon to play with.
The type of weapon you choose is crucial too for it determines your playstyle which ultimately defines your Dark Souls experience. Here I will go over what I believe to be the 10 best weapons. This list covers many different kinds of weapons, I hope this helps you with deciding your weapon of choice.
Key Takeaways
- Blue Flame is a sword/staff combo scaling with Intelligence, Strength, and Dexterity.
- Zweihander is a high-damage weapon requiring 24 Strength and 12 Dexterity.
- Uchigatana is a Dexterity-focused weapon with 16 Dexterity and 10 Strength.
- Heide Lance is versatile, requiring 18 Strength and 12 Dexterity.
- Greatsword is good for beginners, demanding 28 Strength and 10 Dexterity.
- Black Knight Greataxe is powerful but slow, needing 40 Strength and 18 Dexterity.
- Moonlight Greatsword suits Mage builds, requiring 18 Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence.
- FUGS is excellent for PvE, with 40 Strength and 30 Dexterity.
- Rapier is the best Dexterity weapon with 5 Strength and 12 Dexterity.
- Sacred Chime Hammer is strong, requiring 40 Strength, 12 Dex, Faith, and Intelligence.
Best DS2Weapons And Comparison
No. Weapons Best for Strength Dexterity Intelligence Physical Damage Elemental Damage Weight Stability Durability
1 Blue Flame Best Boss Weapon 13(req) 15(req) 12(req) 110 153 3.0 30 60
2 Zweihander Best Weapon For Hex Build 24(req) 10(req) - - - 12.0 45 60
3 Uchigatana Best Weapon For Power Stance 11(req) 16(req) - 115 - 5.0 30 40
4 Heide Lance Best Early Game Weapon 28(req) 10(req) - - - 8.0 15 60
5 Greatsword Best Weapon For Strength Build 28(requirement) 10(requirement) - - - 22.0 45 70
6 Black Knight Greataxe Best Backstab Weapon 40(req) 18(req) 10(req) 10(req) - 20.0 45 70
7 Moonlight Greatsword Best Critical Weapon 40(req) 12(req) 12(req) 12(req) - 22.0 30 70
8 Fume Ultra Greatsword Best Elemental Weapon 50(req) 10(req) - - 100 25.5 55 170
9 Rapier Best Dexterity Weapon 7(requirement) 12(req) - - - 2 15 60
10 Sacred Chime Hammer Best Strong Weapon 40(req) 12(req) 12(req) - - 22.0 30 70
Comparison Table.
Waleed has played Dark Souls 3 for more than 600 hours. Along with that, he has decent experience in previous titles and other soulslike games like Elden Ring, making him an expert. He explores all the features and details these games have to offer in-depth, making sure to produce content that delivers quality and value to his fellow gamers.
1. Blue Flame
Best Boss Weapon
Blue Flame
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 13(req) |
| Dexterity | 15(req) |
| Intelligence | 12(req) |
| Physical Damage | 110 |
| Elemental Damage | 153 |
| Weight | 3.0 |
| Stability | 30 |
| Durability | 60 |
Blue Flame Stats Table.
Why did I Choose Blue Flame?
Blue Flame is a potential weapon for mage build and heavily supports beginner builds and early gameplay.
Blue Flame is one of the best mage-build weapons. It is a sword/Staff combo that scales with Intelligence, Strength, and Dexterity. It can be upgraded to +5 using twinkling titanate. You can acquire it from Lydia Pyromancey in the Undead Crypt as a drop.
It is a great weapon for Beginner mages, melee-focused Mage builds and pure Mage builds. While, infusing it with raw removes scaling, making it output a lot of spell damage even at low intelligence levels. On the contrary, pure Mage builds should infuse it with magic, making it scale extremely well with Intelligence.
2. Zweihander
Best Weapon For Hex Build
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 24(req) |
| Dexterity | 10(req) |
| Intelligence | - |
| Physical Damage | - |
| Weight | 12.0 |
| Stability | 45 |
| Durability | 60 |
Zweihander Stats Table.
Why did I Choose Zweihander?
There are multiple ways to obtain Zweihander and it is the best early-game weapon.
Zweihander is a legend among the Dark Souls community. This weapon can make the top weapons list for all 3 Dark Souls games and no one would argue.
You can acquire the Zweihander through a chest near the Dull Ember in Iron Keep. It can also be dropped from the Ducal Spider in Brightstone Cove Tseldora.
If you were to use this weapon, I would recommend upgrading it to +10 using titanate. With a Strength and Dexterity of 40, the Zweihander deals a lot of damage. You can later infuse the Zweihander with gems to add elemental powers, with the lightning infusion being a favorite among Dark Souls 2 players.
The Zweihander excels at both PvE and PvP, but I would recommend mining it for your PvE runs purely because there are better PvP alternatives. The very high damage output, long-range, and relatively quick moveset which can clear up a lot of space makes it ideal for PvE.
3. Uchigatana
Best Weapon For Power Stance
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 11(req) |
| Dexterity | 16(req) |
| Intelligence | - |
| Physical Damage | 115 |
| Elemental Damage | - |
| Critical Damage | 100 |
| Weight | 5.0 |
| Stability | 30 |
| Durability | 40 |
Uchigatana Stats Table.
Why did I Choose Uchigatana?
Uchigatana is a samurai-influenced weapon that involves low stamina consumption and powerful moveset.
A legend among the entire Souls community, Uchigatana had to make this list. This is one of the finest Katanas and Dexterity weapons.
You can acquire the Uchigatan from Steady Hand Mcduff for 5,000 souls after getting the Dull Ember. It can be upgraded to +10 using titanate.
The Uchigatana has a fine moveset consisting of slash and thrust attacks which will make you feel like a samurai while cutting through literal skeletons. It requires a dexterity rating of 16 and a strength rating of 10, making it a Dexterity/Dex-focused quality weapon.
While a decent enough PvE weapon, PvP is where the Uchigatana shines. Its slick moveset, consisting of quick R2 and R1 attacks, makes it a nightmare for PvP players facing it. The low stamina consumption will let you dodge in and out of your opponent’s range after executing a barrage of attacks.
While a fine weapon on its own, the Uchigatana, combined with another Katana such as the Washing Pole, will lead to some of the greatest combos and will cut through PvP opponents in seconds.
4. Heide Lance
Best Early Game Weapon
Heide Lance
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 28(req) |
| Dexterity | 10(req) |
| Intelligence | - |
| Physical Damage | - |
| Elemental Damage | - |
| Weight | 8.0 |
| Stability | 15 |
| Durability | 60 |
Heide Lance Stats Table.
Why did I Choose Heide Lance?
Heide Lance is an all-rounder weapon that is effective against single and large enemies.
Arguably the most underrated weapon in the game, Heide Lance is a lance-type weapon with a great moveset that is both a great early and late-game option. You can acquire the Heide Lance through Heide Knights.
You can upgrade the Heide lance using Twinkling Titanite, which is also one of its drawbacks. It also causes lightning damage like every other Heide weapon. Its moveset is largely dependent upon thrust attacks, making it effective against single, large enemies.
Its quick-hitting time and high-damage thrust attacks make it a great weapon that will tear through PvP and PvE opponents. It does have a slight learning curve so I would recommend it to beginners to go for PvP first, but once you’re comfortable with its moveset, it will serve as an exceptional weapon for all sorts of encounters.
5. Greatsword
Best Weapon For Strength Build
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 28(requirement) |
| Dexterity | 10(requirement) |
| Intelligence | - |
| Faith | - |
| Elemental Damage | - |
| Weight | 22.0 |
| Stability | 45 |
| Durability | 70 |
Why did I Choose Greatsword?
Greatsword is easy to purchase and consists of powerful slash and thrusts attacks.
The Greatsword is one of the greatest strength weapons in the Dark Souls series. Plus, you can acquire the greatsword in multiple ways.
The easiest one would be to purchase it from the head of Vengarl for 5,000 souls. Or you can pick it up from a chest from a treasure chest near Gavlan in No Man’s Wharf. You can also find it dropped by the greatsword-wielding red phantom outside the Executioner’s Chariot boss area.
I do not recommend infusing this weapon for this weapon is best served as a pure strength weapon that deals a lot of damage. Since is the most basic among all ultra greatswords, it is a great weapon for beginners and players with no Ultra Greatsword Experience.
While you will come across a fair number of PvP players using the Greatsword, I recommend using it exclusively for PvE, the PVP learning curve for this weapon is steep. The slow hitting time makes it easy for opponents to avoid getting hit., you will have to time every hit perfectly.
Oh, and it also happens to look a lot like Guts’ sword from Berserk, making it a very popular fashion souls weapon (check out our Guts build guide if you’re interested).
6. Black Knight Greataxe
Best Backstab Weapon
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 40(req) |
| Dexterity | 18(req) |
| Intelligence | 10(req) |
| Faith | 10(req) |
| Elemental Damage | - |
| Weight | 20.0 |
| Stability | 45 |
| Durability | 70 |
Black Knight Greataxe Stats Table.
Why did I Choose Black Knight Greataxe?
Black Knight Greataxe is an underrated weapon that comes with beautiful aesthetics and has High Base Damage.
Another underrated weapon, the Black Knight Greataxe is both a very beautiful and a very powerful weapon. You can acquire this weapon through a chest in Iron Keep. After pulling a level near the Ironhearth Bonfire, you can access a ladder that will take you to the chest that contains the Balck Knight Greatsword.
You can upgrade the Black Knight Greataxe using twinkling titanate which requires 40 Strength and 18 Dexterity. The moveset primarily consists of very powerful slash attacks. One underrated aspect of this weapon is how aesthetic it is, going well with all strength/heavy armor builds.
It does, however, have a slight learning curve due to its slow hitting time. You will be clearing ads in mere seconds once you get used to it. I recommend using this weapon for pure strength builds, with a strength level of 45-50.
7. Moonlight Greatsword
Best Critical Weapon
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 40(req) |
| Dexterity | 12(req) |
| Intelligence | 12(req) |
| Faith | 12(req) |
| Elemental Damage | - |
| Weight | 22.0 |
| Stability | 30 |
| Durability | 70 |
Moonlight Greatsword Stats Table.
Why did I Choose Moonlight Greatsword?
Moonlight Greatsword is one of the greatest weapons for mage-type builds.
Another icon of the Souls community, the Moonlight Greatsword is a weapon that has appeared in every game in the Soulsborne series and has been an exception weapon in all of them. You can get it from weaponsmith Ornifex for the Paledrake soul and 10, 000 souls.
It can be upgraded to +5 with Petrified Dragon Bone. The R2 attack shoots a magic projectile that scales with Int and causes a lot of damage but uses up durability.
While it is a great weapon, I recommend it for Mage builds only. Yes, it can be enchanted to become a melee weapon but I recommend using any of the other ultra greatswords in this list for melee builds.
It’s relatively lightweight and damage that scales with intelligence makes it a very good option for mage builds.
8. Fume Ultra Greatsword
Best Elemental Weapon
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 50(req) |
| Dexterity | 10(req) |
| Intelligence | - |
| Faith | - |
| Critical Damage | 100 |
| Weight | 25.5 |
| Stability | 55 |
| Durability | 170 |
| FP Cost | 10(-/18) |
Fume Ultra Greatsword
Why did I Choose Fume Ultra Greatsword?
FUGS is one of the most iconic weapons that is a potential late-game weapon.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Fume Ultra Greatsword, better known as FUGS would make this list. FUGS is up there with the Holy Moonlight sword as being one of the most iconic weapons in the universe.
This weapon is even more relevant in Dark Souls because you get it by fighting the Fume Knight, arguably one of the greatest bosses in the series. You can purchase FUGS from Ornifex for trading the Fume Knight soul and 25,000 souls.
It is also extremely heavy and almost exclusively used two-handed. You can upgrade it to +5 using the petrified dragon bone. Its moveset consists of thrusts and slashes and it is one of the hardest-hitting weapons in the entire game.
This is another weapon that has a learning curve owing to its slow hitting time and heavyweight, which is why I would not recommend it to beginners, but after getting used to the FUGS, you will stick to it for a couple of playthroughs at the least.
9. Rapier
Best Dexterity Weapon
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 7(requirement) |
| Dexterity | 12(requirement) |
| Intelligence | - |
| Faith | - |
| Critical Damage | 110 |
| Weight | 2 |
| Stability | 15 |
| Durability | 60 |
| FP Cost | -(15/15) |
Rapier Stats Table.
Why did I Choose Rapier?
Rapier has a ridiculous moveset per damage as it destroys bosses.
The Rapier is an early-game weapon that you can purchase from Blacksmith Lenigrast for 1,000 souls. It has a ridiculous moveset damage per second, it melts through bosses and ads while consuming minimal stamina, and it does not require a lot of stats to begin with.
The one drawback of this weapon is that it isn’t the greatest-looking weapon in the game, especially when put against the other weapons in this list. If you learn to ignore that, however, you get a weapon that can easily take you through ng+7.
While it may not have the highest damage per hit, its quick moveset means you get ridiculous damage per second. It also consumes very low amounts of stamina, making it great for all sorts of encounters, especially bosses like the Fume Knight that require a lot of dodging.
The Rapier also happens to be a top-tier PvP weapon and one that is bound to annoy opponents once they see it. Its quick moveset, high parry damage, and low stamina consumption make it one of the greatest weapons for PvP-focused players. The Iced Rapier often made the meta for PvP, and for good reason.
10. Sacred Chime Hammer
Best Strong Weapon
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Strength | 40(req) |
| Dexterity | 12(req) |
| Intelligence | 12(req) |
| Faith | 12(req) |
| Elemental Damage | - |
| Critical Damage | - |
| Weight | 22.0 |
| Stability | 30 |
| Durability | 70 |
Sacred Chime Hammer Stats Table.
Why did I Choose Sacred Chime Hammer?
Sacred Chime Hammer deals exceptional damage and has a strike-focused moveset.
You can grab this Hammer by trading in the soul of Velstadt with Weaponsmith Ornifex.
Moreover, you can upgrade it to +5 using Petrified Dragon Bone. With a high strength level, this weapon is one of the hardest weapons in Dark Souls 2. There isn’t much to say for the Sacred Chime Hammer, everything about this weapon is near perfect, from its slick moveset to the way it looks to the insane damage output it yields.
It is great for both PvP and PvE. While its slow hitting time might make it seem like a PvE-only weapon, affinity makes up for that in PvP.
Affinity means PvP opponents will keep their distance, helping you time your hits. All in all, if you’re looking for a flat-out OP weapon, look no further than the Sacred Chime Hammer.
Why Others Were Not Chosen?
- Demon’s Great Hammer: You can not infuse this weapon with Bleed, so it’s useless against its mechanic. Also, it has upgrade limitations which I do not prefer in my selected weapons.
- Drake Keeper’s Greataxe: With its slow attack speed and heavy weight, it can get difficult to maneuver with this weapon.
- Curved Dragon Gatesword: It has a high durability cost and no reduced durability with the Bracing Knuckle Ring, so it is not on my preferred list of weapons.
- Smelter Hammer: This weapon has a very high strength requirement and a power stance limitation, that can make it very difficult to balance the Smelter Hammer for your gameplay.
My Opinion On The Best Weapons
The 10 weapons I chose are optimal for all kinds of play styles as I have tried them myself. Like Rapier and FUGS, I present some of the strongest weapons. For starters, I would suggest you to stick with Zweihander and Greatsword, as these weapons are easier to use in combat. However, you can switch to others, such as Black Knight Greataxe and FUGS, when you dive deep in Dark Souls 2 and understand the combat mechanics vividly.
A few of my chosen weapons also continue in Dark Souls 3, so playing with them here will give you a broader experience. Regardless, I advise you all to try all the weapons and conclude which one suits you the most.
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I’m an avid gamer turned content writer, my hobbies include but are not limited to different forms of content creation. Not a complicated person, I play games and write about them. Currently attending university for Data Sciences. My favorite past-time is trying to different challange runs of Soulsborne and Souls-like games in the goofiest way possible for my own amusement. You can check my Gaming Profile on Steam And Xbox!
