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Due to its RPG nature, Elden Ring has many different mechanics and systems with varying depths of complexity. This includes character creation and roleplaying certain classes, specifically mages/sorcerers but even those characters need some form of protection that isn’t magical in nature. So that brings us to this guide in which we will discuss the best melee weapon for sorcerers.
Key Takeaways
- Sorcerer builds in Dark Souls 3 rely on magic and Intelligence.
- Top melee weapon choices for sorcerers:
- Moonlight Greatsword: High magic damage, benefits from Intelligence scaling.
- Greatsword of Judgement: Powerful strike, good for high Intelligence characters.
- Cleric’s Candlestick: Excellent for new players, spell buff, and Intelligence scaling.
- Dark Sword: Simple but effective, Intelligence and Faith scaling.
- Consider weapon appearance and design based on your playstyle and stat scaling preferences.
Best Melee Weapons Compared
Comparison table for Best Melee Weapons:
No Weapons Physical Attack Physical Defence Magical Attack Magical Defence Fire Attack Fire Defence Light Attack Light Defence Holy Attack Holy Defence Critical Attack Critical Defence Weight Skill
1 Dragonslayer Great Axe 69 55 13o 60 - 35 - 35 - - 100 - 10.5 Moonlight Vortex
2 Greatsword of Judgeent 110 50 86 35 - 30 - 30 - - 100 - 9.0 Stance of Judgement
3 Cleric’s Candlestick 70 40 77 30 - 25 - 25 - - 100 - 2.0 Guiding Light
4 Dark Sword 110 55 - 35 - 30 - 30 - - 100 - 4.5 Stomp
5 Crystal Sage’s Rapier 55 40 82 30 - 15 - 15 - - 100 - 2.5 Stance
6 Immolation Tinder 118 40 75 25 0 20 0 20 0 - 100 - 10.0 Punitive Flame
7 Onikiri and Ubadachi 104 45 - 25 - 20 - 20 - - 100 - 8.5 Onislayer
8 Carthus Curved Sword 105 55 - 35 - 30 - 30 - - 100 - 5.5 Spin Slash
9 Great Corvian Scythe 97 45 - 30 - 20 - 20 - - 100 - 9.0 Neck Swipe
10 Friede’s Great Scythe 110 40 77 25 0 20 0 20 0 - 100 - 13.0 Elfried’s Stance
Related Article: Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List
Playing Sorcerers/Mages
Sorcerers and Mages are very similar builds as they rely heavily on magic. Magic in Dark Souls 3 is not levelled up traditionally with its own singular stat. To upgrade the player’s magic they have to put points into Intelligence.
This then scales with weapons that are intelligence scaled such as magic staffs and certain melee weapons. Many of the melee weapons are even worth considering however there are a certain few with insanely good properties that you would have to be an idiot to ignore when playing a Sorcerer build.

Best Melee Weapons for Sorcerers
Now just because you are using a spell caster build does not mean you can’t be a complete badass with an amazing melee weapon and get up close and personal with the enemy. Then the weapons in this guide will suit your needs quite handily.
Moonlight Greatsword

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Boost | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 69 | 130 | - | - | - | 100 | - |
Attack Type | Standard | ||||||
Guard | 55 | 60 | 35 | 35 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | E | - | C | - | |||
Requires | 16 | 11 | 26 | - | |||
Skill | Moonlight Vortex | ||||||
Weapon Type | Greatsword | ||||||
Wgt. | 10.5 |
This exceptional weapon, known as the Moonlight Greatsword, is crafted by reforging the soul of Oceiros the Consumed King after defeating him in the Consumed King’s Garden. It’s a recurring weapon across FromSoftware’s games, spanning from Demon’s Souls to Dark Souls 3.
The Moonlight Greatsword stands out with its captivating aesthetics, featuring a shimmering blade and sleek design that captivates both in and out of combat. In terms of damage output, it excels in magic, delivering over 238 magical and 126 physical damage.
Sorcerers find this weapon remarkable, as it scales exceptionally well with Intelligence and boasts a potent ranged weapon art, aligning perfectly with the sorcerer playstyle, making it a highly recommended choice in Dark Souls 3.
Greatsword of Judgement

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Boost | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 110 | 86 | - | - | - | 100 | - |
Attack Type | Standard | ||||||
Guard | 50 | 35 | 30 | 30 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | D | D | D | - | |||
Requires | 17 | 15 | 12 | - | |||
Skill | Stance of Judgement | ||||||
Weapon Type | Greatsword | ||||||
Wgt. | 9.0 |
One of Pontiff Sulyvhan’s swords. It is acquired after defeating him in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley.
A blade that shines bright with the darkness of the void ready to punish the accused. That is the blade you use when you decide to use the greatsword of judgment. This is among the few blades in the game that rivals the moonlight greatsword in terms of beauty and spectacle.
When using its weapon art the user unleashes an energy beam with a beautiful shade of purple that sweeps across damaging enemies similar to the moonlight greatsword. It has 158 magic and 200 physical damage. Thus it has the highest points of damage in the Dark Souls 3.
Another great addition to a sorcerer’s roster of melee weapons for sure. The Intelligence scaling alone makes this weapon worth it but that weapon art is what truly makes it shine. Definitely, a must-have seeing as it is a boss soul weapon.
Cleric’s Candlestick

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Boost | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 70 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | - |
Attack Type | Standard/Thrust | ||||||
Guard | 40 | 30 | 25 | 25 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | D | D | C | - | |||
Requires | 8 | 12 | - | 12 | |||
Skill | Guiding Light | ||||||
Weapon Type | Straight sword | ||||||
Wgt. | 2.0 |
If some new players join the game, they cannot use every weapon. If they want to have the best weapon for sorcerer Dark Souls 3 before upgrading, Cleric’s Candlestick is suitable. Players cannot infuse or buff this weapon. It scales with Intelligence naturally. Players can use it as a sword and staff.
In addition, this weapon has a low potential of damage compared to the other weapons. But the spell buff of this weapon is 200. Thus it is the best option for casting sorceries.
Dark Sword

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Boost | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 110 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | - |
Attack Type | Standard/Thrust | ||||||
Guard | 55 | 35 | 30 | 30 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | C | D | - | - | |||
Requires | 16 | 15 | 0 | 0 | |||
Skill | Stomp | ||||||
Weapon Type | Straight sword | ||||||
Wgt. | 4.5 |
This weapon can be collected by killing Darkwraiths in Farron Keep. These can be found outside the Abyss Watcher’s boss room and can be farmed easily.
The dark sword is exactly what it sounds like. A simple sword being shorter than expected but all the more powerful. It is a simple dark blade with an intricate handle that suits the aesthetic of the dark wraiths very well. There is very little to be said about this sword’s design as it is very simple as it was designed this way.
The blade, although simplistic in design, is quite effective with a dark infusion or a normal crystal infusion. The Intelligence and Faith scaling is amazing on this weapon and it is truly fit to be Dark best melee weapon for sorcerers and non-sorcerers alike. Read more on Faith Build.
Crystal Sage’s Rapier

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Boost | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 55 | 82 | - | - | - | 100 | - |
Attack Type | Thrust | ||||||
Guard | 40 | 30 | 15 | 15 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | E | E | C | - | |||
Requires | 13 | 18 | - | - | |||
Skill | Stance | ||||||
Weapon Type | Thrusting sword | ||||||
Wgt. | 2.5 |
The players who rely on magic-based attacks and spells, Crystal Sage’s Rapier is the best weapon for sorcerer Dark Souls 3. This weapon is the best for long-range and close attacks. It is evident from its appearance. It has the ranking of A as per Intelligence. Thus it is most probably the best choice for spell and magic casting. Also, it can lock the enemies naturally. Players can use the same weapon two-handed.
Furthermore, it has 82 magic and 55 physical points. Every magic player wants to use this weapon. It can lock the enemies and has a long reach. Players can get it in the early stage of the game by repositioning the Crystal Sage’ soul. It has A-scaling after full up-gradation. It does not need high Dexterity or Strength for wielding. Besides, it has increasing item discovery so all the players can get its benefits. But players cannot use it to cast spells.
Immolation Tinder

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Boost | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 118 | - | 75 | - | - | 100 | - |
Attack Type | Thrust | ||||||
Guard | 40 | 25 | 20 | 20 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | D | D | B | - | |||
Requires | 18 | 18 | 12 | 12 | |||
Skill | Punitive Flame | ||||||
Weapon Type | Halberd | ||||||
Wgt. | 10.0 |
This weapon is obtained through killing fire witches in Irythil of the Boreal Valley outside the Pontiff’s boss room.
This is more different than the other weapons on this list as it is not a conventional melee weapon. This is a staff that casts fire magic instead of magic damage. It does have a melee attack which can be used as a thrust attack but otherwise, the weapon art spews flames around the user in a circle on the ground to damage any enemies that get too close. It has 132 fire and 206 physical damage points in its full potential.
It is very good but it cannot be considered the best melee weapon for sorcerers as there are simply better weapons out there but this can be used for roleplaying as a fire witch or doing a challenge run with only staff.
Onikiri and Ubadachi

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Aux | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 104 | - | - | - | - | 100 | 33 |
Attack Type | Slash/Thrust | ||||||
Guard | 45 | 25 | 20 | 20 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | D | C | - | - | |||
Requires | 13 | 25 | - | - | |||
Skill | Onislayer | ||||||
Weapon Type | Katanas (Paired) | ||||||
Wgt. | 8.5 |
Players want to have two katanas in the game. Ubadachi and Onikiri are the two useful katanas. Players can use them with magic. They work in the best way for the Dexterity combination. They have an S-scale ranking in rapid attacks and Intelligence. Players feel like ninjas with 135 magical and 98 physical damage.
Further, these combined weapons are suitable for aggressive and rapid attacks. They can make enemies bleed quickly. The offhand blade is short, so players have to get closer to their enemies to get maximum damage output. The players can use the Onislayer skill to deal with poise damage and massive health
Carthus Curved Sword

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Aux | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 105 | - | - | - | - | 100 | 30 |
Attack Type | Slash | ||||||
Guard | 55 | 35 | 30 | 30 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | D | D | - | - | |||
Requires | 15 | 18 | - | - | |||
Skill | Spin Slash | ||||||
Weapon Type | Curved Sword | ||||||
Wgt. | 5.5 | ||||||
Focus Cost | 6 (-/12) |
The carthus curved sword can be acquired by the player in the Catacombs of Carthus by skeletons who wield them.
This carthus curved sword is an interesting blade as it has regular curved sword aspects alongside magical aspects such as the extended range and magical slashes which make the sword amazing to use in combat it feels like you reach that pixel you were missing with other swords before.
This sword has excellent scaling with Intelligence which allows the user to use it with great efficiency even if they are a sorcerer or a strength build or a dexterity build and etc. This is a fine sword to add to your collection as a sorcerer as no one will mess with you when you are carrying this weapon around.
Great Corvian Scythe

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Aux | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 97 | - | - | - | - | 100 | 30 |
Attack Type | Slash | ||||||
Guard | 45 | 30 | 20 | 20 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | D | C | - | - | |||
Requires | 16 | 18 | - | - | |||
Skill | Neck Swipe | ||||||
Weapon Type | Reapers | ||||||
Wgt. | 9.0 | ||||||
Focus Cost | 13 |
This weapon drops in the Road of Sacrifice from the Corvians. It has the longest reach, probably than any other scythes in Dark Souls 3. Also, it has S-scaling with the combination of Crystal in Intelligence. This weapon is the best for all the players who want to roll Intelligence or Dexterity in the further build.
Moreover, this weapon has the effect of bleeding. This feature tears the enemies’ health quickly. The demerit of this weapon is that its bleeding effect is applicable to the attacker, so players should play carefully. It can keep all the enemies at bay because of its longer range than the other weapons. The Neck Swipe skill of this weapon is deadly and ensures a big strike on the targets.
Freide’s Great Scythe

Phy | Mag | Fire | Light | Holy | Crit | Aux | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 110 | 77 | - | - | - | 100 | 45 |
Attack Type | Slash | ||||||
Guard | 40 | 25 | 20 | 20 | - | - | - |
Str | Dex | Fai | Int | ||||
Scaling | E | B | C | E | |||
Requires | 12 | 16 | 12 | 11 | |||
Skill | Elfried’s Stance | ||||||
Weapon Type | Reapers | ||||||
Wgt. | 13.0 | ||||||
Focus Cost | -(-/18) |
Freide’s Great Scythe becomes obtainable after defeating Sister Friede in the Ashes of Ariandel DLC.
It stands out as one of the most visually striking weapons in the game, evoking an anime character’s flair. Its weapon art, called “Stance,” is notably impressive, exuding power and delivering an amazing follow-up attack.
The weapon’s unique feature involves summoning a magic-infused scythe in the off-hand, which leads to a Bloodborne-like attack. With a damage output of 140 magic and 200 physical damage, it offers the highest combined damage potential for solid slashes among all weapons.
Notably, the scythe scales exceptionally well with Intelligence, allowing high-level players to effortlessly mow down hordes of enemies. This makes it a deserving candidate for the best melee weapon for sorcerers.
Final Thoughts
Dark Souls 3 has some amazing sorcerer weapons for different gameplays. This article consists of the full list of the 12 best weapons for sorcerer. These weapons are Intelligence-based. When players get suitable weapons according to their gameplay, Dark Souls 3 becomes more exciting. These weapons for sorcerers have multiple features and benefits. You can read the related articles as well.
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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!