This is the third installment of the dark fantasy action-adventure RPG video game series by FromSoftware. Dark Souls 3 is a role-playing video game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
The player takes on the role of an undead warrior tasked with relighting the fire by defeating the lords of cinder who refuse to do their duty. The game has been praised for its gameplay design, level design, story, and atmosphere. Due to its RPG nature, the game has many different mechanics and systems with varying depths of complexity.
This includes a plethora of weapons and armor. But in today’s guide, we will discuss the Dark Souls 3 Tier List since there are quite a few to choose from.
Key Takeaways
- Dark Souls 3 is the final game in the franchise and a love letter to all the ones that came before it.
- There are a total of 220 weapons in the entire game.
- We will single out some unique weapons in this tier list while relegating the rest to a list at the end.
Similar Article: Best Dark Souls 3 Boss Soul Weapons
S-Tier
In Dark Souls 3, we prescribe weapons ranks based on looks and gameplay. The weapons ranked in S-Tier are the weapons you associate with being either the strongest, the most aesthetic, the easiest to style, and in rare cases, all of the above.
These weapons are a must-have on your first playthrough, if not your second. They will make life infinitely easier due to their unique skills or outright broken damage. Some of these are here since they make you look badass when using them, and we appreciate that here.
Ringed Knight Straight Sword
You have never had something this anime in your hands before—the power of the dragon within the plan of your hand. The blade itself embued with the ringed city’s defenders’ strength to scorch all who dare trespass on their empire.
The blade doesn’t have good scaling with any stat other than Strength. The sword can not be infused, which makes it more strict in terms of customizable damage, but it is still a great weapon when considering the Ember skill. This skill is unique because it grants the user Hyper Armor which is rare for a straight sword.
You can find this blade past the Judicator Giant in the swamp-like part of the Ringed City. Go past the giant and keep moving until you see a non-aggressive white-faced locust, those little fly-looking guys stabbing you with magic tree branches.
Lothric Knight Sword
A blade fit for the hands of the king. The Lothric Knight Sword belongs in the hands of warriors who can wield it potently. Those that the sword chooses can reach heights unfathomable to most mortal men. Once upon a time, long ago, the knights of Lothric wielded these blades to combat all those that crashed upon their shores.
The blade overall has excellent scaling in terms of Strength and Dexterity. You can use this weapon in a quality build to get monstrous amounts of damage output. The skill is not particularly unique, just a simple guard break that is handy regarding PvP or PvE.
You can find this sword by killing Knights of Lothric since drops are the only way to get this if you want it in the early game. If you would wait for a little into the mid-game, it can be bought from Greirat after his second expedition to Irithyll of the Boreal Valley for 4000 souls.
Moonlight Greatsword
A staple in FromSoftware games, the Moonlight Greatsword can be found in every game from Demon Souls to Bloodbourne, including every Dark Souls game in the franchise. It holds a special place in the company’s heart and is as much of a relic as a broken in-game weapon.
The weapon is unique since it scales with Intelligence and Strength. You can use this sword on mainly magic caster builds as a viable option since it offers you that option with its skill. Its unique talent is unleashing a wave of moonlight that rips through enemies and inflicts physical and magical damage. This ability is called Moonlight Vortex.
The only way to obtain this sword is by killing Osiris, the Consumed King. After killing and receiving the soul of Osiris, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have his soul transposed into the Moonlight Greatsword.
Gael’s Greatsword
A sword that tells a tale. The blade of a man on a mission to get what his lady demands of him. A sword stained with the blood of battles long forgotten. The sword of the slave knight Gael is the only possession he kept with him from the beginning till the very end. Always in search of the dark soul for his lady’s painting.
The unique part about this weapon is the skill, Blade of Peril. In your battle against Gael, he moves like a beast and someone who took Bruce Lee’s words to heart a bit too much. The blade mimics the standard greatsword moveset but has fantastic combos with the skill. It also feels very badass to fly into the air and slam down, blade first, into your opponent.
Hence it is worthy of being an S-Tier weapon in the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List.
The only way to get a hold of this sword is by killing Slave Knight Gael. After killing and obtaining the soul of Gael, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have his soul transposed into Gael’s Greatsword.
Fume Ultra Greatsword
A heavy sword that resembles a union between solidified magma and bedrock with hints of slate. The blade was said to have been so heavy that none could lift it, even if they tried. Eventually, it fell into obscurity and was forgotten in the annals of history.
So this is a weapon that scales incredibly well with Strenght builds. If you have a quality build, this isn’t very helpful. Instead, you should only go for this weapon if your build is full strength and nothing else since the slow and clunky movements of the sword will be offset by your poise and the Hyper Armor you get when using it.
You can find the Fume Ultra Greatsword in Smouldering Lake. Knight Slayer Tsorig wields it near a lava pool in the Demon Ruins, awaiting all those who try to challenge him for his weapon. Upon defeating him, you receive the sword and the pride of owning such a long-lost relic alongside it.
Black Knight Greatsword
Used by knights who roamed the land, sent out to fight the hordes of demons from the night and those born from chaos. A weapon like this was said to have cut apart thousands of Chaos Demons which were said to have skin so tough that nothing could penetrate it.
An excellent weapon to have when you are face-to-face with an opponent who has Hyper Armor on their weapon. This is because the Black Knight Greatsword inflicts poise damage to the enemy. It’s also fantastic against more miniature monsters and creatures since it has the potential to launch enemies like ragdolls and combo them with crazy damage.
You can find this beautiful specimen by looting it off the corpse of a Black Knight wielding it. If you want to find them, then there are three locations where they are located. These are; Smouldering Lake, Road of Sacrifices, and Untended Graves. We recommend the Untended Graves if you plan on farming for this weapon.
Ringed Knight-Paired Greatswords
So, you want to feel like a badass? Well, we have the right weapon for you. A weapon damned by the gods and kissed by the Abyss. A weapon so heinous that any who wields it shall be damned as well.
The Ring Knight-Paired Greatswords are, in a word, insanely tricky to wield. Yes, they aren’t hard to use, but the requirements for equipping these are bonkers. You have to scratch the Strength ceiling to use them but let us tell you; it’s worth it. These hit harder than a truck and look more fabulous than your long-lost father coming back home with the milk. Hence it is worthy of being an S-Tier weapon in the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List.
When making your way to the Church of Filianore, before you can lay a hand on the door of the cathedral, a ringed knight wielding this weapon shall appear. The only way to get this weapon is by besting him in one-on-one combat. The winner walks away with his life and the other’s weapon.
Sellsword Twinblades
Do you want to cheat in the game but keep it all legal? Well, these will help you rip through any foe you encounter. They are the definition of OP.
The weapon itself is overpowered for a starter weapon; it is also quite common amongst speedrunners who want to get through high-health targets as fast as possible. Although this effect is only present when two-handing the weapon. Seriously, try it out for yourself in-game. You will be shredding through enemies like no one’s business.
There are two possible methods of obtaining the Sellsword Twinbaldes. The first method is to start your game with the Mercenary class since these are the starting weapons for them. The second method is to get them from the Crucifixion Woods near Farron’s Keep, where you fight the Abyss Watchers.
Frayed Blade
Have you ever imagined the power of the darker eater within your hands? A being so powerful that the primordial gods were afraid of him. So fearful that they cast him down and bound him in servitude to the city that they had damned for tampering with the Abyss and corrupting the purity of life.
The blade is a katana-class weapon, meaning it scales pretty well off Dexterity and decently off Strength. The weapon itself has the moveset of a regular katana but where it differs is the unique stance it grants the user. The user can either unleash the power of Midir in a straight shot, or they can slash in quick succession, which causes the enemy to take damage, even through shields.
The only way to get a hold of this sword is by killing Darkeater Midir. After killing and obtaining the soul of Midir, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have his soul transposed into the Frayed Blade.
Dragonslayer Greataxe
The power that befell the dragons. The power was used to cut down the immortal lords of the primordial world before man came into existence. Before the concept of kingdoms even existed, dragons reigned supreme. But this weapon harnessed the power to cut them down and end their immortal rule over the world. Thus began a new age of prosperity.
The Dragonslayer Greataxe is a fantastic weapon to have on your person. This is one of the highest DPS in the game and can chunk bosses like no one s business. One second the boss will have health, and the next, they will be on the ground with their soul in your possession. This is thanks to the exceptional skill of the axe, which brings down the might of lighting to smite its enemies.
The way to get a hold of this sword is by killing the Dragonslayer Armour. After killing and obtaining the soul of the Dragonslayer Armour, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have its soul transposed into the Dragonslayer Greataxe.
Dragonslayer Swordspear
The king’s son, who ushered in a new age, was said to have sided against his father in the war with the dragons. He believed that there was a way that they could exist together, but neither side would have it. So, the son ran off, his name cleaned from the annals of history, making him unnamed for the rest of eternity alongside the dragons who chose to rebel with him.
The weapon has excellent damage and does lighting damage upon its foes. Unlike the Dragonslayer Greataxe, the Dragonslayer Swordspear is held upwards into the sky to call down the might of the thunder and lightning and smite its enemies from this plane of existence. It can also be used for its interesting moveset and unique combat style.
The only possible way to get possession of this weapon is by killing the Nameless King. After killing and obtaining the soul of the Nameless King, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have his soul transposed into the Dragonslayer Swordspear.
Friede’s Great Scythe
Are you a sorcerer looking for a melee weapon to throw down with? Well, then, Friede’s Great Scythe is the weapon for you. It scales brilliantly with Intelligence which allows the player to wipe through hordes of enemies in a breeze given they are sufficiently high level.
This is the best-looking weapon in terms of feeling like an anime character. The weapon art stance is the single coolest-looking thing in the game, the pose itself exudes power, and the follow-up attack is nothing short of amazing. The user summons another scythe in their off-hand, imbued with magic, and holds it out to flow up with a bloodborne-like attack.
Hence it deserves to be an S-Tier weapon in the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List.
The only possible way to get this weapon is by killing Sister Friede from the DLC. After killing and obtaining the soul of Friede, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have his soul transposed into Friede’s Great Scythe.
A-Tier
Almost all of these weapons are viable replacements for the lack of S-Tier weapons. Most of these could be S-Tier weapons but fall short by just a tiny margin. This is either due to a lack of damage or a slightly more challenging aesthetic to style around when trying to play fashion souls.
Although we believe these weapons are great, and while some require more skill than others, all of them are equally helpful to have on your person at any given time, depending upon your style of play.
Parrying Dagger
The Parrying Dagger is not that good at first glance, but when taken a closer look or presented to the eyes of a veteran player, they will immediately think of it and chuckle to themselves. Remembering that one parry they pulled off when they were one hit away from death’s cold embrace.
This is one of the most valuable tools in PvP since anyone who masters parrying can almost always scare those who try to use gimmicks and flashy weapons with pure skill—a weapon of elegance and class capable of only being wielded by those who can learn its art.
Fun tip, if you are having trouble against an adamant boss (in this example Pontiff Sullivan), you can learn to parry their attacks and land a critical hit on them almost every time. Quite handy when trying to get through bosses as fast as possible.
It can only be bought from Patches for 2000 souls.
Irithyll Straight Sword
A straight sword glimmering with crystal shine and radiating a cool air when unsheathed. The ever-frosting blade in contact with the air causes a fog-like effect to emit off the weapon’s blade.
The Irityhll Straight sword will be your first good weapon for a long while if you are going for a quilty build. It has good damage and good scaling well into the late game. On our first playthrough, we used it until the last boss fight and even beyond for the DLC.
The weapon has some magnetic property that attracts you to it even though you know there are better swords in your inventory right this very second. Something about it attaches to you if you decide to use it in your first playthrough and stick with it until it’s +10.
It belongs in the A-Tier of the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List because of the reasons specified.
Obtained right before gaining access to the Road of Sacrifices. The sword is on an Outrider Knight; this is the first of three knights you may encounter like this in the game. Once you defeat the Outrider Knight, you get its weapon, the Irithyll Straight Sword.
Dark Sword
Blacker than black, a sword drenched in the night and those who rule it. Originally a style of blade used by the first Dark Wraiths who used the red orbs to venture into the other worlds as ghostly invaders.
The blade is short but also one of the heaviest straight swords in the entire game, rivaling the Ringed Knight Straight Sword. Its thick but short blade makes it the only weapon in the game with the Stomp skill, and it has excellent uses in both PvP and PvE.
We used this sword in our first playthrough as well. When we found difficulty with the Irithyll Straight Sword, we would switch to the Dark Sword for support against enemies that were weak to physical damage and required a thorough beating to put down. (Fun Tip: Try dual-wielding different combinations of swords. Maybe they are compatible and can be used as dual swords.)
These can be found by killing Dark Wraiths. The easiest way to get this weapon is by farming Dark Wraiths outside the boss room of the Abyss Watchers.
Astora Straight Sword
We can’t put the finger on why we used this sword during our playthrough, but it’s probably related to the fact that it was because the lore was excellent and possibly because of Anri of Astora and our attachment to her.
The Astora Straight Sword is an excellent weapon to have alongside. A great weapon can be interchanged with the Dark Sword if you need a lighter and more reaching weapon. A fine addition to your roster of blades and weapons.
On the High Wall of Lothric, there is a room where you encounter a few axe-wielding undead alongside some undead dogs on a floor below you. Don’t go down; go towards the walkway blocked by some barrels. Follow this path to get to a chest that contains the Astora Straight Sword.
Claymore
The Claymore is a weapon of great magnitude. A fine piece of weaponry to behold and, in the right hands, a weapon as dangerous as no other.
It’s good since you get it early on in your journey, and if you had invested some points into your Strength stat, then this would have suited you well in progressing through the High Wall of Lothric. Maybe even further beyond, such as Undead Settlement and Farron Keep. Hence it belongs in the A-Tier of the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List because of the reasons specified.
You can find this lovely specimen on the High Wall of Lothric, where the dragon is breathing fire. It is at the very end of the courtyard, so you may die trying to get this weapon.
Wolf Knight’s Greatsword
A blade containing the legacy of its master, the first Abyss Watcher. The man who fought against the Abyss on his own and whose blood runs through the Undead Legion of Farron.
This is a clear homage to Artorias, the Abysswalker. The moveset of the sword is a love letter to his fight and the style of combat he inspired. It could be said that the combat style of Artorias directly influenced the combat system in Bloodborne, as well as how fast-paced and dodge-intensive it is.
The weapon has great damage values and makes you feel fantastic when using it since, with its stance, you can do incredible slashes or front-flipping maneuvers. Good for PvE but not all that it’s made out to be for PvP due to its relatively high punishability.
The only way to get a hold of this sword is by killing the Abyss Watchers. After killing and obtaining the soul of the Abyss Watchers, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have their soul transposed into the Wolf Knight’s Greatsword.
Demon’s Scar
The weapon is meant to symbolize the last flame of demon royalty as it was forged by the union of two demon souls combined to produce the last of demon-kind.
Demon’s Scar has quite the neat quality of life fixture since, when equipped, it can be used to cast pyromancies. This means you don’t have to equip your Pyromancy Flame in the off-hand and can do this while weaving in and out of combos with the weapon. This helps you damage and doesn’t hurt in the style points.
The way to obtain this sword is by killing the Demon Prince. After killing and getting the soul of the Demon Prince, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have its soul transposed into the Demon’s Scar.
Uchigatana
The normal Uchigatana is one of the most popular weapons in Dark Souls 3. It deals decent damage and can be used to make quick work of enemies. It can be used by those who want to rush through areas or challenge themselves with a more difficult playthrough.
Obtained by defeating the old man located at the leftmost side of Firelink Shrine. Once you defeat him, you gain his armor set and his weapon, the Uchigatana. The best way to cheese the fight is to kick him off the ledge on the left or make him roll off the cliff edge.
Onikiri and Ubadachi
Ever wanted to use two swords simultaneously but still live out your dream as a samurai? Well, do we have the weapon that will scratch that itch for most of you? We introduce Onikri and Ubadachi.
These combined weapons are suitable for aggressive and rapid attacks. They can make enemies bleed quickly. The off-hand blade is short, so players must get closer to their enemies for maximum damage output. The players can use the Onislayer skill to deal with poise damage and massive health bars.
The Onikiri and Ubadachi are in the A-Tier of the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List for the reasons listed.
Obtainable when you kill Black Hand Kamui, one of the three people who attack you after you make it to the top of the Grand Archives. Just a little bit outside of the prince Lothric boss fight room. Killing Black Hand Kamui will grant you access to the Onikiri and Ubadachi.
Smough’s Great Hammer
The Smough’s Great Hammer is one of the heaviest weapons in the game, but it also has one of the most powerful swings when it connects. When used, the hammer swings horizontally in front of the Knight, and the heavy hammer delivers a crushing blow to any enemy it hits.
The power of this weapon is so immense that it can even break some weapons, such as an axe or a mace. It is also one of the few weapons with no limitations on how often it can be swung. This makes it an excellent weapon for swarming enemies or fighting large groups at once.
Found in Irythill of the Boreal Valley within the glamorous room with many Balck Knights. You must proceed to the second floor and traverse through many brutal Black Knights to eventually reach a chest with Smough’s Great Hammer inside.
B-Tier
Some weapons are more challenging to use than others, which is the theme of the B-Tier. These weapons are just more difficult to use in real threatening situations.
Sure, they offer some excellent tools for dealing with a problem, but they are mitigated by absolute uselessness in certain situations. This is the case for some, while other weapons may be underwhelming compared to acquiring them. So basically, B-Tier is just disappointment encapsulated.
Sunlight Straight Sword
The Sunlight Straight Sword is a straight sword that scales with Faith and Intelligence. It has a high damage output and is one of the most potent weapons in the game.
This power doesn’t come from the weapon’s physical state but rather its unique skill. When you use Oath of Sunlight, it buffs you to the point where physical damage taken is halved, and damage health is increased. This entire buff can be applied to summoned spirits when playing co-op.
It can be found in Lothric Castle near the White Dragon, which spews fire on you if you try to enter from the front.
Firelink Greatsword
The Firelink Greatsword is disappointing. Don’t get us wrong; we love the weapon for what it is but the immense expectations it had on its shoulders as the final boss weapon were not met and were received negatively by the majority of the player base.
The only way to get a hold of this sword is by killing the Soul of Cinder. After killing and obtaining the essence of the Souls of Cinder, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have its soul transposed into the Firelink Greatsword.
Wolnir’s Holy Greatsword
It is a greatsword that has been blessed with the power of Wolnir, making it unable to be broken and made lighter than any other normal greatsword.
The Wolnir’s Holy Greatsword is a weapon in Dark Souls 3. It is a greatsword with a long, slender blade and an enormous crossguard. The crossguard has two wing-like protrusions on either side that provide some protection to the wielder’s hands. It was created by the god of war, Wolnir, to be wielded by his high priestess in battle.
The only way to get a hold of this sword is by killing High Lord Wolnir. After killing and obtaining the soul of Wolnir, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have his soul transposed into Wolnir’s Holy Greatsword.
Farron Greatsword
So, a fan favorite and a letdown. The Farron Greatsword has the best moveset in the game for players who love the ability to move fast and hit hard. Sadly, the hits aren’t as hard as many would like, which is the main disappointing facet about the Farron Greatsword. The damage makes it C-Tier, but the style points alone bring it up to B-Tier.
The only way to get a hold of this sword is by killing the Abyss Watchers. After killing and obtaining the soul of the Abyss Watchers, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have their soul transposed into the Farron Greatsword.
Cathedral Knight Greatsword
Nothing much to say about this weapon other than that it is solid from a pure gameplay perspective. Not too bad, but not too good, just right in that little gray area that many would call good weapon design. However, we call it dull and move on to the next weapon that outshines it in either design or performance.
These can be found by killing Cathedral Knights. The easiest way to get this weapon is by farming Cathedral Knights near the entrance of Osiris’ boss room in the Consumed Gardens. Multiple knights are littered around the area and are pretty slow, so maneuver around them and backstab them to end the fight quickly.
Crow Quills
A weapon for the masterful and dexterously gifted. The weapon itself is nothing special, but the aesthetic of the crow feather daggers pushes it above the others in its categories. Damage-wise, it’s nothing special and quite underwhelming, like almost everything in this tier.
From the Corvian Settlement Bonfire, head out and across the bridge. Follow the wall of the house on your left until you see a smaller bridge. Go across and follow the path to the left. On your left, you will see two entrances across a small gap. Jump the gap and go into the house on your right. Barrels will be blocking a platform you need to run, leap off, and land on the elevated platform with the Crow Quills.
Related Article: Top 13 Dark Souls 3 Best Daggers
Yhorm’s Great Machete
The bread and butter of Yhorm’s Great Machete is the punishing game. You wait for your enemy to make a move, and when they make that one misstep, you swoop in with the machete and take half of their health bar with you. The only problem being this playstyle is quite dull for many people.
Most people want to be dumb and feel overpowered. They want weapons that you can just run in with willy-nilly and win a fight. This is not what Yhorm’s Great Machete offers, which is why it’s a niche pick and belongs in the B-Tier of the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List.
The only way to obtain this machete is by killing Yohrm, the Giant. After killing and obtaining the soul of Yhorm, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have his soul transposed into his Great Machete.
Vordt’s Great Hammer
Freezing weapons are excellent in Dark Souls 3. Vordt’s Hammer, in particular, is really strong. Crafted by Pontiff Sullivan for his loyal Outrider Knight of the Boreal Valley, it was meant to help him fend off all who dared to trespass on the castle grounds.
The weapon, in terms of gameplay, is quite good since it scales off Strength and causes frostbite. Very effective against regular enemies and even some more formidable mini-boss-type enemies since it slows them and causes them a truckload of damage.
The way to get this sword is by killing Vordt of the Boreal Valley. After killing and obtaining the soul of Vordt, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have his soul transposed into Vordt’s Great Hammer.
Dragon Tooth
A legacy weapon from Havel the Rock. Present ever since the first Dark Souls game. The weapon is a literal dragon’s tooth, quite frankly, the most metal thing we have seen someone use as a weapon. And the fact that it’s used as a clubbing weapon rather than a stabbing weapon is mind-boggling.
The only way to get a hold of this sword is by besting Havel the Rock in a one-on-one duel to the death at Archdragon Peak. After killing Havel, his entire armor set, alongside the Dragon Tooth, can be looted from his corpse. If not here, there is a slight chance you can encounter Havel earlier if some enemy NPCs summon him to fight you.
Gundyr’s Halberd
The first boss you face in Dark Souls 3. A real test of strength for the game since it introduces many mechanics to the player while also gatekeeping them from the rest of the game until they prove themselves worthy to proceed by defeating Gundyr. The weapon is also quite good, but nothing special and relatively weak compared to others on this list.
The only way to get a hold of this halberd is by killing Champion Gundyr. After killing and obtaining the soul of Champion Gundyr, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have his soul transposed into Gundyr’s Halberd.
C-Tier
If you thought B-Tier was disappointing, you haven’t seen anything yet. C-Tier is the king o false expectations and sub-par weapons. These exist for you to try them out and get sad about how they looked excellent once you saw them being used that other time.
They will sit in your inventory for ages to come and maybe come out when you see them after a while and get curious about using them like a dementia patient. So, to sum it all up, C-Tier is inventory space fodder that looks mildly interesting.
Now that we are this low on the tiers, let’s save you some time by letting you know the gist of the weapon and cutting out most of the fluff.
Storm Ruler
Keyword: Disappointing. Just an absolute letdown from the battle it was introduced in. The sword was designed for a gimmick boss fight and, as such, has no real value among other weapons that have something to offer. Hence, it belongs in the C-Tier of the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List.
This can be obtained in the boss room of Yohrm the Giant. If you travel to the end of his boss room near the foot of the throne, you can find this weapon waiting for you to take hold of it and cut down the mad giant.
Washing Pole
Just a worse katana in every sense of the way. You get more reach, and fighting enemies from afar is understandable. However, this only puts you a backstep away from the enemy, which is usually death, given that attacks are continuous and have an extensive range. The Washing Pole is a worse katana with no upsides; we recommend using any other katana if possible.
You can get this katana by giving the Shrine Handmaiden, in Firelink Shrine, the Easterner’s Ashes, and buying the Washing Pole for 7500 souls.
Caestus
Nothing but knuckle dusters for this chosen undead. These are knuckled braces, and anyone wearing them is either too dumb or too brave to measure. They do bump your melee damage but nothing so significant that you would prefer these over a sword or any weapon on a dead enemy.
It can be found in the Undead Settlement sewers right before you face off against a Giant Rat.
Claw
Not much to say about these weapons. They are just claws that you can equip on both hands to scratch your enemies. Like an agitated cat, you leap and swipe, but more like a house cat rather than a big wild cat, which is why it belongs in the C-Tier of the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List.
They are obtained by finding it in Osiris’ domain below one of the raised platforms near all the poisonous slugs.
Saint Bident
An homage to the Trident in previous Dark Souls titles since Trident dancing in PvP scenarios was quite the past time for the entire community. When it left, it took the joy of many players, but we have the Satin Bident in its place. Not the best thing but the next best thing for those who wish to carry on their old habits.
Obtained in the Cathedral of the Deep, next to one of the chained Giants, there is a big blue door that leads to the area where this is found.
D-Tier
Be honest with yourself. Why are you even considering using these weapons? Are you going for a challenge run? That’s the only logical reason we can barely think of for you to even go near these weapons unironically.
So, to sum up, these weapons are worth garbage unless you want to try and prove how good you are at the game. In that case, go ahead. We will structure this tier based on the most incredible weapons to use for a challenge run, so think of this as a bonus tier instead of a D-Tier.
Cleric’s Candlestick
Ok, maybe this weapon is not entirely useless but has no use unless you need a weapon that can enhance magic attacks. This weapon does enhance magic attacks cast, but this begs the question. Why not use a better summoning catalyst focused on dishing out magic damage and not the worst of both worlds in the Cleric’s Candlestick?
The only way to get a hold of this weapon is by defeating the Deacons of the Deep. After killing and obtaining the soul of the Deacons of the Deep, bring it back to the Firelink Shrine and have their soul transposed into Cleric’s Candlestick.
Broken Straight Sword
We… really don’t know what to say about this. The weapon is quite self-explanatory and just an excuse to pad out the weapons for the game. It serves no purpose. With a lack of luster damage and zero range, you would have to get up close and personal with every enemy to do no damage and get your health bar chunked down, which is why it belongs in the D-Tier of the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List.
You can get this weapon from many sources and different regions of the game. These include the Cathedral of the Deep, the Road of Sacrifices, the Cemetery of Ash, and the Hollowed Soldiers found anywhere in the world.
Scimitar
A decent weapon but the worst of the worst when it comes to curved swords. Nothing special but rather a failure of a sword that was quite good in the previous iterations of the Souls games. It’s pretty bad but still usable and not entirely worthless in your inventory.
Scimitars have two possible ways of being obtained. The first method is to buy it from the Shrine Handmaiden for 600 souls. The second method is to get it by killing Skeletons in the Carthus Catacombs.
Thrall Axe
Nothing more than a standard axe used by every filler/fodder enemy within the Undead Settlement area. Nothing fancy to say about this axe since it serves no purpose. With a lack of luster damage and zero range, you would have to get up close and personal with the enemy to deal damage to them. That, too, is a measly amount of damage.
Obtainable if you kill enemies in the Cathedral of the Deep and Undead Settlements. That’s the only way to get this weapon.
Blacksmith Hammer
Andre, the Blacksmith’s Hammer, is the worst hammer you could use since there are more powerful hammers. However, it is fantastic to lug around since it adds a nice flare to your character: gameplay-wise, it’s nothing to write home about due to its lacking damage and low durability, which is why it belongs in the D-Tier of the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List.
This can be found where Andre the Blacksmith usually sits and works, but rather than Firelink Shrine, you must go to the Untended Graves version of Firelink Shrine to obtain it.
Whip
A decent weapon when considering the rules for ending up in D-Tier. It has a respectable range but lacks any real damage sustained over time. The play style for this weapon is very hit-and-run, as is mentioned for other weapons in this category.
This weapon can be found in the Undead Settlement area. It is located on a corpse behind a locked door near the second bonfire of that stage.
Other Weapons
We couldn’t fit all 220 weapons into the list, but we will list the rest of the weapons here in order of their tier. Remember that we encourage you to use all the weapons in the game and find what’s just right for you. Without further disruption, here are the rest of the Dark Souls 3 Weapons Tier List entries.
A-Tier
- Corvian Great Knife
- Aquamarine Dagger
- Valorheart
- Lothric’s Holy Sword
- Morion Blade
- Black Knight Sword
- Greatsword of Judgement
- Astora Greatsword
- Lothric Knight Greatsword
- Warden Twinblades
- Exile Greatsword
- Old Wolf Curved Greatsword
- Bloodlust
- Winged Knight Twinaxes
- Demon’s Greataxe
- Black Knight Greataxe
- Ledo’s Great Hammer
- Dragonslayer Spear
- Lothric Knight Long Spear
- Ringed Knight Spear
- Winged Knight Halberd
- Black Knight Glaive
- Immolation Tinder
- Splitleaf Greatsword
- Dragonslayer Greatbow
- Repeating Crossbow
B-Tier
- Mail Breaker
- Bandit’s Knife
- Rotten Ghru Dagger
- Handmaid’s Dagger
- Tailbone Short Sword
- Brigand Twin Daggers
- Murky Hand Scythe
- Gottard Twinswords
- Anri’s Straight Sword
- Barbed Straight Sword
- Hollowslayer Greatsword
- Twin Princes’ Greatsword
- Onyx Blade
- Greatsword
- Profaned Greatsword
- Pontiff Knight Greatsword
- Dancer’s Enchanted Swords
- Follower’s Sabre
- Murakumo
- Carthus Curved Greatsword
- Harald Curved Greatsword
- Darkdrift
- Black Blade
- Chaos Blade
- Estoc
- Crystal Sage’s Rapier
- Irithyll Rapier
- Dragonslayer’s Axe
- Butcher Knife
- Eleonora
- Millwood Battle Axe
- Greataxe
- Earth Seeker
- Drang Hammers
- Gargoyle Flame Hammer
- Morne’s Great Hammer
- Old King’s Great Hammer
- Demon’s Fist
- Dark Hand
- Crow Talons
- Drang Twinspears
- Gargoyle Flame Spear
- Four-Pronged Plow
- Rotten Ghru Spear
- Golden Ritual Spear
- Greatlance
- Crescent Axe
- Crucifix of the Mad King
- Great Corvian Scythe
- Pontiff Knight Great Scythe
- Witch’s Locks
- Rose of Ariandel
- Darkmoon Longbow
- White Birch Bow
- Onislayer Greatbow
- Millwood Greatbow
- Sniper Crossbow
- Heavy Crossbow
C-Tier
- Dagger
- Harpe
- Broadsword
- Longsword
- Shortsword
- Bastard Sword
- Flamberge
- Executioner’s Greatsword
- Drakeblood Greatsword
- Zweihander
- Crescent Moon Sword
- Painting Guardian’s Curved Sword
- Storm Curved Sword
- Carthus Curved Sword
- Carthus Shotel
- Rotten Ghru Curved Sword
- Rapier
- Battle Axe
- Brigand Axe
- Man Serpent Hatchet
- Great Machete
- Mace
- Morning Star
- Great Mace
- Great Club
- Pickaxe
- Ricard’s Rapier
- Spiked Mace
- Quakestone Hammer
- Manikin Claws
- Arstor’s Spear
- Winged Spear
- Yorshika’s Spear
- Smoldering Iron
- Follower Javelin
- Halberd
- Red Hilted Halberd
- Glaive
- Great Scythe
- Notched Whip Spotted Whip
- Dragonrider Bow
- Black Bow of Pharis
- Knight’s Crossbow
- Arbalest
- Avelyn
D-Tier
- Scholar’s Candlestick
- Falchion
- Shotel
- Hand Axe
- Club
- Reinforced Club
- Heysel Pick
- Warpick
- Large Club
- Great Wooden Hammer
- Spear
- Pike
- Partizan
- Lucerne
- Lothric War Banner
- Longbow
- Short Bow
- Composite Bow
- Light Crossbow
Final Thoughts
The purpose of making this list was to give readers a comprehensive overview of the weapons that players come across and use in Dark Souls 3. Some people might disagree with our way of ranking the blades. But that is completely fine. Everyone has their own choices, and they view things differently.
This article can also be regarded as Dark Souls 3 weapons tier list for PvP since most S-Tier and A-Tier weapons can be helpful if understood. If you like this guide, check out more guides from our talented team of writers, like this one on Dark Souls 3 Best Melee Weapon for Sorcerers.
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