Elden Ring weapons | Best early weapon & all weapon types confirmed | Radio Times

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Elden Ring is already packed with a glorious array of weapons. From Katanas to Perfume Bottles, there are plenty of creative ways to engage in combat. With the release of the DLC today, we think it's a good time to look at every weapon in the game - old and new.

So, whether you're completely new to the Lands Between, or a seasoned veteran returning for Shadow of the Erdtree, this guide might be of use. We'll cover not only the weapons, but ways in which you can upgrade them.

Let's take a look at the Elden Ring weapons, both the originals and the new ones!

How many weapons are in Elden Ring?

Elden Ring still showing a soldier crouched over holding a sword — Elden Ring.

There are 31 different weapon types in Elden Ring, so you should have plenty of options when it comes to building an arsenal to suit your playstyle.

The game has both ranged weapons and melee weapons, and it should be fairly easy to tell which is which once you've picked a few things up. There are also some good medium-range options such as whips and flails.

Full list of Elden Ring weapon types

Elden Ring melee weapons

Fists
Daggers
Claws
Axes
Greataxes
Greatswords
Straight Swords
Thrusting Swords
Curved Swords
Curved Greatswords
Colossal Swords
Colossal Weapons
Halberds
Hammers
Heavy Thrusting Swords
Katanas
Reapers
Twinblades
Warhammers

Elden Ring ranged weapons

Ballistas
Bows
Light Bows
Greatbows
Crossbows

Elden Ring mid-range weapons

Flails
Spears
Great Spears
Whips

Elden Ring magic weapons

Glintstone Staves (used for magic and sorcery)
Sacred Seals (used for incantations)

Full list of Elden Ring DLC weapons

If you've mastered the base game, you'll be delighted to hear that there's a plethora of new weapons. There are eight new weapon types that these items are categorised into, but we'll get into that further down...

First, let's list the new weapons in Shadow of the Erdtree.

What new weapon types are in Shadow of the Erdtree?

Elden Ring’s first expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, dropped on Friday 21st June 2024, and takes place on an entirely different map to the base game.

It boasts a heap of supremely difficult enemies to overcome, and so naturally we’ll need a bunch of upgrades to our arsenal to aid our plight.

The DLC introduces a raft of new weapon types that are not available in the original game, so read on for a list of what to expect.

Martial Arts

You read that right - Shadow of the Erdtree will let players use their fists against the game’s monsters. Kicks and punching combos will take some skill to master, but finishing off a boss with a slap to the face will surely be enormously satisfying.

Great Katanas

Also known as ōdachi, Great Katanas look set to be similar in function to their traditional sword counterparts - but with a little more flair.

Throwing Daggers

These daggers look like they will be permanently equipped, and will be a solid way to keep your enemies at a distance while you hop around and dish out damage.

Perfume Bottles

Perfume Bottles won’t make your enemies smell nice - instead, they will damage them with fire or ice. These weapons were seen in the original Elden Ring game, but now they can be permanently equipped, adding another method of attacking your enemies from a distance.

Reverse Hand Swords

Held backwards by the Tarnished so the blade tracks up towards their elbow, Reverse Hand Swords look like they will be useful when chaining quick combos together for players who prefer to keep nimble and agile in combat.

Light Greatswords

Much thinner than their heftier counterpart, the Light Greatsword should deal high levels of damage but at a faster pace than the traditional Greatsword.

Two-handed Shields

A shield with sharp edges sounds like an almighty and vicious weapon. It looks like they can be used to attack and defend in equal measure, which is fortunate as you’ll need to be in close quarters with an enemy to land a blow with this one.

Beast Claws

Think Wolverine, but in the world of Elden Ring. Match made in hell, isn’t it? Similar to the new Martial Arts fighting style, this looks like it will be a close-quarters affair with a combination of attacks being required to deal damage to foes.

What are the best weapons in Elden Ring?

As you have already seen above, there are so many different weapons in Elden Ring, which ensures that regardless of your preferred playstyle, you’ll always have a way to feel comfortable in the game’s combat.

Below, we’ve assembled a list containing some of the best weapons to use in Elden Ring, from greatswords to axes and poleblades.

Rivers of Blood

Rivers of Blood is a vicious katana that can be obtained by defeating Okina in the latter stages of the game. It causes enemies to bleed heavily from its violent slashes, and will help take down seriously difficult bosses like Malenia with ease.

Greatsword

A fancy name isn’t needed for this enormous sword, as the proof is in the huge amounts of damage it can inflict on enemies and bosses alike. It towers over the Tarnished’s shoulder, and will deal fatal blows if their strength level is high enough.

Bloodhound's Fang

This curved sword is perfect for players with a high dexterity level. It has a fair range distance, which means you won’t need to be too close to enemies to deal them damage.

It can be found early on in the game, too, which is a bonus as it is located in Limgrave and is wielded by Bloodhound Knight Darriwill.

Eleonora's Poleblade

Eleonora’s Poleblade will cause enemies to bleed with every hit you land, which is a surefire way to ensure their health bar is constantly being reduced. The weapon is low in weight, so it will keep you nimble when in combat too.

Axe of Godrick

This fierce axe is ideal for players who prefer a slower, more methodical approach to combat. It’ll deal huge swathes of damage with a single blow, and can even be effective when taking on multiple foes at once.

Elden Ring early weapons: What should you get first?

Once you're in Limgrave, you'll have lots of freedom to explore, and one of the first things you'll want to pick up is a decent weapon to defend yourself with.

One of the best early weapons in Elden Ring is the Twinblade, which you can pick up as soon as you're free to explore Limgrave.

The video below shows exactly where you should go! Note that you'll need to jump over a fence using your trusty horse mount at one point.

What are the best Elden Ring weapons?

There is still a lot of hype around the Grafted Blade Greatsword, which could be one of the best options for returning players.

You can pick up this powerful melee weapon by defeating the Leonine Misbegotten boss at Castle Morne.

Once you've found this location at the southern-most point of the Weeping Peninsula, the video below should help you overcome that boss and earn yourself one of the best greatswords we've seen so far.

If you fancy picking up some other strong weapons, it's also worth seeking out the Reduvia Dagger, the Dragonscale Blade Katana and the Longsword (it may not look like much, but this Straight Sword is a great choice).

Elden Ring weapon upgrades: Smithing Stones location

To upgrade your weapons in Elden Ring, you will need to visit an anvil (there is one at the Church of Elleh ruins, which you should be able to access early on). You'll need to bring some Runes and some Smithing Stones with you, as you'll be spending both of those resources to make your upgrades happen.

If you don't have any Smithing Stones, you should be able to find some in Limgrave Tunnels, where some of your foes are literally mining them out of the walls.

The video below will help you find Smithing Stones at that specific location, although it's also worth noting that fallen enemies often drop Smithing Stones wherever you are on the map.

Once you've got some Runes and Smithing Stones that you're willing to part with, head to an anvil, where you should be able to spend those resources to increase any weapon stat by as many as three points.

If you want to go higher than three, you'll need to visit a blacksmith in order to upgrade your weapons further. Once you've defeated the first boss, Margit, you should be able to find Smithing Master Hewg at the Roundtable Hold. If you can afford his services, he'll be able to boost your weapon stats as high as +25.

Note that there are different sorts of Elden Ring Smithing Stones, and you'll need to keep finding better Smithing Stones if you want to pump a weapon all the way up to 25. The higher the number on the Smithing Stone itself (there should be a number in brackets in the name of each one you find), the higher it will be able to boost your weapons.

Check out our guide to Elden Ring Smithing Stones to learn where they all are.

Those are the basics of Elden Ring weapons, then, which should help you get started in the game. We wish you luck as you enter into this deadly world, and hopefully this guide might make it slightly less painful!

Read more on Elden Ring:

Elden Ring review - our final verdict
Elden Ring multiplayer - how does it work?
Elden Ring PC requirements - minimum & recommended specs
Elden Ring release date - all the key details
Elden Ring classes - what's the best starter?
Elden Ring demo - network test recap
Elden Ring bosses - top tips on facing them
Elden Ring difficulty - how hard is it?
Elden Ring length - how many hours do you need?
Elden Ring trophies & achievements - the full list to unlock
Elden Ring keepsake - which starter gift to pick
Elden Ring server status - error message explained
Elden Ring map - everything you need to know
Elden Ring runes - how to get rich quick
Elden Ring smithing stones - where to find them
Elden Ring staff - the best staffs in the game
Elden Ring armour - where to find the best armour
Elden Ring Ashes of War - how to get the best upgrades
Elden Ring Ranni quest - how to find it and finish it

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A bearded Joshua Lamb wearing a suit and tie

Joshua LambFreelance Writer

Joshua Lamb is a freelance writer at Radio Times Gaming, covering news and guides. He is also a games journalist and critic at The Times where he reviews the latest titles, having also previously reported on events such as Gamescom and the BAFTA Game Awards.

Ben Huxley, RadioTimes.com contributor

Ben HuxleyFreelance Writer

Ben Huxley is a freelance contributor to Radio Times, with bylines also in TechRadar, WhatCulture, GAMINGbible, and Live Science. A writer of fiction, too, he has a few short stories published and a novel on the way. He has a BA in English Literature, and an MA in creative writing.