The Best Weapons To Use Early On

Demon’s Souls has a lot of weapons with varying abilities and means of attack. Each weapon has its own attack style and, thanks to Bluepoint Games’ work on FromSoftware‘s original game, has unique animations. A lot of weapons can be obtained early on, more so if a player happens to have pre-ordered the game.

For players who bought the digital deluxe edition of the Demon’s Souls remake, players got another weapon to start off with. With a lot of weapons to use and more people playing the game than ever before, it might be time to go over what weapons players should consider when starting a new game.

Updated On December 2nd, 2024 By Joshua Leeds:
Demon Souls has lots of enemies with different defenses even against the various versions of physical damage. This article has been updated to include the types of damage each weapon deals to help you know what enemies they will work best against. We’ve also added the various ways many of the weapons on this list can be enhanced if you want to use a different variation of that weapon.

14 Lava Bow

Fire Damage From A Distance

• Located by Blacksmith Ed creating it with a Hard Demon Soul.
• Deals piercing physical and fire damage.
• The Lava bow can’t be enhanced to a different damage type.

Ranged combat in FromSoftware titles is something of an acquired taste. For those with that craving though, the Lava Bow in Demon’s Souls is definitely worth their time and attention. Players will need to give Blacksmith Ed an item called the Hard Demon Soul, and, from that, he can craft this useful bow.

The Hard Demon Soul can be found in the Smithing Grounds (level 2-1) or by defeating the Armor Spider. Regardless of how it’s obtained, the Lava Bow will provide 55 physical piercing damage, while also adding in the 100 fire damage that helped it land its name. It’s also worth noting that the fire damage that it imbues on arrows scales with the player’s Magic statistic.

13 Secret Dagger

Perfect For Close & Quick Combat

• Located in the Prison of Hope.
• Deals slashing physical damage.
• Upgraded with Marrowstones and can be enhanced to become Sharp, Quality, Mercury, Fatal, or Crescent.

Dexterity is a stat that’s fairly common in most player builds, as, generally, those taking on a Souls-like game love a bit of movement and maneuverability. The Secret Dagger is a solid option for dex-focused builds early on, but it won’t be obtainable until level 3-1. It’s located on the second floor of the Prison of Hope but requires a key for the 4F Cell in order to reach it. It can also be dropped in the Inner Ward by the Imperial Spy enemy.

It does both slashing and piercing damage at a rate of 70 physical per hit and what it lacks in pure power, it more than makes up for in speed of attack. These daggers are for players who want to get in and out of combat and rely on their dex to help them overcome the damage disadvantage.

12 Estoc

Powerful Piercing Damage

• Located in Prison of Hope.
• Deals piercing physical damage.
• Upgraded with Sharpstone/Hardstone and can be enhanced to become Sharp, Quality, Mercury, Fatal, or Crescent.

It’s not uncommon for FromSoftware fans to experiment with magic, bows, or even daggers, but sometimes, nothing feels quite as comfortable as a solid sword. In Demon’s Souls, there is a large rapier that players can get a hold of in the early game that happens to be a solid option for players who prefer the combat attack animations of the thrusting sword class of weapons.

The 80 physical attack Estoc is also relatively easy to acquire as it rests on the corpse of a prisoner situated on the first floor of the Prison of Hope. Specifically, this is level 3-1, so although it isn’t at the very beginning of the game, it’s early enough that players can get plenty of practice and time with it and decide if they’d like to upgrade it and continue to use it throughout their playthrough.

11 Winged Spear

Keep Dangerous Enemies Far Away

• Located in The Lord’s Path.
• Deals piercing physical damage.
• Upgraded with Sharpstone/Hardstone and can be enhanced to become Sharp, Quality, Mercury, Fatal, or Moon.

On the bridge in 1-2’s The Lord’s Path, players will be trying to avoid the literal bomb dropping of an angry Red Dragon. Those quick enough with looting can get their hands on a satisfying distance weapon known as the Winged Spear.

On one hand, spears like this are solid against armor-clad or hard-scaled foes, but for smarter enemies, it can be easily parried, so caution is a must. Demon’s Souls veterans would suggest the best thing to do is wield the Winged Spear in one hand and pair it with whatever shield feels best. The ability to hit in a straight line from mid-range can come in handy in a number of sinisterly designed areas throughout Demon’s Souls.

10 Crescent Falchion

An Early Magic Damage Weapon

• Located in Island’s Edge behind the first Black Skeleton.
• Deals slashing physical and magic with bleeding effect.
• Upgraded with Darkmoonstone and can’t be enhanced.

To get the Falchion early, players will need to travel to the Shrine of Storms. It will take a little time to reach the location because players will need to complete the first location of the game before other Archstones become available.

Once the Shrine of Storms is available, players will simply need to go to the first fog door, turn left, and find the skeleton-wielding dual katanas. Behind this skeleton is the Crescent Falchion +1. The reason this weapon is so great is because of the added magic damage that allows players to easily kill enemies. The Crescent Falchion is great for magic users to grab early on. This weapon comes as a +1 and can be used for most of the early game without needing to be upgraded. One of the main builds that use the Crescent Falchion is the Soul Mage. Other items that players should use are the Ring of Magical Sharpness and the Monk’s Head Wrap.

9 Crushing Battle Axe

A Heavy Strength Focused Weapon

• Located in the Smithing Grounds.
• Upgraded with Greystone and can’t be enhanced.

Get ready for one of the best early strength-based weapons in the game. The Crushing Battle Axe is a real damage dealer and can really help take down demons. The regular Battle Axe is dropped by the Boleteria Soldiers, but the real prize is the Battle Axe found in the Stonefang Tunnels.

After taking the first elevator, players will find a Fat Official guarding a balcony. Once the Official is killed, players can access the balcony and retrieve the Crushing Battle Axe +1. Far better than the standard ones dropped by the Boleterians. Since the Crushing Battle Axe is a Strength weapon, players should stick to a Strength build if they plan on upgrading it further. The Clever Rat’s Ring can be used to increase the weapon’s damage while the player’s HP is low.

8 Claymore

A Mid-Size Sword For Strength Builds

• Dropped by Blue Eye Knights.
• Deals slashing physical damage.
• Can be bought from Dregling Merchant for 6,000 Souls
• Upgraded with Sharpstone and Hardstone and can be enhanced to become Quality, Crushing, Dragon, Blessed, and Moon.

The Blue-Eyed Knights drop a great weapon for the beginning of the game, the claymore. This strength weapon requires a good amount of levels to use, but it is well worth it. It is also worth the inevitable grind for players who are seeking to use it.

If a player doesn’t want to farm for it, the sword can always be bought from the Dregling Merchant. It will cost players a hefty 6,000 souls which is a good amount for the early game, but well worth the investment for such a good strength weapon. The Claymore is one of the highest Strength weapons in the game. Players dedicated to a Strength build should wield this weapon and also consider adding the Crushing upgrade.

7 Uchigatana

The Perfect Dexterity Katana

• Obtained from Island’s Edge behind the Vanguard Demon.
• Can be dropped by Black Skeletons.
• Deals slashing and piercing physical damage with bleeding effect.
• Can be enhanced to become Quality, Sharp, Tearing, Mercury, Crescent, and Moon.

The Uchigatana has been a standard for use at the beginning of any Souls game. Players of the series know that the Uchigatana can be found early in all three of the Dark Souls games and is a viable weapon for the entire game.

The same goes for Demon’s Souls. Players are able to run to get this weapon even though it is found in a later part of the game. Once all of the Archstones become available, go to where the Vanguard Demon boss fight is and take the alternate route through the illusory wall corridor. It can also be obtained by killing the Black Skeleton. The Uchigatana is great for magic builds because of the scaling it receives when upgraded with Darkmoonstone. This bonus, along with the bleed damage it causes is a great way to bring down enemies quickly.

6 Kilij

A Simple Weapon That Builds Bleed

• Obtained from Island’s Edge in front of the Vanguard Demon.
• Can be dropped by Gold Skeletons.
• Deals physical slashing damage with bleeding effect.
• Can be enhanced to become Quality, Tearing, Sharp, Mercury, Crescent, and Moon.

Kilij is one of the more difficult weapons to obtain early on, but entirely possible. To get it, players will need to travel to the Shrine of Storms and defeat the Gold Skeleton near the Vanguard Demon boss fight. This skeleton is hard to defeat especially early on. Players can obtain one from the ground, but it requires defeating the Vanguard Demon first. This weapon is similar to the Falchion and well-suited for dexterity builds.

Kilij has a pretty decent requirement to wield. Players should consider a Dexterity build when using this weapon. Adding the Sharp upgrade changes the scaling of this weapon from a C to an S. This weapon also has bleed damage that is useful for taking down those fleshy enemies.

5 Blessed Mace

A Heavy Hitting Faith Weapon

• Located in Depraved Chasm.
• Deals blunt physical and magic damage.
• Upgraded with Faintstone and can’t be enhanced.

Priests start with a mace which is good, but what is even better is the Blessed Mace. Players have stated that white world tendency is needed to get this weapon, and if that is achieved, the Blessed Mace will help carry a good strength build to the end. This weapon is in a later part of the game called the Valley of Defilement. In this area, players can sprint to a location where a Giant Tick is located. Behind it is the mace. Guides are available for players who want to make the journey.

The Mace is useful for those who want to dip their toes into a Faith Build. The Blessed Mace scales off Faith with an A. This will be good early on, but later down the line, players can turn this weapon into the Meat Cleaver. Faith-build players should consider grabbing the Ring of Devout Prayer to gain an extra Faith Spell Slot.

4 Dragon Long Sword

Fire Damage Without The Need For Upgrades

• Located in The Tunnel City at the bottom of the chasm.
• Deals slashing physical and fire damage.
• Upgraded with Dragonstone and can’t be enhanced.

While the Dragon Long Sword is towards the beginning of the game, it can only be retrieved once a player has defeated the Armor Spider boss in the Stonefang Tunnel. Once a player is able to do that, they can travel through the tunnel on the other side of the boss room. Follow the tunnel to the right and be prepared for a bit of a fight. Once the fight is over, players will need to fall down a large hole in the ground until they reach the tunnels below. Traversing through these tunnels will grant players access to a Dragon Long Sword +1.

The Dragon Long Sword does not scale off of stats, but the fire damage is helpful when dealing with various enemies. This weapon can be grabbed early on and used for the rest of the game as long as it gets upgraded. Players who don’t want to stick with this weapon can easily change it later on as well once it outlives its purpose.

3 Great Club

A Big & Heavy Weapon That Hits Hard

• Located in the Smithing Grounds.
• Deals blunt physical damage.
• Can be upgraded into the Meat Cleaver.
• Can be dropped by Giant Depraved One.

The Great Club is another weapon players can obtain once they reach the Stonefang Tunnels, except they don’t need to kill a boss to reach it. Players who choose to use a strength build will love this large chunk of wood and metal. It requires 20 Strength, but that is easily obtained at the beginning of the game. In the Stonefang Tunnels, players will find a small platform with a wooden bridge leading to it. This platform has multiple items on it and is easy to spot. Simply run full force across the bridge and roll at the last moment to get the club.

The Great Club cannot be upgraded unless players want to obtain the Meat Cleaver. The Meat Cleaver is a great weapon that scales off of Strength, Dexterity, and Faith. This is also great for Strength builds because the Meat Clever does not require any dexterity to wield.

2 Reaper Scythe

Become The Reaper & Collect Souls

• Obtained from pre-ordering the game.
• Deals slashing physical damage with bleeding effect.
• Not able to be upgraded.

The Reaper Scythe is a brand new weapon that Bluepoint added to Demon’s Souls. Players will recognize it as the weapon used by the Reaper enemy. This scythe is great to use at the beginning of the game. It also has additional bleed damage to help handle early bosses.

The only downside to this weapon is that it requires a player who has preordered the game. A friend may be able to drop the weapon for a friend who didn’t preorder it, but that will be the only way to get it now. The Reaper Scythe is recommended once players get farther into the story. This is because the weapon cannot be upgraded and will ultimately end up becoming too weak.

1 Mercury Rapier

Builds Poison For Unique Damage

• Located in the Prison of Hope.
• Deals piercing physical damage with poison effect.
• Can’t be enhanced.

The Mercury Rapier is obtainable once the Archstones are all available. It resides in the Prison of Hope and is a decent trek away from the spawn area. Traveling down below to the first floor of the prison will bring players to an area where a statue of an idol shoots arrows across a bridge. Around this area are a few ledges that players can travel around. Taking a door near the beginning of the area will lead players to an area on the side of the idol statue. It is here that players can obtain the Mercury Rapier +1.

The Mercury Rapier is great for players who are looking to create a poison build. Poison build-up is very useful in PVP since it whittles down the enemy’s health over time. This can also be used on some of the bosses in the game to make it easier to take them down.