Best One-Handed Swords In Elden Ring

Elden Ring has a large variety of weapons and playstyles to choose from, straight swords continue to be a solid option, though not quite as overpowered as they were back in Dark Souls. Still, the variety in Elden Ring is excellent and there are many options for varied builds. Some weapons will be increasingly more difficult to obtain than others, while some can be found quite easily.

These weapons will work for a variety of builds, and none of them will work as an overall choice for all builds, as each has utility in its own way and there are a ton of different weapon options to find. Players will be able to easily see, however, the value that each of these one-handed swords gives.

Updated September 14, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: Because you can just about any weapon in one hand, the best one-handed Elden Ring weapons are quite varied. In fact, one of the best one-handed swords Elden Ring players can now collect in the DLC is the Carian Sorcery Sword, which isn’t great as a melee weapon, but doubles as a Sorcery Catalyst. This guide to the best one-handed swords in Elden Ring has been updated to include this powerful hybrid weapon that can be found about a third of the way through Shadow of the Erdtree – one that just about every Sorcery caster build will want to go out of the way to get.

15

Carian Sorcery Sword

Cast Sorceries With This DLC Spell Sword’s Heavy Attack

As a melee weapon, the Carian Sorcery Sword
is far from the best Elden Ring one-handed sword. Its damage is split between Physical and Magical damage evenly, but it does not have a heavy attack. Because it scales between three stats and doesn’t offer much total damage (even when fully upgraded), there are a lot of better Intelligence weapons to use as one-handed weapons.

However, the Carian Sorcery Sword has a secret: instead of a Heavy Attack players can press the Heavy Attack input to cast whichever Sorcery they currently have equipped in the top slot of the quick menu. That’s right – the Carian Sorcery Sword is a combination of Elden Ring Catalyst and one-handed sword, and is able to cast Sorceries just like a Glintstone staff just as well as it can be swung at melee enemies.

This weapon saves a good amount of Weight on your character, but it’s also one of the best-scaling Intelligence Catalysts in Elden Ring. The Carian Sorcery Sword outclasses several other Glintstone Staffs when upgraded and with a high enough Intelligence stat when it comes to Sorcery Scaling.

How To Get The Carian Sorcery Sword

You must have the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC to get the Carian Sorcery Sword. The sword can be found in Castle Ensis, but you can’t get to its location from inside the castle. Instead, head to the Scadu Altus Site of Grace and head north. Look for what looks like an island just north of the western side of Castle Ensis on the world map.

Get to this island and jump southeast down to the top of a tower in Castle Ensis. Jump down onto the upper rampart, where you will dismount Torrent. Continue around the ramparts and open a chest to find the Carian Sorcery Sword.

14

Star-Lined Sword

Essentially A New Version Of Moonveil

The Star-Lined Sword
is a new one-handed Sword in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree that essentially performs the same role that Moonveil did in the base game. It’s a Katana that deals passive Bleed buildup, and splits its damage evenly between both Physical and Magical damage. It doesn’t scale evenly between its three required stats, but like Moonveil, its real draw is its Ash of War.

The Onze’s Line of Stars weapon skill sees players rapidly extend the reach of their sword and slash several times in quick succession, followed up with a jumping overhead slam. Though Moonveil has the potential for ranged play, Onze’s Line of Stars is great for closing the distance without sacrificing damage.

How To Get The Star-Lined Sword

The Star-Lined Sword is dropped by the world boss Demi-Human Queen Marigga in the Cerulean Coast. From the Cerulean Coast Site of Grace, head north east and look for the Demi-Human Queen from afar. She should be surrounded by an army of Demi-Humans.

13

Noble’s Slender Sword

Extremely Rare, But The Best Short Sword Elden Ring Offers

The Noble’s Slender Sword
is one of the rarest weapons in Elden Ring, as it can only be found on the loot table of one enemy type and has an extremely low drop rate. Once acquired, though, it’s one of the best Elden Ring one-handed weapons throughout the whole game because of its reach.

Straight Swords are best when wielded in tandem with one another to access a Power Stance dual-wielding moveset. The Noble’s Slender Sword is notably longer than any other Straight Sword in the game, though, and starts with a base C scaling in Dexterity. If you have the patience, and play a DEX or dual-wield build, you can acquire this Elden Ring straight sword very early in the game.

How To Get Noble’s Slender Sword

The Noble’s Slender Sword only drops from Noble enemies throughout the Lands Between. Though Nobles can be found wandering in almost every area of the game, the best farming location for the Noble’s Slender Sword is right at the start. Head across the bridge heading east from the Lake Agheel North Site of Grace, and look for the Caravan being pulled by two Trolls. Kill wandering Nobles in the group that follows the Carriage itself, then reset at the Lake Agheel North Site of Grace. It has a less than 1% chance to drop, so be prepared to farm for a few hours.

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11

Zweihander

Great In Two Hands, But Equally Strong In One

The Zweihander
is a weapon that appears several times throughout From Software’s catalogue, and it returns once again in Elden Ring. Typically thought of as a two-handed weapon, the Zweihander is perfectly usable as a one-handed weapon if you can meet its stat requirements.

Once you get a handle on its slow animations, the main benefit of the Zweihander over other one-handed weapons Elden Ring players can get becomes clear: its reach is unparalleled. If you Block and initiate a Guard Counter with the Zweihander, too, it deals an immense amount of Poise damage, and will have a better chance to reach opponents who move out of your melee range.

How To Get The Zweihander

The Zweihander can be acquired very early in Elden Ring from the Isolated Merchant in the western Weeping Peninsula. Head to the beach in the Weeping Peninsula and look for his shack, then talk to the Merchant to purchase the Zweihander for 3,500 Runes.

10

Broadsword

Great Animations, Decent Damage, And Easy To Get

The Broadsword
might seem like a run-of-the-mill weapon, but it’s secretly one of the most efficient Swords in Elden Ring. It has excellent Strength scaling when made Heavy via the Ash of War menu, and the default Weapon Skill Square Off is one of the best for the early game.

It swings horizontally for many of its attack animations, which makes it just as efficient at taking out groups of enemies as a single opponent. It’s a weapon that doesn’t require much of its wielder, but the damage output, relatively low weight, animation hitboxes, and ability to be infused and buffed makes it a standout “vanilla” weapon.

How To Get A Broadsword

The Confessor starting class begins the game with a Broadsword, but one can also be bought from a Nomadic Merchant in Limgrave. He sits under a piece of ruin next to the Coastal Cave, which is just below the First Steps Site of Grace. It costs 1800 Runes, a not-small amount early in the game, but it’s well worth the investment.

9

Carian Knight’s Sword

Deals Equal Parts Magic And Physical Damage

The Carian Knight’s Sword
is a very good weapon choice for players dedicated to Intelligence and Sorceries. It splits its damage type between regular and Magic Damage, which makes enemies take more damage than weapons with only one damage type most of the time (though resistances can make overall damage output lower, a more common factor for Holy weapons).

The Ash of War allows players to summon and charge a gigantic Glintstone sword above their head to smash down on their target. It can be charged a few times, and when the player lets go it slams into the ground dealing damage appropriate to how long the Skill was charged for.

How To Get The Carian Knight’s Sword in Elden Ring

The Carian Knight’s Sword, appropriately, is found a short way south of the Carian Manor in western Liurnia of the Lakes. Starting from the Lunar Estate Ruins, head south until you see a Carriage being pulled by two Trolls in the distance.Either attack the Trolls to get them to stop or carefully jump onto the back of the Carriage to find one of the best one handed weapons in Elden Ring in a chest.

8

The Godskin Stitcher

Great Ash of War – But Don’t Think About Where It’s Been

The Godskin Stitcher
is a mighty thrusting sword that shows its value in the hands of an elite PvP enthusiast. Thrusting swords are typically not great in FromSoftware games, as they struggle in PvE when groups of enemies are common, and fencing one at a time isn’t always an option. But, when facing down an opponent one-on-one, it’s hard to go wrong with a weapon that can strike quickly from afar like the Godskin Stitcher.

It’s a weapon with great damage scaling at its higher improvement levels, and the Ash of War Impaling Thrust can take out – or at least stagger – all but the highest-HP foes in one go. It can also be infused with new effects for massive damage gain, like the Flame modifier that adds 242 Fire damage at +25, and can be imbued with new Ashes of War to fit one’s build.

How To Get The Godskin Stitcher in Elden Ring

The Godskin Stitcher is wielded by a number of Godskin enemies throughout the Lands Between, but the only one that players can actually acquire is in the Volcano Manor. About halfway through the Volcano Manor players can lower a bridge shortcut and progress into the Church of Eiglay. Defeat the Godskin Noble found within to get its Godskin Stitcher – and don’t forget to get the quest item on the altar, too.

7

The Rotten Crystal Sword

Scarlet Rot and Magic Damage – What More Could One Ask For?

A great choice for those favoring straight swords over curved, the Rotten Crystal Sword
edges out its very similar Crystal Sword variant due to the scarlet rot passive buildup with each hit, as well as the Spinning Slash weapon skill. Straight swords have always had useful and efficient swing patterns and can deal a hefty amount of physical damage.

On top of this, the Rotten Crystal Sword gets additional magic damage making it a solid choice for a variety of builds. Its one downside is how difficult it is to acquire, and how late in the game it can be found – it isn’t until players get to the Haligtree that the Rotten Crystal Sword can be found.

How To Get The Rotten Crystal Sword in Elden Ring

This sword can be found in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree in a chest guarded by three Crystalians. The Crystalians are found just after the Erdtree Avatar that stands next to a group of ballistae, guarding the entrance to the inner wall. Head through this entrance, light the Elphael Inner Wall Site of Grace, and turn left to climb over a large root.

he three Crystalians are sitting on the other side of this root, and can be lured one-by-one.

6

The Sword of St. Trina

One Of The Few Sleep Weapons in Elden Ring

The Sword of St. Trina
is a fantastic choice for PVE though not quite as useful against other players. What makes this sword unique is that it is one of two melee weapons that make use of Elden Ring‘s sleep mechanic. The Ashe of War called Mists of Slumber causes a wave of sleep powder to wash over an area in front of the player.

This can be especially useful for those duo boss fights such as the Godskin Duo, allowing players to knock out one of the bosses and focus on the other without interruption or having to split aggro. Though its uses are relatively limited, when it puts an enemy to sleep in a boss fight, it makes things much, much more manageable.

How To Get The Sword of St. Trina in Elden Ring

The sword can be found in the Forsaken Ruins, a location in northwest Caelid. Here, at the eastern base of Caelid’s western cliffs, there are a few ruins that dot the surroundings. The Forsaken Ruins are the northernmost, and the Sword of St Trina can be accessed by opening a sealed door with a Stonesword key.

5

The Antspur Rapier

One Of The Best Thrusting Swords, Thanks To Scarlet Rot

This thrusting sword is a fantastic choice for many players’ builds. The main draw of the Antspur Rapier
is its scarlet rot buildup. As a passive perk, it can be massively helpful in both PVP and PVE.

Pairing this with a great shield such as the Fingerprint shield can make many bosses easy work, as Thrusting Swords can be used from behind Shields in Elden Ring.

It is limited in its ability to take on groups, but it’s hard to beat in a one-on-one fight. Scarlet Rot is an incredibly deadly status effect, and its Impaling Thrust Ash of War deals insane damage alongside this status effect buildup if its relatively long animation hits.

How To Get The Antspur Rapier in Elden Ring

The Antspur Rapier is found in the Altus Plateau, near the Shaded Castle. It drops from Maleigh Marais, Shaded Castle Castellan, who invades the player just west of The Shaded Castle in a clearing.

4

The Sword Of Night And Flame

A Legendary Blade With Multiple Damage Types & Ashes of War

This Legendary weapon will be familiar to most players at this point, as it has been showcased as one of the best straight sword Elden Ring has to offer due to its dual weapon arts and varied damage. The first weapon art is a scaled-down version of the Comet Azur sorcery, albeit for a significantly cheaper FP cost, and the second is a sweeping flame arc in front of the caster.

Each is triggered either by using the Light or Heavy attack button when using the Night And Flame Stance skill. The Sword of Night and Flame
does require the Tarnished’s Intelligence and Faith stats to be at a 24 minimum, which makes this weapon more suited for Spellcaster than others. There is something to be said for giving other players access to these spells, though.

How To Get The Sword of Night and Flame in Elden Ring

The Sword of Night and Flame is found in the Carian Manor in northwest Liurnia. To find it, start at the Manor Lower Level Site of Lost Grace and navigate across the Ramparts, taking the left-most path, and look for a series of cascading rooftops to drop down to on the left. Jump down here, avoiding the spirits that periodically get summoned, and drop down into a room containing the Sword of Night and Flame.

3

Rivers Of Blood

Once An Unbeatable PvP Behemoth, It’s Still Pretty OP

Prior to patch 1.03 Rivers of Blood
was a decent weapon but nothing special mainly due to the fact that it scaled with Arcane and unfortunately, that scaling was bugged and did not work properly. Post-patch, however, it became a force to be reckoned with. Then with the 1.06 update, with specific updates for PvP play, it went back to being just “ok.”

In the end, Arcane scaling was fixed, and the bleed scaling makes it a force to be reckoned with, despite the nerfs. Rivers of Blood has a 66 passive bleed buildup with a weapon art, Corpse Piler, that stacks even more on top and gives a slight extra attack range to the weapons swing set.

How To Get Rivers of Blood in Elden Ring

To obtain the Rivers of Blood katana players must defeat Bloody Finger Okina at the Church of Repose in the Mountaintops of the Giants region. This must be done before the Fire Giant boss is killed however as the invader will not invade after the Giant is defeated.

2

The Hand of Malenia

Ever Wanted To Perform Malenia’s Waterfowl Dance?

Though it will take a lot of work and very high dexterity to wield the Hand of Malenia
(47 to be exact), it will be worth it for most players. Alongside being the second biggest katana in the game after the Nagakiba, it has a passive 50 bleed buildup and is easily the best bleed weapon art in Elden Ring.

The skill titled Waterfowl Dance is incredibly aggressive and impossible to interrupt after the initial wind-up. It allows the player to unleash a flurry of slashes in a three-tiered combo that absolutely melts most health bars in PVP and PVE. Its range also makes it great for dual wielding if you obtain a second.

How To Get The Hand of Malenia in Elden Ring

The Hand of Malenia is a Boss weapon, and thus can only be acquired by trading Malenia’s Remembrance with Enia in Roundtable Hold. Beat Malenia, take her Remembrance, and select this Katana when given the option to trade the Remembrance for items.

1

The Moonveil Katana

The Best Katana in Elden Ring – For Pretty Much Every Build

What was undoubtedly one of the best katanas in Elden Ring until Patch 1.03 still holds its weight after having its damage slightly lessened. In addition to having a 50 point bleed build as a passive, the Moonveil
has one of the best weapon skills in the game, Transient Moonlight.

This skill allows the user to slash vertically or horizontally a wave of magic that is not only fast but quite high in damage. This makes Moonveil one of the best weapons in the game for anyone with a dexterity and intelligence build.

How To Get Moonveil in Elden Ring

The Moonveil Katana is found at the end of the Gael Tunnel after beating the Magma Wyrm boss. The Gael Tunnel can be accessed from Limgrave, but to get to the boss you must take the Caelid entrance. From any Site of Grace in northwest Caelid head to the base of the cliffs and look for an entrance to a cave. On the map, the Gael Tunnel is on the border of Caelid and Limgrave, but the entrances on both sides don’t quite line up. Be sure to ride Torrent through the Scarlet Rot pools while looking for the entrance to avoid damage.