Best Strength Weapons In Dark Souls 3

Dark Souls has undoubtedly had a large impact on the gaming industry. Not only has it shown developers how difficulty can be used to set a specific tone, but the Souls series has created its own genre in the wake of its excellent world design and punishing yet rewarding gameplay.

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However, these games are only as hard as you make them out to be. Dark Souls provides you with plenty of weapons, buffs, Miracles, and spells to overcome the hundreds of undead you will have to face. Most important of all of those is your weapon. A weak weapon will struggle to kill fodder enemies, while highly upgraded weapons can slay the game’s strongest foes, including enemy players. Today, we will be looking at the best Strength weapons you can use in Dark Souls 3.

Updated on January 14, 2025 by Ryan Hay: Our last update saw the addition of five excellent Strength weapons that have remained great choices in Dark Souls 3. Instead of adding more options, we’ve included stat breakdowns for each weapon to give you an idea of how much base damage they deal and how well they scale with Strength. Certain entries were also slightly rewritten to further explain why that weapon is worth using.

18

Vordt’s Great Hammer

Vordt’s Great Hammer Stats

This massive hammer is found in the hands of an early boss in Dark Souls 3, Vordt of the Boreal Valley. This tragic knight has been twisted by the magic of Pontiff Sulyvahn’s magic rings, and has been twisted into a creature that is obsessed with the Dancer of the Boreal Valley.

Vordt’s Great Hammer is one of the few weapons in the game that can inflict the frostbite status, as well as being the weapon that applies the most frostbite per hit. It will take you only two or three hits to get the status on most enemies.

17

Dragonslayer Greataxe

Dragonslayer Greataxe Stats

An unfortunate trend within Dark Souls 3 is the lackluster results of split damage weapons, and the Dragonslayer Greataxe falls victim to this as well. Its damage is split into dealing physical and lightning damage, which just isn’t as potent as a lot of purely physically damaging weapons.

It is also the heaviest greataxe in the game, so it takes a ridiculous amount of Stamina to swing, even with max Stamina. This means you’ll be throwing out slower swings, as well as fewer of them per combo, making other greataxes more appealing.

16

Ringed Knight Paired Greatswords

Ringed Knight Paired Greatswords Stats

A single greatsword isn’t enough for some people. Luckily, From Software has made a pair of greatswords you can use at the same time. And they are amazing, both in damage and moveset.

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When both weapons are wielded, it is a flurry of attacks that would scare even the mightiest of foes. The weapon art lights the swords aflame, allowing it to deal a solid bit of split damage to kill PvE enemies weak to fire damage. Unfortunately, split damage is detrimental for scaling weapons long-term.

It doesn’t scale nearly as well with Strength as other entries on this list, yet the rapid attacks and over-the-top flair of the Ringed Knight Paired Greatswords make them worth using for any Strength-stacking build.

15

Spiked Mace

Spiked Mace Stats

A brutal looking weapon, the Spiked Mace can be found fairly early on in the game. The easiest way to obtain this weapon is to farm Evangelists in the Undead Settlement, though they can be fairly intimidating if you’re not ready for them.

It might be a bit more difficult to wield this weapon initially since it has both a strength and a dexterity stat requirement, though that dexterity stat is pretty low so it likely won’t take much to start swinging away with it. You’ll be able to get some good hits too with the weapon art Spin Bash, a spinning move that will finish with a very strong smash attack.

14

Man Serpent Hatchet

Man Serpent Hatchet Stats (Heavy Infusion)

Unlike the Greataxe and other popular Strength weapons, the Man Serpent Hatchet comes with a more versatile moveset to deal with crowds of enemies. Its heavy attacks provided by the weapon art are a sight to behold, killing all but the toughest of foes.

Sadly, this weapon is located at Archdragon Peak, one of the last areas and the second secret zone in Dark Souls 3. If you are able to find this zone and best the Serpent Men who reside there, you will be rewarded with a fantastic axe weapon that can penetrate shields with ease.

13

Quakestone Hammer

Quakestone Hammer Stats

If you think this The just looks like a rock on a stick, you’d be mostly right. But its a rock on a stick that hits really, really hard. The Quakestone Hammer is the weapon of choice for many of the Millwood Knights you’ll encounter, though it is not the only weapon they use.

If you decide to make this weapon the center of your build, you’ll want to get familiar with its Quake skill, which is a two-hit attack. The first strike brings the hammer down overhead into the hearth, while the second hit lifts the very earth up with it.

12

Long Sword

Long Sword Stats (Heavy Infusion)

Knights start with some heavy armor, but their weapon is one of the best in the game. Don’t let this starter weapon fool you, as it is one of the most versatile and deadly weapons in the game.

With a reasonable range, fantastic moveset, and reasonably effective weapon art, the Long Sword dominates most other straight swords in its category. Infusing this weapon with Heavy will make it suitable for Strength builds, or it can alternatively be infused with elemental damage instead to deal split damage. Its versatility is nearly unmatched in the Dark Souls weapon sandbox.

11

Greatsword

Greatsword Stats (Heavy Infusion)

The simple title of ‘Greatsword’ does its job of conveying the simple nature of this weapon, but that doesn’t discount its usefulness. This is one of the longest-reaching weapons in the game while also having a surprisingly low stat requirement to wield.

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It has pretty average damage when compared to other bigger weapons, and has a basic moveset to go along with it. But, unlike some of the fancier weapons on this list, it can be infused and buffed to allow it the flexibility to be on a wider variety of builds.

10

Greataxe

Greataxe Stats (Heavy Infusion)

The Greataxe is one of the best PvE weapons available in Dark Souls 3. It can be acquired very early, has lots of base attack damage, and has a skill that further boosts it.

The moveset for this weapon is good in PvE, allowing you to quickly kill tough enemies. With a Raw or Heavy infusion, this weapon quickly turns into a high-damage machine capable of downing bosses in seconds. With the right build, this weapon can reach one of the highest pure physical damage values in Dark Souls 3. Consequently, this weapon’s lack of sweeping attacks and high stamina cost make it difficult to use in PvP.

9

Fume Ultra Greatsword

Fume Ultra Greatsword Stats

Wielded by one of the hardest bosses in Dark Souls history, the Fume Ultra Greatsword is one of the strongest weapons in the game for Strength-based users.

With a whopping 50 Strength requirement, this weapon provides a cataclysmic amount of damage to any enemy caught in its path. The vertical and thrust attacks in its moveset accentuate its focus on dealing devastating damage to a few enemies in front of the player. Also, the sword can be used as a pseudo-shield, blocking attacks with a decent absorption rate. The downside is just how much Stamina and Strength are needed to properly wield this monster, making it an uncommon pick for PvE and PvP.

8

Yhorm’s Great Machete

Yhorm’s Great Machete Stats

At least Yhorm brings in one actually useful weapon that isn’t named ‘Storm Ruler,’ and this Great Machete is pretty dangerous as well. The biggest appeal of this weapon is definitely its damage output at 707 AR while two-handed.

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What keeps this weapon from being completely devastating is its two-handed moveset, which does not have a guaranteed combo. Having a guaranteed combo with a two-handed, long-reaching weapon with 707 AR might have been too powerful to handle, but it does just fine as a single-handed weapon.

7

Winged Knight Twinaxes

Winged Knight Twinaxes Stats (Heavy Infusion)

Few enemies in PvE can survive the onslaught of attacks this pair of twinaxes can dish out, and many phantoms in PvP fear the unrelenting damage this weapon deals.

This uncommon weapon can be dropped by Winged Knights, meaning you can acquire this weapon fairly early if you know where to farm. The weapon art is the star of the show here, letting users continuously spin until all of their stamina is exhausted. Unlike greatswords, axes don’t require nearly as much stamina to use, meaning you can use this stance comfortably until any Estus-chugging enemy dies.

6

Black Knight Greatsword

Black Knight Greatsword Stats

In contrast to the regular Greatsword, the Black Knight Greatsword has a few more important qualities to put it on top. It has a slightly higher AR than the standard Greatsword and has a bit more flexibility with its attack speed, and it also has the best poise damage of any Ultra Greatsword.

The Black Knight Greatsword used to dominate PvP with its R1 into R2 combo, which was very difficult to do but dealt an incredible amount of damage. This has been patched out, making it lose just a bit of PvP usage. Regardless, this is still a great weapon choice.

5

Millwood Greatbow

Milwood Greatbow Stats

Ranged characters in video games are typically dexterous, leaping between enemies to slice them with daggers or a well-placed arrow. Dark Souls breaks this tradition by letting Strength characters get some mileage out of using greatbows.

Meet the Millwood Greatbow, a weapon made just for strong characters. With a 28 Strength requirement, you get access to one of the highest damaging bows in the game, outclassing even the Dragonslayer Greatbow. Bows have a different playstyle than melee but are equally rewarding if mastered.

4

Ledo’s Great Hammer

Ledo’s Great Hammer Stats

If you couldn’t already tell just by looking at it, Ledo’s Great Hammer is a pure Strength weapon. It requires a whopping 60 Strength to wield, the highest Strength requirement in Dark Souls 3. Like any other Great Hammer in the game, this is an extremely slow but devastating weapon in the right hands.

What sets this hammer apart from other available ones is its weapon art, which is likely the best hammer art in the game. This art throws out a swift attack for a Great Hammer, which deals heavy damage while simultaneously catching opponents off-guard. Once you catch an opponent off-guard, use the weapon’s brutal light and heavy attacks to chunk the enemy’s HP. Few weapons hit as hard as Ledo’s Great Hammer.

3

Exile Greatsword

Exile Greatswords Stats (Heavy Infusion)

Curved greatswords fill a unique niche of being agile greatswords. Greatswords are typically known for their clunkiness to use yet massive damage, but the Exile Greatsword somehow manages to achieve both.

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Capable of obtaining an A scaling in Strength, the Exile Greatsword is quick and packs a punch with each hit. The weapon art available allows for a spinning motion followed by a strong attack, decimating most targets. In PvP, the heavy follow-up can surprise foes, while it serves as a great damage option in most PvE scenarios.

2

Splitleaf Greatsword

Splitleaf Greatsword Stats (Heavy Infusion)

Who wants to play as a helicopter? This greatsword allows you to spin to an absurd degree, slicing and dicing your way through any enemy that is caught in your path.

This weapon is acquired from the Stone-humped Hag in the Ringed City. These weapons deal reasonable damage and can be infused with Heavy. With these traits, it is one of the highest damaging halberd weapons in the game, and the weapon art elevates this weapon well above most. Better yet, ranged attacks such as arrows and bolts can be deflected while spinning, meaning it provides an aggressive yet defensive playstyle for both PvE and PvP.

1

Great Club

Great Club Stats (Heavy Infusion)

The Great Club is a giant club capable of beating any enemy with ease. Obtainable in Farron Keep, the Great Club has a resounding amount of damage it can deal. Alongside its reasonable Strength scaling, it can also be buffed and infused with Heavy, meaning the already absurd damage gets multiplied even further.

Warcry — the weapon art for this club — grants increased damage as well. It might not have the sheer scaling of the Fume Ultra Greatsword or the base AR of the Greataxe, but it’s hard to argue that bonking enemies with this Great Club doesn’t get results. It can be obtained early, doesn’t require any Dexterity to wield — a rarity in Dark Souls 3 — and looks ridiculous in the best way possible. Not many Strength weapons have as many pros as the Great Club.

Systems

Released

March 24, 2016

Developer(s)

From Software

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer

Engine

havok, proprietary engine

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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