Best Dexterity Builds For PVE & PVP

Dexterity builds are somewhat looked down upon by the Dark Souls 3 community due to how powerful they can be. These builds typically revolve around reaching a high Dexterity value while investing plenty in endurance. It allows players to attack with reckless abandon, but there’s a good reason why these builds are so popular.

For PvE, some of the strongest weapons in Dark Souls 3 scale the best with Dexterity. As for PvP, many weapon types have incredible movesets that deal large amounts of damage when paired with high dexterity. Here are the best PvE and PvP builds for dexterity users in Dark Souls 3. Since most Dexterity builds are the same, this guide will focus less on stats and more on weapons and their play style.

Updated on December 23, 2024, by Gerardo Molina: One of the greatest things about the Dark Souls franchise is that it allows players to complete the games regardless of which build they choose. If some players prefer a high Poise build with a Strength weapon that hits like a truck but takes ages to deliver a single blow, that’s fine. And if others prefer a more agile build based on Dexterity, swift attacks, and perfectly timed dodges, that is also okay. Many players prefer a Dexterity build, as it makes for the most fast-paced combat mechanics. A well-crafted build of this type can be great against both area enemies during the story, and other Ashen Ones in PvP.

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PVE: Frayed Blade Build

A Fair Reward For Defeating Darkeater Midir

The Frayed Blade is a katana that not only looks incredibly menacing but also has a long-range skill called “Hold” that sends a shockwave along the earth. This weapon is great for Dexterity Builds, as it has a B scaling rating and can deal great damage through swift combos. Thanks to its special skill, it can deal with enemies at long distances and also produce a series of quick slashes, ideal for when players are surrounded by enemies.

Combining this weapon with the Chloranthy Ring can prevent players from running out of Stamina too quickly. Equipping the Carthus Milkring is also a great idea, as it gives 3 additional Dexterity points and obscures the wearer when rolling. To top it all off, it’s recommended to equip the Ring of Favor, which increases max HP by 3%, max Stamina by 8.5%, and max Equip Load by 5%. This weapon requires a whopping 40 Dexterity to wield, which means that it’s supposed to be used in the late stages of the game. This makes a lot of sense, as it can be obtained through the Ringed City DLC, which is not recommended before reaching Soul Level 90 or 100.

How To Get The Frayed Blade

This weapon can be obtained in Dark Souls 3‘s DLC, The Ringed City. Once players have defeated the mighty Darkeater Midir, they can use soul transposition to get this katana.

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PVP: Estoc Build

Quick Swings And Long Range

The Estoc is one of the lightest and most versatile weapons in Dark Souls 3. With fast thrust attacks and wide swings, this weapon is ideal for PvP. It doesn’t deal the most damage and doesn’t have the best Dexterity scaling (D), but given its speed, it can keep constant pressure on opponents, forcing them to roll continuously until their Stamina is depleted.

The Estoc is relatively long, which means it can be used in short, medium, and long-range combat with similar efficiency. Since this build is all about agility, it’s recommended for players to wear lightweight armor to move freely. The ideal companions for this weapon are the Ring of Favor, the Chloranthy Ring (for quicker Stamina regeneration), and the Prisoner’s Chain. For further buffing, players can use Magic Weapon and/or Sacred Oath, dealing additional damage to their opponents.

How To Get The Estoc

If players start with the Assassin class, they will already have the Estoc as their primary weapon. Players using other classes can purchase this weapon from Greirat after sending him to pillage the Undead Settlement.

If, for whatever reason, Greirat dies before players can purchase the Estoc, they can also hand Greirat’s Ashes to the Shrine Handmaid, who will sell it to them for 3,000 Souls.

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PVE: Brigand Twindaggers

The Daggers With The Highest Damage Per Second In The Game

Daggers are mainly used as parrying tools in the Dark Souls franchise, but players might be surprised to know just how deadly the Brigand Twindaggers are when built around them. These daggers have the highest damage per second of any dagger in the game, and they have an incredibly fast moveset.

Invest heavily in dexterity, preferably hitting 60 in the stat, then upgrade endurance to take full advantage of this weapon’s multi-attacks. Infuse the weapon with sharp for even more damage. It also has the Quickstep weapon art for easy traversal. The Stats for wielding these daggers aren’t very high, which means that players can take advantage of them rather early on. Unfortunately, the Strength and Dexterity scaling leaves a bit to be desired.

How To Get The Brigand Twindaggers

• Head to the Road of Sacrifices bonfire in the Road of Sacrifices area
• Proceed past the overturned cart surrounded by corvian enemies
• Beyond where the corvian storyteller is, there will be a way down
• Travel down to an area below a bridge (the same area where one can fight the Madwoman)
• Nearby, there will be a ledge next to a wall with a corpse holding the Brigand Twindaggers

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PVP: Sellsword Twinblades

Ideal For Chaining Combos And Building Up Bleed

Known as the “Sellsword Winblades” by many, these blades make for a top-tier PvE choice and a great PvP option. The moveset for the Sellsword Twinblades emphasizes multi-attacks that punish greedy players and those that time their dodges poorly.

The weapon art is great at spacing as well, although be prepared for Greatswords to retaliate during the animation. As with most dexterity builds, 60 dexterity and a sharp infusion is the build of choice here. Pontiff’s Eye rings are also a great choice for this build, since these weapons attack so quickly. If players infuse the Sellsword Twinblades with something like Carthus Rouge, they’ll have a weapon of mass destruction in their hands, as the Bleed buildup can get overpowered very quickly. With a few hits, players will be able to deal massive damage to most enemies who are susceptible to this status effect.

How To Get The Sellsword Twinblades

• Can be obtained as the starting weapon for the Mercenary class
• Alternatively, they can be found on the Road of Sacrifices
• Start from the Halfway Fortress bonfire
• Head down and keep to the right when entering the swamp
• Keep staying to the right and descending until one reaches a dry path with poisonhorn bugs
• Beware the 2 fierce lycanthrope enemies and proceed into the ruins at the end of the path
• After entering the ruins and noticing the locked door on the right, go left into the open area
• In this area will be a black knight
• Behind the black knight will be the Sellsword Twinblades on a corpse.

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PVE: Claymore

A Dark Souls Classic That Never Disappoints

Most community members regard the Claymore as a low-skill weapon that only noobs use. While it is true that newer players typically gravitate towards the Claymore, that is for good reason: it can be earned in the first hour of a playthrough, has a fantastic moveset, and scales well with virtually any build—dexterity included.

Infuse the Claymore with a Sharp Gem to achieve an A scaling in dexterity. A high Dexterity stat allows the Claymore to safely one-shot most enemies in NG+ and beyond. In-built hyperarmor also allows this weapon to shine when the player gets swarmed by half a dozen enemies, making this a great all-rounder for PvE and even PvP—although its wide swings make it better for dealing with PvE combatants.

How To Get The Claymore

• Begin at the High Wall of Lothric Bonfire in the High Wall of Lothric area
• Go down the stairs, beyond the praying hollows
• Travel through the stairway entrance
• Descend the ladder left of the entrance in this room
• Go out the open metal gate and then make a left at the stone doorway to find a split path
• Ascend the left of this splitting path, up the stairs, to reach the area below the firebreathing dragon
• The Claymore is in the corner of this fire-bathed area but is on an annoying-to-reach ledge
• Use the small set of stairs to get up to the ledge and grab the Claymore from the corpse in the corner
• Beware, as the dragon’s fire makes it very difficult to navigate this area, so a suicide run may be in order

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PVP: Crow Quills

An Outstanding, Quick Weapon That Can Reach The Highest Dexterity Scaling

Part rapier and part claw, the Crow Quills are devastating weapons that have an S scaling in dexterity when infused with sharp. These weapons have a solid moveset that can invite attacks from opponents and heavily punish them with its quill projectiles or their ability to chain attacks onto each other.

It’s a difficult weapon to master due to its intricate combos, but a Crow Quill build with high Dexterity in the hands of a skilled player is a terrifying sight in PvP. The Hornet Ring also pairs well with this weapon, provided the player is good at parrying enemies. If players have never seen this weapon in action and have already started the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, they will soon encounter an enemy who wields it. Unfortunately, many of those who have the misfortune of having the Crow Quills used on them for the first time don’t survive, which goes to show just how dangerous this weapon is.

How To Get The Crow Quills

• In the Painted World of Ariandel, start from the Corvian Settlement bonfire
• Head out the door and travel up and to the left in a wide arc
• Drop down a very short ledge behind a house
• Cross the cobblestone path to the right to a thin ledge hugging the rocky side of a cliff
• Follow the thin path until one reaches an area with an aggressive corvian villager
• Dispatch the weak foe and leap left across the gap nearby
• Within the building to the right of the gap will be a corrupted corvian villager
• After dealing with them, players will notice some boxes and barrels
• Break these boxes and barrels to more easily spot an item on a raised bit of land below
• Since this raised area can only be reached from above, jump down onto it
• The item on the corpse here will be the Crow Quills

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PVE: Murakumo

Amazing Dexterity Scaling, But It Requires Decent Strength Stats

Damage output is the Murakumo’s strong suit in PvE. Featuring an S scaling in dexterity with a +10 Sharp infusion, this weapon can output enough damage to take down tougher PvE enemies in a couple of swings.

A solid amount of hyper armor provided by the Murakumo makes it good against a small horde of enemies, especially when coupled with its spinning weapon art. Any build that plans to obtain 20 strength and at least 40 dexterity should give the Murakumo a shot. Its main downsides are its rather high strength requirement, its weight of 11, and only being obtainable around halfway through a playthrough.

How To Get The Murakumo

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PVP: Any Curved Sword

Curved Swords Are Extremely Versatile And Have Long Range

Virtually every curved sword in Dark Souls 3 will serve as a solid weapon for PvP fights. Every curved sword has a good moveset, at least a C scaling in dexterity when upgraded, and a deceptively large range.

Using a Lothric Knight Sword or other meta choices will indeed fare better for most players in PvP, yet these weapons are such a good tool for learning how to duel. Their great variety of moves and great range make curved swords one of the most versatile and hard-to-read weapon archetypes in the game. Curved swords do struggle against great shields and defensive players, although a few slashes of a bleed-infused dagger should get them to panic. A solid option for a Curved sword that can be obtained rather early in the game is the Carthus Curved Greatsword. Many of the enemies in Carthus wield this devastating blade, and since it has decent Dexterity scaling from the get-go, it’s a solid choice for players who want a good weapon before reaching Irythill of the Boreal Valley.

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PVE: Old Wolf Curved Sword

Ideal To Pair With The Pontiff’s Right And Left Eye Rings

Fast attacks and innate healing make the Old Wolf Curved Sword one of the most fun weapons in the Dark Souls franchise. This weapon has great scaling with Dexterity when upgraded, making it a great fit for pure Dexterity builds.

Since the weapon attacks so quickly with its weapon art, it pairs well with Pontiff’s Left and Right Eye rings, granting Attack Power and HP with successive attacks. With this combination of stats and rings, the game plays closer to Bloodborne than Dark Souls.

How To Get The Old Wolf Curved Sword

• Players must enter the Watchdogs of Farron covenant by speaking with the Old Wolf of Farron in Farron Keep
• After entering the covenant, players will need to offer 10 Wolf’s Blood Swordgrass (rare drops from Ghru enemies and guaranteed drops from defeating invaders for the covenant)
• Offering 10 Wolf’s Blood Swordgrass will allow one to reach Rank 1 in the Watchdogs of Farron covenant
• The Old Wolf Curved Sword can be obtained as a Rank 1 reward

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PVP: Astora Greatsword

Considerably Unaffected By The 40 Dexterity Soft Cap

Nearly every build in Dark Souls 3 can turn the Astora Greatsword into a powerhouse thanks to its ultralight weight and great scaling. When sharpened, this sword gains a lot of points in its Attack Rating when past the soft cap of 40 Dexterity, meaning the Astora Greatsword hits like a truck when used alongside a Dexterity build.

It has a great mix of thrusts and slash attacks for PvP as well. Few weapons can round off a Dexterity build for PvP, as well as the Astora Greatsword. Aside from having so many technical advantages, the Astora Greatsword is also massive and extremely long, which means that it provides the Ashen One with outstanding range. This can be useful when dealing with large groups of enemies.

How To Get The Astora Greatsword

• Begin from the Cleansing Chapel Bonfire in the Cathedral of the Deep
• Go out of the main doors and turn right toward the pillar
• Run around the exploding hollows that are praying
• Ascend the curved stairway and pass through the metal gate
• Stay as left as possible and head uphill
• Players will soon find a corpse kneeling at a large gravestone on a patch of cobblestone
• At the bottom of this gravestone will be the Astora Greatsword on a lootable corpse

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PVE: Onikiri and Ubadachi

Great Katanas With Bleed Included

For PvE, arguably the best dexterity katana option in Dark Souls 3 is the Onikiri and Ubadachi. Not only do they gain an A scaling in dexterity when sharpened, but they also have an innate bleed that makes these weapons decimate most bosses. They are obtained rather late in the game at Lothric Castle, but any katana will do until players obtain this wicked combo.

Onikiri and Ubadachi don’t get hit as hard by the dexterity soft cap as most weapons do, which makes it a great choice for dexterity builds.

How To Get The Onikiri And Ubadachi

• This paired weapon is a guaranteed drop from Black Hand Kamui, who attacks the player in the Grand Archives along with 2 other hostile NPCs

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PVP: Murakumo (Yes, It’s Great For PVP Too!)

Roll Catching Attacks And High Base AR, Ideal For Decimating Other Players

The Murakumo is a top-tier dexterity weapon when wielded by a skilled player. Don’t be fooled by its large size; the Murakumo is a weapon built around dexterity. A +10 Sharp Murakumo has an S scaling in dexterity with a base AR of 244. With enough dexterity, this weapon can easily two-shot most opponents. It also has a solid amount of hyperarmor to give players a chance to counter-attack during a gank.

Better than its damage is its moveset: as a curved greatsword, the Murakumo has a great mix of diagonal sweeps and roll-catching attacks that will keep any opponent on their toes. Mix the Murakumo’s main attacks with its spinning weapon art for a fun time.

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PVE: Astora Greatsword (Yes, It’s Also Awesome For PVE!)

Paired With High Dexterity And Some Faith, This Weapon Hits Like A Truck

This build was mentioned earlier in the PvP category, but the Astora Greatsword is even more of a powerhouse in PvE that deserves its own mention. Due to this weapon’s incredible scaling and ease of use, it lends itself well to clearing out hordes of foes or tougher mobs in PvE.

Invest in 60 dexterity and, if possible, obtain 15 faith to take advantage of Blessed Weapon which grants even more damage. A sharp-infused Astora Greatsword trivializes most of Dark Souls 3’s PvE content.

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PVP: Katanas

Katanas Like The Washing Pole Have Extremely Long Range

Katanas are widely regarded as “cheap” and “overpowered” amongst the community and with good reason. These weapons have a fantastic range, and great movesets, are easy to obtain, and have either an A or S scaling in dexterity most of the time. Players can obtain the Uchigatana as early as after the first area in the game to destroy players in some early PvP action.

Most katanas are good in PvP, though, this boils down to preference. Those looking for range should use the Washing Pole and run over 60 dexterity alongside high endurance. Those who want more flourish with their playstyle can opt for the Frayed Blade with the Pontiff Eyes and 60 dexterity to demolish players in a few strikes, recovering HP and gaining damage per weapon art attack.

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PVE: Sellsword Twinblades (Another Incredible Double-Entry Weapon!)

Combined With Carthus Rouge, They Make For An Overkill Bleed Build

The “Sellsword Winblades’ are mentioned once again for their incredible damage output in PvE content. Same as in PvP, players will want to invest heavily in dexterity and infuse the Sellsword Twinblades with sharp.

These weapons deal some of the highest damage per second out of every weapon in the game for PvE content, and they have an incredibly strong moveset to boot. Better yet, they can be buffed with Carthus Rouge or any element to further enhance their slaying potential.

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PVP: Lothric Knight Sword

Combined With The Hornet Ring, This Weapon Has An Outstanding Critical Multiplier

Straight swords have always been great in the Dark Souls franchise, but nothing can compare to the Lothric Straight Sword in terms of damage inside of PvP in Dark Souls 3. Capable of an S scaling in Dexterity inside of PvP, the Lothric Straight Sword is the perfect weapon to use a Dexterity build with.

Scale Dexterity as much as possible to see the most benefits from this blade. Its damage output is incredible, reaching 400 AR easily with some investment in Dexterity. Since it has a great critical multiplier, use the Hornet Ring alongside it to decimate targets in a parry or backstab. It’s one of the most meta builds and strategies for a reason, though, in recent years, it has been seen less and less due to people getting bored of using a generic-looking straight sword. Players who don’t care about the dull appearance of this weapon will quickly reap the rewards of wielding it and taking advantage of the many outstanding things it offers.

How To Get The Lothric Knight Sword

• Can be dropped by the Lothric knights who wield them at the High Wall of Lothric (uncommon drop rate)
• Can be bought from Greirat for 4,000 sounds after he returns from his second expedition