8 Best Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Weapons for PvE Builds

The best Shadow of the Erdtree weapon depends on your attributes and how you want to fight. For a PvE-focused shortlist, eight especially useful choices cover agile Dexterity play, hybrid Intelligence/Faith builds, Strength weapons, bleed-focused great katana, dragon hunting, perfume effects, and a long-reach great spear: Backhand Blade, Rellana’s Twin Blades, Star-Lined Sword, Red Bear’s Claw, Rakshasa’s Great Katana, Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana, Perfume Bottles, and Spear of the Impaler.

This is a build-aware selection rather than a universal tier list. The order is an editorial way to present different playstyles, not proof that the first weapon always deals the most damage. Your upgrade level, attributes, talismans, preferred range, boss matchup, and whether you are playing PvE or PvP can change the right answer. The balance details below use patch 1.17, published August 27, 2026; check for a later update before making a final build decision.

How were these eight weapons selected?

The shortlist is designed for players asking which weapons are worth building around in the expansion’s PvE content. It prioritizes a meaningful spread of classes and attack identities instead of selecting eight versions of the same bleed or jump-attack setup.

• Attribute fit: the listed Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Faith requirements determine whether a weapon can slot into your current character without a respec.
• Moveset and range: light greatswords, katanas, great katanas, beast claws, perfume bottles, and a great spear solve different spacing problems.
• Weapon skill: each pick has a defining skill that changes how it opens, pressures, or punishes an enemy.
• Status or elemental identity: bleed, glintstone, fire, lightning, frost, frenzy, poison, and physical attacks support different resistance matchups.
• Acquisition cost: remembrance exchanges, mausoleum fights, a dungeon route, and a late-boss reward all have different opportunity costs.
• Patch context: patch 1.17 changed several weapons and fixed great-katana critical-hit and jumping-attack bugs. Older lists can therefore describe a different game.

GameSpot’s June 24, 2024 guide and PCGamesN’s December 3, 2024 guide are useful editorial references for requirements and build fit, but neither is an official ranking. Their recommendations should be treated as starting points, not laboratory proof of a universal best weapon.

What are the eight best Shadow of the Erdtree weapons at a glance?

Weapon	Class and build direction	Requirements stated in the cited guide	Skill or defining effect	Acquisition context
Backhand Blade	Backhand Blade; agile close-range play	Strength 10, Dexterity 13	Blind Spot; sideways dash around a guard	Complete location is not stated in the cited guide
Rellana’s Twin Blades	Light Greatsword; Strength/Dexterity/Intelligence/Faith hybrid	Strength 13, Dexterity 16, Intelligence 16, Faith 16	Moon-and-Fire Stance; glintstone normal attacks and a fire-tornado heavy attack	Remembrance reward
Star-Lined Sword	Katana; Dexterity/Intelligence	Strength 10, Dexterity 23, Intelligence 21	Onze’s Line of Stars; glintstone slashes and aerial slam	Complete location is not stated in the cited guide
Red Bear’s Claw	Beast Claw; Strength-oriented fast attacks	Not stated in the cited guide	Rapid strikes can build bleed	Northern Nameless Mausoleum
Rakshasa’s Great Katana	Great Katana; Dexterity and bleed	Strength 12, Dexterity 27	Weed Cutter; wide successive swipes	Eastern Nameless Mausoleum
Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana	Great Katana; Strength/Dexterity and dragon-focused attacks	Strength 15, Dexterity 20	Dragonwound Slash; jumping overhead strike	Dragon’s Pit
Perfume Bottles	Distinct weapon class; bottle-specific builds	Varies by bottle; not stated as one set	Dual-wielding lets off-hand strikes emit the main-hand effect	Exact bottle routes vary and are not fully stated in the cited guide
Spear of the Impaler	Great Spear; Dexterity/Faith with long reach	Strength 14, Dexterity 35, Faith 18	Messmer’s Assault; thrown-weapon attacks	Messmer reward exchange

Is the Backhand Blade the best agile weapon for PvE?

The Backhand Blade is an excellent entry point for an agile close-range character because its Blind Spot skill turns defense into repositioning. GameSpot lists Strength 10 and Dexterity 13 requirements, so it is accessible early in a Dexterity-leaning build without demanding a hybrid spread.

Blind Spot lets you dash sideways around an opponent’s guard before striking. Against fast bosses, that lateral movement can be more useful than simply blocking or rolling backward: you stay near the target and create an angle for the next attack. The class also feels distinct from a conventional straight sword because its attacks and skill encourage circling rather than standing directly in front of an enemy.

• Choose it if: you like constant movement, short recovery windows, and attacking from the side.
• Watch for: its low listed requirements do not guarantee the best damage on every stat spread; scaling and upgrade level still determine its output.
• Acquisition: the cited GameSpot material points readers to separate location coverage rather than giving a complete route, so verify the current pickup location before setting out.

Why use Rellana’s Twin Blades?

Rellana’s Twin Blades is the most demanding hybrid choice on this list, requiring Strength 13, Dexterity 16, Intelligence 16, and Faith 16 according to GameSpot. It is a Light Greatsword obtained through Rellana’s Remembrance, making it a late and meaningful build decision rather than an incidental pickup.

Its Moon-and-Fire Stance gives the weapon two complementary identities. Normal attacks can carry a glintstone-infused presentation, while the heavy attack produces a fire tornado. That combination lets a hybrid character alternate between close pressure and a more dramatic area attack without changing weapons.

Patch 1.17 increased the weapon’s critical-hit power. That is a specific balance change, not evidence that every Rellana build now outperforms every alternative. Critical-focused setups and players who regularly create ripostes gain more from the adjustment than characters who never stagger or backstab.

• Choose it if: you already invest in both Intelligence and Faith and want one weapon that expresses both.
• Trade-off: the four-attribute requirement competes with vigor, endurance, mind, and weapon-scaling priorities.
• Route decision: claiming the Remembrance weapon uses the reward opportunity associated with defeating Rellana; compare other Remembrance options before exchanging it.

Who should choose the Star-Lined Sword?

The Star-Lined Sword targets a Dexterity/Intelligence character. GameSpot lists Strength 10, Dexterity 23, and Intelligence 21 requirements, making it substantially more specialized than the Backhand Blade.

Its Onze’s Line of Stars skill combines glintstone-infused slashes with an aerial slam. That sequence gives a katana user a way to add magical pressure while preserving the quick, direct feel expected from the class. The aerial finish is particularly useful when you have a safe opening after a boss recovery animation, but it should not be treated as a free attack against every enemy.

The cited guide does not provide a complete acquisition route for the Star-Lined Sword. Use a current location guide to confirm the exact area and any prerequisites rather than relying on an old map or an assumed quest sequence.

• Choose it if: your build already meets the Dexterity and Intelligence thresholds and you want a katana skill with visible magical reach.
• Skip it if: you are trying to minimize attributes or keep your damage purely physical.
• Test before committing: compare the skill’s recovery time with your talismans and stamina budget; a flashy sequence is only useful when you can safely finish it.

What makes Red Bear’s Claw different?

Red Bear’s Claw is a Beast Claw aimed at a Strength-oriented player who wants faster attacks than a conventional heavy weapon usually provides. GameSpot notes that its rapid strikes can cause bleed, giving a physical, aggressive build access to status pressure without switching to a katana.

The weapon’s value comes from compression: several quick hits arrive in a short window, so a player who stays close can build bleed while still benefiting from Strength investment. That same commitment creates risk against bosses with wide area attacks. Your opening is strongest after a clear recovery animation, not during an enemy’s active hitbox.

Red Bear’s Claw is obtained from the Northern Nameless Mausoleum. Treat the mausoleum encounter as part of the weapon’s cost: you must be comfortable fighting its guardian before the weapon can become part of your loadout.

• Choose it if: you want Strength-friendly speed and enjoy maintaining point-blank pressure.
• Pair the idea with: enough poise, stamina, and defensive healing to survive the close distance; the cited material does not establish a single best talisman setup.
• Remember: bleed performance varies with enemy resistance and the number of uninterrupted hits you can land.

Is Rakshasa’s Great Katana still good after patch 1.17?

Rakshasa’s Great Katana remains a strong Dexterity-centered option for players who want wide slashes and bleed. GameSpot lists Strength 12 and Dexterity 27 requirements. Its Weed Cutter skill delivers successive swipes, allowing a committed user to cover space and keep pressure on a stagger-prone target.

The weapon comes from the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum. That route is straightforward in concept but still represents a dedicated encounter rather than a random world pickup, so plan your build around it only after confirming that you can reach and clear the mausoleum in your current progression.

Patch 1.17 changed the timing before a right-hand weapon attack after using Rakshasa’s Great Katana in the left hand. The same notes increase damage taken from other players during attacks, which is a PvP-specific caution. A PvE recommendation must not be carried into PvP as an automatic verdict.

• Choose it if: you want the great-katana reach and are willing to commit to Dexterity.
• Use caution in PvP: the patch’s increased damage-taken behavior while attacking changes the risk calculation against human opponents.
• Check your animation habits: Weed Cutter rewards openings large enough for successive swipes; canceling or trading hits can erase its advantage.

When is Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana the right choice?

Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana combines great-katana reach with a dragon-focused identity. GameSpot lists Strength 15 and Dexterity 20 requirements, and notes bleed alongside its jumping overhead Dragonwound Slash.

That jumping attack gives the weapon a clear answer to airborne or large targets when you can read their recovery. It is not a universal permission to jump into every encounter: a mistimed leap can leave you vulnerable to a tracking attack or area effect. Use it when the boss’s animation makes the landing predictable.

You obtain the weapon through Dragon’s Pit. Because the acquisition is tied to a dungeon route, verify the route and progression requirements in a current guide before leaving it for late game and discovering that your intended build cannot use it yet.

• Choose it if: you enjoy deliberate overhead attacks, great-katana range, and a build that can meet both Strength and Dexterity requirements.
• Against dragons: test Dragonwound Slash during safe openings rather than assuming the name alone guarantees a damage multiplier in every situation.
• For general PvE: bleed and the weapon’s reach remain relevant even when the target is not a dragon, but the attack commitment still matters.

How do Perfume Bottles work as weapons?

Perfume Bottles are a weapon class rather than one single weapon. Requirements and skills differ by bottle, so choosing “Perfume Bottles” means choosing a damage type and a build direction at the same time. GameSpot highlights Firespark, Lightning, Chilling, Frenzyflame, and Deadly Poison variants in its coverage.

The class becomes especially distinctive when dual-wielded: off-hand strikes emit the main-hand weapon’s effect. That interaction lets you build a coordinated pair instead of treating the second bottle as a passive stat stick. It also means that a bottle’s effect should be evaluated together with the hand in which you place it.

Patch 1.17 increased the attack power of the named Firespark, Lightning, Chilling, Frenzyflame, and Deadly Poison Perfume Bottles. The adjustment improves those specific variants, but it does not make every bottle equally suitable for every enemy or attribute spread.

• Choose them if: you want elemental or status variety and are comfortable planning around bottle-specific requirements.
• Do not assume one bottle represents the class: fire, lightning, frost, frenzy, and poison serve different resistances and encounter rhythms.
• Before dual-wielding: verify which hand supplies the effect you want to project and whether your stamina and equip load support the chosen moveset.

Why pick Spear of the Impaler?

Spear of the Impaler is a Great Spear for a long-reach build that can meet Strength 14, Dexterity 35, and Faith 18 requirements. GameSpot identifies it as a reward for defeating Messmer and exchanging his reward, so it arrives after a major story boss rather than during the opening hours of the expansion.

Messmer’s Assault defines the weapon. Its throwing attacks let you apply pressure beyond normal spear range, which is valuable when a boss’s floor effects or grab threat make standing directly beside it dangerous. The thrown option still needs a clear line and a safe animation window; range does not remove the need to read attacks.

Patch 1.17 reduced the spear’s stamina consumption and increased the power of its weapon-throwing attacks. Those are direct quality-of-life and damage changes for players who use the signature ranged component, while a pure melee user benefits less from the adjustment.

• Choose it if: your build can support high Dexterity plus Faith and you prefer controlled spacing.
• Plan the reward: defeating Messmer creates a Remembrance-style exchange decision, so compare the available reward before committing.
• Manage stamina: the patch lowers consumption, but repeated throws and great-spear attacks still compete with dodging and blocking.

How should you choose between these weapons?

Start with your existing attributes, then eliminate weapons whose requirements would force an expensive respec. After that, compare the attack pattern you can execute consistently rather than the skill that looks strongest in a clip.

1. Match requirements to your build

A Dexterity character can reach Backhand Blade, Star-Lined Sword, Rakshasa’s Great Katana, or Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana with very different secondary investments. Rellana’s Twin Blades and Spear of the Impaler demand broader spreads, while Perfume Bottles require bottle-by-bottle checking. The requirements in the table come from the cited GameSpot guide; exact scaling letters and damage values can change with upgrade level and patch.

2. Choose your preferred range

• Inside an enemy’s guard: Backhand Blade and Red Bear’s Claw reward movement and sustained contact.
• Mid-range pressure: katanas and great katanas offer reach without the full commitment of a great spear.
• Long reach: Spear of the Impaler gives you a safer spacing option and a throw.
• Elemental flexibility: Perfume Bottles change the damage identity of the build.
• Hybrid spectacle: Rellana’s Twin Blades combine Intelligence and Faith attacks in one moveset.

3. Check the opportunity cost

Remembrance rewards and boss exchanges are limited decisions. If you are choosing Rellana’s Twin Blades or Spear of the Impaler, inspect the other rewards first. Mausoleum weapons require dedicated fights, while weapons with incomplete route information should be verified on a current location guide before you plan an entire character around them.

4. Separate PvE from PvP conclusions

This shortlist is for PvE. Patch 1.17’s Rakshasa’s Great Katana changes show why mode matters: a weapon can remain attractive against enemies while becoming riskier against players. PvP also has different spacing, latency, and punish windows, so use a dedicated PvP test before treating any PvE recommendation as a duel build.

What did patch 1.17 change for these weapons?

Bandai Namco’s official patch 1.17 notes, published August 27, 2026, state that the update is required for online play. The relevant weapon changes are:

• Rellana’s Twin Blades received increased critical-hit power.
• Spear of the Impaler received reduced stamina consumption and increased power for weapon-throwing attacks.
• Firespark, Lightning, Chilling, Frenzyflame, and Deadly Poison Perfume Bottles received increased attack power.
• Rakshasa’s Great Katana received altered left-hand follow-up timing and a PvP-only increase to damage taken during attacks.
• Great Katana critical-hit and jumping-attack bugs were fixed.

These notes are version-sensitive. If another balance patch appears after August 27, 2026, verify the official notes before publishing damage comparisons or calling any weapon the current best.

What should you test before spending upgrade materials?

1. Confirm the requirement screen: check every attribute, including secondary Intelligence or Faith demands that can be easy to overlook.
2. Test the light attack string: see whether its reach and recovery fit the boss openings you actually use.
3. Test the skill at your real stamina level: perform the full sequence, then confirm you still have enough stamina to dodge.
4. Check status buildup against the target: bleed, frost, poison, and elemental effects are not equally effective against every resistance profile.
5. Compare one-handed, two-handed, and dual-wield behavior: this is especially important for Perfume Bottles and any weapon whose left-hand timing changed.
6. Revisit after upgrading: PCGamesN’s comparison framework assumes fully upgraded weapons, so an unupgraded trial can misrepresent a weapon’s eventual role.

Which weapon should you pick?

Pick Backhand Blade for agile guard-circling, Rellana’s Twin Blades for a demanding Intelligence/Faith hybrid, Star-Lined Sword for Dexterity/Intelligence katana play, Red Bear’s Claw for fast Strength attacks with bleed, Rakshasa’s Great Katana for wide Dexterity slashes, Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana for jumping great-katana pressure, Perfume Bottles for effect-driven experimentation, or Spear of the Impaler for long reach and empowered throws.

None is established by the available evidence as the single strongest weapon in patch 1.17. The practical winner is the one whose requirements, skill timing, acquisition route, and attack range match the character you are actually playing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion to use these weapons?

Yes. The expansion requires the Elden Ring base game. Bandai Namco’s official product information lists an edition combining the base game and expansion, but edition contents and platform availability should be checked for your region before purchase.

Can these weapons be used effectively in PvP?

They can, but this guide’s selection and explanations are PvE-focused. Patch 1.17 specifically changes Rakshasa’s Great Katana’s damage-taking behavior during attacks against other players, so PvP testing should be treated separately.

Are the eight weapons ranked from strongest to weakest?

No. The order presents varied classes and build paths rather than a measured damage ranking. Fully upgraded performance, enemy resistance, attribute spread, and execution skill can change which option is best for an individual character.

Where can I find exact locations for the weapons without complete routes here?

Use a current, dedicated location guide for Backhand Blade, Star-Lined Sword, and each Perfume Bottle, because the cited weapon overview does not provide complete directions for them. It does identify the Northern and Eastern Nameless Mausoleums, Dragon’s Pit, and Messmer’s reward route for the other named weapons.