As a passionate Dark Souls 3 fan with over 300 hours logged across 8 playthroughs, I‘ve tested every straight sword extensively first-hand. While movesets share similarities between them, minute differences make certain straight swords considerably better suited for particular builds, progressions, and playstyles.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll be going over just the best straight swords in Dark Souls 3 for PvE and PvP. These are ranked based on key criteria like damage output, speed, scaling potential, utility, and ease of acquisition.
I‘ve crafted statistical comparisons and provided my personal recommendations from experience using the weapons in-game. Read on for the definitive straight sword tier list!
What Makes the Best Straight Sword?
Based on my gameplay, I evaluate straight swords in Dark Souls 3 across these attributes:
Damage Output
Raw attack ratings (AR) indicate damage dealt per swing. However, faster swing speeds can output more total damage over time (known as DPS or damage per second).
As such, both AR values and attack speed matter. Weapons with special damage types (e.g. fire) or buffs can also enhance offense temporarily or against certain enemies.
Speed and Moveset
Faster swing times pressure enemies with combos. Diverse strong and light attack combinations prevent predictability.
Thrusting attacks add critical range to poke from safety. Long reaching 1-handed and 2-handed heavy strikes enable vital roll catching.
Scaling Potential
Higher attribute scaling grades mean more damage gains from upgrading stats.
Top-tier Dexterity or Strength scaling allows straight swords to hit devastating benchmarks. Int/Faith scaling also boost elemental swords.
Weapon Skill
Special skills ranging from multi-hit combos to buffs or hyper armor trading create opportunities for big damage.
Valuable skills greatly enhance a sword‘s capabilities and build synergies.
Acquisition Difficulty
Straight swords easily obtained early without obscure quest lines or late game access are ideal for most players.
Top 5 Straight Swords
Based on the above criteria, these straight swords excel in PvE and PvP:
#1 Best – Lothric Knight Sword
Pros:
- Highest damage output and critical modifiers in class
- S-tier Dexterity scaling when sharp infused
- Versatile moveset, thrusting attacks have deceptive range
- Stance weapon skill grants hyper armor
The Lothric Knight Straight Sword stands above its peers regarding sheer damage and critical strikes.
It boasts an excellent 110 critical rating along with 498 physical AR when fully reinforced sharp at high levels (66 Dexterity). This hits over 600 AR with temporary weapon buffs active!
The Stance weapon skill can also tank hits using its hyper armor frames on activation. Expert timing allows you to trade hits and strike back harder.
Its naturally fast moveset that integrates horizontal slashes, sweeps, and long thrusts make the Lothric Sword both well-rounded and dangerous.
Location: Dropped by Lothric Knights at High Wall of Lothric and Lothric Castle. Can also be purchased from Greirat of the Undead Settlement after pillaging Irithyll Valley.
#2 Best – Gotthard Twinswords
Pros:
- Unique dual wield moveset enables complex combo strings
- Spin Slash weapon skill catches rolls and sustains offense
- Solid base damage supplemented by high Dex/Str scaling
- Extended reach compared to other straight swords
The Gotthard Twinswords shine through sheer aggression potential. Wielded together, L1 attacks unleash flurries of quick slashes.
The Spin Slash weapon skill drags opponents in, enabling roll catches. Attune Magic Weapon for a significant AR boost that capitalizes on Strength and Dexterity scaling.
Refined at +10 reinforcement, the Twinswords hit 513 physical AR on a quality build. Though split across two blades, the combined DPS rivals heavier weapons.
Extended thrusting range applies additional pressure compared to other straight swords. Mastering combos takes practice but pays dividends.
Location: Found on Black Hand Gotthard‘s corpse in Grand Archives after defeating Aldrich, Yhorm and Abyss Watchers.
#3 Best – Dark Sword
Pros:
- Top-tier Strength scaling when heavy infused
- Above average base damage for early acquisition
- Sweeping strong attacks enable roll catching
- Stomp weapon skill adds poise and damage
While a tad boring aesthetically, the humble Dark Sword‘s functionality impresses.
It possesses deceptive range thanks to wide-arcing horizontal slashes for light and strong strikes. Delaying the 2-handed heavy attack trips up opponents.
With 66 Strength, a Heavy Gem infusion reaches 493 physical AR, the highest of all straight swords. The Stomp weapon skill also enables bonafide poise trades.
It‘s not flashy but gets the job done. The Dark Sword is easily obtained early from High Wall of Lothric Darkwraith drops. Its Strength focused potential sustained me until late game on multiple playthroughs.
Location: Dropped by Darkwraiths at High Wall of Lothric and Farron Keep.
#4 Best – Ringed Knight Straight Sword
Pros:
- Temporary Ember buff empowers damage and range
- Innate fire bursts punish large or fiery enemies
- Decent scaling and solid base attributes
- Extended Weapon Art reach damages groups
The Ringed Knight Sword shines brightest when igniting foes with its Ember Weapon Art. Triggering it temporary enhances strikes with fire bursts while extending range substantially.
The charged heavy attack during Ember catches rolls effectively. Chaining into the fiery rapid light slashes pressures groups of enemies thanks to the width.
It‘s not quite top-tier before the buff, but still boasts well-rounded statistics like 121 physical AR. Against certain larger bosses weak to fire, the Weapon Art absolutely melts health bars.
Just save some Ashen Estus to reapply Ember frequently. It lasts 90 seconds but rekindles the Ringed Knight Sword‘s full potential.
Location: Found in a toxic swamp area of The Ringed City DLC.
#5 Best – Irithyll Straight Sword
Pros:
- Frost accumulation cripples foes through damage bursts
- Reduces enemy stamina recovery when triggered
- Respectable base damage and Dexterity scaling
Don‘t overlook the Irithyll Straight Sword‘s unique frost effect. While its base damage lags slightly behind the top contenders, successfully landing hits builds a frost meter that detonates chunks of HP.
The ensuing frost explosion also temporarily saps stamina recovery speed and increases incoming damage taken. This can absolutely cripple bosses and tough enemies.
The passive disable potential combined with the Irithyll SS‘s balanced attributes and moveset make it extremely viable. Some frostbite synergy with spells like Snap Freeze accentuates the debilitating explosions.
It carried me through the early game before obtaining the Lothric Knight Straight Sword in numerous playthroughs thanks to that sweet frost build up.
Location: Dropped by Outrider Knights in Undead Settlement and Lothric Castle.
Statistical Comparison
To quantitively compare the top five straight swords‘s attributes, examine this overview table:
| Sword | Base Physical AR | Critical Rating | Scaling (Sharp) | Weapon Skill | Acquisition Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lothric Knight | 103 | 110 | S Dexterity | Stance (hyper armor) | Moderate |
| Gotthard Twins | 100 | 100 | A Dexterity/Strength | Spin Slash (combos) | Moderately Hard |
| Dark Sword | 110 | 100 | A Strength | Stomp (poise) | Easy |
| Ringed Knight | 121 | 100 | C Strength | Ember (extended range) | Hard |
| Irithyll Straight | 124 | 100 | D Dexterity | – | Easy |
Above compares vital statistics between the five straight swords to illustrate differences in base damage values, scaling grades, auxiliary effects, and more.
While the Irithyll Straight Sword lags in scaling, its frostbite buildup cannot be understated. Likewise, the Ringed Knight Sword‘s Weapon Skill empowers it temporarily to great effect.
Gotthard Twinswords make up for split damage across dual swords through tremendous DPS potential. And the Dark Sword‘s early availability couples with fearsome Strength scaling when Heavy infused.
Ultimately, the Lothric Knight Sword‘s complete package grants it the win. But alternatives still serve niche builds exceptionally well.
Honorable Mentions
These straight swords didn‘t quite crack the top 5 but deserve shoutouts:
- Sunlight Straight Sword: Splits physical/lightning damage but scales with Faith. Useful for clerics/paladins.
- Shortsword: Decent starting weapon for builds low on titanite with minimal requirements.
- Barbed Straight Sword: Causes bleed buildup. Viable for luck and hollow focused builds.
- Cleric‘s Candlestick: Boosts sorceries damage. Ideal sidearm for battlemage loadouts.
While they possess areas of excellence, the top 5 capture the overall strongest, most generally useful straight swords in Dark Souls 3.
Certain niches like the Sunlight Straight Sword‘s faith scaling or Barbed SS‘s bleed give them an edge in specific builds however.
Recommended Stat Breakpoints For Scaling
To hit optimal damage thresholds, these attribute benchmarks maximize scaling:
- Sharp Lothric Knight Sword: 60+ Dexterity
- Refined Gotthard Twinswords: 40/40 Strength/Dexterity
- Heavy Dark Sword: 66+ Strength
- Refined Ringed Knight Sword: 40/40 Strength/Dexterity
- Sharp Irithyll Straight Sword: 60+ Dexterity
The Lothric Knight Sword demands heavy Dexterity given its S-rank grade. Quality builds benefit from rounding both Strength and Dex for the Twinswords and Ringed Knight Sword as well.
And big bonk players can‘t go wrong pumping points into Strength to empower the Dark Sword‘s strikingly high scaling potential.
Combined with appropriate gem infusions, hitting the above values rewards you with massive damage payoffs.
Using These Swords Effectively
Mastering straight sword fundamentals takes time, but pays dividends in PvP and PvE engagements:
Memorize movesets: Learn combo strings specific to each sword, especially weapon skill flows. Experiment on weak enemies first.
Manage stamina: Attacking relentlessly with combos will quickly drain your bar. Reserve enough to evade too.
Use spacing judiciously: Keep just within range to bait whiffs for punishment windows. Don‘t recklessly overextend.
Time dodges carefully: Roll just before attacks land while managing costs. Many weapon skills leave big openings if dodged.
Take advantage of range: Use thrusting attacks to safely poke from a distance and harass.
Vary R1 inputs: Alternate between one-handed and two-handed light attacks. Mix up directions to avoid predictability against observant opponents.
Follow these tips while playing to your straight sword‘s strengths to achieve victory!
Conclusion
While all straight swords in Dark Souls 3 share similar DNA, minute differences make specific ones exceptionally strong choices. I hope this guide to the top five straight swords aids fellow players in selecting the best blade for their build and playstyle.
If you have any other favorite straight swords I didn‘t include, let me know down below! I‘m always retesting weapons across new builds and journeys into Lothric.
