As an avid Elden Ring player with over 500 hours logged, I‘ve tried my fair share of weapons. But time and time again, I find myself returning to my trusty katanas. These elegant blades offer incredible dexterity, bleeding damage, and moveset versatility.
In this guide, I‘ll share my picks for the top katanas in Elden Ring, along with where to find them, how best to upgrade them, and what builds synergize well. Whether you‘re a veteran looking to respec or a new player seeking a strong starter weapon, read on for everything you need to know about mastering katanas.
Best Katanas Ranked
1. Rivers of Blood
Without a doubt, the Rivers of Blood is the premier katana in Elden Ring. Its Weapon Skill, Corpse Piler, unleashes a devastating multi-hit combo that shreds bosses and invaders alike. Plus, it has excellent Dexterity and Arcane scaling for huge bleed buildup.
The biggest downside is that Rivers of Blood is locked behind a late game area, requiring you to defeat the Fire Giant and reach Mountaintops of the Giants. You’ll also need 18 Dexterity and 20 Arcane to wield it. But if you’re willing to invest in those stats, this katana‘s payoff is massive.
2. Moonveil
For magic-focused characters, the Moonveil katana is a must-have. Its Transient Moonlight skill fires an azure wave of magic that can catch opponents off guard in PvP. And with Intelligence scaling, spellcaster builds can still pump out strong melee attacks.
You can grab Moonveil relatively early by defeating the Magma Wyrm in Gael Tunnel. Aside from 18 Dexterity and 23 Intelligence, its wield requirements are low. Just beware that recent patches have nerfed Moonveil’s damage, so it’s not quite as devastating as on launch.
3. Hand of Malenia
Veteran Souls players will recognize this weapon’s legacy. The Hand of Malenia once belonged to notorious boss Malenia herself, and now players can claim it by trading in her remembrance.
As expected, the Hand of Malenia has phenomenal Dexterity scaling and innate bleed, plus the Waterfowl Dance weapon skill. It‘s held back by demanding 50 Dexterity requirement and lackluster base damage, but remains deadly in the right hands.
4. Uchigatana
For a bread-and-butter katana pick, look no further than the Uchigatana. Many Samurai class characters start with this versatile blade. And with modest Dexterity investment, its damage output keeps up even in late game.
The Uchigatana has enough base power to carry you through Limgrave and Liurnia. Low requirements also make it great for early secondaries on hybrid builds. Best of all, customizable ashes let this classic katana stay viable as you progress.
5. Nagakiba
Functionally a longer Uchigatana, the Nagakiba boasts deceptively long range useful for catching evasive foes in PvP. It also gets fantastic Dexterity scaling when upgraded, especially with Keen or Blood affinity.
To get this katana, you’ll need to finish Yura’s questline by defeating Eleonora near the Second Church of Marika in Mountaintops. At 18 Strength and 22 Dexterity, stats might be somewhat demanding for newer players. But skilled melee fighters can leverage Nagakiba’s spacing potential.
6. Dragonscale Blade
For Strength/Dexterity quality builds, Dragonscale Blade mixes respectable lightning damage with innate bleed status. Its unique Ice Lightning slash skill can catch enemies weak to those elements completely off guard.
Defeat the Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella boss to claim this prize. At 12 Strength and 20 Dexterity, it fits well on melee hybrid builds that meet minimum faith requirements too. Consider pairing with the Bolt of Gransax spear for maximum lightning carnage!
7. Meteorite Ore Blade
An oft-overlooked Dexterity/Intelligence option, the Meteorite Ore Blade inflicts innate magic plus bleed status. Its Gravitas skill dramatically boosts poise, allowing you to tank hits while dishing out quick katana slashes.
This cosmic katana is hidden away in a trapped chest in Caelid’s Dragonbarrow area. You’ll need 15 Strength and 14 Dexterity to wield it properly. Go all-in on an intelligence hybrid build to really make the Meteorite Ore Blade shine.
Where to Find Katanas
I‘ve covered locations for most katanas already under each weapon section. But as a quick summary:
- Rivers of Blood: Defeat the Bloody Finger Okina invader inside Mountaintops of the Giants‘ Church of Repose.
- Moonveil: Looted from the Magma Wyrm boss chest in Gael Tunnel, Caelid.
- Hand of Malenia: Trade in Malenia’s remembrance at Roundtable Hold.
- Uchigatana: Obtained by starting as Samurai class or looted from Deathtouched Catacombs in Limgrave.
- Nagakiba: Dropped by Eleonora after finishing Yura’s quest.
- Dragonscale Blade: Defeat the Dragonkin Soldier boss in Sellia Hideaway, Altus Plateau.
- Meteoric Ore Blade: Found in trapped chest inside Caelid’s Dragonbarrow region.
I‘ll also mention the Rivers of Blood can be farmed (random drop) from the Palace Approach Ledge-Road site of grace by defeating the nearby Black Knife Assassin. So if you‘re struggling to defeat Okina for the weapon itself, this farm method is an option too.
How to Upgrade Katanas
Upgrading katanas correctly ensures they stay devastating well into late game. Here are the basic paths:
- Standard katanas like Uchigatana use regular Smithing Stones to reach a max level of +25.
- Unique katanas like Rivers of Blood rely on limited Somber Smithing Stones, capping out at +10.
- Affinity Boosts through ashes let you change scaling to better suit your stats.
ForDEX builds and bleed damage, I recommend the Keen and Blood weapon affinities respectively. Casters aiming to keep Intelligence scaling high should stick with Magic affinity instead.
Some katanas like Hand of Malenia lack ashes, so can‘t be re-affiliated—their native scaling is fixed. But reinforcing these special weapons through levels is still essential.
Don‘t neglect upgrading sheaths either. Often this "off-hand" leather gear gets overlooked, but boosted guard boost and other buffs from enhancing sheaths can be invaluable.
Ideal Katana Builds
Let‘s review some winning builds that bring out katanas‘ full potential:
- Samurai Bleed Build: Level Vigor, Dexterity and Arcane with some Endurance sprinkled in. Dual wield Uchigatana and Nagakiba for range and hemorrhage.
- Spellsword: Moonveil plus staff of choice supplemented with Intelligence, Dexterity and Mind. Glintstone sorceries cover ranged attacks.
- Deathblighter Hybrid: High Dexterity while mixing in enough Faith for Death-type incantations. Reaper scythe in offhand.
- Dragon Commando: Lightning and Frost katanas with a Dragon Communion Seal for buffing breath attacks aplenty.
There are plenty more combinations possible too. From holy katana paladins to poison assassins and beyond—these blades prove strikingly versatile.
Conclusion
And those are my thoughts on Elden Ring‘s best katanas! Hopefully you now understand these weapons‘ strengths, how to track them down and power them up to deadly effect. Maybe you have a new appreciation for katanas after reading this.
Whether you ultimately decide to wield one as your main armament or keep them sheathed as backup, understanding what makes katanas so special hopefully sets you in good stead for exploring the Lands Between. Stay keen!
