As someone who has sunk over 1000 hours across 12 playthroughs into Dark Souls 3, I‘ve developed an intimate familiarity with the ins and outs of my favorite weapon class: greatswords. Their balanced blend of damage, speed and moveset versatility clicked with my aggressive yet calculated playstyle.
Through countless PvP duels, NG+ cycles and DLC completions, I tested out every greatsword I could get my hands on. I endured bruising defeats and exhilarating victories, ultimately forging an elite mastery of the combat intricacies that set seasoned experts apart.
Now I want to pass on that hard-won knowledge by revealing my definitive top greatsword rankings for both PvE and PvP. Consider this the culmination of my Dark Souls 3 journey – the final boss of comprehensive greatsword guides, if you will.
Below I‘ll analyze all aspects of my personal top 5 ranked greatswords:
- Damage output
- Swing speed & combo fluency
- Reach & hitbox precision
- Scaling & stat investment
- Upgrade material
- Infusion & buff viability
- Weight & stamina consumption
- Weapon arts & special effects
I didn‘t just theorycraft these. They delivered me through countless victorious boss fights and invasion kills at max NG+ difficulty. I know firsthand just how lethal these greatswords can be.
Their standings also reflect effectiveness across Quality, Strength, Dexterity and hybrid caster builds in both PvE and PvP. I‘ll offer plenty of specialized tips to master PvP spacing, combo timing, stat investment, and more.
Veterans may spot familiar faces, but they‘ve more than earned their places through countless battles. And newer players are in for a treat of the highest tier greatswords Dark Souls 3 has to offer.
So two-hand your controller, steel your nerves and join me on an epic showcase of my #1 to #5 ranked contenders for best Dark Souls 3 greatsword!
#5 Wolf Knight‘s Greatsword
Kicking off my list is the Wolf Knight‘s Greatsword obtained by transposing the Soul of the Blood of the Wolf after defeating the Abyss Watchers.
This elegant quality weapon combines graceful movesets and potent Frost builds for formidable PvE and PvP potential.
(Image credit: Fextralife wiki)
Damage & Scaling
The Wolf Knight‘s Greatsword deals primarily physical slashing/thrusting damage with auxiliary dark damage from Frost builds.
It scales very well across both Strength and Dexterity for Quality builds. However, its base damage doesn’t exceed top-tier greatswords until highly reinforced along its Titanite path.
Moveset & Playstyle
The one-handed light attacks utilize wide-arcing chops well suited for crowd control.
Meanwhile, the two-handed strong attacks incorporate elegant somersaulting slashes and spin attacks ideal for outmaneuvering evasive players in PvP.
Judicious stamina management is key to connect the full movesets. Spacing also takes practice to connect the relatively short-ranged swings compared to larger greatswords.
Upgrades & Infusions
Fully reinforcing along the regular Titanite path requires ample farming, but rewards with solid A/A scaling by +10 upgrade. Sharp and Heavy Gem infusions can take Strength or Dex scaling to S-rank depending on build.
Acquisition
The Wolf Knight‘s Greatsword comes from transposing the Soul of the Blood of the Wolf dropped by the Abyss Watchers boss. Defeating this swift swordmaster duo takes skill, but the weapon is a worthy reward.
Overall the Wolf Knight’s Greatsword, while outpaced in raw power by heavier greatswords, still brings graceful style, Frostbite bonuses and Dex-favored mobility well worth mastering.
#4 Black Knight Sword
For pure Strength-focused builds, the Black Knight Sword dropped rarely by greatsword-wielding Black Knights hits with the force of a freight train.
(Image credit: Fextralife wiki)
This bulky lump of iron packs a wallop with each giant slash and boasts unique Perserverance to tank through trades. With no Dexterity scaling, it also limits investment to pure Strength and Vitality.
Damage & Scaling
The Black Knight Sword delivers conspicuously high physical damage from the beginning that only amplifies further via Twinking Titanite upgrades and the 1.5x strength modifier when two-handed.
It lacks Dexterity scaling almost entirely for pure Strength focus, freeing up levels to bolster Vitality and Equip Load to wield heavier armor simultaneously.
The powerful Perserverance Weapon Art also boosts poise on activation, allowing you to tank through staggered trade hits.
Moveset & Playstyle
While categorized as a greatsword, the Black Knight Sword leans closer toward an ultra greatsword in attack speed and damage profile.
It delivers crushing chops followed by a long recovery animation that requires learning proper spacing control so you don’t leave yourself open after swings.
Charged heavy attacks in two-hand stance hit with tremendous impact enough to flatten enemies and bosses with counter damage on head strikes.
Upgrades & Infusions
Twinkling Titanite upgrades are rare early on but essential to prevent the Black Knight Sword‘s base damage from lagging behind in late game cycles.
The weapon cannot be buffed or infused, so leveling Strength is critical. 50 is a practical hard cap for one-handed damage while 66 bumps two-handed moves further.
Acquisition
The Black Knight Sword drops rarely from the towering Black Knights wielding greatswords. I recommend stacking Item Discovery gear to farm the two sword variants in Smouldering Lake and the Untended Graves.
#3 Lothric Knight Greatsword
Carried over from my winning first playthrough years ago, the Lothric Knight Greatsword still delivers excellent quality damage and handsome Strength scaling.
Its natural Lightning damage carves through hollows and dragons alike, while diverse upgrade paths enable fits for Quality, Strength and caster builds in both PvE and PvP.
(Image credit: Fextralife wiki)
Damage & Scaling
Split physical and Lightning damage types make the Lothric Knight Greatsword effective against most PvE enemies, especially Dragons and hollows.
Scaling favors Quality builds to balance Strength and Dex for solid B/B ratings at +10 Titanite reinforcement. However, Sharp and Heavy Gems can take either rating to S-Tier on specialized builds.
Magic or Lightning infusions replace all physical damage with elemental, enabling caster builds to utilize high base damage as a melee option alongside spells.
Moveset & Playstyle
The elegant moveset provides wide slashes, lunging thrusts and superior reach. Spacing allows landing only the tip for optimized safe ranges, or big Windup R2 smashes against overaggressive opponents.
The Charged Thrust weapon skill crushes poise and hits heavily at range, but consumes a large 20 FP per use. Mindful activation when openings present maximizes effectiveness.
Careful stamina management is key – several swings drain pools quickly thanks to muscular weight and leverage factors. But well-timed blocks and dodges preserve precious bars between measured attacks.
Upgrades & Infusions
Standard Titanite reinforcement path limits risk of wasting rare upgrade materials if experimenting across potential quality, caster and hybrid builds. Best upgrades ultimately depend on stat investment.
Acquisition
The Lothric Knights defending the High Wall of Lothric drop this greatsword rather commonly once you learn the optimal farm routes. My personal favorite runs just under 2 minutes for each loop!
Some may argue the Lothric Knight Greatsword lacks innovation or identity, but its flexibility to enable Quality, Strength and Magic builds while packing high base Lightning damage cement its #3 spot for PvE and PvP greatswords.
#2 Hollowslayer Greatsword
Transposed from the devious Curse-Rotted Greatwood, the Hollowslayer Greatsword boasts unique moves and passive Hollow damage buffs specially suited to shredding those corpse-like foes.
(Image credit: Fextralife wiki)
This Dexterity-focused greatsword maintains faster mobility from lighter weight and excels specifically at punishing shambling hollows with an irksome 20% damage buff against them.
Damage & Scaling
Primarily physical damage emphasizes quick successive strikes over singular crushing blows. Dexterity scaling climbs all the way to C at +10 Titanite upgrades to enable deadly successive slash combos from high agility.
The 20% total attack buff against Hollows applies both to PvE hordes and Ashen One invaders. Bosses are immune, but most basic enemies and select invaders take big bonus damage.
Moveset & Playstyle
The moveset focuses more on agility than raw hitting force. Spinning slash combos and horizontal chops reward aggressive sequential attacks over baiting trade counters.
Quick roll catches and running attack baits should pressure turtling opponents. Carefully balanced spacing keeps mobile to capitalize on the increased swing speed from lower weight class.
Stamina management stays equally important as lighter greatswords still deplete pools quickly across combos. Carry Blue Estus Ashtus for emergency refills if planning long Hollow clears.
Upgrades & Infusions
With no Strength scaling, infusions can focus on either boosting Dexterity into S-tier or adding supplemental elemental damage types without impacting swing speed or stamina costs.
Acquisition
Transposing the Curse-Rotted Greatwood soul requires reaching the Undead Settlement and triumphing over the violent beast’s multiple limb phases. Chopping down this towering monstrosity takes patience, but victory brings weapon spoils.
The Hollowslayer specifically punishes otherwise relentless basic Hollow enemies. But versatile movesets and swiftness make it my #2 choice to master highly mobile dexterous greatsword combat for PvE and PvP alike.
#1 Claymore
Available very early from Greirat’s shop in Firelink Shrine, the modest Claymore’s jack-of-all-trades versatility conceals lethal potential for nearly any greatsword build.
(Image credit: Fextralife wiki)
Top-tier quality scaling and infusability to enable elemental buffs or alignments with Strength, Dex and caster builds cement its enduring #1 ranking in my book.
Damage & Scaling
Very solid physical base damage for an early weapon gets supplemented by equal A/A Strength and Dexterity scaling following +10 Titanite reinforcement. Quality builds at 40/40 get the most output.
Diverse infusion and buff potential enables damage type customization for weaknesses without altering the balanced quality scaling. Magic Weapon sorceries add big damage for cheap FP costs.
Moveset & Playstyle
The Claymore truly rewards an aggressive, pressuring approach. Its quickest class light and heavy attacks enable quick successive strikes to condition opponents toward panic rolls or desperate attacks between combos.
Mixing up empty dashing rolls into weapon art Stomps and Charged thrusting attacks catches most players looking to punish whiffed swings. Patience and timing make the Claymore deadly.
Having tried virtually every popular weapon class and build, I firmly believe the Claymore stands in a tier of its own as the quintessential jack-of-all-trades melee weapon.
Upgrades & Infusions
Standard Titanite reinforcement enables reallocating upgrades if experimenting across potential quality or caster builds. Magic and Lightning infusions work very well to enable spellsword styles.
Acquisition
Available for just 6,000 souls very early from Greirat’s shop, the Claymore offers a smooth difficult curve compared to mid/late game greatsword drops. Its flexibility enables progress without rerolling new characters to try new weapons.
The Claymore has all the tools needed to carry any melee Quality build from early struggles to end game domination. Don‘t let its plain design mislead – few Ultra Greatswords can match its balance of damage, reach and versatility.
Further Greatsword Considerations
The five detailed above earned their spots as my top-ranked greatswords through endless hours of combat testing across countless enemies and invaders.
However, honorable mentions deserve recognition:
- Lothric‘s Holy Sword – Excellent caster option with natural Lightning damage and self-buff weapon skill
- Flamberge – Stylish pick for Bleed-focused builds with innate Bleed auxiliary
- Drakeblood Greatsword – Top pick for Dexterity thanks to A/A Strength/Dex scaling when Sharp infused
I ultimately didn’t include them in the top 5 since their ideal use cases are more specific or specialized overall. But they remain very strong within certain builds!
What About Ultra Greatswords?
Ultra greatswords may seem tempting for their sheer stopping power, but require much higher stat investments and precise spacing mastery to utilize without leaving yourself vulnerable.
I generally only recommend them once you have cleared Dark Souls 3 at least once using a more balanced Quality build and fundamental playstyle.
The key greatsword vs ultra greatsword differences:
Greatswords
- Faster swing times
- Lower stamina costs per swing
- More emphasis on successive combos
- Greater mobility from lower weights
- Require less Strength investment
Ultra Greatswords
- Massively higher damage per swing
- Slower swing and recovery times
- Higher demand on stamina management
- Much higher Strength requirements
- Focus on single devastating strikes
Both weapon classes reward patience and precise spacing control. But ultra greatswords are best reserved only once you master basic dynamics on more balanced starter builds in my experience.
The innate skills you build regarding situational awareness, roll timing, stamina rationing and reading telegraphs will prove invaluable before attempting to leverage ultra weapons efficiently.
Conclusion
And with that epic journey concluded, I sincerely hope this guide offers valuable insights into navigating the diverse greatsword options Dark Souls 3 puts at your disposal!
Their balanced blend of damage and mobility fueled my passion through countless hours of invasions fights and NG+ cycles. Now you have my blueprint toward greatsword mastery from firsthand experience.
Maybe you too will be convinced by one of my top 5 recommendations here. If so, I wish you glorious battle and triumphant victories with your mighty steel!
Or perhaps you see an alternative greatsword as the one true champion? Let me know in the comments – I‘m always eager to debate favorites and swap war stories.
No matter your pick, trust in careful timing, vigilance of your surroundings, intelligent stat investment and learning from defeats. These universal skills will serve you well no matter the greatsword you choose.
Now raise your blade with pride Ashen One! A grand adventure awaits thee…
~ Waleed the Greatsword Master
