Dark Souls 2 offers players a vast arsenal of weapons to choose from. With over 200 weapons available, it can be overwhelming deciding which ones are actually worth using. As a Souls veteran with over 500 hours across multiple playthroughs, I‘ve compiled my list of the 10 best weapons in Dark Souls 2.
How I Evaluated the Weapons
There were several factors I considered when selecting the best DS2 weapons:
- Base damage and scaling – Weapons need to hit hard to be effective
- Moveset – Fast, wide or thrusting attacks suit different situations
- Weight – Heavy weapons consume more stamina to swing
- Requirements – High stats may limit or enhance a build
- Availability – Ease of acquisition during early or late game
- Durability – Less frequent repairs mean more combat uptime
- Unique traits – Special skills or damages types add versatility
I‘ve ranked the following weapons based on their performance across these metrics, favoring raw power but also ease of use and breadth of application.
10 Best Dark Souls 2 Weapons
1. Blue Flame
The Blue Flame is a magical longsword that also doubles as a catalyst for sorceries. Its Intelligence scaling gives it strong magic damage that complements the standard physical damage. It has low requirements so most builds can equip it. The moveset is fast and flowing. Casting speed is very quick in sword form. Enchantable and buffable to further boost damage. A flexible and powerful option for battle mages.
2. Zweihander
This colossal ultra greatsword delivers devastating chops and thrusts. Its long reach lets you strike from safety. Attacks pancake enemies, interrupting their actions. While slow to swing, each blow smashes foes with massive damage. Relatively light for its class. Available early from the Iron Keep. Infusions work very well for adjusted scaling. The Zweihander excels at smashing apart any opposition.
3. Rapier
Deceptively fast and lethal, the Rapier lands a torrent of nimble thrusts. Dexterity boosts its substantial counter damage from ripostes and backstabs. Very lightweight for all-day carrying. The moveset conserves stamina despite rapid strikes. Strong single target DPS melts bosses. Easily obtained from early game blacksmith. Keen infusion optimizes scaling. A top choice for dexterity builds to effortlessly skewer enemies.
4. Curved Dragon Greatsword
This frighteningly large curved blade inflicts pure physical punishment. Immense strength scaling tosses enemies skyward. Attacks sweep tremendous arcs to strike groups. Forward leaping heavy slams create shockwaves. Intimidating durability lasts through prolonged conflicts. Must collect from tail cut on special dragon. Quality build with high strength ideal. Staggers most foes with each crushing blow. Domineering battlefield presence.
5. Crypt Blacksword
A pure dark-infused ultra greatsword possessing the highest physical AR. Colossal damage from its already giant swings. Two-hand required for wielding. Best with hexer builds to maximize dark bonuses. Heavy but not the slowest swinging. Acquired from Darkdiver Grandahl. Moveset has horizontal chops and overhead smash. Capable of felling bosses rapidly or invading players in single hits. Devastating strikes overwhelm any opposition.
6. Roaring Halberd
This dark-imbued halberd unleashes sonic waves with strong attacks. Reach and moveset excel versus groups or large enemies. Solid dex/faith scaling. Found in Shulva, Sanctum City. Light enough for sustained wielding. Infusion boosts dark damage further. Heavy attack projectiles push back targets. The spinning and thrusting moveset circumvents shields well in PvP.potent dex/faith scaling. A very versatile dark weapon to dominate battles.
7. Drakeblood Greatsword
A magnificent greatsword sporting split physical and magic damage. Three-way scaling rewards balanced leveling. Moveset has wide slashes and rapid thrust combo. The special strong attack unleashes a short range shockwave. Drops from Dragon Shrine drakeblood knights. Looks slick while dishing outstanding DPS. Infusable to realign with user build needs. Slightly heavier but still mobile. Melts enemies with magic-imbued steel.
8. Santier‘s Spear
A unique weapon that shapeshifts movesets when broken. Raw damage excels with mundane infusion. Twirling multi-hit strong attacks great versus groups. Very long reach useful in many situations. Acquired petrified then revived from crypt. Breaks permanently to unlock hidden power. Fast unpredictable moveset shines in PvP. Enchantable for even more versatility. Incredibly fun and deadly spear once awakened.
9. Smelter Sword
This ultra greatsword molded from a powerful fire demon radiates extreme heat. Buffed attacks unleash explosions of flame. Strength and dexterity boost fire damage scaling. Heavier with moderate swing speed but range compensates. Retrieved by trading Smelter Demon‘s soul. Moveset provides wide slashes plus fiery thrust. Wrecks any opposition through intense physical and fire damage. Visually intimidating to wield against foes.
10. Black Knight Halberd
Among the finest halberds available. Innate physical and fire damage strikes hard. Great dex/str scaling and durability. Moveset offers wide swings and long reach pokes for versatility. Drops rarely from multiple black knight enemies. Infusable to further elevate elemental outputs. Looks sexy whether clearing crowds or dueling. Iconic weaponpopularized since the original Dark Souls. Reliable performance for slaying any adversary.
Make the Right Choice
I hope this list of outstanding Dark Souls 2 weapons assists you in selecting your arsenal. No matter your preferred playstyle, one of these options should deliver exceptional results. They provide the sheer striking power or speed needed to conquer lethal enemies and bosses.
Level according to a build that utilizes the weapons‘ best attributes. Upgrade with suitable titanite to increase base damage and stat scaling. Consider infusions that align with your character focus if desired. Master the movesets through practice to exploit their full potential.
Now get out there, choose your steel champion and give those bosses a beating! Praise the sun! [T]/
