The sandbox of Elden Ring is a marvellous place to spend some time due to the sheer number of weapons and abilities players can use. Our favourites today are the many axes of The Lands Between. During our tests at Player.com, an axe could inflict frost status, while others will cause enemies to bleed. So, your choice boils down to your build, of which the axes below offer unique advantages. Unfortunately, there are no cheat codes in Elden Ring, so you’ll work for these weapons.
Also Read: How to Get to the Tornado Area (Crumbling Farum Azula) in Elden Ring
Top 6 Elden Ring Axes
Elden Ring is full of wonders, including axes that can decimate enemies in combat. However, axes don’t get enough love, since players prefer greatswords and Katanas. We can’t blame them because we’ve experimented with Katana builds before.
This is why we’ve hustled in the Lands Between for the best axes that money and valour can afford. Some of them are picked up from the corpses of demigods, while others are the rewards for clearing dungeons. That said, you can’t go wrong with any of the axes below. Hopefully, the upcoming Elden Ring DLC won’t nerf these weapons.
#1: Rosus’ Axe
Rosus’ Axe is an Elden Ring axe that can be acquired in the Black Knife Catacombs and to upgrade it, you need many Somber Smithing Stones. That said, weak gamers can’t pick up this axe because of its high requirements. To start with, you need 15 Strength, 10 Dexterity, and 18 Intelligence to unleash this axe’s true potential.
Moving on to its Ash of War, it’s called Rosus’s Summons and it summons three spectral skeletons who attack any target you’re locked onto. Rosus’ Axe is particularly effective in PVP due to its fast attack rate and long reach.
#2: Axe of Godrick
The Axe of Godrick is a colossal weapon that’s classified as a great axe. This Elden Ring axe is dropped by Godrick the Grafted after you snuff him out. Being a demigod’s favourite weapon grants this axe some of the best Ash of War in Elden Ring. However, you must first meet the steep requirements. To that end, you need to have invested 34 points in the Strength stat to lift this weapon.
Our favourite aspect is still the Ash of War, which is capable of devastating enemies across the battlefield. It’s called “I Command Thee, Kneel” and it does what it says. Enemies are immediately staggered for a chance to deal critical hits. Having said that, this Elden Ring axe has a slow attack speed.
#3: Icerind Hatchet
Fresh off a God of War Ragnarok campaign, your love of axes is at an all-time high. Just like Kratos’s Leviathan Axe, the Icerind Hatchet also inflicts Frostbite. This slows down your enemies’ attacks, giving you the chance to hack away at their health bar. Alternatively, you can also dodge their attacks.
The Elden Ring axe also had one of the most broken Ash of Wars in the game. It’s called the Hoarfrost Stomp and it sends out a wave of ice that staggers enemies and inflicts frost damage. You could decimate huge waves of enemies with this ability, but it has long been nerfed to deal far less damage against bosses. However, the regular goons will still suffer at your hands.
This Elden Ring axe has B-scaling in Dexterity so Hoarfrost Stomp will only shine if you’ve dumped enough points in the Dexterity. Heck, you need to have invested 16/11 points into Dexterity and Strength to wield this axe comfortably. If you haven’t updated your Elden Ring copy, don’t! This skill puts you on equal footing with all of the demigods of the Lands Between.
#4: Executioner’s Greataxe
The Executioner’s Greataxe might not look like much, but it’s particularly devastating in the hands of a strong Tarnished. That means you should be ready to dump tons of points into Strength. After all, the weapon has A-scaling in Strength, so you know the attack animations won’t be the fastest. That said, you can easily acquire this weapon from Skeletons wielding it.
The Executioner’s Greataxe also spots a nifty Ash of War called the War Cry. It’s a buff that increases your damage while using the great axe. Thankfully, you can also change its Ash of War for others such as Hoarfrost Stomp or Bloody Slash. However, to truly unleash its potential, you should equip three items, which are:
- The Stonebarb Cracked Tear.
- The Ash of War, Crag Blade which is found in Caelid.
- The Dagger Talisman can be found in Volcano Manor.
#5: Iron Cleaver
The Iron Cleaver can only be used by players who have invested 15/7 points in Strength and Dexterity respectively. To acquire this weapon, kill one of the Misbegotten in Castle Morne and you’ll own one of the best PvP weapons in Elden Ring. We love this weapon because of its fast attack animations, which is surprising because of its size.
To increase this axe’s damage, equip the Axe Talisman which increases charged attack damage by 10%. Thankfully, the Iron Cleaver’s charged attack (R2 on the PS5) is broken because it’s a spin attack that rushes enemies. As for its Ash of War, it’s called Wild Strikes and it can tear through health bars with relative ease. We know because we’ve been on the receiving end many times.
#6: Axe of Godfrey
Axe of Godfrey is an absolute behemoth of a weapon, requiring gamers to invest 42 points into the Strength attribute to wield it. Even then, this weapon is notable because of its Ash of War, the Regal Roar. The Regal Roar is capable of sending intense shockwaves across the battlefield and yes, enemies can’t guard against it.
If you’re after critical hits, this is one of the best weapons for that. Already, its base damage is upwards of 400, making it one of the best Elden Ring axes. Nevertheless, it’s ranked sixth on our list because upgrading it doesn’t increase its damage output by much. So, it’s not the best for late-game encounters.
Our Final Say: Elden Ring Axes Are Severally Underrated
Elden Ring Axes are some of the best weapons for players who prefer Strength builds. What’s more? You can also dial-wield a lot of the game’s axes to give yourself an edge in combat. So, regardless of which Elden Ring axe you opt for, the experience will be exhilarating. Just make sure you’ve got enough Smithing Stones at hand or else, you’re better off with your primary weapon.