Elden Ring is a FromSoftware masterpiece that teaches other titles a huge lesson in game development. Among the joys of exploring the game’s immersive sandbox are Ashes of War and melee weapons. Today, Player.com breaks down the best melee weapons that a Tarnished can own in the Lands Between.
Also Read: How to Get to the Tornado Area (Crumbling Farum Azula) in Elden Ring
7 Elden Ring Melee Weapons to Try Out
Elden Ring can be challenging for gamers who are new to Soulslike titles, such as Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Nonetheless, some melee weapons can give you an unfair advantage in combat. If you’ve used Bloody Slash, Ashes of War before, you’ll know what we’re talking about. Some of these melee weapons feel like Elden Ring cheats because they’re so deadly that you need at least two of them in your arsenal to truly enjoy the game.
#1: Rivers of Blood Katana
Rivers of Blood can be acquired late in the game from Bloody Finger Okina at the Church of Repose. So, you must be ranked at least level 100 before trying to defeat the former wielder of this sword. That said, Rivers of Blood scales with Arcane the most and it does deserve a chance despite falling into obscurity.
The Bleed effect is one of the most devastating inflictions in Elden Ring. It’s capable of tearing through any health bar with total ease. This eventually sucks away the competitive joy of beating a boss into submission. However, equip Rivers of Blood and get ready to cheese any fight.
#2: Moonveil
Moonveil is a katana in Elden Ring that’s super cool and fast. It’s best for slashes and with the bleed status it inflicts, you’ll be cutting down bosses and mini-bosses with ease. If the Moonveil is so effective against the honchos, what do you think it will do to the regular goons? Kill with finesse, which is a feat that melee weapons like the Blasphemous Blade can never pull off.
This is because of Moonveil’s Ash of War, which is called Transient Moonlight. It’s an unsheathing technique that lets loose two powerful blades of energy at supersonic speed. The crisscross pattern of the technique is beautiful and deadly against every enemy out there. Moonveil’s damage scales with Intelligence the most, though Dexterity comes a close second.
#3: Blasphemous Blade
The Blasphemous Blade scales with Faith, Dexterity, and Strength to devastating effects. Being the reward for defeating Rykard, this blade can be imbued with fire called the Taker’s Flame. This Ash of War burns enemies with fire while stealing away part of their health. Everyone knows how pathetic the healing system in Elden Ring is, especially after recent updates that have slowed down the healing animation.
So, it’s nice to have a blade that’s great for both offence and defence, especially if you’ve equipped Malenia’s Great Rune. Malenia’s Great Rune will heal you if you deal damage immediately after taking a hit. Together with the Blasphemous Blade, you essentially become a nightmarish creature plaguing the battlefield.
#4: Dark Moon Greatsword
The Dark Moon Greatsword is a terrifying melee weapon that you’ll only acquire after completing Ranni’s questline to an extent. This weapon has also appeared in many other FromSoftware games, so the developers made sure it can kill enemies within a few hits. Bosses won’t take two dozen hits if you properly scale it up by dumping Runes into Intelligence, Dexterity, and Strength.
Like the Moonveil, the Dark Moon Greatsword also has an Ash of War, called the Moonlight Greatsword. This skill can send out blades of moonlight for every swing at your opponents. Yes, this Ash of War boasts an impressive range, so you can keep your distance. There aren’t many melee weapons capable of this in Elden Ring, since the skill will betray the whole purpose of using a melee weapon.
#5: Sword of Night and Flame
The Sword of Night and Flame is a flexible melee weapon with tons of power behind it. Not only does it deal decent damage per swing, but you can also one-shot-kill enemies with its Ash of War. It’s called the Night-and-Flame Stance, which releases a long beam of energy at enemies.
If you’re interested in a hit-and-run tactic, this is one of the best melee weapons for that. The Ash of War can also bathe your blade in flames that deal incredible damage. So, it’s one of those weapons with different techniques depending on whether you unleash a light or strong attack. The Sword of Night and Flame scales with Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, and Strength.
#6: Bloodhound’s Fang
The Bloodhound’s Fang doesn’t boast the fastest attack moveset compared to other curved swords. However, it’s a winner if you’re interested in creating a bleed build early in the game. To obtain this weapon, defeat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil in Limgrave’s Forlorn Hound Evergaol. That said, Bloodhound’s Fang shines because it’s super easy to upgrade.
The weapon is also memorable because of its Ash of War, Bloodhound’s Finesse. It’s an evasive slash that quickly turns your tactical retreat into a cheeky hit. Yes, the weapon scales marvellously with Dexterity and Strength builds. This Ash of War can’t be swapped out.
#7: Icerind Hatchet
The Icerind Hatchet is one of the best axes in Elden Ring for a good reason. Part of its allure is due to its fast moveset, which can lay waste to the toughest enemies in seconds. Besides that, the Icerind is capable of inflicting frost damage upon hitting opponents. The hatchet is memorable because of its Ash of War, called the Hoarfrost Step, an attack with a wide area of effect.
This weapon scales with Dexterity and Strength to devastating effects. If you ever wanted to create a build similar to Kratos in God of War (2018), don’t overlook this frosted hatchet. You can find this weapon at Temple Quarter in Liurnia of the Lakes.
Our Final Say: Elden Ring Melee Weapons Depend on Your Stats
If you’ve been dumping huge amounts of Runes into Intelligence, then Moonveil is the perfect weapon for you. We hope the upcoming DLC won’t nerf it. However, if you’re a fan of Arcane spells and abilities, then the Rivers of Blood katana will fit your playstyle. In short, confirm the weapon’s scaling attributes before dumping Smithing Stones into its upgrades.
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