One of the most noticeable is the sheer weapon variety you can find in the Lands Between. Whether you like them sharp or blunt, short-range or long-range, big or small – there’s a ton of armament to choose from. As the most popular weapon class in gaming, swords got special attention from the developers, so you’ll notice a lot of the strongest and coolest weapons belong to this category. In this ranking, we’ll look at the most visually-appealing swords in the game. Most of these weapons are also remarkably powerful, so play close attention if you want to become a stylish Elden Lord.
10. Sword of St. Trina
Does size matter? Not if you can put your opponents to sleep. The Sword of St. Trina is a short Straight Sword found in the Forsaken Ruins, on the Caelid side of the border with Limgrave. It’s beautifully ornamental and ivory white. Its unique skill, the Mists of Slumber, sprays enemies with a purple mist that induces slumber – and leaves the sword coated in purple particles. It might not be the strongest Straight Sword, but it has very little STR and DEX requirements. This makes it ideal for spellcasters in need of a melee weapon.
9. Marais Executioner’s Sword
House Marais was a family of executioners established in the Shaded Castle – and this broad sword was their family heirloom. One fateful day, the sneaky Elemer of the Briar broke free from his bindings right before his execution, killed the headsman, and took the sword for himself – imbuing it with ancient magic from his homeland of Eochaid. Immediately after taking the sword from Elemer in the Shaded Castle, we learn how to cast Eochaid’s Dancing Blade. When you see it exuding red magical energy as it spins around violently, shredding your enemies to pieces, it’s a truly stunning sight.
8. Beastman’s Cleaver
One of the most brutal weapons in Elden Ring is the massive Beastman’s Cleaver. This misshapen Curved Greatsword is wielded by the Beastmen of Farum Azula. They might drop one if you hunt down enough. You’ll need to be quite strong to wield it. But once you hit the STR requirement, it’s a fun-to-use sword that’ll make you feel like a total badass. You can also change the Ash of War on it, which opens the possibilities for different playstyles.
7. Eclipse Shotel
The Eclipse Shotel is a powerful arcane tool able to channel the dark powers lurking beneath the surface of reality. Found in Castle Sol, in the Mountaintops of the Giants, this Curved Sword is fashioned to look like an eclipsed sun, devoid of color. Its skill, Death Flare, sets the edge ablaze with black-gold fire. It’s one of the most beautiful sights in the game. This weapon is well-suited for fast and agile characters running a mixture of FAI and DEX.
6. Ruins Greatsword
The Ruins Greatsword is a remarkably thick and brutal Colossal Sword with mysterious origins. According to its description, a meteorite broke off a piece of a flying ruin, and the resulting rubble was fashioned into a sword. It’s fair to assume that these “flying ruins” are Farum Azula, indicating that this mysterious temple once floated right above the Lands Between. Regardless of its origins, the Ruins Greatsword looks friggin’ amazing. It’s intricately ornamented but has primal energy that makes you feel like a bad-ass while wielding it. It’s also imbued with the meteorite’s power, giving it the Wave of Destruction skill and Gravity-infused heavy attacks.
5. Antspur Rapier
For something a bit more elegant and modest, consider the Antspur Rapier. This vividly-colored Thrusting Sword was forged from the spur of a giant ant. It constantly oozes Scarlet Rot, which gives the rapier an innate ability to cause Rot buildup with every hit. The bright red blade and ornate handle make this an attention-grabbing weapon that any fast, DEX-based character could benefit from. Moreover, the fact that you can change this weapon’s Ash of War means you can make it deal Rot, Poison, and Bleed damage simultaneously with the right whetblade and grease. It’s a weapon for the technical fighter who likes to crunch the numbers.
4. Bloody Helice
An even more gnarly rapier is the Bloody Helice, found in the Writheblood Ruins, deep inside the forest of Altus Plateau. This Heavy Thrusting Sword is ornate and somewhat biological-looking, but its long, twisting blade isn’t there just for show. It’s designed to destroy the flesh of anyone unlucky enough to be stabbed with it, causing profuse bleeding and making suture impossible. The Dynast’s Finesse skill makes it a terrific weapon for technical fighters. It lets you quickly avoid an attack with a backstep only to punish brutally with a quick thrust that inflicts even more Blood Loss buildup than usual. Learning to wield this elegant rapier is the perfect way to counter the typical Rivers of Blood-abusing player online.
3. Sword of Night and Flame
If you’re willing to structure your entire build around a single weapon, the Sword of Night and Flame will not let you down. This beautifully ornamented Straight Sword was forged to commemorate the friendship between the ancient Astrologers and the Fire Giants that lived beside them. The Astrologers are represented by the sword’s ability to shoot a Comet Azur-like beam, and an AoE burst of flame with remarkable reach symbolizes the Fire Giants. This moveset – accessed through the Night-and-Flame Stance skill – gives you near-perfect coverage that’ll serve you well against almost any enemy, except Crystallians.
2. Golden Order Greatsword
The Elden Ring isn’t something anyone can hold, but with the Golden Order Greatsword, you can get very close. It was forged out of pure light by King Consort Radagon to honor the Golden Order’s tenets. It’s fashioned after the Elden Ring and confers the unimaginable Holy power. Its unique skill – Establish Order – is one of the flashiest. Your character does a fundamentalist salute to initiate the attack, which is incredibly intimidating and badass. Note: You’ll need a fair bit of DEX and FAI to wield it correctly, but it’s definitely worth it – especially against undead enemies.
1. Godslayer’s Greatsword
Marika may have won the battle against the Gloam-Eyed Queen, but this mysterious Outer God gets the win when it comes to cool armaments. The Godslayer’s Greatsword is the source of power for the Godskin Apostles and the rest of their kin. It’s a relic infused with The Queen’s Black Flame, which is the name of its unique skill. This dark fire is a manifestation of the power to kill gods, and you’ll look like a major bad-ass whenever you wield it. Shaped like an ornate helix, this weapon is reminiscent of the Lance of Longinus featured in Evangelion – which also happens to be a god-killing weapon. You’ll find this amazing sword in the Divine Tower of Caelid, in a chest protected by the Godskin Apostle boss.
