Katanas are considered one of the top-rated weapons in Elden Ring. There are nine legendary Katanas in Elden Ring, and all of them bring some value to your playing style. These elegant weapons are the first choice for beginners, Souls veterans, and NG+ players alike. The main reason is that the Katanas belong to a versatile weapon class that scales with Dexterity and Strength. Moreover, these swords are sharp enough to pierce through the toughest armor and fast enough to quickly give you the upper hand over any enemy in the game.
However, with so many choices at hand, players are often confused about which one to add to their inventory. It is impossible to just get them all, as each legendary Katana is connected to a series of quests, NPCs, and bosses. So, you can only have a couple of these deadly weapons at a time. To make things simple for you, this article provides the top 5 best Katanas in Elden Ring ranked according to their popularity.
Table of Contents
1. The Moonveil Katana
The Moonveil Katana is undoubtedly the strongest and the most aesthetically pleasing sword in the entire game. It combines the strongest traits of shear force and magical weapons. The fact that FromSoftware had to nerf this weapon in the later patch of the game shows that the Moonveil Katana is no doubt too strong to handle even for the pro players. The developers felt that numerous players were using this powerful sword to tease the bosses as well as other players online.
- Requirements:
- 23 Intelligence
- 18 Dexterity
- 12 Strength
- Weapon Art: Transient Moonlight
- Damage type: Slash/Bleeding/Magic
- Scaling:
- Strength D
- Dexterity C
- Intelligence C
- Passive: Blood loss build-up, Magic
This sword is wielded by a dreaded boss, Magma Wyrm, who resides in the Gael tunnel. The Weapon Art of this Katana is very similar to the Unsheathe of the Uchigatana. However, it deals far more damage to multiple enemies simultaneously.
When you activate the Transient Moonlight skill, the sword releases a horizontal beam of energy that drains a significant amount of health points from all enemies in its way. Furthermore, there is no escape from the wrath of this Katana, as no armor set is strong enough to withstand the magic/piercing ability of this Katana.
2. Rivers of Blood Katana
The Rivers of Blood Katana is the second most popular sword in the Elden Ring community. According to several players on Reddit, if any sword deserves a nerf for fair play, it is the Rivers of Blood. This sword is so strong that it quickly drains a chunk from your enemy’s health bar with a bleeding effect.
Furthermore, no armor can withstand its piercing effect, so even defeating the Elden Beast seems like child’s play. However, you must play through almost half the main storyline to acquire this powerful sword.
- Requirements:
- 20 Arcane
- 19 Dexterity
- 12 Strength
- Weapon Art: Corpse Piler
- Damage type: Slash/Pierce
- Scaling:
- Strength E
- Dexterity D
- Arcane D
- Passive: Blood loss build-up (50)
The Corpse Piler Weapon Art is the fastest special ability in the game. When you activate this skill, the character launches a series of slashes that can quickly drain any enemy through the bleeding damage. Moreover, this Katana has a relatively longer range than others, so your enemies will be dead before they know it.
The only drawback to this sword is that it isn’t effective against enemies with fire-resistant or bleeding-resistant armor. Still, you can find a way to kill such enemies if you time your attacks perfectly. In other words, no boss can withstand the sheer force of the Rivers of Blood Katana.
3. Hand of Malenia
Malenia is no doubt the strongest boss in Elden Ring. The fact that the only way to acquire this Katana is by defeating Malenia makes it worth dying for every Elden Ring player. Initially, this sword was meant to be the strongest Katana in the game, even stronger than the Moonveil.
However, FromSoftware found that the majority of players failed to get it, so they nerfed the sword and came up with the Moonveil Katana. Still, if you are looking for a Katana that can quickly down any enemy, I suggest that you go after Malenia if you dare.
- Requirements:
- 48 Dexterity
- 16 Strength
- Weapon Art: Waterfowl Dance
- Damage type: Slash/Pierce
- Scaling:
- Strength E
- Dexterity B
- Passive: Insane Blood loss build-up
The Waterfowl Dance is the unique Weapon Art of the Hand of Malenia Katana. When you activate this skill, the player launches a series of elegant slashing attacks combo on one foot. Each slash is several times more powerful than any heavy attack with the sword. So, even if your enemies are at a distance, you can still hit them with your sword and quickly drain their health bar.
Furthermore, you can combine the Waterfowl Dance with any light or heavy attack combo if you time your shots perfectly. The only drawback to this sword is its normal attacks are similar to that of any legendary Katana.
4. Nagakiba Katana
The Nagakiba Katana is the genetically blessed version of the Uchigatana. Initially, developers planned it to be an upgrade for the former. Still, its abilities showed that it is powerful enough to become a separate legendary weapon.
To put it in simple words, the Nagakiba Katana is the fusion of Uchigatana and the Hand of Malenia in every way. It has the length of the Hand of Malenia and the versatility of the Uchigatana.
So, if you started with a Samurai build, I suggest that you upgrade your built-in weapon with this mighty sword.
- Requirements:
- 22 Dexterity
- 18 Strength
- Weapon Art: Piercing Fang/Unsheathe
- Damage type: Slash/Bleeding
- Scaling:
- Strength D
- Dexterity C
- Passive: Blood loss build-up
The Nagakiba is surely one of the longest Katanas in the game. It has the length of a reinforced spear and the sharpness of a Katana, making it a purely Strength/Dexterity weapon in every way. Furthermore, the weapon comes with its unique Weapon Art the Piercing Fang.
When you activate this skill, the player rushes toward the enemies and quickly delivers a powerful blow that pierces through every armor and inflicts a bleeding buff. The good news is that if you aren’t a fan of this Weapon Art, you can always replace it with the Unsheathe Ash of War for better animations and greater damage.
5. Uchigatana
The Uchigatana may not be the strongest Katana in Elden Ring. However, the fact that this weapon is so basic that it goes well with all types of character builds makes it a handy weapon for most Elden Ring players.
It is the starting weapon of the Samurai class, and you can get it from a dungeon in Limgrave if you choose any other character build. Moreover, you can easily upgrade this sword with common smithing stones and also infuse it with any Ash of War of your choice.
- Requirements:
- 15 Dexterity
- 11 Strength
- Weapon Art: Unsheathe/universal
- Damage type: Slash/Bleeding
- Scaling:
- Strength D
- Dexterity D
- Passive: Blood loss build-up
The time-tested Unsheathe Weapon Art was first implemented in the Uchigatana. So, it won’t be wrong to assume that this Katana is the mother of the all-time favorite Weapon Art in the game. Moreover, most players with pure Dexterity or Strength builds tend to make the most out of the versatility of this sword. For example, you can infuse the Uchigatana with the Seppuku Ash of War, which makes the bleeding build-up of this sword far superior to the Rivers of Blood Katana.
The only drawback of this sword is that it has a lower range than Nagakiba or Hand of Malenia Katana. However, if you are looking for a powerful sword right from the start of the game, I suggest that you try the Uchigatana.
FAQs
Which Katana is best for bleeding damage in Elden Ring?
The Rivers of Blood Katana is surely the best weapon to inflict bleeding damage on your enemies. However, the sword is powerless if your enemy is wearing fire-resistant or bleeding-resistant armor. The good news is that you can always infuse the Uchigatana with the Seppuku Ash of War to deal even more bleeding damage than the Rivers of Blood Katana.
What is the best dual-wielding Katana in Elden Ring?
When it comes to dual-wielding Katanas in Elden Ring, the Moonveil Katana is the obvious choice for most players. It is the strongest weapon in the game even after getting nerfed. Moreover, this Katana’s Strength/Magic combo makes it the perfect choice for facing all sorts of enemies in the game. However, the only way to dual-wield the Moonveil Katana is to play NG+1.
Is Moonveil Katana any good after getting nerfed?
FromSoftware.inc felt that the players were using the Moonveil Katana to tease bosses and other players in the online game. So, they slightly nerfed it to ensure a fair game for all players. Still, even after getting nerfed, the Moonveil Katana is still the strongest weapon in the entire game. No boss, not even the Elden Beast, can withstand the wrath of the Transient Moonlight Weapon Art.
Which is a better option, Moonveil or the Rivers of Blood Katana?
The Moonveil Katana seems like a better option if you are looking for a way to quickly end the main storyline. However, the elegance and animations of the Rivers of Blood Katana make it equally appealing for most players. In other words, the efficiency of both these Katanas solely depends on your playing style. However, it would be best to keep in mind that the Rivers of Blood Katana is powerless against enemies with fire-resistance and bleeding-resistance armor sets.
What is the best weapon for dual wielding the Nagakiba Katana?
The Nagakiba Katana is a perfect weapon that doesn’t require any secondary weapon in your hand. Still, if you are a fan of dual wielding all weapons, I suggest that you double the Nagakiba with a Wakizashi. The Wakizashi isn’t included in the Katana class, but in reality, it is the shorter version of the Uchigatana. So, wielding the Nagakiba with the Wakizashi will inflict your enemies with double bleeding build-up and greater damage.
Conclusion
Katanas are the most superior weapons in Elden Ring. There are nine different types of Katanas in the game, each bringing some value for various character builds. Moreover, it is impossible to have all legendary Katanas in your inventory in a single playthrough. So, it is often confusing for the players to choose between such powerful weapons in the game. Therefore, this article discusses the top 5 best Katanas in Elden Ring ranked according to their pros and cons.
