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A great role-playing video game allows players to approach the gameplay in their own ways, as many different builds cater to almost every playstyle and Dark Souls 3 is no exception, as it features several builds to choose from and they’re all very fleshed-out, which makes every playthrough of the game feel different.
One such variation in Dark Souls 3 is the Intelligence build, which focuses on Mage-based skills. If you wish to be a spell caster and use Magic, Sorceries, and Pyromancies – then the Intelligence build is what you’re looking for.
The effectiveness of everything related to spells and even things like Dark Miracles improves with Intelligence on your side.
The other build that improves the effectiveness of Pyromancy and Dark Miracles is Faith, which we have launched a separate guide for. Head over to the best Faith weapons in Dark Souls 3 and also take a look at our all-time favorite Dark Souls 3 best PvE builds.
Not every weapon works with every build in Dark Souls 3, so you need to make sure that what you choose in your loadout works perfectly well with Intelligence stats.
Keep in mind that in order to cast every Sorcery in the game, you need a total of 50 intelligence.
Whereas the requirements for other spells vary. With that out of the way, let’s not waste a single second and get started with the guide!
Best Intelligence Build Weapons In Dark Souls 3
Here’s a list of the best Dark Souls 3 Intelligence build weapons that you can use in 2024.
1. Moonlight Greatsword
The Moonlight Greatsword is a weapon that appears recurringly in the Dark Souls games and is always one of the best pieces of equipment that you can get your hands on.
In Dark Souls 3, it has one of the highest magic outputs since it does more than 126 physical and 238 Magical damage.
With multiple strong ranged-attacks that have a generous hitbox, area of effect options, explosive damage, and the ability to stun low-tier enemies – it’s hard to ignore. The only thing to keep in mind is that some of the long-ranged attacks require to be charged beforehand, so time your attacks accordingly.
2. Crystal Sage’s Rapier
The Crystal Sage’s Rapier is one of the best weapons for players who rely on magic-based spells and attacks.
As you can tell from the looks, it’s great with both close and long-ranged attacks and has a rank of A in Intelligence scaling, which makes it an amazing choice for Magic and spell casting.
Last but not least, it can naturally stunlock enemies and can be used two-handed too.
3. Crescent Moon Sword
The Crescent Moon Sword is any Sorcerer’s best friend. It has similar damage and effectiveness to the Moonsword Greatsword but has a different shape and scales mainly from Dexterity rather than entirely from Intelligence.
It works great with Magic and Sorcery and allows you to fire off projectiles without making you compromise on the physical attacks – which sit on a whopping 142 when at +5.
4. Heysel Pick
The Heysel Pick is a strange-looking weapon that is kind of a hammer.
Its starting damage at +5 is 162 physical and 122 Magical, which increases later on with the right buffs. It’s very useful as a close-ranged weapon but it’s not useless for ranged attacks either.
It works beautifully with magic, so it’s an ideal weapon for an Intelligence build, especially if you use Sorcery spells.
5. Onikiri and Ubadachi
What’s better than a katana? The answer is always two katanas. The Onikiri and Ubadachi are a pair of katanis that are very compatible with Magic and work great with a combination of Dexterity especially.
It has an amazing rank of S-scaling in Intelligence and very aggressive rapid attacks that allow you to feel like a ninja, with 98 physical and 135 magical damage by your side at +10 crystal infusion.
6. Cleric’s Candlestick
If you’re new to the game and are looking for something that will serve you well for some time before you upgrade to a better weapon – the Cleric’s Candlestick is your go-to option.
It cannot be buffed or infused, but it naturally scales with Intelligence and can be used both as a staff and a sword.
Although its damage potential is weaker compared to some of the mid-game weapons, it still has a spell buff of 200 at 60 Intelligence and is great for casting Sorceries.
7. Friede’s Great Scythe
The Friede’s Great Scythe is one of the top options for Intelligence builds that focus on Sorcerer attacks. It has a remarkable rank of A-scaling in Intelligence and is one of the weapons that work beautifully in a combination of Dexterity.
Its slashes are very strong and at +5 it provides physical damage of 200 points and 140 Magic damage, which is some of the highest combined damage potentials in the entire game, compared to any weapon.
8. Greatsword of Judgement
The Greatsword of Judgement is a very straightforward weapon, in the best of ways.
At its full potential, it has physical damage of 200 and 158 Magic damage – which is some of the highest in the game. Its special skill ‘Stance of Judgement’ is something that most players have heard of, which is for good reason since it’s a great attack that unleashes a wave of energy.
It has natural Intelligence scaling so you don’t necessarily need a fusion, and it can be compared to the Moonlight Greatsword if it were any stronger.
9. Immolation Tinder
The Immolation Tinder is a weapon that is great for both Sorcery and Pyromancy attacks. It has an A-scaling in Intelligence and doesn’t need fusion to be a great Magic weapon in Dark Souls 3.
It’s particularly useful as a long-ranged weapon as its appearance implies and it has an amazing 206 physical damage and 132 Fire damage when upgraded to its maximum potential.
10. Darkmoon Longbow with Moonlight Arrow
Sometimes, you don’t want the easy way out and instead wish to play the game from a completely new angle. That’s when the Darkmoon Longbow comes in.
This bow is considered one of the least good options in Dark Souls 3 and cannot be infused or buffed.
However, that is until you pair it with the Moonlight Arrows that come with 75 Magic damage each. If used properly and with Sorcery in mind, you’ll be able to make great use of it. It’s not useless as the misconception goes, it just requires dedication.
That’s it for our list of the best Dark Souls 3 Intelligence build weapons! We hope that you found the weapons best suited for your playstyle and we’re always here to answer any questions that you might have.
While you’re here, don’t forget to check out several of our other helpful and detailed Dark Souls articles too.
