On This Page Show
The Katana is a weapon that players of FromSoftware games are naturally drawn to due to its appearance and unique moveset. It’s also the starting weapon for those who have chosen the Samurai class at the beginning of Elden Ring.
Of course, what is a samurai without his samurai sword? Although they’re mainly built for samurais, that doesn’t mean that katanas can’t complement other builds as well. In fact, they’re one of the most versatile weapon types in Elden Ring.
There are eight katanas overall in Elden Ring, which may not seem much compared to other weapon types. However, that doesn’t take away from the enjoyment this weapon type brings.
Because there are only a few katanas to choose from, we’ve decided to rank all of the katanas in Elden Ring from best to worst (sort of).
Best Katanas In Elden Ring
Here are all the katanas of Elden Ring, ranked!
1. Moonveil
You’d be crazy to pass up on the Moonveil katana, which is a magical ranged and melee weapon found mid-game. Its weapon skill, Transient Moonlight, lets you shoot out a deadly wave of blue stars and takes a huge chunk of your enemies’ health.
On top of that, the Moonveil causes a lot of Blood Loss and can be dual-wielded, making it not only the prettiest – but one of the deadliest katanas in the Lands Between.
Want to get your hands on the Moonveil? After unlocking Caelid, you can do so by heading to Gael Tunnel and fighting Magma Wyrm. Killing this boss gives you the Moonveil katana, though, wielding the Moonveil requires you to have 23 Intelligence, 18 Dexterity, and 12 Strength.
2. Rivers of Blood
The name itself and the sword’s blood-red appearance just screams “Bleed build.” Like the Moonveil, the Rivers of Blood causes 50 Blood Loss.
This competes with our number one choice despite it having gone through some glitches in the past, which ruined the weapon for a lot of players. However, the Rivers of Blood is clearly in its redemption arc after its latest patch and many players have sworn by the Rivers of Blood since then.
It’s great to use when you’re up against bosses like Malenia, Blade of Miquella as she’s vulnerable to Bleed attacks. The Corpse Plier skill allows you to slash enemies from a good distance whilst dealing Bleed damage.
This weapon can be obtained after defeating Bloody Finger Okina, who can be found in the Church of Repose at the Mountaintops of the Giants.
3. Uchigatana
Don’t be deceived by its simplicity. Much like Claymore, the Uchigatana can be obtained early on in the game and is pretty strong – starting off with 115 physical damage for each hit.
Its Unsheathe weapon skill is great for breaking poise. But it’s not really known for that. Instead, the katana is praised for its upgradability and ability to be infused with ashes of war, making it a reliable weapon you can stick to the entire game.
If you’ve chosen the Samurai class at the start of your gameplay then you already own this sleek weapon. However, you can still get the Uchigatana (and another one to dual-wield) by going to the Deathtouched Catacombs in Limgrave.
After reaching the area’s Site of Grace, go down one flight of stairs to find a small passageway hidden underneath. The Uchigatana can be looted from a corpse on the corridor to the left at the end of the small passageway.
4. Hand of Malenia
In the Lands Between, Malenia is one of the most terrifying bosses to beat. But the payoff you get from killing her is worth it and not to mention, so satisfying.
After defeating the Goddess of Rot at the Haligtree, you get her remembrance which can be traded to Enia at the Roundtable Hold in exchange for the Hand of Malenia, a blade that was originally built into her prosthetic arm.
You can also have fun using the Waterfowl Dance, a skill Malenia uses a lot during her boss fight. The Hand of Malenia also gives the Bleed effect, making it another powerful weapon.
While it’s extremely OP, the Hand of Malenia doesn’t make the top of our list because acquiring it requires a lot of time and emotional damage, knocking off a few points from us.
5. Meteoric Ore Blade
If you’re a sorcerer looking into getting a katana yourself, you’ve come to the right place! Make your way into the ruins of Caelid Waypoint and reach the underground area located northwest filled with graves and enemies.
At the back of this area, you’ll find a chest that contains the Meteoric Ore Blade.
Yeah yeah, the Meteoric Ore Blade does everything a katana should do: scale toward Strength and give Blood loss buildup. But what makes this weapon remarkable is its special Ash of War: Gravitas.
This weapon skill allows you to pull all your enemies in with the force of gravity before dealing a lot of damage.
6. Dragonscale Blade
As we mentioned, most of the katanas in Elden Ring are great because each and every one of them boasts a unique weapon art and that still holds true for the Dragonscale Blade.
Its Ice Lightning Sword ability lets you summon a bolt of lightning as you strike your blade into the ground, dealing extra damage to your opponent.
It can be found at the Lake of Rot area in Nokstella, Eternal City. From there, you’ll have to defeat the Dragonkin Soldier to make him drop the Dragonscale Blade. While the look and name of this weapon seem cool, it’s still underwhelming considering the amount of effort it takes to actually get it.
7. Nagakiba
This extremely long sword can be viewed as a variation of the Uchigatana. Unfortunately, the upsize doesn’t necessarily make it a better one.
While it can be infused with any Ashes of War, it’s much slower and heavier, which might not be great for those who prefer to be nimble. Other than that, it’s still an incredibly powerful weapon that does the job.
The Piercing Fang can be obtained with the Nagakiba, which is an Ash of War that makes a powerful thrust when activated. It also cannot be blocked. You’d need to kill Bloody Finger Hunter Yura to get it though.
8. Serpentbone Blade
Our last weapon on the list is the Serpentbone Blade. To be fair, the weapon is well-designed and comes with great ash of war that deals quite a lot of damage.
However, the Serpentbone Blade gives the Poison effect instead of the usual Bleed effect other katanas have, which only works better on ranged weapons.
If you’re still interested in getting this, then head over to Volcano Manor and complete two bounties for Lady Tanith. She gives you the Serpentbone Blade as a prize for assassinating Rileigh the Idle at the Altus Plateau.
Conclusion
That is our ranking of all the katanas in Elden Ring! It’s hard to leave out others are there isn’t really a “bad” katana, it all depends on the build you’re going for.
Take note that this is based on our opinion and that others would have other weapons in different orders, so take this ranking with a grain of salt. If you liked our ranking and want to learn more about the weapons in Elden Ring, we have more guides you can check out.
