Hey Tarnished! 👋 It's been a couple of years since the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion dropped, and I'm still discovering new, insane ways to demolish everything in the Lands Between. With over 100 new weapons to play with, it's easy to get overwhelmed. I've spent countless hours testing them all, and I'm here to break down the absolute best tools of destruction you need to get your hands on. Whether you're a sorcerer, a bleed enthusiast, or a bonk lord, this guide has something for you. Let's dive in! 🗡️🔥

13. Star-Lined Sword: The Jedi Master's Dream ✨

Okay, so this weapon made me feel like a space wizard samurai. The Star-Lined Sword is a katana that primarily scales with Dexterity and Intelligence. Its unique skill, Onze's Line of Stars, is a thing of beauty—a five-hit combo that finishes with a teleport slash! 😱 This is PERFECT for consecutive hit builds. I paired it with the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia and Millicent's Prosthesis, and the damage buffs stacked up so fast. A little tip though: even though it has INT scaling, you'll get more mileage from pumping Dexterity. It's a breath of fresh air for us INT enjoyers who felt a bit neglected in the DLC.

12. Carian Thrusting Shield: The Spellsword's Best Friend 🛡️⚔️

This thing is genius. The Carian Thrusting Shield is both a shield AND a weapon with innate magic damage. The best part? You can infuse it with other Ashes of War! I had so much fun experimenting. Shield Crash is amazing for a defensive playstyle, but my personal favorite is Chilling Mist for that sweet Frostbite buildup. The unique mechanic lets you attack while guarding if you two-hand it, but be warned—it devours your stamina. I never leave the Roundtable Hold without my Two-Headed Turtle Talisman when using this. It's the perfect companion for exploring scary dungeons and taking on bosses.

11. Greatsword of Solitude: Not Your Average Bonk Stick 💥

Don't let the size fool you. The Greatsword of Solitude is for my Strength build homies, but it's surprisingly versatile. It swings faster than most greatswords, which is a game-changer. Its skill, Solitary Moon Slash, shoots a projectile of energy, and you can follow it up with a heavy attack that does massive stagger damage. This combo absolutely shreds enemy guards. I used it to bully shield knights in the Shadow Keep, and it never failed me. It turns a slow Strength weapon into a ranged threat, which is something the archetype desperately needed.

10. Backhand Blades: The Dancer's Grace 🩰

You can get these beauties super early in the DLC, and they're an incredible introduction to the new Backhand Blade weapon type. The speed is unreal—spinning slashes that feel buttery smooth. They're a Dex build's dream starting weapon for the Land of Shadow. Their versatility is off the charts; you can infuse them with almost any Ash of War. But their unique skill, Blind Spot, is what makes them S-tier. It's a blinding dash with a stab at the end, and the start-up gives you temporary invincibility frames. I've dodged so many boss attacks with this, it feels like cheating. In PvP? It's a nightmare (for your opponent). You can almost chain the i-frames back-to-back with enough FP.

9. Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana: Bye Bye, Bayle! 🐉

If you see a dragon, you pull this out. The Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana is, without a doubt, the best anti-dragon weapon in the game. Its Ash of War, Dragonwound Slash, does absolutely bonkers bonus damage to our scaly friends. I took it to fight Bayle the Dread, and let's just say the fight was... shorter than expected. 😏 The stat requirements are low, so anyone can use it when needed. Pro tip: combo it with the Shard of Alexander and the Godfrey Icon for truly comical levels of dragon-slaying power. It's also a beast in Crumbling Farum Azula.

8. Falx: The Bleed Machine 🩸

This is the Hornsent's weapon of choice, and for good reason. The Falx is absurdly strong for both consecutive hit builds and bleed builds. Its Ash of War, Revenger's Blade, can be charged for a longer lunge—perfect for closing gaps. The real magic happens when you follow up with a strong attack: a flurry of six strikes that builds bleed and consecutive hits like crazy. I run it with the holy trinity of talismans: Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Millicent's Prosthesis, and Lord of Blood's Exultation. The damage boost is insane. In PvP invasions, this weapon is relentless and can cut down gank squads in seconds.

7. Sword of Night: The Ghostly Dexterity Queen 👻

This weapon is just cool. The Sword of Night is a pure Dexterity weapon with innate magic damage and blood loss buildup. Its semi-corporeal blade ignores armor, which is a huge advantage. The Ash of War, Witching Hour Slash, is a jack-of-all-trades: it can be charged, hits multiple times, and can't be blocked. The catch? Getting it is a whole questline involving Count Ymir and a choice with Jolán. You have to use the Iris of Occultation on her to get the sword (use the Iris of Grace if you want her Spirit Ash instead). It's worth the hassle!

6. Milady: The Light Greatsword Revolution ⚔️

Meet Milady, my new favorite Light Greatsword. This weapon class is new to the DLC, and it's a game-changer. While you can infuse it, its designed skill, Wing Stance, is where it shines. Hold the skill button for a stance with two options: a multi-hit light attack or a piercing jump-strong attack. Pair this with the new Rellana's Cameo talisman (increases stance attack damage by 15%), and you have a weapon that's both elegant and devastating. This talisman buffs other stances too, like Moon-and-Fire Stance, making it a must-have.

5. Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword: The Speedy Colossal 💫

This is the fastest colossal weapon I've ever used, and it lives up to its legendary name. The Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword scales with Strength and Arcane. Its standard attacks love Strength, but its Ash of War, White Light Charge, is where the Arcane scaling kicks in for massive magic damage. This skill lets you close gaps at lightning speed and hit like a meteor. Colossal swords are already poise-breaking champions, but this skill makes staggering bosses a joke. I use it with the Shard of Alexander, and it fits perfectly into Dragon Communion builds, which already break poise fast with incantations like Dragonmaw.

4. Bloodfiend's Arm: The One-Hit Wonder 🤯

Let's talk about the weapon that broke the meta. The Bloodfiend's Arm is infamous for a reason: its strong attack causes blood loss in one hit. It revolves entirely around single, massive strikes. The only Ash of War you need is Royal Knight's Resolve, which gives an 80% damage buff to your next attack. The synergy is perfect. Because you're causing bleed constantly, the Lord of Blood's Exultation talisman's 20% damage buff is always active. Slap on the Axe Talisman for 10% extra charged attack damage, and you have a build that deletes health bars. Why use light attacks when you can one-shot?

Final Thoughts & Build Synergy

Trying to pick a favorite is impossible! The DLC's weapon design is just chef's kiss. Here's a quick breakdown of which builds these weapons cater to:

Weapon	Primary Build	Key Strength
Star-Lined Sword	Dex/Int	Consecutive Hits & Mobility
Carian Thrusting Shield	Int/Quality	Defense & Offense Hybrid
Greatsword of Solitude	Strength	Stagger & Ranged Option
Backhand Blades	Dexterity	Speed & Invincibility Frames
Dragon-Hunter's Katana	Any (vs Dragons)	Anti-Dragon Nuke
Falx	Dex/Arcane (Bleed)	Rapid Bleed & Hit Stacks
Sword of Night	Dexterity	Armor Ignore & Magic Damage
Milady	Quality/Dexterity	Stance Damage & Versatility
Ancient Meteoric GS	Strength/Arcane	Poise Break & Magic Damage
Bloodfiend's Arm	Strength/Arcane	One-Hit Bleed & Massive Damage

The key is to experiment! Mix and match these with the new talismans and see what melts bosses the fastest. Happy hunting, Tarnished! May your journey through the Land of Shadow be filled with glorious victories (and lots of runes). 💀✨