Dark Souls 3's Lordran is a dangerous place, filled to the brim with fearsome foes and menacing bosses. As such, it is crucial that the chosen undead choose a trusty weapon to focus on. Fortunately, there are many to choose from; there's at least one to suit practically any play style. There's enough variety here to keep playing Dark Souls 3 over a dozen different playthroughs, if not more.

Straight swords, greatswords, twinblades, bows...the list goes on. And don't forget the boss weapons, quite a few of which are unique implements that exist in a class entirely of their own. To say the player is spoiled for choice would be an understatement, which proves that FromSoftware isn't always set out to troll the player.

Updated Feb 2, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: Weapons can really make or break runs in Dark Souls 3, as the game has relatively few options compared to its predecessor and Elden Ring. But just knowing what the best weapons DS3 offers isn't enough – you need to know why these weapons are great to know if they will work for your preferred playstyle or build, as well as how to find them. This guide to the best DS3 weapons has been updated to provide some more details on each option, as well as a dedicated section for how to locate each weapon. Be sure to check through each entry for some updated tips on what makes these the best weapons DS3 has, and to see if any seem like a good fit for you.

15 Great Club

The Great Club is one of the best weapons DS3 players can get relatively early into the game, depending on how fast they can get through a few key areas. The Great Club scales extremely well with Strength, though it does require a relatively high 28 Strength to wield it effectively in one hand.

The Great Club hits hard, but also staggers and flattens enemies outright from further away than other heavy weapons. The Great Club is one of DS3's best weapons because of this reach and its ability to be infused and buffed with consumables, further increasing its power. It helps that its attack animations are pretty wide-ranging, too, giving lots of ways to take down opponents.

How To Get Great Club

The Great Club can only be found as a random drop from Farron Watchdog enemies, in the swamp outside of Farron Keep.

14 Vordt’s Great Hammer

Vordt of the Boreal Valley is one of the first true bosses players come across in Dark Souls 3, and after being defeated, players become able to wield his enormous hammer. Vordt's Great Hammer, as its name would suggest, is a giant Strength-based weapon that requires its user to have at least 30 Strength in their build to wield it with one hand, and level 20 for two-handed wielding.

Though it's rather powerful on its own in terms of base damage, it's the Frostbite it inflicts that takes it over the top in terms of usefulness. The ability to obtain and use it from an early point in the game means players can upgrade and become familiar with it as their journey through Dark Souls 3 only escalates in difficulty.

How To Get Vordt's Great Hammer

Defeat Vordt, then Soul Transposition the Soul of Boreal Valley Vordy with Ludleth of Courland, found on his throne above the Firelink Shrine.

13 Dragonslayer Greatbow

A bow and arrow as a primary weapon in a FromSoftware Souls game? That may sound blasphemous to some, but the Dragonslayer Greatbow holds its own, which should be obvious from anyone who has ever had one shot at them in Dark Souls 3. It's safe to assume that a weapon designed to shoot down large dragons would be rather effective against smaller targets.

Those wanting to roll the dice can also come upon it as a rather rare drop by Silver Knights who happen to be wielding it themselves.

How To Get Dragonslayer Greatbow

The Dragonslayer Greatbow is found on a body in Irityhll of the Boreal Valley. Progress through the area and look for a body with a glowing white item, just past an area with other bow-wielders attacking the player.

12 Lothric Knight Sword

Sometimes the best value is in something's availability. That doesn't mean on its own the Lothric Knight Sword isn't solid, but it is a huge boost that players can grab early by simply taking on Lothric Knights in the High Wall of Lothric section of Dark Souls 3. Farming items isn't for everyone, but this is one of the few cases where it isn't too much of a task and is worth the payoff.

When fully upgraded, the Lothric Knight Sword can have its scaling reach A or S-Tier, and that happens regardless of what infusion the player puts on it. These types of swords attack in a certain pattern, so it's best for players to test it out in combat and on air in order to see if it's something they feel they want to commit to for the foreseeable future.

How To Get Lothric Knight's Sword

The Lothric Knight's Sword can only be acquired by killing Lothric Knights throughout DS3. These can be found in the High Wall on the stairs between Vordy and the Dancer.

11 Irithyll Straight Sword

The Irithyll Straight Sword is for players who like the idea of wielding Vordt's Great Hammer, but want some of the same benefits in a quicker and easier-to-handle package. Thanks to its combination of applying Frostbite to enemies and coming in with high levels of damage at its base form, many players consider this a superstar weapon in the earlier half of Dark Souls 3.

Unlike other early game showpiece weapons, it's able to scale into the latter parts of Dark Souls 3 thanks in large part to its attack pattern and long thrust reach.

How To Get Irithyll Straight Sword

Players looking to acquire it will need to head down the elevator in the Undead Settlement after meeting Siegward of Catarina and facing off against the Outrider Knight. It's a smaller, quicker version of Vordt of the Boreal Valley, but the fight takes place in a small room, so approaching with caution is required.

10 Hollowslayer Greatsword

As the name suggests, the Hollowslayer Greatsword is great for using against hollow enemies, as it deals an additional 20% of damage to them.

Given how early into the game the Curse-Rotted Greatwood can be defeated in the Undead Settlement, the Hollowslayer Greatsword is a great option for players that like to stick with the same weapon throughout their playthrough. This will give them a chance to master its moveset and extensively upgrade it.

How To Get Hollowslayer Greatsword

Defeat the Curse-Rotted Greatwood boss, then Soul Transposition the boss soul with Ludleth of Courland in Firelink Shrine. Will cost 1000 Souls to transpose.

9 Executioner's Greatsword

The Executioner's Greatsword is the weapon used by Slave Knight Gael when he is summoned, and it's similar to Gael's Greatsword aside from being in far better condition appearance-wise.

The Executioner's Greatsword is a fantastic option for magic builds, as it leeches 6FP off fallen foes. However, its 19 Strength requirement may mean Magic users will have to reallocate some levels into a stat they will only need for this weapon.

How To Get Executioner's Greatsword

To obtain the greatsword, go to the Cleansing Chapel in the Cathedral of the Deep. Then, head to the graveyard and look for two items next to a broken fence. The Executioner's Greatsword will be on the right.

8 Astora Greatsword

The Astora Greatsword is the lightest Ultra Greatsword in the game at 8.0, which is close to standard greatswords. The weapon is ideal for players who want to use elemental infusions, thanks to its rare combination of high scaling potential and low requirements.

There is one issue with the sword for some builds, however, as it requires 18 Dexterity. Dexterity can be useful for casters, as it speeds up spellcasting speed, but otherwise it's a stat many players avoid, unless they are aiming for a Dex build in particular. Be prepared to spend a few level-ups in Dex to be able to equip this weapon.

How To Get Astora Greatsword

Like the Executioner's Greatsword, the Astora Greatsword can be found in the Cleansing Chapel's graveyard. Head through the graveyard's gates and take a left up the slope until reaching a corpse resting against a gravestone.

7 Black Knight Sword

The Black Knight Sword can be reinforced with Twinkling Titanite and deals an additional 20% of damage against demon enemies. This includes the tough boss Old Demon King who resides in the depths of the Smouldering Lake, a hidden area in the game.

It has great reach, high damage, and extremely high Poise damage, increasing its ability to stagger enemies mid-attack (or mid-spellcast). Thankfully, the Black Knight Sword can be found just before the Old Demon King boss fight.

How To Get Black Knight Sword

After reaching the hidden Smouldering Lake area, which can be accessed by cutting down the bridge leading to the High Lord Wolnir boss fight, head to the secret room where a Black Knight is fighting a Ghru. The sword will be in the same room.

6 Claymore

The Claymore is one of the most popular and recognizable weapons in the entire Souls series. It can be found in all three Dark Souls games, as well as Demon's Souls. The sword doesn't have any real gimmicks, it's just a solid, powerful greatsword that deals a ton of damage when two-handed.

Its dependability has earned it the affectionate "Ol' Reliable" nickname from the Souls community. It came back in Elden Ring alongside the Zweihander, and as ever, it's a great choice for both two-handed builds and builds that use a shield alike.

How To Get The Claymore

The Claymore is dropped by enemies who wield it in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley. It can also be found in the High Wall of Lothric in front of the fire-breathing dragon.

5 The Dragonslayer Spear

Melee combat in any Dark Souls game can be brutal; it is part of what attracts challenge-hungry gamers. However, one way to give the Ashen One an advantage is reach. Spears are great for poking and prodding from a distance, especially if it happens to be imbued with an element.

Enter the Dragonslayer Spear. The lightning-based weapon can be a force of nature in the right hands. Bosses such as the Abyss Watchers will fall victim to its lightning-imbued goodness. Moreover, for longtime fans of the franchise, the Dragonslayer Spear will offer a sense of nostalgia and a trip down memory lane. After all, this spear belonged to the legendary Ornstein.

How To Get Dragonslayer Spear

In Archdragon Peak, head up the stairs opposite the Dragonkin Mausoleum and look for the item on the ground on the upper platform.

4 Exile Greatsword

When comparing swords, the Exile Greatsword is a serious contender. It's huge, it's deadly, and it boasts a solid moveset — that's most of the important checkboxes marked off. Any strength build could fall in love with this thing, though it'll take a slight investment in dexterity to wield it properly. It is efficient as either a two-handed weapon or a single-handed one.

It can also be imbued with all kinds of resin, meaning it can be adapted for all foes. Moreover, if players are up for some PVP action, the Exile Greatsword is a great choice for destroying fellow Ashen Ones.

How To Get Exile Greatsword

The Exile Greatsword can only be found as a random drop from Farron Watchdog enemies, in the swamp outside of Farron Keep.

3 Sellsword Twinblades

This dual weapon is an excellent choice for a dex build. It is fast, offers great trick attacks, and can be imbued with all types of resin. Not only that but this weapon can be acquired early in the game at the Crossroads. Unless the Ashen One chose the Mercenary as a starting class, of course, then they will start with these formidable swords.

Moreover, they do not require ridiculously high stats to be used. If a player is unfamiliar with dexterity builds but wants a chance to try out the agile play style, sellswords are an excellent and easily accessible choice for beginners that happens to double as one of the best offensive choices in the game.

How To Get Sellsword Twinblades

Start as the Mercenary class, or head to The Road of Sacrifices and past the two Black Knights that attack when players get close. Found in overlooking a hallway in the Keep behind the Black Knights.

2 Farron Greatsword

The Farron Greatsword is unique in the sense that it's a dexterity-scaling greatsword — a rare niche to fill. It also boasts a highly unique (and visually impressive) moveset that longtime fans might recognize as similar to a style employed by one of the franchise's most famous knights.

It also has the distinction of being naturally paired with a parrying dagger of sorts. If a player is a parry king, then they're likely to be well aware that there are tons of shields with much better parry windows, but that doesn't detract from the fact that it's a cool gimmick and convenient to boot.

How To Get Farron Greatsword

This is a boss weapon wielded by the Abyss Watchers. Defeat them, then head to Ludleth in Firelink Shrine to transpose the Soul of the Blood of the Wolf into the Farron Greatsword for free.

1 Gael's Greatsword

What better way to cap off incredible paid-for DLC than for players to be treated to a formidable boss weapon? These special weapons can be very hit-or-miss, particularly in Dark Souls 3. However, Gael's Greatsword is a must-own, if for no other reason than to proudly wield it to prove that one of the most challenging bosses in the series has been defeated.

However, the damage output by this broken greatsword is immense. Furthermore, it is another example of a beastly weapon that can be wielded with surprising speed. And the weapon art is quick and deadly — anybody who has faced Gael will know what damage his greatsword can do.

How To Get Gael's Greatsword

Defeat Gael at the end of the Ringed City DLC, then speak with Ludleth to transpose the Soul of Slave Knight Gael into Gael's Greatsword for 20,000 Souls.