Frostbite or Cold damage in Elden Ring is quite underrated; a lot of players think the Cold will never bother anyone anyway and flock to the nearest meta tactics available. But if they just give it a bit of tweaking, then weapons that have innate Frostbite buildup or have the Cold prefix can hit two birds with one stone.
That's because Frostbite in Elden Ring will not only deal percentage damage but will also slow down any target who has been debilitated with the status effect. Essentially, this combines offense and defense into one strong package. So the next time players find themselves having spare points for Intelligence or just want some chill gameplay, then these Cold weapons are certainly cool.
Updated November 14th, 2022, by Sid Natividad: Elden Ring remains as hard as ever, even if many players have repeatedly finished the game. More advantages are always welcome, and preferably, these advantages should come in the form of weapons. It just so happens that Cold or Frost weapons remain one of the best among these advantages.
Thus, more Cold and Frost weapons have been included so that players can make the game a bit easier. Players will be pleased to know that there are more options now on this Elden Ring best frost weapons roster. Those who want to cheese and freeze the game out to check them out.
13 Freezing Pot
- Weapon class: Consumable item
The Freezing Pot's damage is borderline pathetic, so players aren't recommended to rely on this one too much for DPS. Where it can excel is with its frost buildup, which is quite useful against bosses who are susceptible to Cold damage or Frostbite.
And who could forget that this is one of the most viable cheese tactics against Malenia? If players throw a Freezing Pot at her during her windup for the Waterfowl Dance, the move is as good as canceled (depending on the timing). That's why it's always a good idea to carry one in the inventory or to reserve the materials for it.
12 Clayman's Harpoon
- Weapon class: Spear
- Weight: 5.5
- Max scaling: Str - C; Dex - E; Int - C
- Max damage: 171+228
Clayman's Harpoon might be a bit difficult to find since players need to follow Ranni's quest in order to reach a sustainable farming area for the spear. Still, it's a worthy grind since the weapon is not just great for hybrid magic builds but also for those who want good Frostbite buildup or Cold Damage.
The weapon scales with both Strength and Intelligence, making it also great for battlemage hybrids. In-game, it has one of the highest Frostbite buildup values at 105. Players can also infuse it with a Glintstone Pebble Ash of War for a surprising potential for stun locking.
11 Bandit's Curved Sword
- Weapon class: Curved Sword
- Weight: 5.0
- Max scaling: Str - D; Dex - C; Int - C
- Max damage: 203+162
The Bandit's Curved Sword might be a starter weapon, but it scales well into the late-game, particularly if players infuse it with Cold damage. Like the Clayman's Harpoon, it also has one of the highest Frostbite values in the game at 105. Combined with the light and fast swings, players will be triggering Frostbite in no time.
That makes the Bandit's Curved Sword viable for both PvE and PvP. The range might be deceptive, however. It's shorter than it looks due to the curved edge, so players will need to position themselves a bit closer to their targets.
10 Beastman's Curved Sword
- Weapon class: Curved Sword
- Weight: 4.0
- Max scaling: Str - B; Dex - D; Int - C
- Max damage: 194+154
Yet another Curved Sword, the Beastman's Curved Sword is also tied with the previous two weapons for the highest Frostbite number. It's a bit trickier to use due to its shape, but when built right and with the right Ash of War, players can turn this into a main weapon.
The scaling favors Strength-Intelligence hybrids, which makes it distinct compared to the Bandit's Curved Sword. When power-stanced, the weapon also has a good move set that can catch PvP players off-guard. It's worth noting that there are other viable and overpowered infusions for this word, not just Cold, making it versatile.
9 Cleanrot Knight's Sword
- Weapon class: Thrusting Sword
- Weight: 4.0
- Max scaling: Str - C; Dex - D; Int - C
- Max damage: 187+149
The Cleanrot Knight's Sword is a Thrusting Sword, making it fast and long, ideal for building up Frostbite quickly. But among all the Thrusting Swords in the game, this one has the clear advantage since it's the longest among its class.
The damage might not be high, but the speed and the weapon's range more than makeup for that. In fact, a lot of players speculate that this weapon might get nerfed soon enough. If players power-stance this sword, then they can inflict Frostbite effortlessly.
8 Frozen Needle
- Weapon class: Thrusting Sword
- Weight: 2.5
- Max scaling: Str - D; Dex - B
- Max damage: 242
The Frozen Needle in Elden Ring is quite a niche weapon since players can't infuse it with an Ash of War or change its prefix. One glance at its name, and it's apparent what this weapon does. Those who wield it only want it to trigger Frostbite and not much else. Still, for a one-trick-pony of a weapon, the Frozen Needle is still a viable Cold weapon.
It's great for battlemage builds who also put points in Dexterity. Dexterity, after all, increases the speed of spellcasting, so this weapon will fit right into certain playstyles. As far as weapon class goes, Thrusting Swords also have it good since they utilize their full range in most attacks.
7 Antspur Rapier
- Weapon class: Thrusting Sword
- Weight: 3.0
- Max scaling: Str - C; Dex - C; Int - C
- Max damage: 169+135
The scaling on a Cold Antspur Rapier is a hot mess, but players will want to look past that because this thrusting sword inflicts Rot damage. If players infuse it with Cold, then it's double the trouble for any target since the Antspur Rapier is a relatively fast weapon.
Even better, players can dual wield this with the Frozen Needle in the off-hand slot and powerstance with the thrust attacks for an even faster Frostbite buildup. If the enemies don't outright die, then they'll not only be slowed but they'll also be poisoned by Rot. Players might have to sacrifice some damage numbers for these lovely status effects, however.
6 Rotten Battle Hammer
- Weapon class: Great Hammer
- Weight: 10.0
- Max scaling: Str - B; Dex - D; Int - C
- Max damage: 219+165
The Rotten Battle Hammer in Elden Ring comes equipped with a lovely serving of Rot like the Antspur Rapier. That means it's already begging to be infused with a Cold prefix, further making the weapon's moves even more devastating. Because once players convert this one to Cold, it receives one of the highest Frostbite buildup numbers in the game.
The scaling can be tricky, but Strength-Intelligence hybrids are not uncommon in Elden Ring. In fact, some weapons even encourage these kinds of stat splits. Regardless, certain Great Hammer Ashes of War can ensure that players trigger both Rot and Frostbite in just one weapon skill cast or combo.
5 Rotten Greataxe
- Weapon class: Greataxe
- Weight: 20.0
- Max scaling: Str - D; Dex - B; Int - D
- Max damage: 282+212
For more Dex-oriented hybrids in Elden Ring, then, the Rotten Greataxe might be the better alternative compared to the Rotten Battle Hammer. This weapon is heavy, but it lets players go all in on Dexterity as long as they infuse it with the Cold prefix.
Sure enough, it also inflicts Rot. For Frostbite, it has the highest buildup number at 153 per hit. If players pair it with an Ash of War that hits multiple times in quick succession, then they'll be inflicting both Rot and Frostbite in no time. Plus, with the weapon's weight, it's easier to stance-break some enemies or bosses.
4 Venomous Fang
- Weapon class: Claw
- Weight: 2.5
- Max scaling: Str - C; Dex - C; Int - C
- Max damage: 158+126
But enough about Rot. Poison is also another good match for Frostbite. Thankfully, weapons like the Venomous Fang exist and allow players to apply both Poison and Frostbite quickly if the enemies aren't panicked or debilitated enough already.
It has low damage and range, and the scaling is questionable with a Cold prefix, but as always, players aren't after the scaling here. The Venomous Fang works well as long as players ensure both Poison and Frostbite keep getting triggered. Given the weapon's speed, that's not exactly difficult to achieve.
3 Grave Scythe
- Weapon class: Reaper
- Weight: 9.5
- Max scaling: Str - C; Dex - D; Int - D
- Max damage: 248+198
It's another Strength-Intelligence hybrid weapon if infused with Cold prefix, but it's one of the few Strength weapons that give players a Bleed trigger. That's pretty awesome since Scythes tend to be faster than greatswords or colossal weapons that have bleed. That means players can trigger Bleed more reliably.
Moreover, they can also trigger Frostbite more frequently. The Cold prefix doesn't interfere much with this scythe's Bleed buildup damage, so it's like having the best of both worlds. Moreover, there are plenty of good Ashes of War for the reaper weapon class, such as Phantom Slash.
2 Nagakiba
- Weapon class: Katana
- Weight: 5.5
- Max scaling: Str - D; Dex - B; Int - C
- Max damage: 198+158
A Dexterity weapon through and through, the Nagakiba fits in well with Dex-Int hybrids that opted to go for the Cold prefix. It's on par with the Uchigatana in terms of damage and scaling (save for the Strength scaling), but the Nagakiba has the advantage of a longer reach or range.
This allows players to apply both Frostbite and Bleed safer. Both status effects deal percentage-based damage, making the combo quite formidable against most bosses or even in PvP in Elden Ring. Of course, there's also the possibility of dual-wielding two of these or pairing it with an Uchigatana for an even higher trigger chance.
1 Dark Moon Greatsword
- Weapon class: Greatsword
- Weight: 10.0
- Max scaling: Str - D; Dex - D; Int - B
- Max damage: 200+240
Don't be fooled by the "greatsword" weapon class; this weapon is made to be utilized by pure Intelligence builds. Magic users who have gone the frost mage route will find this weapon delightful, especially if they want to save up some FP. Its weapon skill practically grants an unlimited number of ranged Frostbite attacks for one minute.
But even with just the regular attacks, the Dark Moon Greatsword will still inflict Frostbite buildup on enemies. Paired with tons of cold damage buffs from both spells and items, it's hard for any other Cold weapon to beat the Dark Moon Greatsword's synergy. Don't forget to thank Ranni for this lovely gift.
Elden Ring is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.