Greatsword is a weapon category in the Elden Ring, and there are, in total, 21 Greatswords in the Elden Ring. You can discover these greatswords as you traverse the Lands Between or acquire them by defeating powerful enemies.
The Greatsword weapon category is a fan-favorite and has featured in almost all FromSoftware games since Dark Souls. It includes classic greatswords like the Claymore and Flamberge.
Greatswords are not class-based, which means you can choose any class and still wield a Greatsword. However, Greatswords are build-based. So, for example, if you are aiming for an Intelligence build, Dark Moon Greatsword can be an excellent weapon for you.
Today, I will share the best Greatswords in Elden Ring. I’ll share the locations of these Greatswords, their attribute scaling, and their unique weapon arts as well.
And trust me, some of the Greatswords have a REALLY cool weapon art!
These swords are popular for their high-damage attacks and exceptional range. Most Greatswords deal devastating damage even against powerful bosses. Whether you have a Strength build or a Madness build, there is a Greatsword for everyone.
Marais Executioner’s Sword
Marais Executioner’s Sword is one of the best Greatswords in Elden Ring for its powerful vertical attacks and a cool default weapon skill called Eochaid’s Dancing Blade – a damage-dealing corkscrew attack – unleashed by throwing the sword at your enemy.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The weapon scales primarily with Strength and Arcane and secondarily with Dexterity. You require 24 Strength, 23 Arcane, and 14 Dexterity to wield this weapon.
The weapon can be upgraded using Somber Smithing Stones, but you can neither enchant it with Magic nor boost it with Consumables. It is one of the heavier greatswords, weighing 11.5, so ensure you upgrade your character before you wield this.
➡️ Weapon Art
The weapon skill, Eochaid’s Dancing Blade, is so powerful that in PvP situations, you can kill your opponents with a single hit. It even deals a lot of damage against area bosses like Tree Sentinel or major bosses like Malenia, the Blade of Miquella.
Although Marais Executioner’s Sword cannot be infused with any Ash of War, you can boost the damage of the weapon skill with talismans. Winged Sword Insignia, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Godfrey Icon, and Millicent’s Prosthesis talismans work the best with this Greatsword.
➡️ Location
You can acquire Marais Executioner’s Sword by defeating Elemer of the Briar at The Shaded Castle, Altus Plateau.
Dark Moon Greatsword
The Dark Moon Greatsword is a legendary armament and an important part of the Elden Ring lore. A Carian Queen bestowed it upon her spouse to honor long-standing tradition.
(I don’t want to spoil the lore for you, in case it’s your first Elden Ring playthrough!)
The Dark Moon Greatsword comes with innate Frost buildup. It has a basic wide attack and a rolling attack moveset. However, it has a powerful weapon buff called Moonlight Greatsword that lets you shoot powerful projectiles.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The weapon deals physical and magic damage and scales primarily with Intelligence and secondarily with Strength and Dexterity.
You need 16 Strength, 11 Dexterity, and 38 Intelligence to get the best out of this weapon. It cannot be infused with any Ash of War, nor can you boost it with any Magic or Consumables. However, the weapon can be upgraded by using Somber Smithing Stones.
The Dark Moon Greatsword weighs only 10. The weapon attack can be buffed with Godfrey Icon, Warrior Jar Shard, and Shard of Alexander talismans. You can find the talisman pouch to carry up to four talismans.
You can powerstance this Greatsword with Helphen’s Steeple (another Greatsword) as they scale with the same attributes and offer more powerful attacks.
➡️ Weapon Art
Dark Moon Greatsword’s weapon skill – Moonlight Greatsword – buffs your weapon and allows you to throw heavy projectiles with your heavy attacks.
The buffing of the Dark Moon Greatsword consumes quite a lot of FP, and once the buff runs out after 60 seconds, you will have to rebuff it. But if you are fighting a boss, then this can get you killed.
➡️ Location
Finding the Dark Moon Greatsword is a unique adventure on its own. You can only acquire this Greatsword by completing Ranni’s quest and giving her the Dark Moon Ring. Once done, you can find the Greatsword below the Cathedral of Manus Celes.
Blasphemous Blade
The infamous Blasphemous Blade comes with a default moveset. However, it deals both physical and fire damage. It is the sacred sword of Rykard, the Lord of Blasphemy. On the sword, you can see the remains of the enemies that this sword has defeated.
One powerful advantage of using the Blasphemous Blade is that it restores HP upon defeating an enemy – 10% of max HP + 150 flat HP on hit. It comes with a default weapon skill called the Taker’s Flame.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The Blasphemous Blade weighs 13.5, making it the heaviest Greatsword in the Elden Ring. It scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith. You need 22 Strength, 15 Dexterity, and 21 Faith to use it.
You cannot infuse this weapon with an Ash of War or enchant it with Incantations. However, you can upgrade it with Somber Smithing Stones. Also, the Blasphemous Blade pairs excellently with the Sword of Milos. This pair adds Bleed Damage and even recovers FP when you kill an enemy.
➡️ Weapon Art
The Blasphemous Blade comes with a unique and powerful weapon art called Taker’s Flame. This skill engulfs the weapon with Blasphemous Flames that you can throw at your enemies and kill them swiftly.
The Taker’s Flame weapon skill deals pure fire damage, and thus, it can inflict increased damage with Fire-focused items like Fire Scorpion Charm, Flame, Grant Me Strength, and Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear.
However, you must know that using Taker’s Flame will cost you 30 FP, and that’s expensive if you do not have a lot of points invested in Mind.
➡️ Location
You need to go to Volcano Manor near Mount Gelmir. This location is north of Liurnia of the Lakes and just west of Altus Plateau.
Here, you will find Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy. Defeat the Shardbearer and trade his Remembrance with Enia at the Roundtable Hold to receive the Blasphemous Blade.
Sacred Relic Sword
Undoubtedly one of the best Greatswords in Elden Ring, the Sacred Relic Sword is an OP weapon wrought from the remains of a god who should have lived an eternal life.
Along with the Physical damage, this weapon deals Holy damage as well. It has an awesome weapon skill called Wave of Gold.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The sword weighs 11 and scales with Dexterity, Strength, and Faith. You need 14 Strength, 24 Dexterity, and 22 Faith to wield this weapon. You can increase your attack power by pairing it with the Blasphemous Blade or the Sword of Milos.
The Sacred Relic Sword can’t be infused with Ashes of War and cannot be enchanted with Magic nor boosted by Consumables. However, you can upgrade it by using Somber Smithing Stones.
➡️ Weapon Art
Wave of Gold is arguably the best weapon skill in the game and one of the most devastating ones. Nothing beats the Sacred Relic Sword’s Wave of Gold if you want to farm Runes.
The weapon skill scales entirely off Faith. It deals increased damage with talismans like Sacred Scorpion Charm and Holy Shrouding Cracked Tear.
➡️ Location
There is only one way you can get your hands on the Sacred Relic Greatsword: by defeating the Elden Beast – the game’s final boss. Upon defeating the Elden Beast, you must trade his Elden Remembrance with Enia at Roundtable Hold.
That’s why, even though it’s a powerful NG+ weapon – it won’t help during your playthrough because of when you discover it.
Sword of Milos
The Sword of Milos is a Greatsword with a unique shape and an even more unique weapon skill. It is made from the backbone of a grotesque giant named Milos and comes with a default weapon skill called the Shriek of Milos.
This weapon restores 5 FP whenever you kill an enemy and pairs well with Blasphemous Blade for HP recovery and alternative damage with a ranged attack. The Sword of Milos also comes with innate Blood Loss buildup.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The Sword of Milos scales with Strength and Dexterity. However, the scaling is not that good. The sword has an average weight of 10 and requires 15 Strength and 19 Dexterity to be used.
The inherent blood loss buildup helps you against powerful enemies and bosses. You can even use Sword of Milos to kill the sleeping dragon Greyoll and earn 50,000 Runes.
The Sword of Milos can be upgraded with Somber Smithing Stones, but it cannot be boosted with Magic or Consumables. However, due to its FP-healing capacity, the Sword of Milos is an excellent strength weapon for players with a Magic build.
➡️ Weapon Art
The Shriek of Milos is a horrific cursed scream that reduces all damage negation and status resistances for nearby foes. When applied, your strong attacks will change to a combo attack.
You can use the Roar Medallion talisman that enhances the Roar and Breath attacks.
➡️ Location
Dung Eater drops the Sword of Milos in Subterranean Shunning-Grounds at Leyndell, Royal Capital.
Since the Sword of Milos is acquired quite late in the game, you are not going to use it for a fair chunk of your playthrough.
Gargoyle’s Greatsword
Gargoyle’s Greatsword has a default moveset of horizontal attacks and a little stat requirement, allowing you to wield it at the beginning of the game.
The weapon has one of the best scalings in the game and can be infused with almost any Ash of War. It has a lower base damage when you first find it, but as you scale it, the Greatsword becomes more powerful than before.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The Gargoyle’s Greatsword is a heavy weapon with 11.5 weight. It scales with Strength and Dexterity but better with Strength. You require 18 Strength and 10 Dexterity to use it.
This weapon can be infused with Ashes of War, such as Vacuum Slice, Sword Dance, or Storm Assault. Also, you can upgrade the Gargoyle’s Greatsword with Smithing Stones.
➡️ Weapon Art
The Gargoyle’s Greatsword comes with a default weapon skill called the Vacuum Slice. It lets you surround the weapon with a shearing vacuum and then launch it forward as a blade-like projectile.
➡️ Location
It takes a long time to acquire Gargoyle’s Greatsword. You can acquire this weapon in the underground region of Sofia Aqueduct by defeating the Valiant Gargoyle duo boss.
Ordovis’s Greatsword
The Ordovis’s Greatsword is perfect for players with Strength and Faith builds as it deals both Physical and Holy damage. This weapon belongs to Ordovis, one of the two most honored among the Crucible Knights.
This Greatsword is imbued with an ancient holy essence, and its red tint exemplifies the nature of primordial gold, said to be close in nature to life itself.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The Ordovis’s Greatsword is one of the heaviest greatswords in Elden Ring, weighing 12. It scales excellently with Strength but not so well with Faith and Dexterity. You need 25 Strength, 13 Dexterity, and 15 Faith to use this weapon.
The Faith scaling is terrible on this weapon. It cannot be infused with any other Ashes of War, nor can it be boosted by Consumables or Magic. You can also upgrade the weapon using Somber Smithing Stones.
➡️ Weapon Art
The weapon comes with Ordovis’s Vortex – a powerful attack that lets you spin the blade before you powerfully slam it into the ground. You can boost this weapon’s default weapon skill with Godfrey’s Icon and Shard of Alexander.
➡️ Location
You need to defeat the Crucible Knights duo boss in Auriza Hero’s Grave in Altus Plateau.
Death’s Poker
Death’s Poker shares a unique attack with Sword of Milos and deals Physical and Magic damage. It does piercing damage and causes Frostbite.
The Death’s Poker is a uniquely shaped greatsword that looks more like a stick and less like a sword. The weapon comes with a default skill called Ghostflame Ignition, which scales purely with Intelligence.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The sword is lightweight, weighing only 8.5, and scales primarily with Dexterity and secondarily with Strength and Intelligence. You need 15 Strength, 17 Dexterity, and 11 Intelligence to use it.
This weapon cannot be infused with any Ashes of War, nor can it be enchanted with Magic or boosted by Consumables. However, you can upgrade Death’s Poker by using Somber Smithing Stones.
➡️ Weapon Art
The weapon art Ghostflame Ignition is a two-part attack. The first part lets you ignite and throw white flames at your enemy, and then, in the second part, you can follow up with a light or heavy attack (Ghostflame explosion).
➡️ Location
If you are looking for a powerful Greatsword early in the game, Death’s Poker is a great option. Defeat a miniboss Death Rite Bird, an enemy that only appears at night, at any of these locations: Liurnia of the Lakes, Caelid, Mountaintops of the Giants, or Consecrated Snowfield.
Here’s the location of the Greatsword in the southern Caelid.
Golden Order Greatsword
The Golden Order Greatsword is made of light and closely resembles the Elden Ring itself. The weapon comes with a unique weapon skill called Establish Order. It is a versatile Weapon that deals Holy damage in melee and medium-range combats.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The Golden Order Greatsword is one of the nine legendary armaments and scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith. You need 16 Strength, 21 Dexterity, and 28 Faith to use the weapon.
The Golden Order Greatsword deals +20% damage to undead-type enemies and prevents skeletons from reviving. You can upgrade this weapon using Somber Smithing Stones.
➡️ Weapon Art
The Golden Order Greatsword comes with a really powerful weapon skill called Establish Order. First, you stand in a unique way to buff the weapon and then throw a powerful projectile toward your enemies.
To increase the damage dealt by Golden Order Greatsword, you can buff it with talismans such as Dragoncreast Greatshield Talisman, Erdtree’s Favor, Claw Talisman, and Shard Of Alexander.
If you want to use incantations, go for Flame Grant Me Strength or Golden Vow. This will give you an overall boost in attack and defense as well.
In a PvP or an invasion situation, Establish Order can be a powerful skill to kill your enemies instantly from a distance.
➡️ Location
To get this greatsword, defeat Misbegotten Crusader in Cave of the Forlorn (Consecrated Snowfield).
Bastard Sword
Due to its powerful sweeping moveset, the Bastard Sword is a perfect Greatsword for crowded situations. Players who love dodging rather than parrying will love this Greatsword. It is primarily a one-handed weapon, but you can dual-wield it with higher strength.
➡️ Attributes and Scaling
The weapon comes with a default weapon skill – Stamp (Upward Cut). However, it can be outfitted with Ashes of War and buffed with Magic and Consumables.
It is one of the lightest Greatswords in Elden Ring, weighing 9 and scales with Strength and Dexterity. You need 16 Strength and 10 Dexterity to be able to wield it.
You can even upgrade this weapon with Smithing Stones.
➡️ Weapon Art
The Bastard Sword comes with a default weapon skill of Stamp (Upward Cut). The weapon skill is basic and can be exchanged with any other Ash of War.
➡️ Location
You don’t need to fight anyone for the Bastard Sword. You can simply purchase it for 3000 Runes from the Nomadic Merchant on the eastern side of the Weeping Peninsula.
So, it is one of the easily acquirable greatswords early in the game.
Final Thoughts
Greatswords are some of the classic weapons in FromSoftware games, and in Elden Ring, the Greatswords we discussed can give you a huge upper hand over your enemies.
There are also some powerful Curved Greatswords in Elden Ring, such as Bloodhound Fang or Morgott’s Cursed Sword, which I will cover in another article.
Couple any of these Greatswords with a compatible talisman and shred your enemies in an instant.
If you prefer a different brand of weapons in the game, check out our post on the best katanas in Elden Ring!
