The Dexterity (or, simply, Dex) stat does a lot of different things in Elden Ring. Primarily, Dexterity increases your damage output on Dex weapons, such as Moonveil, Uchigatana, or Bloodhound’s Fang.
The Dexterity stat in Elden Ring is really helpful for magic builds. If you’re aiming for a magic build, then a higher Dex can help you cast spells quicker and soften fall damage. It also makes it harder for your enemies to knock you off your steed Torrent.
In this Elden Ring beginner guide, I will share everything I know about the Dexterity stat. This stat has been featured in FromSoft’s previous games, too, but in Elden Ring, it’s a little more advanced.
So, let’s jump into the post.
What is the Dexterity Stat in Elden Ring?
For Elden Ring beginners, the Dexterity stat helps you scale the damage dealt by Dexterity-based weapons. So, the more Runes you invest in increasing your Dex stat, the more efficient, powerful, and quick you become when wielding a Dexterity weapon.
As you know, each weapon in Elden Ring comes with an Attribute Scaling denoted by S, A, B, C, D, and E. So, if a weapon has an attribute scaling of S for Dexterity and C for Mind, it will scale better with Dexterity than with the Mind stat.
In other words, the higher the Attribute Scaling for Dexterity, the quicker the damage of the Dex weapon will increase. Also, the higher your Damage stat is, the more damage your Dex weapon will deal.
Apart from that, the Dexterity stat:
- Reduces spell-casting time
- Reduces fall damage (take less damage if you jump from heights)
- Makes it hard to be knocked off Torrent, your Spectral Steed
As you can see, higher Dex is really useful. It makes you sturdier on your horse and reduces spell-casting time, which is particularly handy for magic players.
So, now you know what Dexterity does in Elden Ring.
Also, we have a complete guide on the best tips for Elden Ring beginners, in case you’re interested to know more about the ins and outs of the game.
Dexterity vs. Strength in Elden Ring
Strength and Dexterity are two melee stats in Elden Ring. When increased in tandem, these stats can help you build Quality Builds. It is considered the most beginner-friendly build in Elden Ring.
Higher Strength gives you a higher Equip Load and the ability to wield heavy armaments, and higher Dexterity lets you wield some of the most complex weapons in the game.
So, with higher Strength, you can wield powerful swords such as Marais Executioner’s Sword, and higher Dexterity can give you quicker movement and nimbleness.
On the other hand, higher Dexterity allows players to wield powerful weapons like the Hand of Malenia katana or curved swords like Morgott’s Cursed Blade. In this case, higher Strength can deal more damage with charged attacks.
Pure Dexterity builds benefit the most from Dex stat, obviously, but it also helps magic-focused players to cast spells quickly. However, players with Quality Builds (a hybrid of Strength and Dexterity) can use certain strong weapons that share a strength and dexterity requirement.
So, if you want a Quality Build, you need to scale Strength and Dexterity in tandem. Deal powerful blows with heavy armaments and move quickly with ease.
Best Dexterity-based Weapons in Elden Ring
There are a lot of weapons in Elden Ring that scale with Dexterity, but not all of them are worth looking for. So, here are some of the best Dexterity-based weapons that I think you can equip for your Quality Build or Dexterity Build.
➡️ Rivers of Blood
Arguably one of the best katanas in Elden Ring, Rivers of Blood comes with a powerful weapon art called Corpse Piler. It comes with a native blood loss effect. Okina, a swordsman from the Land of Reeds, drops this powerful katana.
According to the Elden Ring lore, it is a cursed weapon that has defeated countless men. Hence, the name – Rivers of Blood.
Rivers of Blood is one of the few weapons in Elden Ring that scales with Arcane, thus making it a rare weapon in the Lands Between. You require 12 (Strength), 18 (Dexterity), and 20 (Arcane) attributes to wield it.
Rivers of Blood’s special skill – Corpse Piler – combines repeated interweaving attacks and additional attacks. This skill leads to immense and quick blood loss and does a ton of damage.
Rivers of Blood is the best Bleed weapon in Elden Ring due to its high blood loss at 75. So, it is extremely helpful against enemies with thick skin, like dragons. For example, you can use it against Greyoll, the Sleeping Dragon, to farm 50,000 Runes quickly.
The katana does both fire and physical damage, benefitting from Flame, Grant Me Strength incantation.
➡️ Hand of Malenia
Getting this weapon is not easy, and BELIEVE me when I say that!
Hand of Malenia is a katana built into the prosthetic arm of its wielder – Malenia, the Blade of Miquella – one of the most challenging bosses in FromSoft’s games. I didn’t say in Elden Ring; I said in FromSoft’s games!
The Hand of Malenia is heavy with a weight of 8 and is the second-longest katana in Elden Ring, with Nagakiba being the first. It comes with a weapon skill called the Waterfowl Dance and has an innate blood loss effect.
The Hand of Malenia is considered one of the best Dexterity weapons, requiring 48 Dexterity and 16 Strength to wield. It has 600+ physical damage, the highest of all the katanas.
The Hand of Malenia is the weapon that requires the highest Dexterity out of all the Elden Ring weapons.
Also, the Hand of Malenia lacks customization options. It cannot be infused with Ashes of War but can be upgraded by somber smithing stones.
➡️ Moonveil
Another great Dexterity-based katana in Elden Ring. Moonveil is a fan favorite, mostly for its powerful damage and weapon skill – Transient Moonlight. This katana is forged of Glintstone and is a masterpiece of a Sellian swordsmith.
According to the lore, when sheathed, Moonveil katana is enveloped by the moonlight, and when unsheathed, releases that power as a wave of light – a special skill called the Transient Moonlight. Hence, the Moonveil moniker.
You require 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, and 23 Intelligence to wield the Moonveil katana. It comes with innate blood loss buildup. This is a perfect weapon for Intellignece-focused builds.
You can dual-wield Moonveil with Uchigatana for more powerful attacks or two-hand it for powerful one-shot attacks.
If you have a Spellblade play-style (using a katana in one hand and a staff to cast spells in the other), pair the Moonveil katana with a Carian Regal Scepter and Greatblade Phalanx.
➡️ Bloodhound’s Fang
Bloodhound’s Fang is a curved greatsword that deals powerful attacks when two-handed. So, if you have a Quality Build – a hybrid of Dexterity and Strength – you can get the best out of this weapon for its Dexterity and Strength scaling.
Bloodhound’s Fang is an early-game weapon and can help beginners defeat most of the enemies in Limgrave. The weapon’s moveset allows players to get close and deal damage before retreating quickly, making it one of the most versatile melee weapons in the game.
Bloodhound’s Fang scales with Strength and Dexterity; you need 18 Strength and 17 Dexterity to wield it. Bloodhound Knight Darriwil drops this weapon after being defeated in the Forlorn Hound Evergaol.
➡️ Morgott’s Cursed Sword
Another curved greatsword that scales with Dexterity and is one of the most advanced weapons in Elden Ring. The weapon comes with an innate blood loss effect, and Its weapon skill, Cursed-Blood Slice, causes an additional blood loss effect.
The Morgott’s Cursed Sword scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Arcane. You need 14 Strength, 35 Dexterity, and 17 Arcane to wield it. Dexterity-focused players can deal powerful punishing blows with this sword’s huge burst damage.
Although Morgott’s Cursed Sword is slower than some of the aforementioned Dex-based weapons, its massive Physical and Critical damage makes up for the trouble you put up with to defeat Morgott.
After defeating Morgott, trade his remembrance with Enia at the Roundtable Hold. Morgott can be found at the end of the Leyndell, Royal Capital legacy dungeon.
➡️ Uchigatana
If you start Elden Ring as a Samurai, you get Uchigatana as your default weapon, shield, and bow and arrows. The katana scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is a good weapon for Piercing and Slash damage in combat.
Uchigatana causes rapid blood loss buildup and can be upgraded with regular smithing stones. The range of this weapon is great and can deal with a charged heavy attack, but it has a basic weapon skill. However, you can replace it with a better Ash of War.
Many Elden Ring players say that Uchigatana – with proper upgrades and upscaling – can help you get through the entire game. You need 11 Strength and 15 Dexterity to wield it.
If you start with any other class than Samurai, you can find Uchigatana in the Deathtouched Catacombs a few minutes east of Stormveil Castle’s entrance (close to the Liurnia shortcut).
Final Thoughts
Dexterity in the Elden Ring can provide immense combat benefits. However, it can also open locked containers and treasure chests. You can also pick locks on doors easily with high Dexterity. This allows players to access items or areas that would otherwise remain hidden.
If you are a magic caster, Dexterity is helpful for quicker casting and precise hand movements. Therefore, having a high level of Dexterity is an integral part of any character’s development in Elden Ring for combat effectiveness and exploration abilities.
Next, check out where you can find Merchant Kalé in Elden Ring and get the right wares to bolster your Dex stat!
