Best Dexterity weapons in Elden Ring
Here are the best Dexterity weapons in Elden Ring
Looking for the best Dexterity weapons in Elden Ring? If you prefer speed over brawn, you'll need our list of the best Dexterity weapons in Elden Ring. Dexterity is one of the most important stats in the game and determines how much damage you can deal when wielding a Dexterity-based weapon as well as the draw speed of bows.
If you've invested your runes into Dexterity, you'll need a weapon that scales well with that stat. Join us as we go through the best of the bunch and provide a list of the best Dexterity weapons in Elden Ring for all types of builds. We'll also tell you where to find each weapon so you're fully equipped to take on the Lands Between, and prepared for all the additional challenges in the Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC.
Bloodhound's Fang
- Weight: 11.5
- Damage Type: Slash
- Requirements: Strength 18, Dexterity 17
- Attribute Scaling: Strength D, Dexterity C
- Weapon Skill: Bloodhound's Finesse
- Attack Power: Physical 141
- Passives: Causes blood loss buildup (55)
If you want to create a solid Dexterity build, the Bloodhound's Fang is a fantastic curved greatsword that is relatively easy to pick up near the beginning of Elden Ring, within Limgrave.
The Bloodhound's Fang can inflict bleed buildup on enemies, which will take a huge chunk of any health bar over time. However, the power behind the Bloodhound's Fang comes mostly from the Bloodhound's Finesse Weapon Skill.
This skill essentially releases a devastating upward slash, after which, your Tarnished immediately takes a step back. This inflicts impressive damage whilst maintaining distance between yourself and enemies. You can then follow-up this skill with a heavy attack to deal more damage whilst dashing back towards the target.
This is a unique skill however, which means that it cannot be infused with different Ashes of War.
How to get the Bloodhound's Fang
To get Bloodhound's Fang you must defeat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil, a minor boss located within the Forlorn Hound Evergaol in southern Limgrave.
Uchigatana
- Weight: 5.5
- Damage Type: Slash, Pierce
- Requirements: Strength 11, Dexterity 15
- Attribute Scaling: Strength D, Dexterity D
- Weapon Skill: Unsheathe
- Attack Power: Physical 115
- Passives: Causes blood loss buildup (45)
The Uchigatana is one of many excellent katana options for a Dexterity build and only requires common Smithing Stones to upgrade. If you're looking for the perfect dex starting weapon, the Uchigatana is very accessible and even comes with the Samurai starting class.
As with other Katanas, the Uchigatana can cause blood loss buildup and can be infused with Ashes of War, although it does already come with the Unsheathe Weapon Skill. This skill unleashes a large sweeping strike with a follow-up swing.
Although the damage to poise was scaled back slightly in the 1.09 patch, this was just for PvP. The Uchigatana remains one of the strongest starting weapons in Elden Ring due to its fantastic range and surprisingly fast attacks that deal considerable damage for such an accessible early weapon.
How to get the Uchigatana
Either choose the Samurai staring class or pick up the Uchigatana inside the Deathtouched Catacombs in Stormhill, Limgrave.
Godskin Peeler
- Weight: 8.0
- Damage Type: Standard, Pierce
- Requirements: Strength 17, Dexterity 22
- Attribute Scaling: Strength E, Dexterity C
- Weapon Skill: Black Flame Tornado
- Attack Power: Physical 121
The Godskin Peeler is classed as a Twinblade, meaning it has two blades at each end and can be wielded either single or two-handed. This weapon is best suited for players who have reached early to mid-game and are ready to move onto something a bit more specialised.
The power of the Godskin Peeler comes from its Weapon Skill, the Black Flame Tornado which unleashes a torrent of black flames within an overhead spin attack. You can swap this out with an alternative Ashes of War but, frankly, you'd be remiss to do so. This Weapon Skill is chargeable and cannot be parried, and delivers several powerful hits in a row.
How to get the Godskin Peeler
You can get the Godskin Peeler by defeating the Godskin Apostle within the Windmill Village in Altus Plateau. Thankfully, unlike the Godskin Duo boss fight, there is only one of these enemies to deal with in this encounter. Although, it's worthwhile checking out our Godskin Duo boss fight walkthrough for tips on timing and battle general strategy.
Eleonora's Poleblade
- Weight: 6.0
- Damage Type: Standard, Pierce
- Requirements: Strength 12, Dexterity 21, Arcane 19
- Attribute Scaling: Strength E, Dexterity D, Arcane D
- Weapon Skill: Bloodblade Dance
- Attack Power: Physical 72, Fire 72
- Passives: Causes blood loss buildup (33)
As with the Godskin Peeler, Eleonora's Poleblade is a Twinblade that can be challenging to wield at first, but very rewarding once mastered. Eleonora's Poleblade cannot be infused with Ashes of War. Instead, it comes with the Bloodblade Dance Weapon Skill.
This Weapon Skill is a chain of flurry attacks, followed by a tactical backward step to gather distance on a target. The skill costs relatively low FP and received a nice little buff with the 1.07 patch to increase damage detection. When performed successfully, you can deal stance damage and blood loss buildup.
How to get Eleonora's Poleblade
To get Eleonora's Poleblade, you must defeat Bloody Finger Eleonora at the Second Church of Marika. To do so can be done in two different ways.
First, you can complete Yura's questline (first encountered at Murkwater Cave, then at Raya Lucaria). See our guide to all NPC questlines in Elden Ring for more details.
Second, you can outright kill Yura and take his Nagakiba katana. Eleonora will spawn at the Second Church of Marika afterwards. We recommend following the quest, however, as you get both blades as well as the Ronin's armor set and some interesting Church of Dragon Communion lore.
Wing Of Astel
- Weight: 2.5
- Damage Type: Slash
- Requirements: Strength 7, Dexterity 17, Intelligence 20
- Attribute Scaling: Strength E, Dexterity D, Intelligence D
- Weapon Skill: Nebula
- Attack Power: Physical 65, Magic 78
The Wing Of Astel is a great option for players who have invested in a Dexterity and Intelligence build. With its unique Nebula Weapon Skill, you can spawn a cloud of exploding stars at enemies. This will additionally deal an extra 20% damage to gravity-type enemies like Onyx Lords and Fallingstar Beasts. Although, it cannot be replaced with other Ashes of War.
The Wing Of Astel is suited for players approaching mid-game playthroughs as it does require you to access Nokstella, Eternal City. Although the poise damage of the Curved Sword was reduced slightly for PvP in the 1.08 patch, it remains a popular Dexterity weapon and for good reason.
How to get the Wing Of Astel
The Wing Of Astel is located within a chest at Nokstella, Eternal City. Specifically, above the Uhl Palace Ruins, on top of the wall guarded by a large bug with gravity attacks. You'll need to head southwest, down the cave system to find the pathway that climbs up and around the ruins.
The Hand of Malenia
- Weight: 7.0
- Damage Type: Slash, Pierce
- Requirements: Strength 16, Dexterity 48
- Attribute Scaling: Strength E, Dexterity C
- Weapon Skill: Waterfowl Dance
- Attack Power: Physical 117
- Passives: Causes blood loss buildup (50)
Moving onto late-game Dexterity weapons, The Hand of Malenia is a challenge to acquire but well worth the pursuit (if only for the bragging rights). The Hand of Malenia is a katana, once wielded by the infamous Goddess of Rot and perfect for anyone wishing to cultivate a bleed build.
The Hand of Malenia causes considerable blood loss buildup and poise damage and contains the Weapon Skill, Waterfowl Dance. This is a unique skill that allows the players to leap into the air and perform a flurry of slashes which can then be repeated up to two times in succession.
The speed and damage of this skill make the weapon a serious contender for the best Dexterity weapon in Elden Ring. The katana requires a hefty dex stat to wield but by the time you reach the Haligtree and have taken on the other bosses of the game, you will most likely be qualified.
How to get The Hand of Malenia
You get The Hand of Malenia, you must defeat the optional boss Malenia at Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree. Then, you must trade her Rembrance in with Enia at the Roundtable Hold in return for the weapon. For tips on how to take on the formidable Goddess, see our Malenia boss fight walkthrough.
Rivers Of Blood
- Weight: 6.5
- Damage Type: Slash, Pierce
- Requirements: Strength 12, Dexterity 18, Arcane 20
- Attribute Scaling: Strength E, Dexterity D, Arcane D
- Weapon Skill: Corpse Piler
- Attack Power: Physical 76, Fire 76
- Passives: Causes blood loss buildup (30)
The Rivers Of Blood is an impressive blade, so much so that it took our ranking as the best bleed weapon in Elden Ring. Although it cannot be infused with Ashes of War and its attacks can be parried, its Weapon Skill, Corpse Piler is well worth the trade off.
Corpse Piler essentially causes the player to perform multiple slashes of cursed blood. The skill executes a total of 6 slashes in a criss cross which deals stance damage per cut. Additionally, it is possible to perform follow-up attacks with this Weapon Skill. The attack power of the skill was further increased with the 1.07 patch, making it as formidable as ever.
How to get the Rivers Of Blood
To get the Rivers Of Blood katana, you'll need to defeat Bloody Finger Okina, near the Church of Repose in eastern Mountaintops of the Giants.
Moonveil Katana
- Weight: 6.5
- Damage Type: Slash, Pierce
- Requirements: Strength 12, Dexterity 18, Intelligence 23
- Attribute Scaling: Strength E, Dexterity B, Intelligence B
- Weapon Skill: Transient Moonlight
- Attack Power: Physical 73, Magic 87
- Passives: Causes blood loss buildup (50)
Although the Moonveil Katana received a nerf to its poise damage in patch 1.08, it still stands as one of - if not the - best Dexterity weapon in Elden Ring. As a personal favourite of mine, I found that the Moonveil Katana holds up from mid-game all the way to the Elden Ring ending.
It does have a fairly high Intelligence requirement, but with a B-tier scaling in Dexterity, it is worth the short-term investment for long-term potential. Remember to also put a few levels into Mind to keep your FP pool nice and healthy.
The beauty of the Moonveil Katana lies in its Weapon Skill, Transient Moonlight, which deals a light and heavy attack of pure moonlight. With this attack, a jet of light slashes across to foes, delivering poise damage. Like with other katanas, it can also cause blood loss buildup over time.
The Moonveil Katana is perfect for any speed-conscious Tarnished who doesn't want to trade power for speed. The slashes of the katana are both hard-hitting and fast. You can deliver multiple skill attacks in quick succession and often stagger enemies, finishing them off before they've even had the chance to attack.
The blade also complements any Intelligence builds. Handy for players looking to experiment with both blades and sorceries.
How to get the Moonveil Katana
To get the Moonveil Katana, you must defeat the Magma Wyrm located in the Gael Tunnel dungeon in Caelid.
That rounds off our guide to the best dexterity weapons in Elden Ring. For more Elden Ring tips and tricks to complete your Tarnished loadout, check out our best armor guide, best builds and best weapons guides.