Elden Ring is FromSoftware's open-world action RPG created in collaboration with George R.R. Martin, set in the sprawling Lands Between. Unlike previous Souls games, it gives you complete freedom to explore six major regions, tackle legacy dungeons in any order, and over 150 boss encounters. The game received its massive Shadow of the Erdtree DLC adding an entirely new map region. With its blend of punishing combat, deep build variety, and cryptic lore, Elden Ring redefined what an open-world RPG can be.
This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rivers of Blood | Samurai / Dexterity-Arcane builds | A katana that deals physical and fire damage with innate bleed buildup. |
| Moonveil | Prisoner / Intelligence-Dexterity builds | An Intelligence-scaling katana found in the Gael Tunnel boss fight in Caelid. |
| Blasphemous Blade | Vagabond / Faith-Strength builds | A greatsword obtained by trading Rykard's Remembrance. |
| Hand of Malenia | Samurai / Pure Dexterity builds | A katana crafted from Malenia's Remembrance with the Waterfowl Dance weapon art. |
| Starscourge Greatsword | Vagabond / Strength-Intelligence builds | Dual colossal greatswords obtained from Radahn's Remembrance. |
S-Tier: Rivers of Blood
A katana that deals physical and fire damage with innate bleed buildup. Its weapon art Corpse Piler unleashes a flurry of blood slashes that can stagger-lock most enemies. Found late in Mountaintops of the Giants from an invading NPC near the Church of Repose.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | Samurai / Dexterity-Arcane builds |
| Key Mechanic | open world exploration |
| Recommended Build | Vagabond |
See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Rivers of Blood: Pairs naturally with Vagabond thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Moonveil
An Intelligence-scaling katana found in the Gael Tunnel boss fight in Caelid. Its Transient Moonlight weapon art fires a magic slash that deals massive stance damage and staggers bosses quickly. One of the most versatile weapons for Int/Dex hybrid builds.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | Prisoner / Intelligence-Dexterity builds |
| Key Mechanic | stance breaking |
| Recommended Build | Samurai |
Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Moonveil: Pairs naturally with Samurai thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Blasphemous Blade
A greatsword obtained by trading Rykard's Remembrance. Its weapon art Taker's Flames shoots a wave of fire that heals you on hit and has enormous range. The passive also heals you whenever anything dies nearby, making it one of the best sustain weapons.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | Vagabond / Faith-Strength builds |
| Key Mechanic | spirit ash summoning |
| Recommended Build | Astrologer |
Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Blasphemous Blade: Pairs naturally with Astrologer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Hand of Malenia
A katana crafted from Malenia's Remembrance with the Waterfowl Dance weapon art. The same devastating combo attack she uses. It has innate bleed and scales with Dexterity. The weapon art is extremely powerful but leaves you vulnerable if whiffed.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | Samurai / Pure Dexterity builds |
| Key Mechanic | weapon arts |
| Recommended Build | Prisoner |
Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Hand of Malenia: Pairs naturally with Prisoner thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Starscourge Greatsword
Dual colossal greatswords obtained from Radahn's Remembrance. The weapon art Starcaller Cry pulls enemies toward you with gravity magic then slams for massive AoE damage. It scales with Strength and Intelligence, making it ideal for hybrid builds.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | Vagabond / Strength-Intelligence builds |
| Key Mechanic | flask of wondrous physick |
| Recommended Build | Wretch |
Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Starscourge Greatsword: Pairs naturally with Wretch thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Limgrave
- Moonveil → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Blasphemous Blade → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Rivers of Blood → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Level Vigor to 40 before investing heavily in damage stats. The soft cap gives enormous survivability and most deaths early are from being one-shot.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
Similar Games
If you enjoy Elden Ring, check out these related guides:
- Cyberpunk 2077 Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
