Elden Ringis known for itsruthlessly challenging but fair gameplaythat focuses on perseverance and exploration. Another aspect of the game is PvP, and one of the most known forms of this feature is one on one fights, or dueling, where players fight to the death with no Crimson Tear Flasks allowed.
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Naturally, players have a lot of options when it comes to choosing the best dueling weapons inElden Ring. If players find themselves unsure of what to use, they can rest easy knowing they can’t go wrong with the following examples.
10Death Poker
One of the few weapons in the game that causes frost build-up, the Death’s Poker is arguably the best Int weapon inElden Ring. It scales with Str, Dex, and Int but is better with Dex, making it a goodInt-Dex weapon. Additionally, being a greatsword, it can deal heavy damage and easily stagger enemies.
However, what makes this a good Int weapon is its excellent unique skill: Ghostflame Ignition. This weapon skill creates a ball of ghost flame in front of the player. Following up with a light attack creates a gout of flame that leaves a trail while following up with a heavy attack makes a medium-sized explosion, damaging all enemies in range. The Death’s Poker is dropped by the Death Rite Bird that appears near the Southern Aeonia Swamp Bank Site of Grace.
9Bloodhound’s Fang
The Bloodhound’s Fang is one of thebest Curved Greatswordsin the game. Boasting the third-longest reach among its weapon class, it possesses an innate bleed build-up that makes it highly effective in PvP. Additionally, players can buff this weapon with spells and consumables like fire or blood grease, further increasing its damage output.
However, its weapon skill, Bloodhound’s Finesse, which lets players perform a fade-away strike and then allows a dashing follow-up strike is what sets this weapon apart. Players can get the curved greatsword by defeating Bloodhound Knight Darriwil at the Forlorn Hound Evergaol, at the southernmost part ofLimgrave. This makes it easily accessible to those strong enough to take him down early on.
8Reduvia
One of the strongest daggers inElden Ring, the Reduvia dagger is monstrous in PvP. It has an innate bleed and fast attack speed, making it easy to stack the bleed build-up. Furthermore, its incredible weapon skill, Reduvia Blood Blade, which fires a short-range blood projectile that stacks more bleed build-up, allows players to deal damage from afar. However, what players will want to do is power stance two of them, significantly increasing their attack speed, enabling players to proc blood loss much faster and shred their opponents like butter.
Bloody Finger Nerijus, an NPC who invades the player along the stream just outside Murkwater Cave, drops the Reduvia dagger. This makes the dagger easily accessible early on in the game and an excellent choice for players that want to start a bleed build.
7Bloody Helice
The longest of its weapon class, the Bloody Helice is one of the best thrusting weapons in the game. It primarily scales with Dex and Arcane and has innate bleed buildup, making it perfect forbleed builds. Additionally, as a Heavy Thrusting Sword, it can be used along with a shield like a spear.
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However, what makes this weapon a monster in PvP is its unique weapon skill, Dynast’s Finesse. The weapon skill makes the player dodge backward, allowing them to perform a lunging thrust back toward the opponent that deals massive damage, easily one-shotting anyone it hits. Furthermore, if the opponent survives the lunging thrust, players can chain in a two-hit heavy attack true combo. Players can get the Bloody Helice from a chest in the Writheblood Ruins.
6Morgott’s Cursed Sword
One of the weapons fans find later in the game,Morgott’s Cursed Sword, is the lightest of its weapon class, allowing players to wear heavier armor along with it. It scales primarily with Arcane and Dex and has innate blood build-up, making it perfect for bleed builds. Additionally, it also has the longest reach among the Curved Greatswords.
However, what sets it apart is its weapon skill, Cursed-Blood Slice. This skill allows players to perform two dashing slashes that coat the weapon in fire, leaving a trail in the air that explodes after a short delay, dealing fire damage. Furthermore, its quick move-set, long reach, and dashing weapon skill can catch opponents off-guard, making it hard to deal with in duels. Players can obtain this weapon from Finger Reader Enia with the Remembrance of the Omen King.
5Blasphemous Blade
The Blasphemous Blade, the weapon with the highest damage among the Faith scaling greatswords, can deal much damage with the correct stats. The greatsword deals extra fire damage and scales mainly with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith. However, what makes this weapon so strong is its devastating weapon skill, Taker’s Flame. The skill slams the sword on the ground creating a mid-range shockwave of fire that deals massive fire damage.
Additionally, it heals the user for a percentage of their health every time they hit their opponent. It is excellent because healing while dealing with damage is always good for outlasting enemies in duels. The Blasphemous Blade can be purchased from Finger Reader Enia after defeatingRykard, Lord of Blasphemy.
4Pike
The longest weapon, the Pike, is one of if not the best weapons players can use in duels. It has decent damage, average scaling, and a considerable range, giving players that sweet reach advantage against most weapons that opponents can exploit. Additionally, it can be infused with Ashes of War, which, combined with its reach advantage, makes it a very versatile dueling weapon.
Furthermore, the Pike may be used with a shield and attack without lowering it, allowing players to poke their opponents from a distance. This makes it the ideal weapon for tanky builds. Players can obtain this spear inStormveil Castlein the heavily guarded courtyard.
3Zweihander
The Zweihander is the second-longest Colossal Sword inElden Ring. It scales equally with Str and Dex, making it an excellent quality weapon. The Sword is also the lightest in its class and has a low strength requirement, allowing players to one-hand the sword and use another off-hand weapon. However, this weapon is good for dueling because of its true combo potential.
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The crouching and rolling heavy attack can be chained with an off-hand attack that is impossible to roll away from, ensuring the player will land a two-hit combo if the first one hits. Additionally, certainAshes of War, like the storm stomp, can extend the combo, allowing players to land another off-hand attack. Players can purchase this sword from the Isolated Merchant in the Weeping Peninsula.
2Guardian’s Swordspear
One of the unique Halberds, the Guardian’s Swordspear shares its move-set with Loretta’s War Sickle and is composed mainly of slashes. Its light attack speed is the second fastest among its weapon class, allowing it to quickly land a surprising number of hits. Additionally, it works well with the keen infusion giving it an A scaling in Dex, and can also be buffed by spells and grease, increasing its damage output even further.
However, the Guardian’s Swordspear’s true combo is where its power truly lies. Players can chain its jumping-heavy attack into a light attack, a guaranteed two-hit combo if the first attack hits. Players can obtain this fantastic halberd from Erdtree Guardians that wield them that are usually found under Minor Erdtrees.
1Nagakiba
Katanas are cool; the only thing cooler than a katana is a long katana. Nagakiba is one of the longest weapons in the game and scales primarily with Str and Dex but leans more towards Dex. Being a katana, it has innate bleed build-up, which is always suitable for dueling.
What makes the Nagakiba excellent for dueling, however, is the combination of its reach and the Ashes of War they can infuse into it. This allows players to take full advantage of its range and catch most opponents who underestimate the weapon’s range. Players can obtain the katana by completingBloody Finger Hunter Yura’s questline.
Elden Ringis currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
