An Axe to grind...

Surviving the trecherous, sprwaling realm of Lordran will put a player through their paces. How exactly the player chooses to survive and continue the age of fire is entirely down to their choosing. Axes are some of the most commongly available weapons and learning which to take and which to leave is highly adviced. Here is a list of 6 to fend off the Lordran's hostile inhabitants...

6. Hand Axe

A deceptively effective and useful early game weapon. Start as a pyromancer or visit the merchant in the Undead Burg to wield this unassuming gem of a weapon. It can be infused with any elemental damage the game has to offer and with the right scaling can deliver more damage than others in this list. Be careful though, for just a hand axe its reach is far from ideal.

What makes Hand Axe great:

• Easily Acquired
• Fast Moveset
• Can break shield guards easy
• Scalable

Hand Axe details:

5. Battle Axe

The starting weapon for the bandit class and a very accessible early game weapon otherwise, be it bought or dropped by enemies. In many ways the Battle Axe gives the player an upgraded form of hand axe with drawbacks and advantages either way. On one hand, the player is granted a greater reach and greater damage output. On the other, wider, weightier swings can leave the impatient vulnerable to enemy counters and flurries.

What makes Battle Axe great:

• Can scale up to B in faith
• Can be infused with any element
• Easily acquired
• Great for breaking shield guard

Battle Axe details:

4. Gargoyle Tail Axe

One of FromSoftware’s signature weapon grabs – cut off the tail of certain monsters and receive something worthwhile for your troubles. Equipped with a very desirable reach for a weapon of its class, it also has a very decent base damage to start with. There are better weapons to scale and upgrade even in its class, but the resistances it bulks up remarkably are vital for certain stretches of the game.

What makes Gargoyle Tail Axe great:

• Decent to good scaling all round
• Strong poison and toxin resistance
• Reasonable requirement stats
• Bends during strong attacks

Gargoyle Tail Axe details:

3. Crescent Axe

One will be required to take care of a certain slimy character named Patches to acquire this, or pay him a good 10,000 souls. Essentially the game’s axe for faith builds or play throughs, the divine damage scales remarkably well with investment in faith statistics. This isn’t the most popular or regarded of its weapon class, but its reach, move set and damage make it worth exploring.

What makes Crescent Axe great:

• Stun lock specialist
• Split damage
• Wide swings
• Great reach for an axe

Crescent Axe details:

2. Golem Axe

A boss weapon that specializes the axe into something of a knockback and combo machine with the right usage. Its special blade of wind that can be fired will send enemies flying or at least break a shield guard at the cost of durability. The player with the right usage can damage the enemy with both a wind blast and a melee attack. Weighty, a decent range and the ability to mix up ranged and close quarters battling – this axe is for the specialist user.

What makes Golem Axe great:

• Projectile strong attack
• Shield guard breaker
• Stun locking
• Non upgraded – equivalent to a +10 weapon
   

Golem Axe details:

1. Butcher Knife

One of the game series most recognizable weapons, this giant oversized knife delivers on the promise of its chilling appearance. It shares the move set of the battle axe and is wielded like one with a brilliant 2 handed overhead attack to boot. This can be scaled to give colossal damage and can be infused with elements any which way. A unique and macabre weapon, invest in strength to wield it and you wont be disappointed.

What makes Butcher Knife great:

• A strength weapon classic – huge damage output potential
• Each hit heals 5HP
• Scales like a dream
• Superb reach considering weight and class

Butcher Knife details:

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