The katana has always been a staple weapon of FromSoftware RPGs, like Demon Souls or the Dark Souls series, and it’s no surprise that they continued the trend in Elden Ring. It’s no stretch to say that many of the katanas within Elden Ring are top weapons that can carry you through the entire game. Providing unique abilities and a hack and slash playstyle, the katanas are just incredible weapons that will really make you feel like you’re ripping your opponents to shreds. Join me as we look through the top eight katanas in all of Elden Ring.

8. Uchigatana (best used with either a dex or strength build)

Uchigatana location

The Uchigatana is definitely the most basic katana you’ll find in Elden Ring, but it certainly isn’t a bad weapon. What's good about this katana is that it can be found really early on in the Deathtouched catacombs or you can start with it as your first weapon with the Samurai class. This weapon can also be infused with your preferred ashes of war. With its damage and the fact that you can infuse it with an ash of war, the Uchigatana is a weapon that has the potential to carry you through the entire game.

Like most katanas, the Uchigatana causes blood loss to your opponents, but it comes with the skill called “unsheath”. With unsheath the player can sheath their sword and unleash a basic or powerful strike on their opponents. A simple yet effective weapon, the Uchigatana is definitely a viable option for players. Unfortunately, it lacks the uniqueness and pizazz of the other weapons further down the list, but I recommend using it until you find a better one that you like.

What's good about the Uchigatana

• Can be infused with your preferred ash of war
• You can power stance with other katanas
• Comes with the skill unsheath (light attack causes 15 poise damage and the strong attack causes 30 poise damage).
• Causes blood loss

How to get the Uchigatana

• Starting weapon for the samurai class
• Head to the Deathtouched catacombs in Limgrave
• Turn the lever down and head through the previously locked door in another hallway
• The Uchigatana will be on a dead body dangling over the edge of the platform

Full details on the Uchigatana: Elden Ring WikiAn image of a player with the Uchigatana

7. Nagakiba(best used with a dex build)

Nagakiba location

Similar to the Uchigatana, the Nagakiba is a very ordinary katana compared to many on this list. It can be infused with your preferred ash of war, and it does cause blood loss. Besides the skill called “piercing fang” which is an unblockable stab, the Nagakiba is quite ordinary.

One difference that some players may be interested in is the range of the Nagakiba. Compared to katanas like the Uchigatana, Nagakiba is quite long, giving you a little extra boost of range for defeating enemies. This makes it quite useful when dealing with PvP situations because it can roll and catch opponents due to its length. I recommend giving this weapon a try, but you’ll probably find that katanas further down the list are much more effective

What's good about the Nagakiba

• Can be infused with your preferred ash of war
• Has a unique R2 attack that reaches very far due to the Nagakiba’s long reach
• Comes equipped with the piercing fang ash of war which allows you to perform a piercing thrust that is unblockable

How to get the Nagakiba

• This weapon is dropped by Bloody Finger Hunter Yura
• Kill Yura at his campsite near the Seaside Ruins site of grace or follow his questline

Full details on the Nagakiba: Elden Ring WikiAn image of a player with the Nagakiba

6. Dragonscale Blade(best used with a dex build)

Dragonscale Blade location

Unlike the previous two weapons the Dragonscale Blade is no ordinary katana. Of course, like most katanas, the Dragonscale Blade scales mainly with dex, but it does not cause any blood loss. Instead, the Dragonscale Blade has the unique ability called Ice Lightning Storm which when activated shoots down a lightning bolt right in front of you and infuses your sword with frost. The frostbite build-up is just as quick as the blood loss build-up from many of the ordinary katanas and it will slow down opponents.

This weapon is a bit challenging to get as you’ll have to face a Dragon Kin soldier on the Lake of Rot in order to get the Dragonscale Blade. With magic it shouldn't be that difficult of a fight, but if you're playing through the game with no magic then this fight will end up being a bit more difficult for you. Overall this weapon is amazing for PvE because of the intense frost build up and damage dealt to bosses and other enemies. In PvP this katana is a bit slow with its special ability. If you can't get it off in the fight then your katana has no passive build up of any kind which is an extreme disadvantage.

What's good about the Dragonscale Blade

• Comes with the Ice Lightning Storm skill which calls down a lightning bolt at your feet and infuses your weapon with frost
• This weapon deals 10% extra damage to ancient dragons and 20% extra damage to regular dragons

How to get the Dragonscale Blade

• Head to the Nokstella Waterfall Basin site of grace and head southwest until you reach an elevator (should be in the area where the baleful shadow spawned)
• From there you should reach the Lake of Rot
• Within the Lake of Rot, in the southern area, you’ll find a Dragonkin Soldier
• Upon defeating the Dragonkin soldier you’ll be rewarded with the Dragonscale Blade

Full details on the Dragonscale Blade: Elden Ring WikiAn image of the Dragonscale Blade

5. Serpentbone Blade (best used with a dex build)

Serpentbone Blade location

Much like the Dragonscale Blade, the Serpentbone Blade scales a B in dexterity and does not cause blood loss. Instead, it causes lethal poison build-up. Lethal poison lasts a third of the time as regular poison but does twice the damage per tick. You’ll find this katana fairly easily by completing a couple of assassination quests given to you by Lady Tanith in Volcano Manor.

This weapon shines in both PvE and PvP because of its poison build up. The lethal poison especially affects bosses and does a good amount of damage really quickly. Even though it lasts less than normal poison it procs really quickly making it an even greater threat than if it just caused normal poison build up. Similarly in PvP this effect will quickly drain your opponents health and as long as you don't give them time to reverse the effect you will have the upperhand throughout the fight.

What's good about the Serpentbone Blade

• Causes lethal poison build-up
• Has a double stab R2 technique and, when pressed once, the R2 ability activates talismans that increase damage for successive attacks

How to get the Serpentbone Blade

• Head to Volcano Manner and accept Taniths invitation to become a Bloody Finger
• She will then send you to invade and kill fellow tarnished
• Upon completing the second letter request you will be gifted the Serpentbone Blade

Full details on the Serpentbone Blade: Elden Ring WikiAn image of a player holding the Serpentbone Blade

4. Meteoric Ore Blade (best used with a strength or intelligence build)

Meteoric Ore Blade location

The Meteoric Ore Blade is one of two katanas that I highly recommend for sorcerers. When fully upgraded this katana scales a C in both strength and intelligence making it a good weapon for any strength sorcerers out there. This weapon causes blood loss like many katanas, but it differentiates itself in both its R2 attack and its special ability.

The special skill on the Meteoric Ore Blade called “Gravitas'' damages enemies while pulling them in and stunning them. This allows you to get a couple of swings in on enemies that were previously out of range. In addition to its special ability, the Meteoric Ore Blade also has a strong downward slash for an R2 attack as opposed to the regular thrusting stab of most katanas. Overall this weapon is perfect for PvE situations but other katanas on the list are probably more helpful in PvP situations. 

What's good about the Meteoric Ore Blade

• Scales in intelligence
• Causes blood loss
• Comes with the skill Gravitas which pulls in enemies while also damaging them

How to get the Meteoric Ore Blade

• Make your way to the Caelid Waypoint Ruins which is on the southwest edge of Caelid
• In the northwest section of the ruins, there's an underground area filled with graves and prawn enemies
• Head to the back of this area and open a chest that contains the Meteoric Ore Blade

Full details on the Meteoric Ore Blade: Elden Ring WikiAn image of the Meteoric Ore Blade

3. Hand of Malenia(best used with a dex build)

Hand of Malenia location

The Hand of Malenia is a very late-game weapon only attainable after killing Malenia. I would recommend picking it up for NG+ as it is a very strong katana. The Hand of Malenia isn’t too much stronger than the other katanas in terms of physical attack, and predictably this weapon causes blood loss to your opponents. This weapon would probably be a lot higher on the list but its special ability is absolutely insane.

The Hand of Malenia comes with the skill “Waterfowl Dance'' which allows players to jump in the air and launch at their opponent with a flurry of slashes. Repeated input will allow up to two consecutive flurries. This skill is incredible in both PvE and PvP if you use it right because of the base damage and because of how quickly it will proc blood loss. Anyone who has fought Malenia will know how much of a pain this moveset is because it's identical to the one that she uses to one shot most players. If you can master the timing of the Waterfowl Dance then you will be extremely dangerous to anything and everything that tries to get in your way.

What's good about the Hand of Malenia

• Causes blood loss
• The Hand of Malenia comes with the Waterfowl Dance skill which allows you to jump in the air and launch at your opponent, doing a flurry of slashes with up to two consecutive attacks with repeated input.

How to get the Hand of Malenia

• Head to the Haligtree and make your way through the entire area
• Once you’ve reached the Haligtree Roots site of grace head down the staircase directly in front of you and you’ll reach her boss fight
• Beat Malenia and trade in her remembrance for the Hand of Malenia

Full details on the Hand of Malenia: Elden Ring Wiki An image of a player using the Hand of Malenia's skill "Waterfowl Dance"

 

2. Moonveil (best used with either a dex and intelligence build)

Moonveil location

Similar to the Meteoric Ore Blade this weapon is perfect for sorcerers looking for a good intelligence based katana. As usual this katana causes blood loss but the base damage of this weapon is a big part of why it deserves to be the number two katana. When fully upgraded Moonveil does a little under 500 damage which is well above most of the other katanas on this list. Even more impressive than the damage is Moonveil’s special ability called “Transient Moonlight”.

With this Transient Moonlight, the player sheathes the sword and delivers either a basic swing that fires off a short-range horizontal wave of light or a strong attack that sends a vertical long-range wave of light. This ability deals quite a bit of damage to enemies and the vertical slash can stun most mid-tier enemies. Additionally if you wait until the enemy is right on top of you you’ll hit them with both your sword and the wave of light dealing even more damage to your opponent.

What's good about the Moonveil

• Has an ability called Transient Moonlight which allows you to sheath your sword and send out two different waves of light depending on which attack you choose
• Causes blood loss

How to get the Moonveil

• Head to Caelid and make your way to the Gael Tunnel on the western edge cliffs of Caelid
• Make your way through the Gael Tunnel and kill the Magma Wyrm boss
• Upon killing the Magma Wyrm you’ll receive the Moonveil katana

Full details on the Moonveil: Elden Ring Wiki An image of a player using Moonveil's skill "Transient Moonlight"

 

 

1. Rivers of Blood (best used with either a dex, or bleed build)

Rivers of Blood location

What else could receive the title of number one katana other than The Rivers of Blood. This weapon is simply incredible and it’s even considered the top blood loss weapon in the game. The Rivers of Blood katana deals both fire and physical damage while also causing passive blood loss like most katanas. In terms of basic damage the Rivers of Blood doesn’t outclass many of the other katanas, only coming to about 350.

However, the damage of your basic attacks hardly matters when you’ll mostly be using its insane special ability called “Corpse Piler” which allows the player to do up to six successive blood attacks that go well beyond the katana's range. By the end of these strikes you’ll have bled your target at least once and the move set will stun most low to mid-tier enemies. As one of the top weapons and katanas in the game this weapon is a must have for all players as it will excel in both PvP and PvE.

What's good about the Rivers of Blood

• Deals physical and fire damage
• Causes blood loss
• The special skill Corpse Piler allows players to perform up to six successive attacks with cursed blood (deals physical and fire damage and causes more blood loss buil up than is listed on the weapon)

How to get the Rivers of Blood

• Make your way to the Mountaintops of the Giants and head to the church of repose
• Once you’ve arrived you’ll be invaded by bloody finger Okina
• Kill Okina to receive the Rivers of Blood katana

Full details on the Rivers of Blood: Elden Ring Wiki An image of the Rivers of Blood location

 

You may also be interested in:

• Elden Ring Best Weapons for Dual Wield
• Elden Ring Best Shields and How To Get Them
• Elden Ring Best Keepsakes and How To Get Them
• Elden Ring Best Dex Weapons
• Elden Ring Best Bleed Weapons