Intelligence is one of eight primary stats in Elden Ring that determines the effectiveness of Sorcery spells. If you’re looking for the best Elden Ring intelligence weapons for DLC after 1.12.3 patch, AOEAH has got you covered. Read our Elden Ring DLC Int tier list 1.12.3, we ranked the best intelligence weapons and builds for Shadow of the Erdtree.

Elden Ring DLC Intelligence Weapon Tier List - Best Int Weapons & Builds For PvE In 1.12.3

Weapons with Intelligence scaling usually have unique Weapon Skills that allow players to incorporate magic attacks into a melee-focused build. To build a character that can deal both melee and magical damage effectively. Intelligence weapons allow hybrid magic/physical playstyles. Many intelligence weapons have unique and powerful Weapon Skills that incorporate magic or elemental damage. This provides more gameplay options than typical melee weapons. With intelligence scaling, the weapons continue to become stronger as a sorcery-focused character levels up their Intelligence stat. This synergizes character progression with weapon upgrades. Next, let's dive into our Elden Ring 1.12.3 Int weapon & build ranking!

S Tier

• Sword of Night and Flame

Sword of Night and Flame utilizes both magic and fire damage and remains one of the best Elden Ring DLC weapons. It allows stance holding to use a magic beam or fire AOE heavy attack. Beam does more damage but AOE is faster. A new talisman increases damage after a few seconds of stance holding. Its versatility of damage types against different enemy weaknesses is a key strength. However, it suffers from low poise and is easily knocked out of its weapon skill attacks. But it can be played reliably at medium range to avoid this weakness and safely punish enemies. The patch made its melee shotgun attacks more viable by increasing their poise damage. Remains top-tier best Intelligence weapon in Elden Ring after 1.12.3 patch.

• Dark Moon Greatsword

Dark Moon Greatsword was previously nerfed, reducing the effectiveness of its magic arc ranged attack at breaking poise. However, the patch increased poise damage of hitting up close with both blade and magic, making its "shotgun" style more viable. This balances it by encouraging closer engagement rather than ranged poking. It still has versatility between fast/charged heavy attacks. Projectiles infuse frost buildup and damage debuff, providing multiple offensive advantages. While no longer dominating with magic pokes, focusing on closer combat allows it to remain effective. Mix of physical, magic, and frost damage types maintains utility against different enemies.

• Death's Poker

Death's Poker is an overall average greatsword, but its ash of war is what makes it excel. The ash of war applies a small initial frost flame burst then allows spreading it on the ground via a light attack. Enemies walking through the pooled frost flame take strong tick damage over time. It reliably builds up frost buildup for easy proc damage and enemy debuff. Spamming the light attack ash of war version outputs incredible sustained DPS. Alternatively, the heavy attack ash applies a larger explosion with the potential to stagger groups. It provides a versatile mix of DOT damage versus burst damage as needed through its two skill versions. The ash of war remains unchanged and very powerful, keeping Death's Poker among the best Elden Ring DLC INT weapons for its frost flame ability.

• Wing of Astel

Wing of Astel is a curved sword with excellent capabilities due to its Ash of War skill. It powerstances very well with another high tier curved sword like the Bandit's Curved Sword. The Ash of War skill deals immense DPS through relentless spamming and builds frostbite very quickly. It also has incredible poise damage, making it easy to stagger bosses. Additionally, its unique heavy attack combo allows shooting magic arcs at no FP cost, providing safe punishes and exploration utility. It can fulfill multiple roles excellently - powerstanced melee DPS, single-skill caster or ranged option. Versatility, damage potential, and reliability of builds/stagger from its abilities make it arguably the best Elden Ring SotE 1.12.3 weapon on this list.

A Tier

• Clayman's Harpoon

Clayman's Harpoon is a decent spear with a solid basic moveset that can also be powerstanced. The key feature is its ice spear ash of war. The ash of war deals initial dot ice damage in close range then a thrusting ice shot at mid-short range. It applies strong frost buildup for the proc damage pop and enemy frost damage debuff. The ash of war deals high damage per use and retains good poise break ability. With consistent usage, it allows for critical punishes against frost-weakened enemies. It functions similar to a "shotgun blast" but is more effective than other weapons due to frost buildup. The ash of war is strong enough that focusing a build around it and powerstancing is effective.

• Death Ritual Spear

Death Ritual Spear's key feature is its ash of war, which launches multiple spears in an AoE attack from long range. There is a delay before the spears land, allowing the user to dodge/roll before damage occurs. This makes it safer to use than skills that require direct commitment. Despite the delay, it reliably builds up poise/stagger damage over multiple hits. Spamming the ash of war stacks high DPS and steadily builds toward staggering opponents. However, the delay also means it's better as a reactive/punish tool rather than blindly committed spam. Powerstancing it with Clayman's Harpoon gives versatility and synergizes their similar frost/poke playstyles. Both spears remain A-Tier on this Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Intelligence weapon tier list thanks to their reliable frost/poise damage capabilities.

B Tier

• Royal Greatsword

Royal Greatsword is a colossal sword providing physical and magical damage. It has good range and a versatile moveset including horizontal sweeps. Its strong stagger potential from base attacks is a strength. The key ash of war, Wolf's Assault, was buffed to have respectable hyper armor. It deals a flipping slam then ice explosion buildup, applying a frostbite debuff for increased damage taken. Spamming the ash of war relentlessly is made viable by its hyper armor trade capability. It can be used safely as a punish or gap closer due to the leaping slam. However, getting stuck in the lengthy Wolf's Assault animation leaves the user vulnerable against hard-hitting DLC enemies.

• Zamor Curved Sword

Zamor Curved Sword has a good basic moveset and damage as a curved greatsword. However, its real strength lies in its ash of war, not base weapon damages. The ash of war slams down an ice explosion that applies significant frost buildup. With one or two uses in a row, you can trigger a heavy frost proc and damage pop/enemy debuff. As such, it functions almost like an additional spell/ability rather than primarily as a weapon. For spellcaster builds, it provides a quick and effective way to apply frost buildup and pressure enemies.

C Tier

• Rellana’s Twin  Blades

Rellana's Twin Blades is a new remembrance weapon introduced in Elden Ring. Remembrance weapons are generally very powerful. It has the unique ability to deal both magic and fire damage through its Ash of War. The magic ranged attack and spinning fire AOE attack seem useful. However, it lacks poise damage, meaning the player cannot interrupt or stagger enemies out of their attacks while using combos. The 5-hit light attack combo deals damage over a long period but does not do enough total damage to justify leaving the player vulnerable for so long. Due to the lack of poise and overlong combo, the weapon is disappointingly low on the tier list compared to its potential power.

• Star-Lined Sword

The Star-Lined Sword has a very long magic combo Ash of War that has the player dashing and flipping around dealing damage. The full combo, if landed, deals incredible raw damage potential through its successive hits that build up. However, the combo provides no poise/protection, so a single hit can easily interrupt it. Landing the full thing relies heavily on luck. The damage potential is there but its low poise and vulnerability make it difficult to land consistently. With some buffs like increased poise or control, this could be a seriously good weapon on this Elden Ring DLC Intelligence ranking. As is, the combo is easily interrupted.

• Fallingstar Beast Jaw

Fallingstar Beast Jaw is a slow heavy hitting colossal weapon with good base stagger values from its heavy attacks.  However, its scaling with multiple stats (strength/dex/int) makes it awkward to build around effectively. The key strength is its ash of war, which deals good ranged magical attack damage. Previously the ash of war had ridiculous poise damage/interrupt ability, but it has since been nerfed. While the ash of war is still a decent punish option with good range, it's more difficult to land multiple hits in a row against faster bosses due to reduced poise ability. It's a safe punish option for a colossal weapon class but relies heavily on its ash of war to perform well. If you like the theme of a magical colossal weapon, it's one of the better options available despite its limitations.

• Bastard's Stars

The Bastard's Stars is a flail weapon that has seen improvements to its moveset and reliable stagger with heavy attacks over patches. It has a cool aesthetic design. However, its main strength - the ash of war that deals damage and then a delayed magic explosion - is very similar to another weapon on this Elden Ring 1.12.3 Intelligence weapon list. The ash of war has long reach but is slow, meaning the user can be punished during the delay before the explosion. The explosion also has some distance to travel, making it awkward to land up close despite flails wanting to be in melee range.

• Glintstone Kris

Glintstone Kris is a little dagger with physical and Magic potentia. As a dagger, it is very lightweight and fast, good for quick punishes. The key feature is its ash of war, which fires a projectile that deals high damage for a low FP cost. The projectile is chargeable for even more damage potential. Unlike some ashes of war, you don't have to follow up with a heavy attack, allowing you to just spam projectiles. It functions similarly to the Glintstone Pebble spell but integrated into a weapon ash of war. For a main magic caster build, it provides an effective lightweight option for physical melee damage plus additional magic damage through its spammy projectile ash of war.