Welcome to the ultimate guide on the top five katanas in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring. This guide will rank each katana from best to worst, explain why each one deserves its spot, and detail how to set up an overpowered (OP) build with each weapon.
Top 5 Elden Ring DLC Best Katana Weapons & Builds Ranked
1. Rakshasa's Great Katana
Rakshasa's Great Katana is undoubtedly the best great katana in the game. It features a secret stat called hyper armor, which grants a window where your attacks cannot be interrupted. Its unique Ash of War, "Weed Cutter," allows for continuous spamming of attacks without needing to reset, consuming minimal stamina and FP. The only drawback is that you take slightly more damage while attacking with Weed Cutter, but reallocating points to increase your health can mitigate this issue. With its hyper armor, low FP consumption, and significant bleed damage, Rakshasa's Great Katana stands out as the most powerful and versatile katana in the game.
OP Build Setup
How to Obtain
Head to the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum and defeat Rakshasa. The closest Site of Grace is the Recluses River Downstream. Follow the path, navigating through hidden walls and parkouring down cliffs, to reach the mausoleum and face Rakshasa.
2. Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana
The Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana is one of the most fun and powerful weapons in Elden Ring, featuring the "Dragon Wound Slash" Ash of War. This skill allows for a charged attack that imbues the katana with red dragon energy, shooting out a projectile with great range. It's particularly effective at the start of boss fights and against hard open-world enemies. The jump attack increases the likelihood of hitting enemies in the head, dealing even more damage. Although maintaining distance from bosses can be challenging, this katana excels at range and provides significant bleed damage. Its versatility and power make it one of the top choices in the game.
OP Build Setup
How to Obtain
Navigate to the Dragon Pit Dungeon located south of the Castle Front Grace Point in the Gravite Plains area. Descend to the bottom of the dungeon, hugging the left wall until you reach a large staircase. The boss room at the bottom contains the ancient dragon man who drops this katana.
3. Sword of Night
The Sword of Night Shadow Katana is a fan favorite due to its cool aesthetic and the epic quest required to obtain it. Its unique Ash of War, "Witching Hour Slash," mitigates its short-range attacks by providing a powerful, long-range triple shadow attack when fully charged. This katana shines against groups of enemies and bosses, but its high FP consumption can be a significant drawback. Additionally, its short-range normal attacks make it less versatile in some situations. Despite these weaknesses, its unique ability to bypass enemy guards makes it a valuable weapon in both PvP and PvE.
OP Build Setup
How to Obtain
Complete Em's questline, which involves ringing two bells and defeating a series of enemies. The quest starts at the Cathedral, accessed via a route through Bonnie Village.
4. Star-Lined Sword
The Star-Lined Sword is an excellent choice for magic users, scaling with dexterity and intelligence. It's a great complement to any sorcery build, dealing high single-target damage and having a unique Ash of War called "On's Line of Stars." This skill allows for a special triple combo attack, making it fun to use against packs of enemies. While the triple combo can deal massive damage, it's challenging to pull off consistently against bosses due to their frequent attacks. Despite its strengths, the Star-Lined Sword is outclassed by some other katanas in this list due to its situational effectiveness.
OP Build Setup
How to Obtain
From the Cerulean Coast Site of Grace, head west and navigate through a series of turns and a cave to reach the boss that drops this katana.
5. Great Katana
The Great Katana is the only katana on this list that doesn't have a unique Ash of War weapon skill. However, it's special in its own way because you can get this powerful weapon within the first two minutes of the DLC. Despite lacking a unique Ash of War, it stands out for its versatility. You can apply any Ash of War to it, making it customizable to fit your play style. By default, it comes with the "Overhead Stance" skill, which raises the katana in the air, allowing for either a single light attack or a three-hit heavy attack. While the range of this skill is decent, it doesn't always justify its use, especially against fast-moving enemies. The Great Katana scales with both dexterity and strength and features bleed buildup, making it a strong option early in the DLC. However, it ranks at the bottom of this list due to its less impressive Ash of War compared to the other katanas.
OP Build Setup
How to Obtain
Found in the starting area of the DLC. Head north from the first Site of Grace, follow the route to a body of water, and pick it up near a dragon.
This guide should help you navigate the new katanas in the "Shadow of the Erdtree" DLC and build powerful setups to dominate your enemies.
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