Elden Ring DLC Best Weapon & Build Tier List (1.13 Patch)

With patch 1.13 releasing, there's been a shift in which weapons are considered good, great, and the very best. While there is a ton of information to sift through, sometimes you just want the simple truths. After the 1.13 post patch has taken effect, what are the best weapons available in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC now? With this Elden Ring 1.13 Tier List, we'll rank these weapons alongside builds plainly and clearly.

Elden Ring DLC 1.13 Tier List - Top 20+ Best Weapons & Builds After 1.13 Patch

The 1.13 post-patch update for Elden Ring introduced significant balance changes, bug fixes, and gameplay improvements that have impacted weapon viability and build effectiveness. Notably, the patch adjusted damage scaling for various weapon types, refined the performance of specific Ashes of War, and optimized the behavior of certain spells and incantations. These changes have shifted the meta, prompting a reevaluation of the best weapons and builds. In light of the 1.13 patch, our updated Elden Ring DLC Best Weapon & Build Tier List now highlights the top-tier choices for optimal performance.

1. Euporia

Euporia has always been unique and special conceptually, but it truly shines after the 1.13 patch. This weapon builds up a holy aura with two stages as you hit enemies, adding holy damage and increasing the effect of its weapon skill, which fires a powerful holy laser beam. Previously, it took too many hits to build up the holy aura, but the patch essentially cut this time in half. One solid combo gets you to the first stage, and a second combo takes you to the second stage. The increase in holy damage is substantial, nearly doubling the previous bonuses, and it has significantly improved the weapon skill's scaling. Although it requires some skill and understanding to use effectively, the rewards are massive, making it a top-tier choice.

2. Red Bear’s Claw

Red Bear’s Claw received significant buffs in the 1.13 patch, including increased skill damage and a poise bonus. This weapon, one of the only two beast claw weapons in the game, features a fast, aggressive claw playstyle with natural bleed buildup. The unique skill, Redbear Hunt, is a three-hit combo with mauling slashes, each followed by phantom strikes that apply multi-hit bonuses and bleed buildup. The patch's changes have made the skill more powerful and reliable.

3. Blood Fiend’s Arm

The most powerful weapon without much doubt, Blood Fiend’s Arm is an extremely high AR scaling colossal weapon that hits ridiculous amounts of bleed scaling. On top of that, it has a unique heavy attack combo that not only is faster than normal heavies but also applies bonus bleed buildup. This weapon is the carry stick of the expansion; if you are struggling, pick up this weapon. Whether you want to make any melee build work around a colossal weapon, this weapon will be unbelievably strong. Roll attack, sprint attack, jump attack, charged heavy—whatever you want, just hit the enemy with this thing and they will die. Even after being nerfed in the patch before this one, it remained the strongest weapon and continues to dominate as it wasn't touched in the latest patch.

4. Falx

Falx, a paired curved sword with natural bleed, has seen marked improvement in the 1.13 patch. The weapon's unique skill allows for a gap-closing dash followed by a flurry of blows, and now you can adjust the direction horizontally during the skill, making it much more reliable and versatile. The final hit of the skill does substantial damage and guarantees bleed if all hits connect, activating multi-hit bonuses before the final large damage pop. This weapon was already one of the best in the DLC, and the patch has only solidified its position.

6. Backhand Blades

Backhand Blades are notable for their Ash of War, Blind Spot, which provides massive invulnerability frames followed by a strong pierce damage attack. With incredibly high dexterity scaling, low weight, and a fast moveset, they are versatile and effective. The skill's invulnerability allows you to avoid damage and counter with a powerful attack that benefits from the game's counterattack mechanic, increasing pierce damage against enemies in mid-attack animation. This mix of high dexterity scaling, status effects, and multi-hit bonuses makes Backhand Blades a formidable choice.

7. Rakshasa's Great Katana

The Rakshasa's Great Katana received a speed increase to its weapon skill hits, which, although it seemed minor at first, has significantly boosted its effectiveness. The weapon has high base damage, good scaling, and B-grade bleed buildup. The speed increase has made it fast enough to tip it into the top tier of powerful weapons, especially with its high base damage and the ability to apply bleed quickly.

8. Rain of Fire

Rain of Fire has been dramatically improved in patch 1.13, transforming it from one of the worst spells in the game to one of the most powerful against large enemies. The spell's attack power has been significantly boosted, and the interval between each hit from the fire reap has been reduced. These changes allow Rain of Fire to deliver massive damage over a shorter period, making it particularly effective against enemies with large hitboxes. It is now possible to inflict 10-15K damage in a single cast on larger foes like the golden hippo, though its effectiveness against smaller targets remains limited due to the likelihood of missing hits.

9. Poleblade of the Bud

Romina’s Poleblade has seen substantial improvements following the 1.13 patch, particularly with its Romina’s Purification ability. This skill now has a significantly higher poise value, making it much harder for enemies to interrupt the user mid-animation. This enhancement ensures that the full effect of the ability, which includes causing Scarlet rot buildup, can be unleashed more reliably. The interval between damage ticks has been reduced, and the attack range has been increased, making it more effective in both PvE and PvP. This weapon excels at staggering enemies and dealing consistent damage, with its buffs making it a top choice for those looking to inflict status effects and maintain pressure on their opponents.

10. Claws of Night

Claws of Night, once a top-three weapon, saw a slight nerf in the 1.13 patch. The bug fix changed the way physical attack scales with the unique skill, reducing damage at longer ranges. However, the weapon still performs exceptionally well at close range and can poke from a distance to maintain multi-hit buffs. Despite the nerf, the Claws of Night remain a strong choice for dexterity builds, with fast attack speed and solid damage output.

11. Savage Lion's Claw

The Savage Lion Claw has been buffed in patch 1.13, particularly in its PvE performance. The attack power and poise damage of the first attack have been increased, making it more effective at staggering enemies. Additionally, the follow-up second hit has been made easier to land. While the damage animation of the first attack against other players has been slightly nerfed, the overall effectiveness in PvE has been significantly enhanced. This ability allows for powerful, consecutive strikes that can quickly overwhelm enemies, making it a valuable addition to any build focused on aggressive, close-range combat.

12. Ash of War: Aspects of the Crucible: Wings

Crucible Wings received buffs to attack power, directional control, and poise damage. This Ash of War was already good and now it's even better. I'm using it against Commander Gas, who is weak to Holy damage, making Crucible Wings particularly effective. The increased poise damage allows you to power through enemy attacks, and the improved directional control makes it easier to hit targets. This build leverages the high Faith stat to maximize Holy damage, making it a powerful option for both PvE and PvP.

13. Death Knight’s Long Half Axe

Death Knight’s Long Half Axe is a solid weapon with good scaling and a versatile skill that begins with an invulnerability dash followed by a leaping strong attack with insane hyper armor. This skill allows you to create openings and trade hits effectively, making the weapon adaptable and comfortable to use. The high poise and damage output make these trades worthwhile, securing its place in the meta list.

14. Fire Knight's Greatsword

The Fire Knight's Greatsword is a colossal sword that deals both physical and fire damage. It can be infused with additional weapon buffs, enhancing its already impressive moveset. The weapon boasts the best heavy and light attack movesets for a big sword, making it a solid and versatile choice. Its ability to be customized with ashes of war adds to its flexibility and overall effectiveness.

15. Horned Warrior Greatsword

The Horned Warrior Greatsword received a massive damage buff to its skill in the 1.13 patch. While the weapon was decent before, the patch has made its skill capable of nearly 14,000 damage in one cast. Although it lacks hyper armor, the sheer offensive power and potential damage output of the weapon make it a strong contender, worthy of its place in the top 10.

16. Divine Beast Tornado

The Divine Beast Tornado has been greatly enhanced in patch 1.13, making it a much more versatile and powerful tool in combat. The attack power of the tornado has been increased, and it now has the ability to launch enemies upwards, adding a new layer of crowd control. Additionally, the tornado is less likely to disappear when colliding with terrain, allowing for more reliable use in various environments. This ability can hit enemies twice—once on the initial impact and again before it dissipates—if there are no obstacles in the way. This makes it particularly effective against groups of enemies or larger foes, pulling them in and dealing significant damage.

17. Furious Blade of Ansbach

The Furious Blade of Ansbach was buffed to fix its bleed buildup, now dealing 3,000 damage to most enemies. While it is significantly better than before, it remains somewhat unimpressive due to its bleed buildup being unaffected by incant scaling, even with the Dragon Communion Seal equipped. Despite the improvements, it doesn’t quite reach the higher tiers.

18. Light of Mika

The Light of Mika is a holy incantation that saw a boost in the 1.13 patch, making it now boosted by the Circle of Light Helmet. This fix makes the spell quite potent in a proper build, as it now benefits from a 10% damage increase, enhancing its overall effectiveness in combat scenarios.

19. Roar of Rugalea

Roar of Rugala, a beast claw weapon, received a massive damage boost in the 1.13 patch. This increase has made the weapon much more powerful and a viable option for players looking for a strong melee weapon with beast-like qualities.

20. Revenger's Blade

The Revenger’s Blade saw an improvement in the 1.13 patch, allowing for horizontal adjustments during the strong attack. This change makes the weapon's skill more functional and versatile, enhancing its overall performance in combat.

21. Carian Knight's Shield

The Carian Knight's Shield received a damage increase, making it a genuinely good option for blocking and countering. However, it still does not reach the level of top-tier weapons, keeping it at the bottom place in this list.

22. Divine Beast Tornado

The Divine Beast Tornado received an attack power increase and better consistency in landing hits. However, despite these improvements, the spell remains underwhelming in terms of damage output.

23. Rotten Butterflies

The Rotten Butterflies Incantation now better applies Scarlet Rot with increased incant scaling. While improved, it remains a niche option and doesn’t compete well with higher-tier weapons.

24. Overhead Stance (Great Katana)

Overhead Stance for the Great Katana received a damage boost, making it even more powerful. This Ash of War was already good and now it's even better with the increased damage. When combined with Bloodflame Blade and Keen Affinity, Overhead Stance deals significant damage and builds up bleed quickly. The buff makes it a more reliable and potent option, allowing you to stack damage effectively, especially against large enemies. This build focuses on high dexterity to maximize the potential of the Great Katana.