Elden Ring Best Greatsword (With Stats & Locations)

This post was last updated on September 1, 2023

Colossal weapons are a lot of fun to swing about in Elden Ring. Greatswords, a carryover from Dark Souls, are a fan favorite weapon type to use while playing Elden Ring. But in a game with twenty-two greatswords to choose from, it can be hard to figure out which one is the best.

It all depends on the type of build you are using, as there is no greatsword class. If you want to have a faith build then the Blasphemous Blade is the best greatsword. Whereas the Dark Moon greatsword is the best greatsword for an intelligence build.

Continue reading to learn about the best Elden Ring greatswords, their stats, weapon skills, and where you can find them to help you choose the best colossal swords for you.

Elden Ring Best Greatsword, Rankings

1. Iron Greatsword – Best Early Game Greatsword

If you are looking for a colossal sword with no frills, the Iron Greatsword is the one to choose. It’s a versatile weapon that you can infuse with any suitable ash of war and scale with strength if you want to smash your way to victory. It can also be upgraded with any of the great sword compatible ash of war weapon skills

The Iron Greatsword also only needs standard smithing stones to upgrade, making it easy to level up, and as a farmable weapon, it can be a great choice for dual wielding.

Note: The Banished Knight’s Greatsword can be considered an upgrade to this, but due to its difficulty to get, it is left off the list as it is farmed from banished knight enemies.

Iron Greatsword Location:

The Iron Greatsword is a farmable item in Elden Ring. It is dropped by Misbegotten enemies. There are two locations where you can farm them. The first is in Leyndell, Royal Capital, on the pathway toward the Forbidden Lands.

The second place to find them is in Miquella’s Haligtree, near the Haligtree Town Plaza Site of Grace (note: this is an endgame location, so if you want it early, the Capital is the best place).

Iron Greatsword Requirements:

• Strength 18
• Dexterity 10

Iron Greatsword Weapon art and status effect:

• Stamp (Upward Cut) – A basic upward slash dealing extra poise damage
• Physical damage 149

2. Gargoyle’s Blackblade – Best Strength/Faith

The Gargoyle’s Blackblade is a great weapon. It has D scaling in strength making it great for strength builds as well as D faith and E dexterity scaling allowing for a more versatile leveling. It’s weapon art Corpse wax cutter also is great for faith users as its damage scales on the stat.

Somber smithing stones are used to upgrade this weapon.

Gargoyle’s Blackblade Location:

The boss you need to kill to get the Gargoyle’s Blackblade can be found relatively early, as it is the Black Blade Kindred outside the Bestial Sanctum, which can be easily accessed from Limgrave via the portal behind the Third Church of Marika.

However, it is a tough boss to kill due to its mix of ranged and melee attacks. The best way to kill it early in the game would be to attack it at range from inside the Bestial Sanctum. For magic users, the best spell to use is Night Maiden’s Mist (bought from Gowry). For melee users, making use of spirit summons is recommended.

Gargoyle’s Blackblade Requirements:

• Strength 18
• Dexterity 10
• Faith 22

Gargoyle’s Blackblade Weapon art and status effect:

• Corpse Wax Cutter – a ranged attack dealing holy damage.
• Physical damage 102
• Holy 122

3. Blasphemous Blade – Best Pure Faith Greatsword

The Blasphemous Blade is one of the most popular weapons to be used in faith builds for Elden Ring. The Blasphemous Blade is an awesome weapon that will restore 4% of max HP + 40 HP at every enemy death while wielded, and that is before the health boost that you get from its weapon skill, Taker’s Flames. Its basic attacks also have the added bonus of dealing fire damage.

The Blasphemous Blade uses somber smithing stones to upgrade.

Blasphemous Blade Location:

You unlock the Blasphemous Blade by first defeating Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, in Mt. Gelmir and then using his Remembrance to buy it from Enia in the Roundtable hold. The easiest way to get to Rykard is to follow the Volcano Manor assassination questline, as you will get teleported into his boss room at the end of it.

To start the quest, help Rya retrieve a necklace from someone who stole it (Blackguard Big Boggart).

Blasphemous Blade Requirements:

• Strength 22
• Dexterity 15
• Faith 21

Blasphemous Blade Weapon art and status effect:

• Taker’s Flame – A fire damage attack which also Heals 10% of max HP + 150 HP on hit (unreplaceable)
• Physical damage 121
• Fire damage 78

4. Dark Moon Greatsword – Best Magic Greatsword

If you are using an intelligence-based build, then the DarkMoon Greatsword is the sword for you. Unlike other greatswords in Elden Ring, the DarkMoon greatsword scales with intelligence and requires a relatively small amount of strength to wield. Also, its weapon art, Moonlight Greatsword, is great at staggering enemies while also getting buffs from magic-based spells and talismans such as Terra Magica.

Somber smithing stones are used to upgrade this weapon.

Dark Moon Greatsword Location:

As one of the nine legendary armaments in the Elden Ring, getting it is not a simple process. To find the Dark Moon Greatsword, you need to follow Ranni’s quest line until the end. Her quest is one of the longest NPC questlines in Elden Ring, but in summary, you need to:

1. Meet with Ranni in Ranni’s Rise in Liurnia, the Three Sisters, and have spoken to all her cohorts.
2. Go to Sofra River to meet Blaidd, and get guided to Preceptor Seluvis.
3. Follow Seluvis’ advice and track down Sorceress Sellen, who will then tell you to kill Starscourge Rahdan.
4. Kill Rahdan.
5. Travel to Nokron and find the Fingerslaying Blade.
6. Give the Blade to Ranni and travel to the top of the Divine Tower of Liurnia.
7. Return to the Three Sisters and travel to the top of Renna’s Rise and use the waygate.
8. Pick up the Miniature Ranni doll and speak to it at the site of grace, Ainsel River Main.
9. Defeat the Baleful Shadow, and get rewarded the Discarded Palace Key.
10. Use the Key to open the chest in Rennala’s boss room (you need to defeat her first) and pick up the Dark Moon ring.
11. Return to the Ainsel River and make you way through the area to the Astel, Naturalborn of the Void fight.
12. Take the Elevator up to the Moonlight Altar and head to the Cathedral of Manus Celes.
13. Drop into the hole in the cathedral and follow the path until you find Ranni’s doll body.
14. Interact with eh body and place the Dark Moon ring on her finger.
15. Wait for the scene to be over and for the body to disappear and then loot the DarkMoon Greatsword from the spot she used to sit.

Dark Moon Greatsword Requirements:

• Strength 16
• Dexterity 11
• Intelligence 38

Dark Moon Greatsword Weapon art and status effect:

• Moonlight Greatsword – A buff temporarily increases magic attack power and imbues blade with frost. It also can be charged for a magic damage attack.
• Frost buildup (55)
• Physical damage 82
• Magic damage 98

5. Death’s Poker – Best Dexterity/ Magic Greatsword

If you are trying a strength intelligence build Death’s Poker is a solid greatsword to use. It scales in D strength, D dexterity, and E intelligence, so if you want to try a playstyle that uses the occasional spell while focusing on strength it’s a nice weapon.

This weapon uses somber smithing stones to upgrade.

Death’s Poker Location:

Death’s Poker is dropped by the death rite bird boss in the Southern Aeonia Swamp, Caelid. The boss will only appear at night and can be tricky, like most of the flying bosses in the game. It is weak to holy damage like other undead enemies, so even basic holy damage items and spells will do a lot of damage.

Death’s Poker Requirements:

• Strength 15
• Dexterity 17
• Intelligence 11

Death’s Poker weapon art and status effect:

• Ghostflame Ignition – a fiery attack which can be charged to unleash an explosion, dealing magic damage.
• Frost buildup (65)
• Physical damage 123
• Magic damage 36
• Pierce damage

6. Ordovis’s Greatsword – Best Strength Greatsword

Ordovis’ Greatsword is an excellent choice for strength builds. At its base level, it has a fairly respectable C scaling in strength, but when it is upgraded to level 10, it has an amazing A scaling in strength. This makes it a great greatsword to last you for a long time in Elden Ring, especially when added to the fact that you can get it before entering the capital.

Its unique skill is also not to be sniffed at, as it deals a respectable amount of holy damage considering the faith requirement is only 15.

Somber smithing stones are used to upgrade this weapon.

Ordovis’s Greatsword Location:

Crucible Knight Ordovis drops Ordovis’ Greatsword at Auriza Hero’s Grave, Capital Outskirts. Ordovis is at the bottom of the Hero’s Grave, so you’ll need to navigate the chariots to get there. Fortunately, compared to other Hero’s graves, it is significantly easier to time it.

The boss fight is not very simple, though, as you will need to kill two Crucible Knights, each with a different skill set.

Ordovis’s Greatsword Requirements:

• Strength 25
• Dexterity 13
• Faith 15

Ordovis’s Greatsword weapon art and status effect:

• Ordovis’s Vortex – The sword is slammed into the ground unleashing physical and holy damage
• Physical damage 107
• Holy 69

7. Sacred Relic Sword – Best End Game Greatsword

The Sacred Relic Sword is very much a late-game weapon (it’s the end-boss reward weapon). But it’s not useless, as it is amazing at farming Albinaurics in the Mohgwyn Palace, and you are able to carry it over to New Game Plus.

Its unique skill, Wave of Gold, which launches waves of holy damage for a significant distance, can one-shot weaker enemy types, and the skill scales entirely off faith, making it perfect for faith builds.

Somber smithing stones are used to upgrade this weapon.

Sacred Relic Sword Location:

You can get it from Enia after defeating the Elden Beast and becoming the Elden Lord, thus completing Elden Ring.

Sacred Relic Sword Requirements:

• Strength 14
• Dexterity 24
• Faith 22

Sacred Relic Sword weapon art and status effect:

• Wave of Gold – Unleashes waves of gold light that deal holy damage and multiple hits (unreplaceable)
• Physical damage 118
• Holy 76

8. Marais Executioner’s Sword – Best Arcane/ Strength Greatsword

With decent scaling in strength, the Marais executioner’s sword is a very solid damage dealer. It scales on strength, so it is great for dealing damage even at low levels. Its unique skill is also brilliant, as it allows you to fling the weapon forward to help deal with ranged foes.

Somber smithing stones are used to upgrade this weapon.

Marais Executioner’s Sword Location:

To get the sword, you need to first defeat Elemer of the Briar in the Shaded Castle in the Altus Plateau (the Shaded Castle is the area of the map surrounded by green poison fields). After he is dead, the sword will be available for purchase from Enia at the Roundtable Hold.

To get to Elmer, you simply need to make your way through the Shaded Castle and up the floors past several rotten strays, putrid corpses, Pages, and Cleanrot knights.

Marais Executioner’s Sword Requirements:

• Strength 24
• Dexterity 14
• Arcane 23

Marais Executioner’s Sword weapon art and status effect:

• Eochaid’s Dancing Blade – flings the sword forward in a corkscrew attack. Charge increases the reach and duration of the spin, dealing magic damage and physical damage.
• Physical damage 94
• Magic damage 61

9. Golden Order Greatsword – Best Mid/Late Game Greatsword

This greatsword deals considerable holy damage in addition to high physical base damage. It also starts with C scaling for faith, which is better than most on this list. The weapon skill, Establish order, deals a significant amount of holy damage to all adjacent opponents.

Golden Order Greatsword Location:

It is dropped by the Misbegotten Crusader at the end of the Cave of the Forlorn in the Consecrated Snowfield. To obtain it you need to have collected both halves of the Roid secret medallion to get access to the Consecrated Snowfield area.

Golden Order Greatsword Requirements:

• Strength 16
• Dexterity 21
• Faith 28

Golden Order Greatsword weapon art and status effect:

• Establish Order – releases a golden explosion and repeated use sends out waves.
• Physical damage 101
• Magic 101

Final Thoughts

Using a huge sword in Elden Ring is great fun, and it is always satisfying to see big chunks of health disappear from an enemy’s health bar after a successful heavy attack. If you’re unsure which build you want going into Elden Ring, just know that you will always be safe with a few levels in strength. Whether it is the Blasphemous Blade or Dark Moon greatsword, you’ll be swinging around a colossal weapon in no time.