Elden Ring Best Dexterity Weapons, Ranked

Elden Ring offers players plenty of avenues for building characters. There is no shortage of massive hammers, devastating axes, or flashy spells to choose from in the game. For players looking for a faster-paced, high-damage, or critical-focused build, however, dexterity weapons are definitely the way to go in FromSoftware's latest title.

There are countless dexterity-based weapons to choose from in Elden Ring. Katanas, daggers, claws, and curved greatswords are just a few of the options open to players. Dex builds are great with shields, without shields, dual wielding, or even with magic. They're flexible, fast, and deal tons of damage. While every weapon can be great in its own right, there are a few dex weapons that stand above the rest as some of the very best in the game.

Updated January 3, 2025 by Erik Petrovich: There are a lot of Dexterity weapons Elden Ring players can collect and effectively use in Dex builds. As one of two primary melee stats (the other being Strength), Dexterity weapons in Elden Ring are numerous, but thanks to the avalanche of weapons available throughout the game you may not take the time to read about the backstory of every new armament. This guide to the best Dex weapons Elden Ring players can get has been updated to provide slightly abridged versions of every Dex weapons' item description. These item descriptions shed light on the history of a weapon, reveal special features, and give players an understanding of why each armament is important and relevant in the lore of Elden Ring.

16 The Scythe

A Stylish Fromsoft Classic

Large scythe featuring a long, slender blade.

Designed to reap, this weapon is capable of rapidly inflicting blood loss while also slipping through an enemy's guard.

In the hands of a highly dexterous wielder it is capable of striking fear into the heart of any foe.

The Scythe has been a recurring weapon in Souls games for a while. In the original Dark Souls, the Scythe was one of the best dex weapons available. In Elden Ring, the Scythe offers great physical damage and scales very well with the player's dex. The weapon builds up blood loss quickly and can be imbued with other damage types, too. It hits like a boss weapon but only requires normal smithing stones to upgrade.

The Scythe might have a plain name and unremarkable appearance, but it proves that sometimes the simplest weapons are still the best. Plus, it can be obtained very early by players willing to brave the skeleton-filled catacombs.

Scythe Ash of War: Spinning Slash Skill

Spinning Slash is the default weapon skill for the Scythe, and can be altered. This skill costs 6 FP to cast, and 12 FP to follow up.

A favorite skill of dexterous warriors.

Slash foes as your body spins.

This momentum can connect into a final heavy attack.

How To Get The Scythe

Elden Ring's Scythe can be found on the north side of Stormveil Castle in Liurnia of the Lakes inside the Cliffbottom Catacombs dungeon. Head to Liurnia, then go to the eastern side of the Lake and head south. The Cave should be below the main road leading to Stormveil – on the map, it's about parallel with the Moonlight Altar.

15 Dragon King's Cragblade

A Heavy Weapon With Good Dex Scaling

Piercing Gravel Stone sword containing primeval lightning.

A portion of the Dragonlord's power, gained from a remembrance.

This weapon commands great power over the paltry, mortal dragons of today.

The Dragon King's Cragblade is one of the best Dexterity weapons in Elden Ring because it's one of the few Heavy options that still has good scaling without any other modifications. At +10, the Dragon King's Cragblade has a Dexterity scaling rank of B, higher than most items of its heft.What makes this a weapon worth trying out is its Ash of War. The Thundercloud Form skill turns players into a red lighting cloud to jump a long distance towards their target. In PvE, this is little more than a cool-looking effect, but it takes players unawares in PvE thanks to just how far you can travel while holding down the input.

Dragon King's Cragblade Ash of War: Thundercloud Form Skill

Thundercloud Form is the default weapon skill for the Dragon King's Cragblade, and cannot be altered. This skill costs 28 FP to cast.

Temporarily transform into a red thundercloud and fly through the air, then plunge down with a lightning-infused blade.

Hold to increase the reach of the thundercloud form.

How To Get Dragon King Cragblade

The Dragon King Cragblade can only be acquired by trading in the Remembrance of the Dragonlord with Enia at Roundtable Hold for it, after defeating Dragonlord Placidusax in Crumbling Farum Azula.

14 Black Knife

Great Against High-HP Enemies

Dagger once belonging to one of the assassins who murdered Godwyn the Golden on the Night of the Black Knives.

A ritual performed on the oddly misshapen blade imbued it with the power of the stolen Rune of Death

It may not have the best Dexterity scaling to it, but the Black Knife does hold its own in Elden Ring as a net positive Dex-adjacent weapon. Blade of Death is its imbued weapon skill, and when landed results in the target having their max health reduced for a moment and also inflicting damage.

This makes it a bit easier for players to defeat tougher enemies without having to be involved in constant engagement. On top of that, the Black Knife also has a double slash move that's unique to both it and the Blade of Calling.

Black Knife Ash of War: Blade of Death Skill

Blade of Death is the default weapon skill for the Black Knife, and cannot be altered. This skill costs 25 FP to cast.

Unleash the power of the Rune of Death to fire off a blade-like projectile.

In addition to dealing immediate damage, the blade reduces the enemy's maximum HP and continues to wear down HP for a while

How To Get The Black Knife

Head to the Sainted Hero's Grave in the center of the Altus Plateau, west from the Rampart Side Path Site of Lost Grace near the walls of the capital. Outside, there is a Black Knife Assasin, which will start to attack the player if they get within sight. Defeat this Black Knife Assassin to get the Black Knife before even setting foot in the Hero's Grave.

13 Rivers Of Blood

Arguably The Best Bleed Weapon In Elden Ring

Weapon of Okina, swordsman from the Land of Reeds.

A cursed weapon that has felled countless men.

When Mohg, the Lord of Blood, first felt Okina's sword, and madness,

upon his flesh, he had a proposal, to offer Okina the life of a demon, whose thirst would never go unsated.

Anyone who has played a FromSoftware Soulslike title likely knows that katanas tend to be great for Dexterity-focused builds, and Elden Ring continues in that very tradition. Rivers of Blood, outside of an incredibly brutal name, is a blade that scales with Dex, Strength, and Arcane.

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Players who prefer a mid-ranged approach to combat with strong piercing and slashing attack animations will likely find Rivers Of Blood quite useful. Its attached skill is called Corpse Piler and is a slashing attack that deals normal damage in addition to both fire damage and blood buildup each time it lands.

Rivers Of Blood Ash of War: Corpse Piler Skill

Corpse Piler is the default weapon skill for the Rivers Of Blood, and cannot be altered. This skill costs 17 FP to cast and 9 FP to follow up.

Forms a blade of cursed blood for repeated, interweaving successive attacks.

Follow up with an additional input for further successive attacks.

How To Get Rivers of Blood

Rivers of Blood is dropped by Bloody Finger Okina, an invader who appears right outside of the Church of Repose. The Church of Repose is found near the end of the Mountaintops of Giants, just a stone's throw away from the Fire Giant's boss area, which means it's hard to get this early in the game without trading. The church looks over the rest of the Mountaintops and should be pretty obvious once you are close.

12 Wing Of Astel

Good Scaling & Style Points

Sword fashioned from a delicate wing, suffused with the magic of the stars.

Strong attack unleashes a wave of enchanted light.

Crafted from a relic of the Naturalborn of the Void who is said to have assailed the Eternal City.

Dexterity is a trait that's most often associated with rogues, assassins, or other professions where stealth and/or precision striking is of the utmost importance. Being able to move and react without feeling stuck in one spot is ideal for players who prefer a Dexterity-focused build. Wing of Astel manages to deliver on that front while also providing a source of magical damage for players who love the mix of ranged and melee combat.

The positive spin is by that time their build will have tons of Dex, Strength, and Intelligence which means they can use their bounty of Somber Smithing Stones to upgrade it a ton and get the most of out the magically special weapon from all-around great Scaling.

Wing Of Astel Ash of War: Nebula Skill

Nebula is the default weapon skill for the Wing Of Astel, and cannot be altered. This skill costs 20 FP to cast.

Imbue the Naturalborn's stars with magic to send forth a dark cloud of stars that lingers briefly before exploding.

How To Get The Wing of Astel

For all its upsides, there is one downside: players can't get their hands on it until they get to Nokstella, Eternal City. Though the chest containing this weapon can be seen early in the game behind a Malformed Star in the Ainsel River, it can't be accessed until the upper portion of Nokstella is available. Follow a secret path reaching east from the Nokstella Eternal City Site of Lost Grace behind a waterfall to find your way to the chest.

11 Eleonora's Poleblade

Fast Attacks & Blood Loss

Twinned naginata forged in the Land of Reeds.

Chosen weapon of Eleonora, Violet Bloody Finger.

Her mastery of the sword was such that her onslaught was likened to a whirlwind, but now her legacy is stained by accursed blood.

Here's the thing, even if Eleonora's Poleblade was ineffective and bottom of the barrel it'd still be worth acquiring. Very rarely do games have a weapon that's strikingly similar in appearance to Darth Maul's dual-sided lightsaber from the Star Wars series, but Elden Ring manages to be one of the few.

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Thankfully it happens to also be super powerful in the hands of Dexterity/Arcane builds because of its fast attack speed and blood loss buildup. With two of these, it's almost possible to proc Blood Loss with a single jumping dual-wield attack.

Eleonora's Poleblade Ash of War: Bloodblade Dance Skill

Bloodblade Dance is the default weapon skill for Eleonora's Poleblade, and cannot be altered. This skill costs 11 FP to cast.

Leap at foe to perform a flurry of tornado-like attacks.

Follow up with an additional input to perform an attack that ends in an evasive maneuver.

How To Get Eleonora's Poleblade

At the Second Church of Marika players will be invaded by Bloody Finger Eleonora. The Second Church of Marika is in the Altus Plateau, a short ride north on the forked road leading from Liurnia of the Lakes.

10 The Hookclaws

Surprisingly Great For Early Game Dex Builds

Weapon worn on the fist comprised of sharp parallel blades favored by those who lurk in the dark.

Lacerations cause blood loss with great effect.

Claw weapons come in pairs, and two-handing this weapon will equip it to both hands.

This versatility and accessibility make them one of the best early-game dex weapons for players looking to dual-wield and rely on dodging. The Hookclaws also build blood loss on enemies with consecutive blows. While they don't bleed as fast as the Uchigatana, the blood loss can still come in clutch when combined with the claws' fast attack rate and high DPS.

Though it come swith the relatively decent Quickstep Ash of War, and bad scaling, the Hookclaws can be upgraded with regular smithing stones and imbued with different damage types later on.

Hookclaws Ash of War: Quickstep Skill

Quickstep is the default weapon skill for the Hookclaws, and can be altered. This skill costs 3 FP to cast.

Skill prized by the crafty and fleet of foot.

Perform a quickstep maneuver that allows for circling around lock-on targets.

How To Get The Hookclaws

For dex players mainlining the story, the Hookclaws can be found pretty early on in Stormveil Castle. Players should take the secret side entrance by Gostoc to reach a Wine Cellar, which contains the Hookclaws on the floor in a corner near a patroling Exile Soldier.

9 Bloodhound's Fang

Great Early Game, Great Late Game

Curved greatsword with a gently undulating blade wielded by Bloodhound Knights.

A fearsome blade capable of brutal airborne attacks.

As it is a greatsword, Bloodhound's Fang will reach its true potential via two-handing. This means that players looking for the most out of the strength and dexterity scaling weapon will have to forgo a shield for maximum damage. Luckily, Bloodhound's Fang offers a move set that allows players to get close and deal damage before retreating quickly, making it one of the most versatile melee weapons in the game.

Bloodhound's Fang isn't an easy greatsword to obtain, but it is certainly worth it for players looking for a great high-damage weapon early on.

Bloodhound's Fang Ash of War: Bloodhound's Finesse Skill

Bloodhound's Finesse is the default weapon skill for the Bloodhound's Fang, and cannot be altered. This skill costs 8 FP to cast, and 12 FP to follow up.

Slash upwards with the Bloodhound's Fang, using the momentum of the strike to perform a backwards somersault and gain some distance from foes.

Follow up with a strong attack to perform the Bloodhound's Step attack.

How To Get The Bloodhound's Fang

This curved greatsword is dropped by Bloodhound Knight Darriwil after being defeated in the Forlorn Hound Evergaol. This Evergaol overlooks the Bridge of Sacrifices that leads to Castle Morne and the Weeping Peninsula in Limgrave - it's conveniently right next to a Spiritspring, too.

8 The Parrying Dagger

Parry Without A Shield

A knife with curved handguards. Designed to parry, turning foes' attacks against them.

For master of combat who anticipate every enemy strike and counter accordingly, this weapon is all they need.

The Parrying Dagger isn't the best dagger in the game when it comes to DPS, and it certainly isn't the flashiest with its design. Yet, this dagger can heighten a dex player's dual-wielding kit with its simple special move: the parry. It's easy to make mistakes when parrying, but this dagger makes it just a little easier. Normally, shields are the primary source of parries in Souls games, but the Parrying Dagger offers an extra bit of DPS with a faster parry animation.

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It can be upgraded with regular smithing stones and imbued with alternate damage types. This dagger might not offer the best DPS, but it is a huge plus for players that love to parry and don't mind having to rely solely on dodging to avoid damage.

Parrying Dagger Ash of War: Parry Skill

As one might have guessed, Parry is the default weapon skill for the Parrying Dagger, and can be altered. This skill is free to cast.

Use this Skill in time with a foe's melee attack to deflect it and break that foe's stance.

This gives you a chance for a critical hit.

How To Get The Parrying Dagger

The Parrying Dagger can be purchased from Patches for 1600 Runes early in the game after his encounter inside the Murkwater Cave, north up the chasm a short ways from Lake Agheel in Limgrave - just be sure not to kill Patches when he surrenders.

7 Backhand Blade

Fast Attacks, Great Weapon Skill, & Infusable

Curved blade wielded with a backhand grip.

A type of weapon wielded by hornsent for generations.

The style of combat associated with this weapon is marked by spinning slashes and gouging thrust attacks.

The Backhand Blade is among the best Elden Ring DLC Dexterity weapons because of its extremely fast attack pattern and its powerful Ash of War. The Backhand Blade can be two-handed to equip a second Blade in your off-hand, enabling Dual Wield attacks for more hits per second. And because it can be Infused, it's one of the best weapons for the Bleed and Frostbite affinities thanks to this fast attack speed.

Its Ash of War lets the Tarnished dash to the side and then immediately lunge into their target from the side, often faster than they can block the surprise attack. This ability is amazing in PvP, but because its fast and moves your character model to the side, it serves as a great way to dodge attacks while wasting no time getting your own in. Plus, the lunge deals more damage than normal attack.

This becomes one of the best Dexterity weapons Elden Ring players can get when given either the Blood infusion, for the reasons listed above, or the Keen infusion. With a Keen Backhand Blade, the weapon will gain S Dexterity scaling, making it one of the best Dexterity scaling weapons in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

Backhand Blade Ash of War: Ash of War: Blind Spot

Ash of War: Blind Spot is the default weapon skill for the Backhand Blade, and can be altered. This skill costs 9 FP to cast.

Leap into close quarters to take advantage of the enemy's blind spot and gore them from the side.

Input determines which side you strike from.

This attack slips below the opponent's guard.

How To Get The Backhand Blade

The Backhand Blade location can only be found in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. To get to the Realm of Shadow, defeat Starscourge Radahn in Caelid and Mohg, Lord of Blood in Mohgwyn Palace, then touch Miquella's arm to be transported to the Gravesite Plain, the first area of the DLC.

Head to the Scorched Ruins in the center of the Gravesite Plain, then travel northeast until you see a group of Hornsent Inquisitors pacing around a mausoleum. You can also head almost directly east from the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace to reach this location. The Backhand Blade location is on the ground next to a coffin, but be careful not to attract the attention of the Inquisitors or the Furnace Golem nearby.