Elden Ring Best Early Game Weapons

Like many other titles by FromSoftware, Elden Ring can be quite a challenge. Fans of the series will surely remember their first FromSoftware game and how the first boss beat them down to oblivion. There is a learning curve present in these games, and if the Tarnished refuses to learn, then the Tree Sentinel boss will beat the knowledge into them.

Elden Ring does a great job of informing the player when they are not ready to take on certain portions of the game. After getting smacked down by a boss so many times, eventually, the player should seek more upgrades. In these scenarios, players like to do the most plausible thing: bring better weapons. Starting with a weapon that is good, but most importantly, feels right, is key to survival in this expansive and challenging game.

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Updated January 20, 2025, by Vlad Mazanko: New Elden Ring players should know that many excellent weapons can be found within minutes of starting a new game. What's more, they can remain viable throughout the entire journey if properly infused, upgraded, and paired with the right character build. This list of top-tier early-game weapons has been updated to reflect the latest balance changes in both the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Additionally, several previously overlooked yet powerful weapons from Caelid which are surprisingly easy to obtain early on have also been added.

1 Banished Knight's Halberd +8

A Stylish, Long-Reaching Melee Weapon

• Location: A +8 version is dropped by Edgar the Revenger upon his defeat at either Castle Morne or the Revenger's Shack.

The Banished Knight's Halberd can be challenging to obtain early on, but players have the opportunity to acquire an upgraded +8 variant relatively early, ensuring high damage output right from the start with no extra investment. While the base Halberd is farmable from Banished Knight enemies — who can be tough in the early hours — the +8 version, along with the Spinning Strikes Ash of War, is dropped by Edgar the Revenger after his defeat either at Castle Morne (Weeping Peninsula) or the Revenger's Shack (Liurnia of the Lakes).

With its stylish design, decent damage, impressive range, and a menacing thrusting attack, the Banished Knight's Halberd is a strong choice for any melee build that prioritizes staying out of the enemy's reach. Acquiring the +8 variant allows the Tarnished to become nearly unstoppable for a significant portion of the game, dishing out high-damage swings and thrusts. Additionally, its scaling makes it a versatile weapon for both Strength and Dexterity builds.

2 Spear +7

A High-Damage Early-Game Choice

• Location: A +7 version is dropped by Patches in Murkwater Cave if he is killed after pleading for mercy.

The Spear is a powerful weapon with excellent reach, although its playstyle can feel somewhat repetitive due to its reliance on poking attacks. What makes the Spear particularly valuable early in Elden Ring is that players can obtain an upgraded +7 variant in Limgrave. This enhanced version is dropped by Patches when defeated in Murkwater Cave, provided the player chooses to kill him despite his pleas for mercy. With this high-damage melee weapon, Tarnished can easily defeat several early- to mid-game bosses with minimal effort.

The Spear's Impaling Thrust is especially effective against slow, high-HP enemies. However, if players prefer not to kill Patches, a non-upgraded version of the Spear can still be farmed from Exile Soldiers wielding it in Stormveil Castle. Fortunately, there are plenty of these enemies in the legacy dungeon, so obtaining one should be fairly quick.

3 Sword Of St. Trina

An Elegant Sword With Unique Sleep-Building Skill

• Location: Forsaken Ruins in Caelid; needs one Stonesword Key.

The Sword of St. Trina is an excellent choice for magical builds, primarily due to its unique skill, Mists of Slumber. Activating this skill releases a purple mist across a wide frontal area. This inflicts Sleep on enemies, while also imbuing the sword with a special effect for 30 seconds, enhancing its Sleep buildup with each hit. The sword's low stat requirements and an easy process of acquisition make it a fantastic early-game weapon, allowing players to quickly incorporate it into their build and focus on its strengths for at least the first third of the game.

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The Sword of St. Trina is located in the Forsaken Ruins in Caelid, near the Rotview Balcony Site of Grace. Players will need one Stonesword Key to unlock the Imp Seal and access the weapon.

4 Venomous Fang

Probably The Best Poisonous Weapon In The Game

• Location: Abandoned Cave in Caelid, behind a Giant Poison Flower.

Poisonous weapons are relatively rare in Elden Ring, but the Venomous Fang stands out as one of the strongest. These bladed fists deliver a hefty Deadly Poison buildup of 72 by default, and they can be further infused with Poison, enhancing the buildup to 95 — one of the highest in the game. When combined with investments in Arcane, players can significantly boost the Poison effect's potency, allowing for quick and lethal status buildup with rapid strikes.

What makes the Venomous Fang even more appealing is how easy it is to acquire — it simply lies waiting to be claimed in a specific cave in Caelid, requiring minimal combat to obtain. However, there's a catch: the Abandoned Cave, where the weapon is found, is tricky to reach and filled with deadly rot. Players should come prepared with items like Preserving Boluses to counter the rot before venturing inside. While exploring the cave, don't forget to also pick up the Serpent Bow, another powerful weapon with poison synergy.

5 Serpent Bow

Great Early-Game Bow With A Unique Poisonous Effect

• Location: Abandoned Cave in Caelid, by the pool of Scarlet rot.

Another standout among the rare poisonous weapons in Elden Ring is the Serpent Bow, a sleek and effective ranged weapon perfect for poisonous builds, especially when paired with the Venomous Fang. When shooting from this bow, every arrow gains a 15 Poison buildup, making it ideal for slow poisoning from a safe distance. It's best paired with Serpent Arrows or Poisonbone Arrows for faster poison buildup. While its scaling isn't the greatest, the Serpent Bow still stands out as one of the best early-game bows available.

Caelid seems to be home to some of the most potent poison weapons in the game, and the Serpent Bow is no exception. Interestingly, it can be found in the same Abandoned Cave as the Venomous Fang, and obtaining it involves little to no combat. However, players should be cautious of the rot that fills the cave floor, so make sure to come prepared with items like Preserving Boluses.

6 Uchigatana

One Of The Best Starting Weapons With A Sleek Moveset

• Location: Found on a dead body inside the Deathtouched Catacombs, Stormhill, Limgrave.

As the starting weapon for the Samurai class, the Uchigatana is an excellent early-game option and can be easily acquired by other classes. This sharp blade primarily deals piercing and slashing damage, while also causing blood loss — perfect for the early stages of Elden Ring. What's more, its scaling makes it suitable for both Strength and Dexterity builds, ensuring high damage output for either path.

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For players who want to commit to this powerful weapon from the start, choosing the Samurai class is an obvious choice. For other classes, the Uchigatana can be found in the Deathtouched Catacombs in Stormhill, Limgrave. It's located on a dead body hanging over a platform's edge after pulling the lever to unlock a door in one of the dungeon's earlier halls.

7 Meteorite Staff

Essential As A Secondary Weapon For Many Early-Game Builds

• Location: Found on a corpse in the Street of Sages Ruins, Aeonia Swamp, Caelid.

Few weapons are as essential for early- to mid-game as the Meteorite Staff, especially when paired with the Rock Sling spell. Ideal for builds that invest slightly into Intelligence, this staff can replace any other ranged weapon, dealing significant damage and poise damage, making it effective against many bosses. Requiring only 18 Intelligence to use Rock Sling, this spell's damage is boosted by 30% when cast with the Meteorite Staff. Even though it's non-upgradeable, this staff remains viable throughout the game once players master its simple yet deadly combination.

To acquire the Meteorite Staff early, players need to brave the Aeonia Swamp in Caelid. The quickest way is by using the trapped chest in the Dragon-Burnt Ruins, which teleports players to Sellia Crystal Tunnel. After escaping the tunnel, players can find the staff on a corpse hanging from a ledge in a small room filled with poison flowers in the southwestern building of the Street of Sages Ruins. Don't forget to grab the Rock Sling spell from a chest in an underground cellar just north of the ruins to make the most of the staff.

8 Greataxe

One Of The Highest Swing Damage Weapons For Pure Strength Warriors

• Location: Found in a chest inside the moving carriage followed by a caravan of Wandering Nobles in Limgrave.

This brutal, heavy Greataxe is one of the earliest and strongest weapons of its class that Elden Ring players can obtain. It's not only great for the early game, but powerful enough to carry players through the entire journey. The Greataxe's charged attacks deliver devastating knockdown damage, further enhanced by its skill, Barbaric Roar. When activated, Barbaric Roar transforms the Heavy Attack into a three-hit combo with enormous damage potential. In fact, this weapon boasts the highest base attack damage in its class, though it requires a hefty Strength (80) to unleash its full potential.

Fortunately, the Greataxe can be obtained within minutes of reaching Limgrave. It's located inside a chest on a moving carriage pulled by two Trolls, accompanied by a caravan of Wandering Nobles near the Waypoint Ruins. Players need at least 20 Strength to two-hand this weapon effectively, so it's advisable to level up a bit before wielding this formidable axe.

9 Shortbow

A Fast-Firing Bow That Can Be Used While Mounted

• Location: Can be purchased from a merchant near Coastal Cave.

The Shortbow can be used to devastating effect in Elden Ring when used properly, and best of all it can be found (or purchased) very early into the game. This is actually one of the starting weapons for the Bandit class. The Shortbow gives the player exceptional reach and a quick attack speed.

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The Shortbow has several advantages over larger bow types. For starters, the Shortbow can be fired while jumping and then fired again quickly upon landing. The Shortbow can also be used while riding a horse at full gallop. Unless a player is going for a bow build, they shouldn't waste their efforts with any other bow.

10 Nightrider Glaive

Superb Range And Quick Attack Speed Make It Ideal For Horseback Combat

• Location: Dropped by the Night's Cavalry, found patrolling the road between Bellum Church and the East Raya Lucaria Gate (only appears at night).

Halberds are an often overlooked weapon type — which is a shame. These weapons provide superior reach, high damage attacks, and can be swung fairly quickly. Among the best of this weapon type in Elden Ring, and one that can be picked up reasonably early into the game, is the Nightrider Glaive.

A somewhat hidden aspect of this weapon is that it gets a higher damage boost than other halberds when on horseback. Players will want to focus on Strength when using the Nightrider Glaive; with the Heavy infusion, the scaling for Strength is S.