Elden Ring Katanas | What is the Best Katana in Elden Ring?

Elden Ring Katanas | What is the Best Katana in Elden Ring?

The “best” katana in Elden Ring depends heavily on your build and playstyle. However, some consistently rank high in terms of overall effectiveness and versatility:

Top contenders:

• Nagakiba: This katana boasts the longest reach of any in the game, making it excellent for both PvE and PvP. Its R2 thrusting attack is particularly potent. It scales well with Dexterity and Strength, making it adaptable to various builds.

• Uchigatana: The starting weapon for the Samurai class, the Uchigatana remains a strong contender throughout the game. It’s fast, has good bleed buildup, and can be acquired early. Its versatility and ease of use make it a popular choice.

• Moonveil: This katana is a favorite for Intelligence builds, offering a unique weapon art, “Transient Moonlight,” that fires a projectile. It excels at dealing magic damage and can quickly stagger enemies.

Other strong options:

• Rivers of Blood: Known for its powerful weapon art, “Corpse Piler,” this katana inflicts massive bleed buildup. While nerfed in recent patches, it’s still a formidable weapon, especially in PvE.

• Hand of Malenia: This katana boasts high attack power and Dexterity scaling, along with the unique weapon art, “Waterfowl Dance.” While its weapon art can be challenging to master, it’s incredibly effective against both bosses and regular enemies.  

Factors to consider:

• Your build: Focus on katanas that scale with your primary attributes (Dexterity, Strength, Intelligence).

• Weapon art: Each katana has a unique weapon art, so choose one that suits your playstyle.

• Reach: Longer katanas like the Nagakiba offer better range, while shorter ones like the Uchigatana are faster.

• Bleed buildup: Many katanas excel at inflicting bleed, which can be devastating against certain enemies.

Ultimately, the best katana for you is the one that feels the most comfortable and effective in your hands. Experiment with different options and find the one that best suits your needs.

How to Get All Elden Ring Katanas

There are a few ways to do this, depending on which katana you’re looking for and how early in the game you want it. Here are some of the most common and accessible options:

1. Start as a Samurai:

• This is the easiest way to get a katana right away. The Samurai class begins with the Uchigatana, a versatile and reliable katana that can carry you through the entire game.

2. Find the Uchigatana in the Deathtouched Catacombs:

• If you didn’t choose the Samurai class, you can still find the Uchigatana early on.
• Head to the Deathtouched Catacombs in Stormhill, Limgrave. It’s located north of the Warmaster’s Shack, near where you fight the Erdtree Burial Watchdog.
• Navigate the catacombs, defeating the skeletons and traps. You’ll find the Uchigatana on a corpse in a small alcove.

3. Complete Bloody Finger Hunter Yura’s questline:

• This will reward you with the Nagakiba, a katana with the longest reach in the game.
• You’ll first encounter Yura at the Seaside Ruins, north of Agheel Lake South in Limgrave.
• Follow his questline, helping him defeat invaders and progressing through the game.
• Eventually, he’ll give you the Nagakiba at the Second Church of Marika in the Altus Plateau.

4. Defeat the Magma Wyrm in Gael Tunnel:

• For a katana that excels at magic damage, seek out the Moonveil.
• Head to Gael Tunnel in Caelid. It’s located on the border between Limgrave and Caelid, near the Rotview Balcony Site of Grace.
• Defeat the Magma Wyrm boss at the end of the tunnel to obtain the Moonveil katana.

These are just a few of the katanas available in Elden Ring. Each has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, so experiment with different options to find the one that best suits your playstyle.