You’ve slain every monster, traversed every land, and explored every nook and cranny that the world of Drangleic has to offer. In other words, you’ve beaten the game… but the itch is still there. You want to do it all over again, but properly this time – since things will only get increasingly difficult. Let’s help sort your end-game arsenal and arm you with the deadliest tools for the job! Note: most weapons in this game are serviceable. It’s just that some of them have bigger numbers than the rest. If you want a quicker (and arguably better) list of the best endgame weapons, you can open the wiki page of great-hammers or ultra-greatswords, throw a dart at your screen, and proceed to use whatever it landed on. Congratulations. You’re now the proud owner of one of the strongest weapons in the game. Since a list consisting of 10 variations of the same weapons just discussing small numerical differences between them would be very boring to read, I went ahead and added some variety here – showcasing a few weapons from most categories (ya know, something for everyone!)
10. Gargoyle Bident
With the above “small note” out of the way, we’re starting things off with what I consider the best spear in the game. The Gargoyle Bident is a strength scaling spear with excellent range (as spears have) and damage, Just be a little careful and precise with your attacks, in order to do as much damage as possible. How to get: Trade the Belfry Gargoyle Soul to Straid of Olaphis.
9. Hunter’s Blackbow
Who said this was necessarily a list only about melee weapons? The Hunter’s Blackbow is quite literally the best normal bow available, sporting straight As in every single noteworthy category. Its high damage, range, and fire-rate make it a superb tool for many occasions. Poison and Lacerating arrows can be used with the bow as a substitute for extra melee weapons. All in all, a great companion. How to get: Drangleic Castle, in a chest before the Double-Dragonrider bossfight.
8. Sun Sword
Up next we’ve got something that will really get you wanting to praise the sun. The Sun Sword is the best straight sword for most melee builds, but especially those going quality due to its top-tier A scaling in both strength and dexterity. Being a straight sword means that it’s quick and nimble, letting you perform a few attacks and then back out to recover. If we’re considering infusions, then the Varangian Sword would be a better choice. How to get: Reward for reaching the second rank with the Heirs of the Sun covenant.
7. Curved Nil Greatsword
The subject of curved greatswords is really interesting. There’s a total of four of them in the game, and you really can’t go wrong when using any of them. When fully upgraded they’ve got similar damage values, the only difference being the attribute they mainly scale with. I chose to go with the Curved Nil Greatsword here because of its unique powerstancing moves and extraordinary reaction to infusions. Also, it’s the only weapon that scales with game completions (a bonus of +100 AR in NG+9)! How to get: Treasure in Frozen Eleum Loyce, in a metal chest after the Inner Wall bonfire.
6. Craftsman’s Hammer
It’s not a secret that a disproportionate amount of enemies in this game are weak to strike damage, making hammers and great-hammers overall the best weapons to have. That leads to simple items, such as the Craftsman’s Hammer, being as good of a bone tenderizer as they are work tools. If you’re looking for an alternative, the Mace can be obtained much faster and is just as strong. How to get: Lost Bastille in the room with Steady Hand McDuff. Light the fires in the room to make him stand up.
5. Mastodon Halberd
The Mastodon Halberd is a familiar face around these parts – and it’s nice enough to grace another one of our lists once more. Be it physical or elemental damage, this bad boy has it all. Capping at a base 410 Attack Rating, or a split 287/287 after infusion, this halberd makes sure that nothing stays standing, after only a single swing. It doesn’t take long to realize the raw power this thing possesses. How to get: Dropped by Primal Knights.
4. Red Iron Twinblade
I find it kind of funny that the slowest twinblade of the bunch is actually the superior of its kind.. Swinging the Red Iron around will make you feel like Darth Maul with his double-bladed lightsaber, melting everything in your path. It does incredible amounts of both physical and poise damage, all with excellent tracking. For a little cherry on top, this twinblade is durable as steel! How to get: Treasure found on a corpse in Shrine of Amana.
3. Rapier
I’ve previously talked about the capabilities of a rapier, and I’m back once again to support that claim. They’re quick as heck, and their damage is through the roof! A couple button presses will riddle any enemy with holes, deflating them in the process. Let me clarify that the reason I’m speaking in plural is because the majority of thrusting swords are equally powerful, with the cream of the crop being the normal Rapier, Espada Ropera, and the Ice Rapier. How to get: The rapier is sold by Blacksmith Lenigrast. Espada Ropera is a reward from Chancellor Wellager after defeating the Giant Lord.
2. King’s Ultra Greatsword
Do not be fooled by the deceitful words “Ultra Greatsword”, for this weapon is a hammer in disguise. The King’s Ultra Greatsword is a quite literal monument to pain, being a giant slab of rock with a hilt attached to it (thus it deals strike damage). Swinging this thing around takes great effort. But it also completely pulverizes anything that dares come across its path. A weapon fit for a true lord. How to get: Trade the Soul of the King to Weaponsmith Ornifex.
1. Large Club
Drum roll please! And the best weapon in the entire game is… a round piece of wood? A bit anticlimactic isn’t it? Well on a more serious note, the Large Club is very similar to most other great-hammers, so it all depends on what size you prefer. Its brothers, the Great Club and the Smelter Hammer (also known as the Greatest Club) are all equally valid choices too. I told you, strike damage is king! How to get: Treasure in Lost Bastille and Frozen Eleum Loyce.
