The 8 Best Katanas in Elden Ring (Ranked)

What are the best katanas in Elden Ring?

There is just something about wielding a katana that makes you feel like you could slay any foe in your way.

These are certainly popular weapons in Elden Ring for a reason, and today we’re giving them the attention they deserve.

If you want to know what the best katanas in the game are, keep reading to find out what you’ve been missing!

The 8 Best Katanas In Elden Ring

These katanas were chosen based on their damage output, skills, and overall usefulness throughout the game.

Although you can’t go wrong with any of these swords, you definitely won’t want to pass up our number one pick!

If you’re ready to embrace the way of the Samurai, here’s our list of the 8 best katanas in Elden Ring:

8. Serpentbone Blade

The Serpentbone Blade makes us glad that Elden Ring is one of the best PS5 third-person games because it’s so pretty to look at.

This blade requires 11 strength and 22 dexterity to wield, and it is perfect for mid-range combat and deals 120 physical damage.

Since it is the Serpentbone Blade, this katana inflicts poison buildup with each hit, making it even more deadly.

While it can’t be infused with Ashes of War, it comes with the skill Double Slash, which is hugely effective.

When activated, this skill allows players to perform multiple crossing slash attacks that deal massive damage.

Not only does this attack look cool, but it can be a good way to get a bit more damage in on tougher enemies.

This katana also has a unique R2 attack that consists of a double slash that is incredibly fast but deals limited damage.

However, when used against lesser foes in quick succession, it can be very effective for twiddling down their health.

To get the Serpentbone Blade, you will have to complete the second letter quest in the Volcano Manor from Tanith.

So, make sure to pick up her quest the next time you venture to the Seethewater River Site of Grace.

7. Meteoric Ore Blade

Scaling with strength, dexterity, and intelligence, the Meteoric Ore Blade is a good weapon for inflicting piercing and slash damage.

Requiring 15 strength, 14 dexterity, and 18 intelligence to wield, this katana can deliver 112 physical damage per swing.

Not only does it inflict blood loss, but it has a powerful weapon skill called Gravitas that is good for drawing foes to you.

When activated, this skill creates a gravity well that drags NPCs near it toward the player while also dealing damage.

While this can be a bit dangerous, with a fast-swinging weapon like this blade, it can be useful for getting foes within range.

Furthermore, it can throw tougher enemies off guard, giving you an opening to strike them effectively.

This skill is also useful if you are trying to farm crafting materials from creatures, such as birds or sheep.

Although it can’t be infused with Ashes of War or boosted with magic or consumables, this blade is still devastating.

To gain this blade, you will need to find the Caelid Waypoint Ruins in southwest Caelid along the highway.

Here, the Meteoric Ore Blade can be found inside a chest in a room at the back of the underground hall lined with sarcophagi.

6. Dragonscale Blade

While it sounds like one of the best one-handed swords in Skyrim, the Dragon Scale Blade is a devastating Elden Ring katana.

Requiring 12 strength and 20 dexterity, this blade deals 110 physical damage and is perfect to use against enemies weak to lightning.

Although it can’t be infused with Ashes of War, the Dragonscale Blade comes with the weapon skill Ice Lightning Sword.

This ability calls down a bolt of ice lightning that damages any enemy it hits in front of the wielder.

It also makes the blade inflict 160 extra lighting damage and 80 frostbite buildup for the next 45 seconds.

As a unique skill, Ice Lightning Sword is very powerful, but you’ll need the Dragonscale Blade in order to use it!

This blade also does 20% more damage against dragon-type enemies and 10% extra damage to Ancient Dragons.

While it can’t be buffed by magic or consumables, the Dragonscale Blade is powerful enough to stand on its own.

To get this katana, you will have to take on the Dragonkin Soldier found in the Lake of Rot.

The easiest way to get to this location is by heading southwest from the Nokstella Waterfall Basin Site of Grace.

5. Hand of Malenia

Up next, we have the Hand of Malenia, a powerful katana that requires strength 16 and dexterity 48 to wield.

Since it requires such a high dexterity skill, this katana is best suited for players with pure dexterity builds.

It is also the most powerful weapon for those focused on dexterity, and it deals 117 base physical damage.

What makes this katana really stand out is its weapon skill, the Waterfowl Dance, which looks as graceful as it is deadly.

Only available for the Hand of Malenia, this skill causes the user to perform a series of leaps that unleash a series of powerful slash attacks.

When used, if you hover for a moment, you can activate the skill repeatedly to extend the skill for up to three total flurries.

However, keep in mind that the wind-up animation can be interrupted, so make sure not to be too close to any enemies!

Although this weapon can’t be infused with Ashes of War or boosted with magic or consumables, it is plenty powerful all on its own.

That said, getting this weapon can be pretty tough, as you’ll need to trade the Remembrance of the Rot Goddess to Enia at Roundtable Hold.

This Remembrance is earned by defeating Malenia, Blade of Miquella, a two-phase Demigod boss.

As one of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring, Malenia is no joke, and she is not someone to rush into fighting on a whim.

4. Nagakiba

Nagakiba requires 18 strength and 22 dexterity to wield, and it dishes out 115 physical damage with each hit.

While it starts with Piercing Fang equipped, its default weapon skill is Unsheathe, which is shared with Uchigatana.

This skill really makes you feel like the ultimate Samurai, as it allows players to unsheath this blade with devastating force.

When used, this skill is so powerful it can even one-shot lower-level enemies, which is very nice.

The Nagakiba katana is also very popular for duel wielding in the right hand, as it can roll catch extremely well.

It also has an exceptionally long reach while still retaining the speed of the katana class of weapons.

You can make use of this reach with its unique thrusting R2 move, which can deal a lot of piercing damage.

If that wasn’t enough, this is another katana that inflicts blood loss build-up with each hit at a rate of 45.

This katana can be dropped by Bloody Finger Huunter Yura north of Murkwater Cave or at his camp near the Seaside Ruins Site of Grace.

Alternatively, it can be obtained by completing Blood Finger Hunter Yura’s questline, which starts at the Second Church of Marika.

We would recommend completing this quest as it also allows you to grab the Purifying Crystal Tear and Eleonora’s Poleblade.

Either way, this is one powerful katana that you definitely shouldn’t overlook on your next playthrough.

3. Uchigatana

Uchigatana is as popular in Elden Ring as the best Mario games of all time are in real life, but it’s for good reason.

Requiring 11 strength and 15 dexterity to wield, this katana deals 115 physical damage and inflicts blood loss buildup.

It can also receive a heavy upgrade to receive an A in strength scaling or a Keen upgrade that does the same for dexterity.

This makes Uchigatana a great katana for both pure strength and pure dexterity builds who have a low focus on other skills.

Better yet, this weapon can be infused with Ashes of War, though it does come with the Unsheathe skill we mentioned above.

If you’ve played as the Samurai class, then you’ll know that this is the starting weapon you got at the beginning.

However, if you’re not playing as a Samurai, you can still gain this weapon by heading to the Deathtouched Catacombs in Stormhill, Limgrave.

To find it, you will need to pull a lever to unlock a door in a previous hall, then backtrack to where Uchigatana will be on a dead body.

2. Moonveil

Moonveil is a magnificent weapon, and it requires 12 strength, 18 dexterity, and 23 intelligence to wield.

This katana deals 73 physical damage and 87 magic damage while also inflicting blood loss build-up.

Although this weapon can’t be infused with Ashes of War, it comes with the amazing Transient Moonlight skill.

This unique skill allows players to perform either a normal or strong attack at ridiculous speed while also firing a wave of light.

The light attack fires a wide horizontal beam, while the heavy attack fires a vertical beam while executing a downward slash.

Wearing the Spellblade Set will increase the damage output of these projectiles, though they do a fair amount on their own.

However, in order to gain this weapon, you will have to defeat the Magma Wyrm, located in Gael Tunnel.

This can be difficult because there is lava everywhere, so you’ll need to make sure you have enough fire resistance before heading there.

1. Rivers of Blood

Taking our number one spot is Rivers of Blood, which is what you’ll be creating once you’ve earned the best katana in Elden Ring!

Requiring 12 strength, 18 dexterity, and 20 arcane, this katana deals 76 physical damage and 76 fire damage on every swing.

While it is another weapon that can’t be infused with Ashes of War or boosted with magic or consumables, it has a devastating unique weapon skill.

Called Corpse Piler, when activated, this skill will form a blade of cursed blood while performing interwoven successive attacks.

Each hit causes 9 stance damage, along with physical and fire damage and blood loss build-up per hit.

This weapon is seriously badass in combat, and its bloody attacks make you really feel like the ultimate Samurai.

The Rivers of Blood Katana is dropped by Bloody Finger Okina, an invading NPC Phantom who spawns near the Church of Repose at Mountaintops of the Giants.

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the 8 best katanas in Elden Ring and hopefully found some new ones to try out!

Although all of these katanas are great, the one you choose will depend on the character build you’re using.

That said, Rivers of Blood is one you won’t want to pass up because it can be absolutely game-changing with the right setup!

Here’s a quick recap of the 8 best katanas in Elden Ring:

1. Rivers of Blood
2. Moonveil
3. Uchigatana
4. Nagakiba
5. Hand of Malenia
6. Dragonscale Blade
7. Meteoric Ore Blade
8. Serpentbone Blade

Which of these katanas will you use first? Leave a comment below.