Elden Ring: A Guide to the Best Katanas, Locations, and Builds - 33rd Square (2024)

Katanas have always been popular among FromSoftware fans for their lethal dexterity in the Soulsborne series. This tradition continues in Elden Ring, with katanas dominating as one of the most used and feared weapon categories, especially for their deadly Bleed status buildup.

In this comprehensive guide, we will cover the eight katanas available in Elden Ring, their locations, attribute requirements, scaling, and how to build your character to use them effectively.

Overview of Katanas in Elden Ring

Below is a summary of the katanas available in Elden Ring before we dive into the details:

• Serpentbone Blade – Causes poison buildup. Obtained from Volcano Manor questline.
• Dragonscale Blade – Lightning-infused. Dropped from Dragonkin Soldier boss.
• Meteoric Ore Blade – Causes bleed. Found in chest in Caelid.
• Moonveil – Int/Dex-focused. Dropped from Magma Wyrm boss.
• Uchigatana – Classic katana. Starting Samurai gear.
• Hand of Malenia – Extreme Dex requirements. From Malenia remembrance.
• Nagakiba – Extended range. Dropped from Yura questline.
• Rivers of Blood – Top tier Bleed buildup. From Mountaintops invader.

Below we will explore the details on each katana, including attribute requirements, scaling, locations, and how to build your character to use them effectively.

Serpentbone Blade

The Serpentbone Blade kicks off our list, focusing on lethal Poison over Bleed. Let‘s break down the details:

Location: Obtained by completing Tanith‘s questline at Volcano Manor. The reward for your second assassination request.

Attributes: 11 Strength, 22 Dexterity

Scaling: E Strength, C Dexterity

Special: Causes poison buildup instead of bleed. 66 poison rating.

This katana excels in poison-focused builds, as it inflicts a unique, faster-acting poison that deals double damage per tick. With the right setup, you can melt bosses and tough enemies.

Some ideal builds to maximize the Serpentbone Blade include:

• Occult Infusion – Boosts poison over standard Bleed infusion. Pair with poison or occult ashes of war.
• Arcane Investment – Level up Arcane to increase poison buildup from the weapon. Excellent synergy.
• Poison-Boosting Talismans – Use the Kindred of Rot‘s Exultation and other poison/status-focused talismans.

While more niche, the Serpentbone Blade is lethal in the right Poison build. The questline does involve some challenging assassinations, so come prepared!

Dragonscale Blade

If you prefer lightning over poison or bleed statuses, the Dragonscale Blade offers some electrifying katana combat with its innate lightning damage:

Location: Dropped from Dragonkin Soldier boss in Lake of Rot, Mt. Gelmir region.

Attributes: 12 Strength, 20 Dexterity

Scaling: D Strength, C Dexterity

Special: Lightning-infused from the start. Cannot change infusion. Impressive lightning weapon art.

While the Dragonscale Blade lacks auxiliary effects like Bleed or Poison, it makes up for it with some flashy lightning skills. Some builds that take advantage of its strengths include:

• Lightning/Dex Build – Invest in Dexterity to improve the Dragonscale Blade‘s damage and scaling. Use lightning incantations to complement the weapon art.
• Guard Counters – The weapon skill can deflect enemy attacks similar to parrying. Follow up with massive posture damage via guard counters.
• Talismans – Use lightning-boosting talismans like the Bolt Scarab to further empower the weapon.

The Dragonscale Blade carves a unique lightning-focused niche among the lineup of katanas. It‘s not as outright lethal as Bleed options, but can still dish out serious pain.

Meteoric Ore Blade

Early-game dexterity builds will appreciate the Meteoric Ore Blade, a strong katana available very near the start if you dare to venture into Caelid. Here are the key details:

Location: Found in a chest in Caelid Waypoint Ruins, located northwest of Fort Haight ruins.

Attributes: 15 Strength, 14 Dexterity, 18 Intelligence

Scaling: D Strength, E Dexterity, D Intelligence

Special: Causes standard bleed buildup like most katanas. Requires some intelligence.

This deadly dex/int-focused katana can be obtained shortly after starting the game if you manage to retrieve it from the Waypoint Ruins. Reaching the chest means braving some tough early-game enemies, but the payoff is worthwhile.

Some ideal builds for the Meteoric Ore Blade include:

• Prisoner Starting Class – Comes with 14 Intelligence already, minimizing points needed to wield the weapon.
• Int/Dex Build – This weapon rewards heavy investment in both intelligence and dexterity to maximize damage.
• Cold or Magic Ashes of War – Most compatible ashes that scale properly with Intelligence.

The early availability and great scaling make the Meteoric Ore Blade an easy choice for Int/Dex builds. The frost and magic damage from compatible ashes is excellent too.

Moonveil

This popular katana made big waves at launch for its powerful weapon skill. While recently nerfed, the Moonveil still outputs high magic damage:

Location: Dropped from Magma Wyrm boss in Gael Tunnel, found in north Caelid region.

Attributes: 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 23 Intelligence

Scaling: E Strength, D Dexterity, C Intelligence

Special: Transient Moonlight skill does high magic damage. Int/Dex scaling.

The Moonveil remains a top pick for Int/Dex builds after its nerfs, still boasting hard-hitting magic damage to complement its lethal bleed slashes. Some ideal builds include:

• Prisoner Starting Class – Comes with 14 Intelligence, minimizing stat investment needed.
• Int/Dex Build – This weapon shines when you crank Intelligence and Dexterity as high as possible.
• Magic or Cold infusion – Enhance magic damage or enable frostbite to shred enemies.

While not as overwhelmingly strong as its launch state, the Moonveil still outputs scary magic/bleed combos that annihilate groups and bosses alike. It deserves its popularity among Int builds.

Uchigatana

No list of great katanas is complete without the Uchigatana, a fan favorite across FromSoftware‘s games. Here‘s a quick rundown of this classic blade:

Location: Starting equipment for Samurai class. Can also be found early in Deathtouched Catacombs dungeon in Limgrave.

Attributes: 11 Strength, 15 Dexterity

Scaling: D Strength, D Dexterity

A timeless classic katana with modest attribute requirements, the Uchigatana is an expected staple in any Souls game. Its fast attack combos, good dex scaling and all-around balance cements its reputation. Some ideal builds include:

• Samurai Starting Class – Comes equipped with the Uchigatana already! Just start swinging.
• Keen or Bleed Infusion – Standard enhancers to sharpen the blade‘s strong suits.
• Pure Dexterity Focus – Scaling jumps from D to B with enough Dexterity investment. Hits hard fast!

Simply put, you can never go wrong with the Uchigatana and its versatility to slot into any conventional Dexterity build. It may not be the absolute best katana, but should never be underestimated!

Hand of Malenia

This legendary katana wielded by notorious boss Malenia lives up to its deadly reputation. Let‘s analyze why it earns a top spot among the best katanas:

Location: Rewarded by Enia after using Malenia‘s Remembrance (boss soul) at Roundtable Hold.

Attributes: 16 Strength, 48 Dexterity

Scaling: E Strength, C Dexterity

Special: Does substantially more damage when wielder is low HP.

With outrageous Dexterity demands and HP-dependent damage boost, Malenia‘s sword is designed for highly aggressive glass-cannon builds. Some ways to use it effectively:

• Samurai Starting Class – Comes with 15 Dexterity already. Respec stats around Dex.
• Talismans – Curved Sword Talisman, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, etc to capitalize on rapid strikes.
• Defiant Stance – Stack more damage bonuses when HP drops below a threshold. Risky but devastating!

The Hand of Malenia excels on consummate samurai masters able to stay calm battling on the brink of death. Backing down from its extreme Dexterity demands means missing out on the true potential of this legendary weapon.

Nagakiba

If you want range on your katana strikes, the Nagakiba has it – this elongated blade lets you outspace enemies easily. Let‘s break it down:

Location: Dropped by NPC invader Eleonora or across map/questline with Yura Hunter.

Attributes: 18 Strength, 22 Dexterity

Scaling: D Strength, C Dexterity

Special: Much longer attack range compared to standard katanas. Harder to dodge!

Boasting the longest reach among all katanas, players fond of spacing and punishing from a distance will love the Nagakiba. Some ways to maximize its effectiveness:

• Samurai Starting Class – Already has 15 Dexterity. Little investment to wield it.
• Keen infusion – Take scaling to B rank Dexterity for heavy reliable damage.
• Counterdamage Talismans – The range helps you harass enemies into attacking then punishing whiffed strikes.

If you want to pressure other players with impossibly long pokes that seem harder to evade than smaller katanas, then the Nagakiba will enable those pesky tactics nicely. Chase down hosts in PvP too!

Rivers of Blood

Last on the list, we have the nigh-infamous Rivers of Blood, undisputed king of Blood loss currently. Here‘s why it earns so much notoriety:

Location: Dropped by Bloody Finger Okina invader in Church of Repose, Mountaintops region.

Attributes: 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 20 Arcane

Scaling: E Strength, D Dexterity, D Arcane

Special: HUGE bleed rating makes it the ultimate bleed katana currently. Broken weapon art.

Ever since launch, Rivers of Blood has dominated discussion and PvP metas alike for its absurd bleed rating and dangerous weapon art that annihilates groups. Some ways to maximize this already stellar weapon:

• Arcane Scaling Bleed Infusion – Augment both Arcane & Bleed even further beyond.
• Lord of Blood‘s Exultation – 20% damage boost against bleeding enemies. Broken with Rivers it procs constantly.
• White Mask – Another 20% damage when enemies bleed. Stack both talismans for overkill.

Make no mistake – the Rivers of Blood is intentionally designed to be overwhelmingly lethal against everything, to the point most players agree it warrants balancing adjustments. But until changes come, it reigns supreme atop any Bleed-focused builds for sheer damage potential.

Just beware – its reputation means you will likely be despised in multiplayer and targeted aggressively!

Conclusion

Katanas continue the tradition of Souls games in dominating Elden Ring PvE and PvP with their lethal bleed potential, versatile movesets and balanced attributes. Rivers of Blood stands at the peak currently for sheer damage, but don‘t underestimate the other katanas and their potential in specialized builds!

Hopefully this guide gives insight into tailoring powerful samurai-flavored builds using the best katanas available in the game currently. Let us know if any other great katanas were missed! The Lands Between always holds more secrets beyond the fog.

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