Elden Ring: 12 Best Weapon Skills, Ranked

Elden Ring presents many classes and weapon builds for gamers to choose from. Players can truly customize their fighters to be using whatever they want in combat situations. Those who like using melee-based combat predominately will want to maximize their weapons’ damage potential, for an easier time in the Lands Between.

Elden Ring presents skill trees from which the player can purchase skills using runes, the primary currency of the game. Not all the Weapon Skills are as good as the others, though. Any self-respecting Tarnished will want to make sure they are using only the best skills in the game for their character. Keep in mind that some weapons have default skills that can’t be overwritten (similar to Dark Souls).

Updated July 10, 2024, by Hamza Haq: With the release of the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, a whole host of new weapons with unique skills have been added to the game, reopening the debate on what qualifies as the best of the best in each category. While the most powerful weapon skills from the base game remain as broken as ever, new contenders show merit.

12 Hoarfrost Stomp

• Location: Liurnia of the Lakes, Southeast of the Caria Manor and the Temple Quarter
• Obtained: It is dropped by an invisible Teardrop Scarab and a default skill attached to the Icerind Hatchet found in a chest at the Temple Quarter

The Hoarfrost Stomp is Ash of War that can be attached to all melee weapons in Elden Ring. It uses 10 FP to attack groups of enemies with a frost attack that rises from the ground. When cast in quick succession against enemies it can cause Frostbite.

It’s an excellent crowd control skill and the perfect way to stop a group of enemies in their tracks. Even without inflicting Frostbite, it leaves opponents vulnerable to attack and allows the player to create some space to heal or attack.

11 Sword Dance

• Location: Southwest Liurnia near the Minor Erdtree.
• Obtained: It is dropped by Teardrop Scarab.

The Sword Dance is a powerful melee attack that can be attached to all melee weapons and shields. It grants the Keen affinity but can and should be upgraded to a Quality Great Sword, Halberd, Spear, or Greatax. It has a low FP cost of 6+6 thanks to its additional follow-up attack.

It’s a good way to fend off surrounding enemies, but it’s even better when used against bosses like Radahn. It’s fast and devastating, so it won’t leave the player’s character vulnerable for too long. It is particularly good when attached to long weapons like the Halberd or a Great Sword like the Claymore.

10 Onze’s Line of Stars

• Location: Charo’s Hidden Grave
• Obtained: Unique skill of the Star-Lined Sword obtained by defeating Demi-Human Queen Marigga.

The Star-Lined Sword is a new weapon in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC that comes equipped with the Onze’s Line of Star weapon skill. Upon use, the skill imbues the weapon with magic, splits the damage between magical and physical, and extends the range of the sword. This can then be chained into multiple follow-up attacks until players complete a 5-hit combo. The FP cost is 10 for the base attack, and follow-ups cost 8 per hit.

Other than looking incredibly cool, the skill does very decent damage with the right Talismans and armor. It’s also very flexible, allowing players to cancel the animation at any time and dodge out of the way. And the 5th attack in the combo does extra damage. The downside to this skill is the fact that it doesn’t get any hyper armor and does very little poise damage in relation to the time it takes to perform the skill. Using this skill without the proper timing can leave players open to being punished.

9 Bloodhound’s Step

• Location: The bridge near Lenne’s Rise in Dragonbarrow.
• Obtained: It is obtained by defeating the Knight’s Cavalry on the bridge near Lenne’s Rise. Rest at a Grace and pass time until it’s nightfall.

The Bloodhound’s Step is one of the most powerful regular skills in Elden Ring. It can be attached to any armament and if used correctly it can make the player’s character almost unhittable in combat. This also includes fights in PVP and PVE, and it is amazing against big and powerful bosses.

With the right timing, it can teleport the player’s character out of danger and position them behind an enemy for a quick backstab. It has a low FP cost of 5 but can be used after FP is drained by utilizing stamina instead. It’s useful for crossing lakes of lava. The player will still take damage but won’t be slowed down by the environment.

8 Charge Forth

• Location: Liurnia of the Lakes
• Obtained: Is found on a Teardrop Scarab underneath the bridge West of Academy Town. It can only be shot down by using a bow’s aiming sights.

This is a Regular skill that can be used with Winged Spears, Lances, and theGolem’s Halberd. It costs 13 FP, and when used, the player will charge forward with their weapon at the hip before thrusting the weapon at the end of the charge. It allows players to inflict melee damage at a level that rivals even the best bows in the game.

The Charge Forth skill is great at closing the distance when a player is trying to isolate and deal with a particular enemy in a group. If using a Heavy Weapon, a greater distance will be covered with the Charge Forth skill, making it useful to players regardless of whether they use Light or Heavy Weapons. This skill is the default on the Lance and the Golem’s Halberd.

7 Prelate’s Charge

• Location: At the Fire Monk campsite in the Forbidden Lands, south of the Grace located at Whiteridge Road.
• Obtained: It is the default skill in the Prelate’s Inferno. This is a colossal hammer dropped by the Fire Prelates Fort Laiedd.

Prelate’s Charge is a Regular skill that can be used with Colossal Weapons. When using this skill, the player will slam their armament onto the ground, which creates a surge of flames, and then charge in. As an Elden Ring beginner tip, players can hold down the charge for as long as they need.

This skill works as a great distance closer and even has an AoE aspect since the flames can affect trash mobs from a decent radius. It has an FP cost of 20 and is chargeable. Prelate’s Charge is the default skill for the Prelate’s Inferno Crozier, but can also be found by a dung beetle near the Fire Monk campsite at the Forbidden Lands.

6 Carian Greatsword

• Location: The Church of Vows at the Liurnia of the Lakes
• Obtained: Purchased from the Pastor of Vows for 10,000 Runes

This is a Regular skill that can be used with Swords and Colossal Weapons. With an FP cost of 16 with the option to charge the skill, players will notice on activation their sword becomes a magical greatsword. It can be swung downwards on enemies to inflict damage better than Elden Ring‘s most powerful incantations.

The Carian Greatsword skill is great for players who want to enjoy the benefits of STR when in close-quarters combat with trash mobs. The skill can be obtained by buying it from Sorcerer Rogier at the Stormveil Castle Roundtable Hold.

5 Spinning Weapon

• Location: The Round Table Hold
• Obtained: Can be purchased from Rogier sitting near the balcony for 1000 Runes.

The Spinning Weapon skill is a great defensive melee attack that will have the player lift their armament into the air and spin it. Enemies that are hit by the armament while it is spinning will receive much greater damage, making it a useful skill to employ when fighting a group of mobs.

The skill costs 20 FP and can be used with small and medium Swords, Axes, Hammers, Polearms, and Staves, making it highly accessible to most players. Spinning Weapon can be obtained by purchasing from Sorcerer Rogier at the Stormveil Castle Roundtable Hold, a very difficult but important area in this open-world RPG.

4 Storm Blade

• Location: The Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill
• Obtained: Purchased from the Knight Bernhall for 1800 Runes

A Regular skill, Storm Blade costs just 10 FP. When used, the armament will be surrounded by winds that the player can then fire forward at enemies. It can be fired in rapid succession and can do some pretty nifty damage, and is just one of the reasons players love Elden Ring.

Storm Blade is used with Swords. Players who used Excalibur on Warframe will find this Elden Ring skill similar and will enjoy using it when trying to chip away at the health of enemies without getting close enough to risk sustaining damage. Players should note that this isn’t a chargeable skill.

3 Smithing Art Spears

Few weapons introduced in the Shadow of the Erdtree come close to the Anvil Hammer in terms of sheer effectiveness. From pure damage to poise break to the moveset itself, Anvil Hammer is the complete package, and that includes the weapon skill, Smithing Art Spears. Although it looks like a copy of the Eruption Ash of War at first glance, the Smithing Art Spears is different in a few key ways.

When cast, the character uses 18 FP and swings the hammer in an overhead arc, bringing it down with a slam that does AoE damage. After a short pause, spears emerge from the ground, dealing additional damage in a slightly larger AoE. The best thing about this weapon skill is that it deals a lot of poise damage, almost as much as the charged heavy attack, but with a fraction of the windup. In addition, the spears persist in the area for a short while, and anything that comes in contact with them takes full damage. This is especially useful for tricky, fast-moving enemies that like to weave in and out of range.

2 Glintblade Phalanx

• Location: Stormveil Castle then the Roundtable Hold
• Obtained: It can be obtained by first defeating Godrick the Grafted then returning to the Roundtable Hold and speaking to Rogier. It is the default skill for Roger’s Rapier. It can be swapped out or duplicated once obtained.

Glintblade Phalanx can be used on Swords, as well as Polearms that can be thrust. It has an FP cost of 10 – 4 and isn’t chargeable. When using the skill, Glintstone blades appear over the player’s head and will attack enemies if they get close enough.

Glintblade Phalanx is a very useful skill, as the Glintstone blade projectiles do solid damage on mobs as well as bosses. When engaged in up-close-and-personal melee combat, it acts as a support to improve a player’s DPS capabilities and make it more likely that they will win the fight.

1 Seppuku

• Location: The Freezing Lakes at the Mountaintops of Giants
• Obtained: It is dropped by an Invisible Scarab

Players that like using staves and magic damage, unfortunately, won’t benefit from the Seppuku skill, as it is a Regular skill that can be used on Swords andPolearms capable of thrust. The skill will have the player plunge their armament into their stomach. The self-sacrificing move will increase the player’s overall attack power and utilize blood loss damage against enemies.

Blood loss damage is considered overpowered by much of the community. Considering it only has a 4 FP cost and can be used to buff player damage as well as add blood loss, every player should be looking to add it to their arsenal.