My first Elden Ring run was a disaster. I picked the Hero class, dumped everything into Strength, grabbed the first Greatsword I found, and tried to face-tank Margit. Two hours later I was watching the "You Died" screen for the twentieth time and seriously considering uninstalling. Then a friend told me about Bloodhound's Fang, and the game finally clicked.
The right early-game weapon in Elden Ring does more than just raise your damage numbers. It teaches you the game's rhythm, covers your build's weaknesses, and often carries you through the first half of the game without needing a replacement. This guide covers the weapons I wish I'd known about before I wasted my first ten hours swinging a brick on a stick.
If you're planning your entire build, our Elden Ring best builds tier list goes deeper into endgame loadouts. For raw item data and exact map coordinates, Fextralife's Elden Ring wiki remains the most reliable community source. For now, let's talk about the weapons that make the early game actually enjoyable.
Before You Pick a Weapon: Two Rules
Rule one: level Vigor first. I don't care how cool your sword looks. If you have 12 Vigor and 30 Strength, most bosses will one-shot you while you wind up your heavy attack. Aim for 20 Vigor before you heavily invest in offense, then push toward 30-40 by mid-game. Weapon upgrades matter far more than raw stats early on, so prioritize Smithing Stones over spreading your levels thin.
Rule two: pick a weapon that matches your build, not the other way around. If you want to cast sorceries, don't force yourself to use a colossal sword just because it looks cool. The weapons below are sorted by playstyle so you can grab the one that fits your character.
The Best Early Weapons by Playstyle
Bloodhound's Fang — The Best All-Rounder
Bloodhound's Fang is the weapon I recommend to anyone who asks, "What should I use early in Elden Ring?" It's a Curved Greatsword with modest requirements (18 Strength, 17 Dexterity), passive bleed buildup, and one of the best unique skills in the game: Bloodhound's Finesse.
The skill does two things. First, it launches a spinning overhead slash. Then it backflips you away with full invincibility frames. That backflip has saved me more times than I can count. It punishes greedy bosses, repositions you out of danger, and looks incredible while doing it.
You get it by defeating Bloodhound Knight Darriwil in the Forlorn Hound Evergaol in southern Limgrave. The fight is tough at low level, but you can summon Blaidd the Half-Wolf if you've met him in the Mistwood Ruins. I summoned Blaidd on my second character and the fight became trivial — he basically soloed the boss while I watched.
- Accessible within the first few hours.
- Scales well into late game with upgrades.
- Can be buffed with grease and spells.
- The weapon skill doubles as offense and defense.
Uchigatana — The Dexterity Foundation
If you're starting as a Samurai, you already own one of the best early weapons in the game. The Uchigatana is fast, causes bleed buildup, and has the Unsheathe skill for quick, high-poise damage. For everyone else, you can loot a second one from the Deathtouched Catacombs in northern Limgrave.
I ran dual Uchigatanas on a Dexterity/Arcane build for most of my second playthrough. The bleed procs chunk bosses for percentage-based damage, which means the weapon stays relevant even when your raw attack power lags behind. Against enemies weak to bleed — which is most of them — it outdamages weapons with higher base stats.
The only downside is reach. Katanas are short, and some Limgrave enemies have attacks that outrange your swings. You learn to compensate with spacing and rolls, but it takes a few hours.
Meteorite Staff + Rock Sling — The Mage Starter Kit
Sorcery builds in Elden Ring can feel weak at first because your starting spells are slow and underwhelming. The fix is the Meteorite Staff, found in the Street of Sages Ruins in Caelid. It has S-tier Intelligence scaling right out of the box and boosts gravity sorceries by 30%.
Pair it with Rock Sling, a gravity spell found in the basement of the same ruins. Rock Sling deals physical damage, which means it punches through magic-resistant enemies, and it builds poise stagger quickly. I used this combo to kill the dragon in Limgrave from a safe distance, something my melee builds could never manage cleanly.
Fair warning: Caelid is a high-level zone. You can grab both items without fighting anything serious if you ride Torrent past the enemies, but one wrong turn and a Caelid dog will delete you in two hits. I died twice learning the route. Watch for the giant crows.
Claymore — The Reliable Workhorse
Found in Castle Morne on the Weeping Peninsula, the Claymore is what I recommend to players who want a straightforward Strength weapon without the slow animations of a colossal sword. Its moveset is arguably the most versatile in the Greatsword class, and it accepts any Ash of War.
I used a Heavy-infused Claymore on my first successful run. It doesn't have the flashiest numbers, but it never lets you down. The thrust attack has excellent range, the horizontal swings handle groups, and the weapon is light enough that you can still medium-roll with decent armor.
If you want something even heavier, the Zweihander is sold by a merchant on the Weeping Peninsula for a few thousand Runes. It needs 19 Strength to wield one-handed but only 10 to two-hand, making it surprisingly accessible for new players.
Reduvia — The Bleed Dagger
Reduvia is a bleed-focused dagger you get from defeating the invader NPC near Murkwater Cave in Limgrave. Its weapon skill fires a blood blade projectile that builds bleed from a distance, and the dagger itself attacks fast enough to proc bleed quickly in close quarters.
I don't think daggers are great for beginners — the short range and low stagger mean you have to know enemy patterns well. But if you're committed to a fast, aggressive Arcane build, Reduvia is the best early option. Pair it with the Bloody Slash Ash of War on a second dagger and you become a bleed machine.
Morning Star / Flail — For Skeletons and Turtles
This one is situational but worth mentioning because Limgrave is full of skeletons that refuse to stay dead. The Morning Star and Flail deal strike damage, which shatters skeletons permanently and crushes heavily armored knights.
I ignored flails for my first thirty hours and regretted it every time I had to fight a skeleton dungeon. They're not exciting, but they're practical. Keep one in your inventory even if it's not your main weapon.
Quick Reference Table
| Weapon | Stats | Location | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloodhound's Fang | 18 Str / 17 Dex | Forlorn Hound Evergaol | Quality/Dex melee |
| Uchigatana | 11 Str / 15 Dex | Deathtouched Catacombs | Dexterity / bleed |
| Meteorite Staff | 18 Int | Street of Sages Ruins, Caelid | Sorcery builds |
| Rock Sling | 18 Int | Street of Sages Ruins basement | Physical damage sorcery |
| Claymore | 16 Str / 13 Dex | Castle Morne | Versatile Strength |
| Zweihander | 19 Str / 11 Dex | Weeping Peninsula merchant | Colossal sword fans |
| Reduvia | 5 Str / 13 Dex / 13 Arc | Murkwater Cave invader | Arcane bleed |
| Morning Star | 12 Str / 8 Dex | Starting area / Warmaster's Shack | Skeletons / armored foes |
Early Game Stat Priority
No matter which weapon you choose, your first dozen levels should look roughly like this:
- Meet the minimum weapon requirements.
- Raise Vigor to 20.
- Raise Endurance until you can medium-roll with your armor and weapon.
- Raise your primary damage stat (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Faith) to 20-30.
- Push Vigor toward 30-40 before soft-capping your damage stat.
I see new players reverse steps one and two all the time. They grab a cool weapon they can't wield effectively, then dump levels into damage while ignoring health. Don't be that player. A weapon you can swing without dying is better than a weapon that one-shots enemies but leaves you vulnerable.
For a full breakdown of how these weapons fit into complete builds, check our Elden Ring best builds tier list. And if you want extra help in boss fights, our best Spirit Ashes tier list covers the summons that actually pull aggro.
My Honest Recommendations
If you want the smoothest possible start: Bloodhound's Fang. No contest. It has damage, defense, bleed, and scaling that lasts the entire game. The only reason not to use it is if you specifically want to play a pure sorcerer or a colossal sword character.
If you want to cast spells: grab the Meteorite Staff and Rock Sling as soon as you have Torrent. The run to Caelid is scary but takes less than five minutes once you know it. Mage builds become significantly easier after this pickup.
If you want to two-hand a huge sword: Claymore first, Zweihander second. The Claymore teaches you Greatsword spacing without the brutal recovery frames of colossal weapons. Once you understand the timing, the Zweihander's raw damage is addictive.
If you want to look cool: dual-wield Uchigatanas. Just accept that you'll die a few times learning the range. It's worth it when the bleed procs start chaining.
FAQ
What is the single best early weapon in Elden Ring?
Bloodhound's Fang. It has low requirements, a weapon skill with built-in dodge frames, passive bleed, and scaling that carries into the late game. It can also be buffed with spells and grease, which most unique weapons cannot.
When should I stop using early weapons?
Most of these weapons stay viable through the entire base game if upgraded. Bloodhound's Fang and the Uchigatana are common endgame choices. The Meteorite Staff gets outclassed once you can upgrade the Carian Regal Scepter or Prince of Death's Staff, but it will carry you through Liurnia and Caelid easily.
Should I use a shield or two-hand my weapon?
For beginners, a 100% physical block shield like the Brass Shield from Limgrave is a huge safety net. Once you learn enemy patterns, two-handing or dual-wielding deals more damage and breaks poise faster. I used a shield for my first playthrough and never regretted it.
How do I upgrade weapons early?
Visit Smithing Master Hewg at the Roundtable Hold. He can upgrade weapons with Smithing Stones for normal weapons and Somber Smithing Stones for unique weapons. You can find Smithing Stones in mines marked by orange crystals on your map. The Limgrave Tunnels are a great first stop.
What keepake should I pick at character creation?
The Golden Seed. It gives you an extra Flask charge, and extra healing is more valuable than any other starting item. The Stonesword Keys are useful too, but you can buy them later. You cannot buy extra Flask charges as easily.
Is it worth rushing Caelid for the Meteorite Staff?
Yes, if you're playing a sorcerer. The staff is that good. Ride Torrent, ignore the enemies, grab the items, and warp out. If you're not playing Intelligence, skip it — you're wasting time you could spend exploring Limgrave.
Last updated: August 10, 2026. Weapon data verified against Elden Ring Patch 1.12 + Shadow of the Erdtree. For official game information, visit the Bandai Namco Elden Ring hub. For DLC-specific gear, see our Shadow of the Erdtree preparation guide.
