Elden Ring Dexterity Weapons Guide: Best for PvE
Welcome, Tarnished, to the vast and unforgiving lands of the Lands Between. Whether you're a seasoned souls veteran or a newcomer drawn in by the allure of this masterpiece, one question is paramount: what weapon will you trust to see you through? For those who favor speed, precision, and a flurry of swift strikes, the path of Dexterity is a rewarding one. This guide is dedicated to you. We're going to dive deep into the best Dexterity weapons for your PvE journey, focusing not just on raw damage, but on movesets, unique skills, and where to find these legendary arms.
Why Choose a Dexterity Build for PvE?
Before we get to the list, let's talk about why a Dexterity-focused build is so effective in PvE. Dexterity weapons are typically lighter, faster, and consume less stamina per swing than their Strength counterparts. This allows for aggressive playstyles where you can unleash a rapid combo and still have the stamina to dodge a boss's counter-attack. Many Dexterity weapons also come with innate Bleed or other status effects, which can shred through enemy health bars, including those of tough bosses. Furthermore, leveling Dexterity also slightly reduces your cast time for spells and incantations, opening up hybrid "Spellblade" possibilities.
The Cream of the Crop: Top-Tier Dexterity Weapons
Here are some of the most powerful and fun Dexterity weapons to seek out for your PvE adventure.
1. The Unmatched Duelist: Hand of Malenia
- Location: Defeat Malenia, Blade of Miquella, and exchange her Remembrance with Enia at the Roundtable Hold.
- Why It's Great: This is the signature weapon of one of the game's toughest bosses, and it lives up to the hype. It scales marvelously with Dexterity and comes with the unique Ash of War, Waterfowl Dance. This skill allows you to perform Malenia's devastating flurry of attacks, making you a whirlwind of death that can stunlock and decimate large groups of enemies or chunk down a single target's health bar. It's the ultimate end-game Dexterity weapon for those who want to feel unstoppable.
- Best For: Players who have conquered the late game and want a weapon that rewards high skill and aggression.
2. The Bleed King: Rivers of Blood
- Location: Dropped by Bloody Finger Okina at the Church of Repose in the Mountaintops of the Giants.
- Why It's Great: Even after balancing patches, Rivers of Blood remains a PvE powerhouse, primarily due to its phenomenal Ash of War, Corpse Piler. This skill unleashes a series of slashes that build up Bleed incredibly fast from a surprisingly safe distance. Since many of the game's most formidable enemies and bosses are susceptible to Hemorrhage, this katana can trivialize some of the toughest fights. It's a classic choice for a reason.
- Best For: Players who want to maximize damage over time and exploit the Bleed mechanic to its fullest.
3. The Versatile Powerhouse: Bloodhound's Fang
- Location: Defeat the Bloodhound Knight Darriwil at the Forlorn Hound's Evergaol in Limgrave.
- Why It's Great: This is arguably the best early-game Dexterity weapon you can find, and it remains viable all the way to the final boss. It's a Curved Greatsword, meaning it has higher poise damage than most Dex weapons while still being relatively fast. Its Ash of War, Bloodhound's Finesse, is a fantastic mobility tool that lets you strike and then gracefully back away from danger. It also has innate Bleed buildup. The best part? You can buff it with Greases and spells like Bloodflame Blade, making its damage potential enormous.
- Best For: A perfect all-rounder for any Dexterity build, especially for players just starting their journey.
4. The Classic Katana: Uchigatana
- Location: Starting weapon for the Samurai class, or found in the Deathtouched Catacombs in Limgrave.
- Why It's Great: Don't underestimate the humble Uchigatana. Its availability, straightforward moveset, and innate Bleed make it a reliable companion from start to finish. Its true strength lies in its customizability. By applying a Keen Affinity via the Ash of War system, you can maximize its pure Dexterity scaling. You can then equip it with powerful Ashes of War like Double Slash or Unsheathe to tailor it to your preferred playstyle. It's a blank canvas for a master swordsman.
- Best For: Players who love customization and a reliable, no-nonsense weapon that can be adapted to any situation.
5. The Speedy Spellblade: Wing of Astel
- Location: Found in a chest in the underground Ainsel River, past the Uhl Palace Ruins.
- Why It's Great: This unique Curved Sword is a dream for Dexterity/Intelligence hybrids. It scales primarily with Dex and Int and has a incredibly useful heavy attack that fires off free, mana-cost projectiles. Its Ash of War, Nebula, creates a cloud of dark matter that explodes, dealing massive poise damage and often staggering large enemies and bosses. It's flashy, powerful, and incredibly fun to use.
- Best For: Spellblades and Dexterity builds that have dipped into Intelligence.
6. The Guardian's Spear: Bolt of Gransax
- Location: Found in the Leyndell, Royal Capital, before the city becomes the Ashen Capital. This is a missable weapon, so get it before defeating Maliketh!
- Why It's Great: This legendary spear boasts one of the most spectacular and powerful unique skills in the game: Ancient Lightning Spear. You hurl a massive red lightning bolt that deals incredible damage at long range. This makes it an excellent tool for pulling enemies, dealing safe damage to dangerous foes, or just feeling like a god of thunder. Its melee moveset is also solid, making it a great hybrid melee/ranged option.
- Best For: Players who want a powerful ranged option on their Dexterity build without relying on spells.
Building Around Your Weapon: Stats and Ashes of War
Finding the weapon is only half the battle. To make it truly shine, you need to build your character correctly.
- Stats: Your primary stat will be Dexterity. Aim for 60-80 by the end game for maximum damage scaling. Don't neglect your Vigor (40-60) for survivability and Endurance (25-40) for stamina and equip load. If your weapon has secondary scaling (like Rivers of Blood with Arcane), invest points into that stat as well.
- Ashes of War: This system is the key to customizing standard weapons. Look for Ashes that grant the Keen Affinity, as this boosts Dexterity scaling. Excellent choices include:
- Bloodhound's Step: The ultimate evasive tool.
- Double Slash: For a rapid, high-damage flurry.
- Quickstep: A less FP-intensive version of Bloodhound's Step.
- Thunderbolt: A fantastic ranged option for any Keen-infused weapon.
Final Thoughts for the Aspiring Dex Master
The best Dexterity weapon in Elden Ring is ultimately the one that feels best in your hands. While the weapons listed here are community-proven powerhouses, don't be afraid to experiment. Try out different movesets, find an Ash of War that complements your playstyle, and don't forget to upgrade your weapon at a Smithing Table whenever you can—upgrade level is often more important than your stats in the early game.
So go forth, Tarnished. With a swift blade in hand and the wind at your back, the demigods of the Lands Between will fall to your relentless, precise strikes. May your journey be swift and your victories countless
