Elden Ring DLC Katana Tier List - Best Katanas Ranked in 1.16 Patch

Katanas in Elden Ring are a versatile and popular weapon type, offering quick movesets, solid range, and passive bleed buildup. Below, we’ve ranked each Katana under the current game, describing its strengths, weaknesses, and unique features.

Elden Ring Katana Tier List 2024 - Best Katanas Ranked in 1.16 Patch

Katanas are one of the most popular weapon classes in Elden Ring, and for good reason. They offer a fantastic balance of range, speed, and versatility. With their quick movesets, excellent weapon skill options, passive bleed buildup, and ease of use, Katanas are comparable to other dexterity-based weapons like straight swords and curved swords. However, when it comes to power-stancing, Katanas may feel less efficient due to their longer animations and non-simultaneous hit patterns. That said, they are still incredibly viable for both one-handed and two-handed playstyles.

Here, we will rank all the Katanas in Elden Ring (including Great Katanas) from worst to best based on their performance and utility in PvE.

S-Tier

1. Nagakiba

The Nagakiba is the longest Katana in the game, offering unparalleled range and versatility. Its exceptional moveset includes poking heavy attacks, providing variety and efficiency. As one of only two infusible Katanas, it synergizes perfectly with a wide range of builds and weapon skills, including Unsheathe and Blood Blade. Its slight damage disadvantage compared to the Uchigatana is negligible, as its superior range and moveset make it the ultimate Katana for advanced players.

2. Great Katana

The Great Katana is the only infusible Great Katana, making it the most flexible option in its weapon class. Its infusion compatibility allows it to excel in bleed-focused arcane builds or synergize with buffs like Bloodflame Blade. It pairs exceptionally well with skills like Repeating Thrust or Blood Tax, and its diverse moveset includes poking attacks, horizontal swipes, and vertical slashes. Despite lacking hyper armor, its infusion versatility and damage make it the top Great Katana and a strong S-tier weapon.

3. Moonveil

The Moonveil remains one of the most powerful and accessible Katanas in Elden Ring. Its weapon skill, Transient Moonlight, unleashes magic projectiles with incredible range and stance-breaking power, making it a must-have for intelligence builds. While it lacks the raw damage of an infused Nagakiba, its ease of use, early availability, and magic scaling make it a top-tier choice for both beginners and veterans.

A-Tier

4. Uchigatana

The Uchigatana is a classic weapon and one of the most accessible Katanas in the game. It boasts high damage, low stat requirements, and infusion options, making it extremely versatile. Its skill, Unsheathe, is one of the best stance skills in the game, offering high damage and excellent stance-breaking potential. While it has less range than the Nagakiba, its low weight and efficiency make it a reliable option for any build.

5. Rakshasa’s Great Katana

The Rakshasa’s Great Katana is a standout weapon thanks to its exceptional moveset and hyper armor on all attacks. Its poking heavy attack is faster than other Great Katanas and deals piercing damage, the strongest damage type in the game. The weapon’s bleed buildup and high dexterity scaling ensure powerful damage output. However, its hyper armor comes with a trade-off: players take 10% more damage while attacking, which can be punishing in PvE. Despite this drawback, its versatility and raw power make it one of the best Great Katanas.

6. Hand of Malenia

The Hand of Malenia is a late-game Katana with incredible range and a unique skill, Waterfowl Dance, which unleashes a flurry of slashes that can stunlock enemies and deal massive damage. While the skill has high stamina costs and a long animation, it synergizes well with multi-hit talismans and is devastating against staggerable enemies. Its situational nature keeps it from being S-tier, but it remains a powerful option for dexterity builds.

7. Rivers of Blood

The Rivers of Blood Katana remains a strong weapon despite nerfs, thanks to its skill, Corpse Piler. The skill combines fast slashes with extended projectiles, providing ranged damage and rapid bleed buildup. While its split fire damage can be a weakness against fire-resistant enemies, it’s still a solid choice for bleed builds, especially when paired with an arcane focus. Though it lacks the versatility of infusible Katanas, its unique skill keeps it competitive.

8. Dragonscale Blade

The Dragonscale Blade is a dexterity-based Katana that gains frost buildup when its skill, Ice Lightning Slash, is activated. The skill adds frost and lightning damage, turning the weapon into a versatile hybrid damage dealer. While it lacks passive bleed and cannot be infused, its bonus damage against dragons and respectable frost buildup make it a niche but effective weapon.

B-Tier

9. Star-Lined Sword

The Star-Lined Sword is a DLC Katana that scales with dexterity and intelligence. Its skill offers a flashy multi-hit combo with extended range, but its slow animation and lack of i-frames leave players vulnerable. While it deals decent damage and can stun smaller enemies, it struggles to compete with the Moonveil or infusible Katanas. Its lack of a clear niche keeps it in the B-tier.

10. Serpentbone Blade

The Serpentbone Blade is the only Katana with poison buildup instead of bleed. It features deadly poison, which ticks faster than regular poison, and decent dexterity scaling. However, its inability to be infused or buffed severely limits its potential. The weapon’s heavy attack and Double Slash skill feel redundant, and the lack of passive bleed hurts its overall effectiveness. While it has its uses for poison-specific builds, it’s outclassed by other Katanas.

11. Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana

The Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana is the weakest Great Katana in terms of damage, with poor quality scaling and the shortest range in its class. Its skill, Dragon Wound Slash, becomes a powerful projectile when fully charged and deals bonus damage against dragons, making it useful for niche scenarios. However, its slow speed, low bleed buildup, and lack of synergy with build customization keep it from excelling. It’s a decent weapon for dragon-slaying, but other Great Katanas or curved greatswords are better general options.

12. Meteoric Ore Blade

The Meteoric Ore Blade is a strength- and intelligence-scaling Katana that fails to deliver on its hybrid potential. It’s the shortest and heaviest Katana in the game, with lackluster damage and a weak skill (Gravitas). While its Ichimonji-style heavy attack is flashy, it deals less damage than standard Katana heavies and lacks variety. Overall, it’s an underwhelming weapon with no clear strengths.