Dark Souls best weapons, from Zweihander to Uchigatana, and Boss Soul Weapons explained (2024)

Finding the best weapon in Dark Souls is tricky - there is no single 'best', but there are plenty of standouts - particularly the Zweihander, Balder Side Sword and Uchigatana - that you will want to consider when playing the game.

Some of these can be acquired early, and give you an advantage, if you want to run that weapon for the duration of the game. There are also boss weapons, too, you can craft from certain defeated enemies.

If you're looking for more help, our Dark Souls walkthrough and guide can help with all other areas of the game, including the dreaded Taurus Demon, Capra Demon, Ornstein and Smough bosses.

Our picks for the best weapons in Dark Souls- Zweihander, Balder Side Sword and Uchigatana

Here are four recommended weapons to aim for in Dark Souls, where to find them and their requirements. Be wary of the latter throughout the game, though - weapons with absurdly high stat requirements are often less effective than you think, and can actually top out lower than you expect.

In addition to this, the weapon upgrades can also vary, so be sure to pick a weapon that fits well with your build, and also one that scales to your stats. (Strength, Dex, Intelligence + Faith)

Zweihander

Zweihander Location: Next to a grave before The Catacombs in Firelink Shrine
Stat Requirements: 24 Strength, 10 Dexterity

The Zweihander can be attained very early on in the game, and is a very potent weapon due to the sheer amount of damage that you will be able to do from early on.

With a slow swing, the Zweihander might seem like it's not a versatile weapon, however where it shines is the sheer raw damage, in addition to being able to poise-break most enemies in the game. For certain bosses, you can even interrupt attacks by swinging the Zweihander.

Just be aware - if you want to run with this weapon, you will need a lot of endurance, as managing dodges in addition to the swings can take a heavy toll on you.

Balder Side Sword

Balder Side Sword Location: Dropped by Balder Knights in Undead Parish
Stat Requirements: 10 Strength, 14 Dexterity

The Balder Side Sword is an exceptional straight sword, and ideal for dexterity-focused builds. Getting the drop on the sword can be difficult as it's a pretty rare find, however the moveset more than makes up for any pain you will have farming for this weapon.

Each strike can be followed up by pretty much any other attack, and the long range of this sword will make it great for fighting enemies at a distance. In addition to this, upon upgrading it fully, you will get Dexterity scaling to A, which means that you will be able to dish out a bit more damage.

This is, by our standards the best straight-sword in the game, as you can also poise-break with the two-handed light attack, which comes out incredibly quickly.

Uchigatana

Balder Side Sword Location: Undead Burg, dropped by the Undead Merchant
Stat Requirements: 14 Strength, 14 Dexterity

The Uchigatana is one of the fastest weapons in the game, with an incredibly versatile moveset, long-range and ability to cause bleed damage on enemies, which if you hit in quick succession, should be able to dish out a fair amount of damage.

The Uchigatana is excellent for 'Quality' builds that want to go for pure Dexterity, as it scales to A. One thing to be aware of with the Uchigatana is that it is fairly fragile, and need repairs slightly more often than the average weapon.

This weapon also has another addition of having a pretty wide hit-range, meaning you will also be able to reach enemies from afar, especially if you two-hand it.

If you're looking for more help, our Dark Souls walkthrough and guide can help with all other areas of the game, including the dreaded Taurus Demon, Capra Demon, Ornstein and Smough bosses. Meanwhile, we have explainers on how to access DLC Artorias of the Abyss, the best gift and best class in Dark Souls, Dark Souls' best weapons, Dark Souls Covenants, Dark Souls Estus Flasks locations, Dark Souls Titanite Slab locations and NPC quests including Lautrec of Carim.

Dark Souls boss soul weapons list

If you're insistent on getting or making a boss weapon, you should be able to make it using a Boss Soul- so don't pop them for souls as soon as you get them! We've assembled a complete list of boss weapons, craftable from Boss Souls and how to get them.

To craft the vast majority of boss weapons, there is a bit of legwork involved first- you will need to first upgrade it to +10, and then further ascend the weapon using the boss soul at the Giant Blacksmith in Anor Londo.