Best Greatswords in Elden Ring: Full Tier List

Quick Answer: The best Greatswords in Elden Ring for 2026 are Maliketh’s Black Blade (S-tier Faith/Str), the Sword of Night and Flame (versatile magic/fire), the Blasphemous Blade (Faith with Taker’s Flames healing), and the Bloodhound’s Fang (early game S-tier with built-in bleed). All scale strongly with Strength as primary stat.

Greatswords are the backbone of many of Elden Ring’s most satisfying builds — heavy, powerful blades that stagger enemies and deal punishing damage. This guide ranks the best greatsword-class weapons, explains what makes each one strong, and helps you pick the right blade for your build.

What Counts as a Greatsword?

In Elden Ring, “greatsword” can mean a couple of things. There is the dedicated Greatsword weapon class — large two-handed blades with sweeping movesets — and the even larger Colossal Swords. This guide focuses on big, two-handed swords in general, since players shopping for “the best greatsword” usually want a heavy, high-impact blade regardless of the precise category.

What unites these weapons is strong poise damage, high base attack, and movesets that reward deliberate, weighty play. They scale primarily with Strength, often with Dexterity as a secondary stat.

S Tier — The Best Greatswords

Bloodhound’s Fang

The Bloodhound’s Fang is arguably the best early-to-mid game heavy weapon in Elden Ring. It deals strong damage, builds the Blood Loss status effect, and comes with an excellent unique skill that combines an evasive lunge with a powerful follow-up. Best of all, it is obtained relatively early by defeating an optional overworld boss, and it scales without needing rare upgrade stones for its unique path.

Greatsword (Colossal Sword)

The weapon literally named “Greatsword” is a fan-favorite Colossal Sword famous for its enormous reach and damage. With high Strength scaling and a moveset that hits like a truck, it is a top pick for pure Strength builds that want to flatten enemies. Its weight is significant, so it pairs best with solid Endurance investment.

A Tier — Excellent Choices

Claymore

The Claymore is the textbook beginner-friendly greatsword. It has balanced Strength and Dexterity scaling, a versatile moveset, modest weight, and is found very early. It accepts any Ash of War, making it endlessly customizable. Many experienced players still rely on the Claymore deep into the game simply because it does everything well.

Zweihander

The Zweihander is a Colossal Sword with a balanced approach to heavy combat. It offers a strong mix of reach and damage and is available early, making it an excellent stepping stone for players committing to a Strength build before they find rarer weapons.

Ordovis’s Greatsword

This greatsword stands out for its unique skill, a spinning aerial attack that deals heavy damage and looks spectacular. With quality scaling, it suits builds that invest in both Strength and Dexterity, and it rewards aggressive players who like to open fights with a dramatic burst of damage.

B Tier — Strong With the Right Build

Dark Moon Greatsword

A legendary Intelligence-scaling greatsword tied to one of the game’s most famous questlines. It is not a Strength weapon at all — it rewards mages and spellblades with frost buildup and a powerful projectile skill. For an Intelligence build that wants a melee option, it is outstanding, which is why it sits here rather than in the pure-Strength rankings.

Inseparable Sword

A Faith-scaling greatsword that adds Holy damage to its swings. For Faith builds that want a reliable heavy melee weapon to complement their incantations, it is a superb fit, blending solid physical damage with a useful skill.

How to Choose Your Greatsword

Match the weapon to your build:

• Pure Strength: the Greatsword (Colossal) or Zweihander for maximum impact;
• Balanced quality build: the Claymore or Ordovis’s Greatsword;
• Early-game power spike: the Bloodhound’s Fang, hands down;
• Intelligence build: the Dark Moon Greatsword;
• Faith build: the Inseparable Sword.

Remember that two-handing any greatsword multiplies your effective Strength by 1.5, letting you meet requirements with fewer levels. Our stat soft caps guide explains how to plan that investment.

Upgrading and Ashes of War

Whichever greatsword you choose, upgrading it should be a constant priority — a fully upgraded weapon outperforms an un-upgraded “better” one every time. For weapons that accept any Ash of War, experiment to find a skill that suits your playstyle, whether that is a damage burst, a buff, or a stance-breaking attack.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best early-game greatsword?

The Bloodhound’s Fang. It offers excellent damage, Blood Loss buildup, and a strong skill, and it is obtainable early from an optional overworld boss.

What is the best greatsword for a pure Strength build?

The Colossal Sword simply called “Greatsword” delivers the highest raw impact for dedicated Strength builds.

Do greatswords need Dexterity?

Some do. Many greatswords scale with both Strength and Dexterity, while Colossal Swords lean almost entirely on Strength. Check each weapon’s scaling before committing.

Final Thoughts

Greatswords reward players who like deliberate, weighty combat with massive payoff per hit. The Bloodhound’s Fang carries you through the early game, the Claymore offers endless versatility, and the Colossal Greatsword delivers raw devastation for Strength builds. Pick the blade that matches your stats, keep it upgraded, and enjoy staggering everything in the Lands Between.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the best Greatsword in Elden Ring?
A: Maliketh’s Black Blade is the highest-damage Greatsword endgame. Bloodhound’s Fang is the best early-mid game pick for accessibility.

Q: Where do I get Bloodhound’s Fang?
A: Defeat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil in the Forlorn Hound Evergaol in southern Limgrave. Drops the weapon directly.

Q: Are Greatswords good for beginners?
A: Yes. They stagger most enemies, have wide hitboxes, and Strength-scaling is forgiving. Bloodhound’s Fang is the canonical recommendation.