Continuing the Dark Souls series trend, Elden Ring boasts a massive arsenal of weapons and tools to help the Tarnished reach his destination. Elden Ring adopted an idea from Dark Souls 2 that many players, myself included, held dearly in our hearts: Powerstancing.
The idea of Powerstancing is that when you hold two weapons of the same type, you can get a unique moveset. Not only does this sound really fun and exciting, but it also paved the way for countless unique and creative possibilities. As is the case with any game with a lot of weapons, there emerges a clear difference of power between two different weapons. Powerstancing was a semi-solution to that issue, as it offered players the chance to mix and match their favorite weapons.
This guide serves to point out the ridiculous potential that exists in dual-wielding or Powerstancing if you will. The weapons listed ahead are some of the best dual-wielding weapons that Elden Ring has to offer, while also pointing out where to get them.
12. Dual Scavengers Curved Sword
The jagged shark-teeth-like edges are a thing to behold
Something that you will immediately notice upon this ranking is that a lot of the weapons used for Powerstancing are the same weapons. This is because while Powerstancing does offer a plethora of creativity, sometimes the best option is the same tool all over again. After all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Scavenger’s Curved Swords are weapons that take full advantage of the Bleed effect (arguably one of the strongest status effects in the game).
The beauty of this weapon is that you don’t need to play the Rip n Tear Doom music, this weapon plays it for you, as you start shredding boss health bars. Take a useful Ash of War like Seppuko and start blasting. With its unique moveset and devastating DPR, you’ll be putting the poor boss into a grinder of pain and suffering, all the while you sit back and enjoy.
Scavengers Curved Sword Stats:
- STR - 9 (D)
- DEX - 14 (D)
What Scavengers Curved Sword excels in:
- Better than Uchigatana when proccing Bleed
- Have an obscenely high DPR with the right setup
- Have a unique look that makes it look threatening and cool
How to get Scavengers Curved Sword:
Elden Ring - Scavenger's Curved Sword Location
11. Raptor Talons
Your chance to become X-23 from Marvel Comics
Claws are a unique weapon type that is either a hit or miss when it comes to Elden Ring. Sometimes they can be quite devastating when it comes to building up the Bleed meter, otherwise, they appear as more bark but not bite. But it’s a known fact that they are one of the coolest weapon types in the game.
Considering they scale off of Dexterity more than Strength, it’s a recommended weapon for those hoping to be dextrous. But it doesn’t stop there. This weapon is unique in the sense that it deals a whopping 55% more damage when airborne. Unlike the previous Dark Souls games, you can actually jump in this game, and jump attacks are a viable strategy. Raptor Talons make full use of that, and allow you to become a raging wolverine. Plus, it has a really cool and unique R2 attack that you should try out!
Raptor Talons Stats:
- STR - 6 (E)
- DEX - 14 (C)
What Raptor Talons excels in:
- A huge advantage when airborne
- Unique R2 animation
- A really good Bleed build-up
How to get Raptor Talons:
Elden Ring - Raptor Talons Claw Location
10. Dual Dark Moon Greatswords
A striking, chilling design complimenting the most iconic FromSoftware weapon
Anyone who’s played past FromSoftware games would begin howling in joy upon first seeing this weapon. FromSoftware carries on some traditions such as Patches in almost all of their games, and the Moonlight Greatsword is no exception to that. Having played an INT build, I knew from the very start that I wanted to get this weapon. However, the process of actually receiving it is quite convoluted. I left a video that describes everything, hopefully, that helps ease it up a little.
Regardless, this weapon is devastatingly good. While it does demand a bit of high INT, it’s offset by the fact that the STR and DEX requirements are low which severely helps because as a caster, you’re more naturally inclined toward INT. As a weapon, the Dark Moon Greatsword is really good and sometimes used in PvP as well due to how effective it can be. Perhaps the most significant and obvious part of its attack is the Charged R2. It is REALLY good, both visually and damage-wise. With certain buffs, it can become a game-changer.
If you don’t have anyone who can drop this weapon to you, or you don’t feel like doing NG+ again for it, then note that this weapon works really well with the Helphen’s Steeple, a weapon that is also strikingly beautiful while being hauntingly strong.
Dark Moon Greatsword Stats:
- STR - 16 (D)
- DEX - 11 (D)
- INT - 38 (C)
What Dark Moon Greatsword excels in:
- Iconic R2 is a devastating beam of light that can shred most things
- Really strong on casters who generally lack melee options
- Causes Frost buildup which is excellent against enemies
How to get Dark Moon Greatsword:
Elden Ring - Dark Moon Greatsword Location& Full Ranni Quest Guide
9. Dual Golden Halberds
One of the earliest and best weapons you can get
The Golden Halberd is a weapon that you can get almost immediately in Elden Ring. It’s a weapon that scales off of Faith and deals Holy Damage. It also has the unique Weapon Art: Golden Vow that gives you a minor buff. Now combine it with another Golden Halberd and you suddenly wield one of the most menacing dual-wield weapons in Elden Ring.
One of the biggest issues that you might see, off the bat, with this weapon is how slow it is. Don’t be repulsed by this, while the weapon clearly is slow, Elden Ring proves that slow does not mean bad. It is, indeed, a weapon of sheer terror and force instead. Being a Halberd, this weapon has reach which can significantly help your survival and is very effective in PvP as well against people who generally like to keep a distance.
Couple all of those factors with the fact that it deals massive amounts of damage, and the dual-wielded Golden Halberds is a force to reckon with.
Item Stats:
- STR - 30 (D)
- DEX - 14 (E)
- FTH - 12 (D)
What Golden Halberd excels in:
- Long reach
- Devastatingly high damage
- Good Weapon Art
How to get Golden Halberd:
Elden Ring - Golden Halberd Location
8. Dual Fingerprint Stone Shields
Do you want to become a hulking wall?
In Dark Souls 3 there was a specific shield that people would use in PvP a lot, acting as the Ultimate Defense. Elden Ring continues that trend, however, unlike Dark Souls 3, it has actually viable shields. Lo and Behold; one of the most creative and powerful dual-wielding weapons - The Fingerprint Stone Shield.
If for whatever reason, you decided that you just want to sit back and let the boss mutilate you while you chug your potions and mind your own business, this is the “weapon” for you. The idea behind the Fingerprint Stone Shield is Poise. Stacking up on as much defense as you possibly can, and straight up just laughing in sheer mockery over those who try to defeat you.
Dual wielding, however, can be a bit of a challenge as they are THE heaviest shields in the game. But it’s well worth the investment for those willing to become the ultimate tank.
Item Stats:
- STR - 48 (D)
What Fingerprint Stone Shield excels in:
- Making you a behemoth at tanking
- POISE
- Watching people suffer and give up as you turtle behind it and then Shield Bash them
How to get Fingerprint Stone Shield:
Elden Ring - Fingerprint Stone Shields Location
7. Dual Sacrificial Axes
Maximum Gains, each kill is an FP restored
One of my recent playthroughs of this game was an Intelligence build as I wrote above. However, I played this run with a friend of mine who ran a Faith build and their weapon of choice was the Sacrificial Axe. Immediately off the bat, you might be wondering why. It’s not a Faith weapon by any means. However, this is the weapon that most casters (at least in the early game) should always prioritize.
That is because this weapon restores FP every time you slay a foe. While the number seems low at first, stack it with a few talismans and you never need to worry about FP again. As a caster, one of your biggest concerns is FP after all, which you can only increase by leveling up Mind. However, with this, you can simply spam your Incantations or Sorceries away because you know you’ll be getting returns eventually. While dual wielding this weapon doesn’t stack the benefits, it’s still a very good weapon with respectable AR, and I can’t stop recommending it enough to anyone looking to play magic in this game.
Item Stats:
- STR - 16 (D)
- DEX - 10 (D)
What Sacrificial Axe excels in:
- Restores FP per kill
- Stacks with Ancestral Spirit’s Horn and Sword of Milos.
- Pretty good at clearing out hordes of enemies
How to get Sacrificial Axe:
Elden Ring - Sacrificial Axe Location
6. Moonveil with Blood Uchigatana
Become an enchanted samurai
We’ve finally entered the territory where instead of just dual wielding a singular weapon, it’s better to dual-wield it with another, similar weapon. However, the second weapon is more of an added bonus, our main focus is on the primary weapon. And what better weapon to start with than the iconic Moonveil?
When the game first launched, immediately one of the most broken weapons reported was the Moonveil. Dubbed the “Noob Katana”, the Moonveil would melt through enemies with precision and glory. It was a weapon to be feared, and for good reason. The Weapon Art would devastate the enemies and bring them to their feet immediately.
Moonveil is an excellent weapon for INT players, and in my INT playthrough, before I eventually switched to the Dark Moon Greatsword, I used the Moonveil. It’s elegant, stylish, and an all-around amazing weapon. Combine it with an Uchigatana for even more antics. A blood-infused Uchigatana can help immensely with building up the Bleed meter while the Moonveil itself dishes out a lot of damage.
Item Stats:
- STR - 12 (E)
- DEX - 18 (D)
- INT - 23 (C)
What Moonveil excels in:
- Weapon Art is very strong, even after all the patches
- Works really well with most Katanas
- Consistently remains one of the strongest weapons in the game
How to get Moonveil:
Elden Ring - Moonveil Location
5. Dual Godskin Peelers
A breathtakingly stunning weapon art combined with the most devasting Polearm
Accompanied by a hauntingly beautiful cacophony, the Godskin bosses remain some of the hardest, yet memorable bosses the series has to offer. And once you receive their weapons, you become the very thing you swore to destroy. The Godskin Peeler is a really amazing Poleblade. In terms of style and flavor, I’d say it’s even better than the Eleonora Poleblade.
It has a unique Weapon Art that shrouds you in a Black Flame Tornado. But that is not its main draw. At this point, you should be aware of how overpowered and strong Bleed weapons are. If you level this weapon to maximum, give it the Bleed affinity, and have 40 Arcane, the bleed build-up is a whopping 120.
But wait! It gets better. After all, we are talking about the best dual-wield weapons. Now combine this with itself, under the same conditions (granted the process is hard and cumbersome, but bear with me for a bit), and do a jumping attack. You’ll have FOUR TIMES the potency, dealing 480 bleed build-up per jumping attack. That is INSANE and will demolish most bosses (obviously not counting those immune to Bleed).
Item Stats:
- STR - 17 (E)
- DEX - 22 (C)
What Godskin Peeler excels in:
- Absolutely ridiculous Bleed build-up
- Really cool Weapon Art
- Fast, strong and has good reach
How to get Godskin Peeler:
Elden Ring - Godskin Peeler Location
4. Rivers of Blood with Frost-infused Uchigatana
Rivers of Blood sounds like an MGR song
If it wasn’t for Moonveil being available at the start, there’s no doubt in my mind that Rivers of Blood would’ve been the most famous Katana in the game. This weapon is absolutely crazy. Partially due to its ridiculously overpowered Weapon Art: Corpse Piler (an apt name for what you will be doing to your enemies), Rivers of Blood remains a terrifying sight to behold whenever invaded.
This weapon is quite infamous as it went through some massive nerfs in subsequent patches, however, the more recent one rectified that by separating PvP from PvE. Now, this weapon continues to remain a juggernaut of powerhouse that I’d recommend to anyone who simply wants to see the boss cry.
Combine it with a Frost-infused Uchigatana for even more shenanigans. While the main obvious draw of this weapon is its powerful Weapon Art, it’s undeniably great otherwise as well. This is where the Frost-infused Uchigatana comes into play, as it allows you to inflict both Status Effects in quick succession.
Item Stats:
- STR - 12 (E)
- DEX - 18 (D)
- ARC - 20 (D)
What Rivers of Blood excels in:
- Destroying waves of enemies with ease
- Quick bleed proc
- Devastating at close range
How to get Rivers of Blood:
Elden Ring - Rivers of Blood Location
3. Starscourge Greatswords
Ah, you were at my side all along…my guiding Starscourge Greatswords
Whenever I start a new FromSoftware game, one of my first and foremost go-to builds is the Strength build. The bigger the weapon, the better. I want to see the enemy crushed and destroyed under the mighty weight of the biggest weapon I can find. And what better weapon to accomplish the job than the weapon you receive from arguably the best boss in the game: Starscourge Radahn. Alternatively known as Chad.
The Starscourge Greatswords are unique in the way that you don’t need two of them to dual-wield them. They can be dual-wielded by just one of them alone. This makes it excellent as it’s one of those rare weapons you can use for a dual-wield build in NG alone or without relying on someone to drop the other piece. They are one of the strongest weapons in the game, capable of dishing out more than 1500 damage with just one jumping attack.
But it gets better. Starscourge Greatswords have a unique Weapon Art that works similar to Gravitas where it pulls enemies closer and then pressing the button again deals a massive supernova of damage to everyone around you. This is AMAZING when you’re surrounded or in a crowd-controlling fight. A guilty pleasure of mine was just gathering enemies around and then devastating them with it.
Item Stats:
- STR - 38 (D)
- DEX - 12 (D)
- INT - 15 (E)
What Starscourge Greatswords excel in:
- Clearing out huge mobs of enemies
- Massive damage
- Don’t need two of them
How to get Starscourge Greatsword:
Elden Ring - Starscourge Greatswords Location
2. Dual Giant Crushers
The ultimate fit of strength and adrenaline
While Starscourge Greatswords are definitely strong, none can truly compare to the might of the Dual Giant Crushers - arguably THE strongest dual-wield weapon when it comes to Strength builds. Have you seen those one-shot builds? Guess what weapon they use when it’s not Comet Azur. That’s right, the Giant Crusher. This weapon is tremendously strong. Not only because of its high damage input but because it also works really well to protect you from damage, something most other weapons don’t do that well.
Setting that aside, however, dual wielding these bad boys net you the strongest combo in the game, allowing you to obliterate everything in your path. If you ever wanted to feel like a juggernaut of strength, this is the weapon for you.
Item Stats:
- STR - 60 (C)
What Giant Crusher excels in:
- Only need Strength (lots of it) to be usable
- Has amazingly high damage, making one-shot builds really useful
- Allows you to mow down enemies without much worry
How to get Giant Crusher:
Elden Ring - Giant Crusher Location
1. Dual Eleonora’s Poleblades
Prepare to shred everything
If you’ve come this far, then you knew this weapon was coming. Twinblades are unique and creative weapons that are always good in these games, but Eleonora’s Poleblade goes ten steps further than that. This devastating weapon knows no limits. Equipped with a really stylish and wonderful Weapon Art, Eleonora’s Poleblade is the weapon of choice for those who want to pin bosses against a cheese grater.
This weapon works really well when dual-wielded, both with itself and other Twinblades (such as the Godskin Peeler) allowing you to proc bleed very quickly, while also dishing out damage at ridiculous speed. Speed and damage often don’t work together in these games, but Eleonora’s Poleblade seems to be against that rule completely. Equip this weapon and watch the game’s balance be destroyed.
Item Stats:
- STR - 12 (E)
- DEX - 21 (D)
- ARC - 19 (D)
What Eleonora’s Poleblade excels in:
- High bleed potential with Weapon Art
- Unique R2
- Excellent damage with speed
How to get Eleonora’s Poleblade:
Elden Ring - Eleonora's Poleblade Location
And these are the 12 best dual-wield weapons in Elden Ring. Hopefully, this guide helps you figure out which one you want to go for. Ultimately, Elden Ring has an immense amount of weapons. Find one that works best for you and lets you have fun!
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