Elden Ring Katana Tier List

Katanas are one of the workhorse weapon types in Elden Ring, a group of weapons that boast good damage, a powerful status effect with Bleed, and tons of utility no matter where you are in the game. Ranking the best of them isn’t too difficult, as some are just more powerful than others, and this tier list discusses all eight katanas available in the Lands Between.

S-Tier Katanas in Elden Ring

Hand of Malenia

Like the legendary boss that wields it, the Hand of Malenia is a force to be reckoned with. While you need a massive 48 Dexterity to use it, for that cost, you get one of the longest katanas in the game, with top-tier damage, range, and the infamous Waterfoul Dance at your disposal. Anything and everything melts at the touch of it.

Rivers of Blood

No, Rivers of Blood isn’t the world-beater it was at the launch of Elden Ring, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still one of the best katanas in the game. It comes with high inherent Bleed buildup, solid damage and range, and, of course, the Corpse Piler Ash of War. That tell-tale swish-swash has been the end of many a PvE threat and probably millions of PvP invaders.

Moonveil

Rounding out our so far very predictable Elden Ring katana tier list is the OG OP katana, and one that carried my sorry behind through my first playthrough for our Elden Ring review. When you combine the ease of use and utility of the katana moveset with its unique Transient Moonlight Ash of War, Moonveil is easily one of the best weapons for both PvE and PvP. A skilled invader is unlikely to take a hit, but bosses aren’t so lucky.

A-Tier Katanas

Nagakiba

First among equals in the A-tier of Elden Ring katanas, Nagakiba deals more damage, has more range, and is the strongest but otherwise basic katana. It also comes with the Piercing Fang Ash of War, making shields an afterthought. And because it’s so damn long and has such high damage on its own, it can be much more versatile than even Rivers of Blood, if not quite as easy to use.

Uchigatana

The katana in every Dark Souls game and now in Elden Ring, the Uchigatana is as straightforward as they come. It lacks the raw power and range of the Nagakiba and the abilities of its more specialized cousins in Moonveil and Rivers, but it makes up for all of that in sheer utility. It’s much lighter than the Nagakiba, meaning you can add more weapons to your build with it equipped. It’s a classic that will serve you well no matter how you want to wield it.

Meteoric Ore Blade

The Meteoric Ore Blade has a few things going for it, but the most important is its heavy attack: the Ichimonji slash from Sekiro. No other katana or weapon in the game comes with it, and when used correctly, it can easily chop most rank-and-file enemies in half. It also offers solid stagger damage for boss fights. While the Ore Blade can’t compete with Moonveil for raw damage output or move versatility, if you use it with its strengths in mind, it’s a monster.

B-Tier Katanas in Elden Ring

Dragonscale Blade

I love this stupid weapon, especially for its ability to generate blue, cold-powered lightning as part of its Ash of War. The problem is that the Dragonscale Blade lacks range, raw damage, and versatility, and actually landing the Ash of War is…less than forgiving. It’s incredibly fun to use, but I would never classify it as anything more than B-tier.

Serpentbone Blade

If this weapon inflicted Scarlet Rot instead of standard Poison, I think there’d be some conversation about its usefulness. Alas, it cannot, and the fact it’s locked to Double Slash means adding any additional utility is impossible. You can make it work, but doing so is mostly for style points than actually using a good weapon.

That’s our katana tier list in Elden Ring. With only eight to choose from, it’s pretty straightforward. For more content like this, check out our Elden Ring guides hub.