In the Elden Ring DLC patch 1.13, several weapon skills have been adjusted, offering players new ways to dominate the battlefield. Players can strategically buy items Elden Ring that enhance these skills for maximum impact. Below is a tier list ranking the best weapon skills based on their effectiveness, versatility, and overall power in both PvE and PvP.
S-Tier Weapon Skills
These skills are considered the most powerful and versatile, offering high damage output, utility, and ease of use.
Taker's Flames (Blasphemous Blade)
• Description: This skill heals on hit and scales with your Faith stat, making it highly effective for both mob clearing and boss fights.
• Strengths: High damage output and healing capabilities.
• Requirements: High Faith stat.
Bloodhound's Finesse (
Bloodhound's Fang)
• Description: This skill allows for a powerful attack followed by a dodge, making it versatile for both offense and defense.
• Strengths: High damage and mobility.
• Requirements: Dexterity build.
Bloodhound's Step
• Description: This skill offers incredible mobility and invulnerability frames, making it invaluable for both dodging and repositioning in combat.
• Effect: Allows for swift movement, evading attacks with ease.
• Best Used With Any weapon type
Seppuku (Death Ritual Spear)
• Description: Seppuku remains a top-tier skill due to its ability to inflict bleeding damage rapidly, making it deadly in both PvE and PvP, especially with weapons that already have bleeding buildup.
• Effect: Buffs your weapon with bleed, causing massive bleed buildup.
• Best Used With: Katanas, Twinblades
A-Tier Weapon Skills
These skills are strong and reliable, offering good damage and utility, but might require specific builds or situations to truly shine.
Revenger's Blade (Falx)
• Description: This skill involves a double swipe leading to a massive hit combo, ideal for proccing status effects like bleed.
• Strengths: High burst damage.
• Weaknesses: Lack of hyper armor during the animation.
Spearcall Ritual (Death Ritual Spear)
• Description: Summons an AoE of spears from a distance, making it effective for crowd control.
• Strengths: Long-range and high AOE damage.
• Weaknesses: Requires precise aiming.
Golden Parry
• Effect: Enhances the timing window for parrying also works at a distance.
• Best Used With Small Shields, Medium Shields
• Description: Golden Parry is incredibly useful in both PvE and PvP, giving players a longer window to parry and making it easier to deflect enemy attacks.
Lion's Claw (Claymore)
• Effect: A powerful somersault attack that deals heavy damage.
• Best Used With Greatswords, Colossal Swords
• Description: Lion's Claw delivers high damage and has a decent range, making it a reliable choice for strength builds.
B-Tier Weapon Skills
These skills are still effective and can be powerful in the right hands or specific situations but may lack the versatility or raw power of higher-tier options.
White Light Charge (Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword)
• Description: A quick thrust attack with great range and solid damage, followed by an explosive AoE.
• Strengths: Fast attack for a colossal sword.
• Weaknesses: Not the highest damage or stagger potential.
Blind Spot (DLC) (Backhand Blade)
• Description: Allows for a dodge to the side followed by a strike, useful for evading and countering.
• Strengths: High dexterity scaling and dual-wield capability.
• Requirements: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
Sword Dance
• Effect: A series of rapid slashes that deal moderate damage.
• Best Used With Twinblades, Straight Swords
• Description: Sword Dance is great for DPS but may struggle against heavily armored foes or those with high poise.
C-Tier Weapon Skills
These skills are less effective in the current meta or have specific use cases that limit their overall effectiveness.
Flame of Frenzy
• Effect: Unleashes a spread of fire in front of the player.
• Best Used With Seals, Faith builds
• Description: While visually impressive, its spread can be inconsistent in landing hits, and it's less effective against agile or distant foes.
Sacred Blade
• Effect: Imbues your weapon with holy light, adding damage.
• Best Used With Faith builds, Swords
• Description: Sacred Blade is situational and excels in dealing with holy damage but struggles against enemies resistant to holy or magic damage.
Impaling Thrust (Milady)
Impaling Thrust is a powerful forward thrust that can break through enemy shields and bypass their defenses. It benefits from Keen Affinity and is compatible with thrusting weapons and armaments.
Endure (Giant-Crusher)
Endure is a standard skill available in Ashes of War, applicable to all melee weapons. This skill is highly beneficial for playstyles focused on blocking and absorbing damage during combat.
Conclusion
These skills offer a variety of playstyles and strengths, from healing and high damage to mobility and crowd control. Whether you're focusing on PvE or preparing for future rebalancing, these skills can significantly enhance your gameplay experience in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
