Dark Souls 3 is highly regarded among players because of the sheer variety in playstyles, from people who prefer strength builds to folks who just want to sling lightning. On top of that, while other wwwgames such as Dark Souls 2 offer exciting mechanics such as power-stancing, it is tough to match the fast and fluid combat in the third installment.
That said, picking a weapon from the 168 different options can sometimes be a little overwhelming. However, when it comes to a Dark Souls 3 Strength build, there are, of course, many stand-out options that will force players to “git gud” in no time. Given how this game handles stats, these builds will center around choosing the best Strength weapon and having that guide your playthrough.
Updated July 13, 2022 by Dan Christmann: With the massive success of Elden Ring, more people are playing Souls games than ever before. If you've somehow managed to take down its bosses, need a break from the Lands Between, or just feel nostalgic for a simpler time when you couldn't jump or ride a horned horse, Dark Souls 3 is always there to offer its love and support. And by that, we mean killing you. Over and over.
Still, if you're looking for a world without summons, Dark Souls 3 stands as one of FromSoftware's greatest achievements, and playing a Strength build is one of the best ways to play. Whether you're new or are returning to the Kingdom of Lothric, these buff builds will help your Ashen One succeed where others have failed.
14 Spliteaf Greatsword
Important Stats
- Strength: 50+
- Dexterity: 16
Gear
- Weapons: Splitleaf Greatsword (Heavy)
The Splitleaf Greatsword isn't actually a greatsword: It's a halberd. And while that may be a bit confusing, the Splitleaf's damage output and S-level Strength scaling with a heavy infusion means that it's not really worth thinking too hard about. It deals the most damage of any Strength build halberd in Dark Souls 3, hands down. What makes this weapon special, though, is its weapon art: Wind Wheel. It lets you spin the blade over your head like a Shaolin master, deflecting arrows, hitting enemies on all sides, and buffing your next attacks. Chain it with normal attacks and you'll become an unstoppable combo machine.
You can buy the Stoneleaf Greatsword from the Stone-Humped Hag, who is found at the Dreg Heap bonfire in the Ringed City DLC. You can also purchase it from the Shrine Handmaiden after obtaining the Old Woman's Ashes.
13 Executioner's Greatsword
Important Stats
- Strength: 40+
- Dexterity: 13
- Intelligence/ Faith: 15+
Gear
- Weapons: Executioner's Greatsword
- Spells: Greater Magic Weapon (if Intelligence), Blessed Weapon (if Faith), Carthus Flame Arc (if both)
One of the more involved Strength builds, the Executioner's Greatsword requires that you diversify into Intelligence, Faith, or both, so that you can focus on weapon buffs. The sword's unique ability, leeching six FP from each enemy after you kill them, allows you to keep the buff up long after you should have run out of uses. This means that, as long as you keep killing, you have a nigh-permanently enchanted weapon that will melt through foes big and small alike. Weirdly enough, it also does strike damage, which can give you the leg up in PvP.
You can find the Executioner's Greatsword on a corpse in the Cathedral of the Deep, near the Cleansing Chapel.
12 Yhorm's Greatshield
Important Stats
- Strength: 40+
Gear
- Weapons: Single-Handed Weapon (Any), Yhorm's Greatshield
- Rings: Havel's Ring, Ring of Favor
One of the great advantages of Strength over Dexterity is that you can use it to knock people over. Unfortunately, many bosses dish out the same, and then some. Yhorm's Greatshield solves this problem. Though its Strength requirement is high, the shield is fairly light for a great shield, and is perfect for blocking even the heftiest blows. And, since you'll be stacking Strength anyway, it's a great addition if you're looking to tank through the entire game.
You can find Yorhm's Greatshield by transposing the Soul of Yorhm the Giant.
11 Fume Ultra Greatsword
Important Stats
- Strength: 60+
- Dexterity: 10
- Endurance: 35+
Gear
- Weapons: Fume Ultra Greatsword
- Rings: Prisoner's Chain, Cloranthy Ring
Most Strength builds in Dark Souls 3 involve hitting things with other, very heavy things, and there are few heavier than the Fume Ultra Greatsword. This gigantic blade is great for both PvP and PvE, since its size can outreach almost every other weapon in the game. Its Strength scaling also goes all the way up to S at a +5 upgrade, which makes it one of the best weapons to use if you don't want to bother with other stats. You'll need a lot of Stamina to wield it, but using items that mitigate its heavy drain, like the Cloranthy Ring, will make using this gigantic hunk of metal worth your while.
You can get the Fume Ultra Greatsword by killing Knight Slayer Torg, when he invades underneath the Smoldering Lake.
10 The Dark Sword
Important Stats
- Strength: 40+
- Dexterity: 15
Gear
- Weapons: Dark Sword (Heavy), any shield (optional)
This Dark Sword is an excellent option for a standard, low carry weight Strength build. Reinforcing it to Heavy (the infusion best for Strength builds) gives it an “A” scaling, and with already high base damage, this blade packs a punch. Take advantage of this sword’s low weight by pairing it with a defensive shield or your favorite set of armor, making this a great build for newer players.
The Dark Sword drops from Darkwraiths residing in Farron Keep and the High Wall of Lothric.
9 The Drakeblood Greatsword
Important Stats
- Strength: 40+
- Dexterity: 16
- Faith: 40 (If using Blessed Infusion)
Gear
- Weapons: Drakeblood Greatsword (Heavy or Blessed, based on stats)
- Rings: Clutch Rings (Lightning, Magic)
- Spells: Any blade buffs (Carthus Flame Arc, Lightning Blade, Dark Blade, Darkmoon Blade, Blessed Blade)
This weapon is a fantastic option for a Strength build with some investments in Faith and Intelligence. First, it is the lightest of all the Greatswords, meaning it has all of the power without having to sacrifice additional carry weight. Secondly, it has base lightning and magic damage, which is extremely valuable. Making this weapon heavy means getting it a “B” Strength scaling, and maintaining this split damage makes it a very versatile option. Finally, it’s possible to buff this weapon, which makes it a sword equivalent of a swiss army knife – useful for any scenario.
You can get the Drakeblood Greatsword by defeating the Drakeblood Knight at Archdragon Peak near the Dragon-Kin Mausoleum bonfire.
8 Millwood Battle Axe
Important Stats
- Strength: 50+
- Dexterity: 10
Gear
- Weapons: Millwood Battle Axe (Heavy)
There’s not much to say about this weapon other than it's devastating. Of course, if you want to maximize this weapon’s Strength, you must infuse it with a heavy gem to get that highly sought-after “A” scaling in Strength.
This weapon comes from the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, which makes it a little hard to come by, especially if you want this weapon early on in the game. However, if you dedicate enough time and energy to running through an end-game area early, you are rewarded with a weapon that can accompany you to pretty much any New Game+.
You can find the Millwood Battle Axe on a corpse on top of the Millwood tower near the Snowfield bonfire.
7 Black Knight Greataxe
Important Stats
- Strength: 60+
- Dexterity: 18
Gear
- Weapons: Black Knight Greataxe
When a weapon appears across all three games in a franchise, it is usually an indication that it’s a fan favorite and likely pretty good. In the case of the Black Knight Greataxe, pretty good is putting it lightly. Even though it only has a “C” scaling, its high base damage more than makes up for it. Proper stat investments for this weapon grant the possibility of achieving an AR of around 630. Plus, with the bonuses of flattening enemies with a strong attack and an additional 20% damage against demons, this weapon is truly something worthy of Gwyn’s knights.
Obviously, the Black Knight Greataxe drops off of Black Knights that wield axes, like those patrolling the Smouldering Lake and Untended Graves.
6 Drang Hammers
Important Stats
- Endurance: 30+
- Strength: 50+
- Dexterity: 16
Gear
- Weapons: Drang Hammers (Heavy)
These hammers are a complete hidden gem for a Strength build. Like the dark sword, this is a perfect weapon for a Strength build that can’t deal with much carry weight. Becoming an “A” in Strength, the Drang hammers don’t have the stopping power of an Ultra Greatsword, but they have a very high DPS. With a move set that is reminiscent of powerstanced hammers from Dark Souls II, these weapons can easily stagger and stun an opponent, leaving them open to a flurry of hammer blows. Just remember, this build should not use a shield, so well-timed rolls are a must.
You can find the Drang Hammers in the Cathedral of the Deep near one of the Giant Slaves you'll run into while heading to the Deacons of the Deep boss area.
5 Lothric Knight Greatsword
Important Stats
- Strength: 60+
- Dexterity: 16
- Faith: 40+ (If using Blessed Infusion)
Gear
- Weapons: Lothric Knight Greatsword (Heavy or Blessed)
Don’t be fooled by the name; this sword belongs to the Ultra Greatsword category, and it looks like it too. This is an intimidating mass of steel that will render pretty much any enemy to a pulp. With the bonus of lightning damage, this sword allows one to play the role of the handsome knight, purging the lands of the undead. This sword shares the same bonus as the Drakeblood Greatsword, meaning that you can buff or infuse it while retaining lightning damage, making it wonderfully versatile.
As you might expect, the Lothric Knight Greatsword drops off of Lothric Knights found in the High Wall of Lothric, Lothric Castle, Grand Archives, and The Dreg Heap.
4 Dragonslayer Greataxe
Important Stats
- Endurance: 40+
- Strength: 66+
Gear
- Weapons: Dragonslayer Greataxe
It bears mentioning that this weapon is the heaviest Greataxe in the game. It will demand 40 Strength to wield, and with a weight of 40, this is the definition of commitment. But, if the drive to slay archdragons outweighs the Herculean requirements of this weapon, the rewards are immeasurable.
With a unique weapon art, unbelievable design, and great stats, this weapon is a triple threat. Proper Strength stats means it is possible to achieve over 729 AR, making it one of the best options for pure damage.
You can obtain the Dragonslayer Greataxe by beating the Dragonslayer Armor and transposing its soul with Ludleth of Courtland.
3 Ledo’s Great Hammer
Important Stats
- Endurance: 40+
- Strength: 66+
Gear
- Weapons: Ledo's Great Hammer
While this is another DLC weapon (coming from The Ringed City DLC), any frustration accrued while obtaining this weapon will cower in comparison to how easy the game becomes after acquiring it. Yes, it is the most massive Great Hammer in the game, and it does have a high Strength requirement (60 to be exact), but this hammer can pull stones from the ground to pulverize foes. This hammer has the stats to go the distance, and the benefits of it having a unique weapon art meaning it has better longevity in terms of keeping a build fresh.
You can get Ledo's Great Hammer after defeating Silver Knight Ledo when he invades in the Ringed City.
2 Yhorm’s Great Machete
Important Stats
- Strength: 66+
- Dexterity: 10
Gear
- Weapons: Yhorm's Great Machete
One cannot deny the pure joy that erupts from using a weapon wielded initially by a giant king. As one can imagine, such a weapon would also be able to smash through enemies with its sheer weight – and it does. This weapon, when wielded with two hands, has the greatest pure physical damage in the game, hitting a staggering 707 AR. It has the longest reach of any Greataxe in the game, and it’s possible to get relatively early by defeating Yhorm in the Profaned Capital.
1 Profaned Greatsword
Important Stats
- Strength: 60+
- Dexterity: 10
Gear
- Weapons: Profaned Greatsword
Another boss weapon, the Profaned Greatsword, is another unconventional but no less noteworthy option on an excellent Strength build because of its unique weapon art. The Profaned Greatsword has the unique ability to self-buff, adding a great amount of fire damage to the weapon, further increasing its usefulness. While its scaling has taken a bit of a hit (dropping down from a “B” to a “C” in Strength), it still contains the potential to provide a versatile option for anyone looking for a fresh Ultra Greatsword playthrough.
You can get the Profaned Greatsword after beating Pontiff Sulyvahn and transposing his soul.