Dark Souls is one of the most challenging games available and the success of players is significantly owed to its weapons. There's a reason why developer From Software named their first Dark Souls game, "Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition." The game is notorious for being a fail-hard game. Trying to beat Dark Souls without dying numerous times is impossible for most people. Miraculously, Twitch streamer The_Happy_Hob beat Dark Souls without taking a single hit. Using a combination of dodging and counters he fast-tracked through the game.

Having an effective weapon in Dark Souls is crucial. A combination of physical and elemental damage can go a long way. The weapons below are some of the most powerful and advantageous weapons to use in the Dark Souls series. We hope you find a melee weapon that suits your character build.

10 Drake Sword

The Drake Sword is a formidable weapon that feels rewarding when you finally obtain it. The Hellkite Wyvern dragon who drops Drake Sword is the first dragon you encounter in the game. After slaying the Taurus Demon, you'll come to a place where Hellkite Wyvern overlooks a bridge. You are not expected to slay the dragon right away, but once you get a decent bow and arrow, you can take down Hellkite Wyvern with ease.

This weapon is deemed to be excellent because anyone can use it. Newcomers to Dark Souls will find this sword to be remarkable. Use the weapon in its base form because upgrading takes resources and offers very little damage increase.

9 Moonlight Greatsword

Seath the Scaleless is a boss found in The Duke's Archives Crystal Cave of Dark Souls. Slaying this boss will provide you with the Bequeathed Lord Soul Shard, which will allow you to satisfy the Lordvessel.

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The Moonlight Greatsword swings horizontally due to its size. This weapon is very popular for players of Dark Souls. It relies on high Intelligence to increase its effectiveness. The weapon will shoot magic projectiles when you swing it. The magic projectiles' damage is determined by how much Intelligence a player has.

8 Gravelord Sword

What makes the Gravelord Sword stand out is its Toxin that does 5 damage per second for 600 seconds. Technically, all you have to do is unleash the Toxin and then dodge and parry for the majority of battles. The Gravelord Sword easily be obtained by joining the Gravelord Servant Covenant. The weapon can't parry in the off-hand, so its recommended to use a shield or two-hand the Gravelord Sword. To upgrade this sword to maximum stats, you'll need 5,000 souls and 10 Demon Titanite. Two-handing the weapon will let you block, making the weapon effective against foes.

7 Uchigatana

There are two ways to acquire the Uchigatana in Dark Souls. One method involves slaying the Undead Merchant who is located in the Undead Burge. The other way is to purchase the weapon from Shiva of the East. Purchasing the Uchigatana will cost you a mere 5,000 souls.

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The weapon's speed and precise movements make it ideal for Dark Souls PVP. It's worth noting that this weapon is also available in Demon's Souls, which is considered part of the Souls series. Dark Souls' Uchigatana has less range than in Demon's Souls.

6 King's Ultra Greatsword

King's Ultra Greatsword happens to be one of the best greatswords to appear in Dark Souls. The base damage of the King's Ultra Greatsword is sizeable due to its high 180 physical attack. You can unlock this sword after slaying King Vendrick and offering the Soul of the King to Weaponsmith Ornifex. King's Ultra Great Sword is the heaviest weapon in Dark Souls 2. Its weight is 28, and it requires 50 strength. Adding points to your strength will make the weapon inflict massive damage.

5 Greatsword

Ultra greatswords can be wielded by players from all skill levels. What is more important is that you have a character build that can swing a greatsword and not decrease speed. Ideally, this sword should be used with strength builds. To find the Greatsword in Dark Souls 2, it can be dropped by Royal Guards in the Forest of Fallen Giants, the Undead Crypt, and the Drangelic Castle. You probably won't want to use this weapon against the two Dragonriders in the Drangelic Castle, but on regular NPCs, it works well.

4 Smelter Hammer

This Smelter Hammer doesn't just look big, it is a remarkably powerful weapon capable of decimating most foes in Dark Souls 2. Also known as the "chicken drumstick" and "chicken wing," the Smelter Hammer has 500 attack power in its base form. Your equipment load will be tested with this weapon, so it's advisable to wear lighter gear or upgrade vitality points. An overhead strike with this heavy weapon will flatten most foes in Dark Souls 2. Holding this weapon with one hand requires 70 strength, but 99 strength allows you to power stance the Smelter Hammer, enabling you to dual wield.

3 Claymore

One of the most basic weapons, obtained early on in Dark Souls 3, happens to be one of the most effective in battle. In Dark Souls 3, the Claymore can land devastating thrusts and swings. This sword can be used with two hands or one.

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The base stats of this weapon are mediocre, but as you buff, infuse, and reinforce the weapon with Titanite, it becomes a strong all-around weapon that can defeat bosses. Used at the appropriate moment, the Claymore can wipe out foes with a powerful thrust. The Claymore's weapon difficulty is low.

2 Fume Ultra Great Sword

It's not the first time the Fume Ultra Greatsword appeared in Dark Souls. The Fume Ultra Greatsword from Dark Souls 3 is a unique ultra greatsword. Like most other ultra greatswords, the Fume Ultra Great Sword is cumbersome, requiring about 25.5 points of weight.

To obtain the Fume Ultra Greatsword in Dark Souls 3, you must defeat Knight Slayer Tsorig below the Smouldering Lake. It takes careful timing and a high equipment load, but the Fume Ultra Greatsword can be devastating due to its massive power. The difficulty level of this weapon is high, so it is recommended for experienced players.

1 Dark Sword

"Pitch-black straight sword of the Darkwraith, survivor of the land swallowed by darkness." Since the sword is light, it works best with a shield. Dark Sword has a variety of attacks including light and heavy attack, backstep heavy attack, stomp forward attack, rolling light attack, backstep heavy attack, two-handed light, and heavy attacks, among others.

Not to be confused with the "Darksword" from the first Dark Souls game, Dark Sword is a powerful weapon in Dark Souls 3. Aside from minor changes, the Dark Sword and Darksword handle about the same. Reinforcing this weapon can make it compete with top weapons.

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