Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion pack introduces a ton of new weapons, and among those 100 new weapons, there are several that are truly god-level. In this article, we'll take a deep dive into these special weapons, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and overall impact on PvE and PvP gameplay.

Putrescent Zombie Cleaver

At first glance, the Putrescent Zombie Cleaver might seem underwhelming with its 55 Frost buildup, especially for a heavier weapon. However, its true strength lies in its ability to stagger-lock enemies, making the Frost proc almost guaranteed after four or five hits. This balance prevents it from becoming overpowered while still offering significant utility.

Pros:

· Effective stagger-lock capability

· Balanced Frost buildup for sustained combat

Cons:

· Poor Arcane scaling, unlike other ghost flame weapons

· Limited viability in PvE due to slow and clunky weapon art

Great Sword of Damnation

Designed for PvP, the Great Sword of Damnation excels in duels. Its weapon skill is devastating against players, but it suffers from slow attacks and easy punishability if missed. Its unique aspect is the immense hyper armor during its weapon arc, which can be both a blessing and a curse.

Pros:

· High hyper armor during weapon arc

· Game-ending potential in PvP if landed

Cons:

· Slow and clunky in PvE

· One-dimensional usage

Swords of Light and Darkness

These swords are ideal for boss fights, offering a combination of buffs and debuffs that maximize damage output against high-health enemies. The Light Side sword buffs holy damage, while the Darkness sword debuffs the enemy's holy resistance, creating a powerful synergy.

Pros:

· Effective against bosses with high health pools

· High attack power due to scaling with strength, dexterity, and faith

Cons:

· Less effective against regular enemies

Obsidian Lamina

This new Bloodhound Fang Reaper-style weapon offers a balanced and fun combat experience. It combines stagger, bleed, and quick strikes, making it versatile for various combat situations.

Pros:

· Balanced mix of stagger, bleed, and quick strikes

· Scales well with Arcane, increasing bleed buildup

Cons:

· Requires precise movement and direction to maximize effectiveness

Dragon Hunter's Great Katana and Rakashaka Katana

The Dragon Hunter’s Great Katana is visually impressive and effective even against non-dragon enemies. In contrast, the Rakashaka Katana offers near-infinite hyper armor during its weapon arc but lacks the scalability and flexibility of infusible weapons.

Pros:

· Dragon Hunter’s Great Katana: Versatile and stylish

· Rakashaka Katana: High hyper armor during weapon arc

Cons:

· Dragon Hunter’s Great Katana: Limited scalability

· Rakashaka Katana: Not infusible, limiting build potential

New Fist Weapons: Poison Hands and Madting

These new fist weapons break the mold by offering longer reach and powerful poison buildup. The Poison Hands are particularly effective, with deadly poison that can be used in both PvE and PvP.

Pros:

· Longer reach than typical fist weapons

· High poison buildup with deadly poison effect

Cons:

· Challenging to land hits in PvP

Tooth Whip

A grotesque yet powerful weapon, the Tooth Whip inflicts deadly poison and reduces the enemy’s stamina recovery. It is primarily a PvP weapon due to its short reach and unique debuff capabilities.

Pros:

· High poison buildup and stamina reduction

· Effective guard counters

Cons:

· Short reach

· Should have scaled with Arcane for better poison buildup

Black Steel Hammer

This weapon offers a unique effect with guard counters, projecting an extra holy explosion for double stagger. It's an excellent choice for players seeking a combination of offense and defense.

Pros:

· Double stagger effect with holy explosion

· Versatile with innate holy damage and infusibility

Cons:

· Requires precise timing for guard counters

Beast Claws

The new Beast Claws provide wild, animalistic movements with significant stagger potential. While the red bear claws look cooler, the regular Beast Claws are superior due to their infusibility and higher bleed potential.

Pros:

· High poise damage and stagger potential

· Infusible for increased bleed buildup

Cons:

· Limited to only two Beast Claw weapons in the game

Death Knight Axes

The Death Knight Great Axe and Twin Axes offer distinct playstyles with high poise damage and successive attacks, respectively. The Great Axe is more consistent, while the Twin Axes offer high damage potential with successive hits.

Pros:

· High poise damage and lightning Smackdown weapon art

· Twin Axes: Successive attacks for high damage potential

Cons:

· Twin Axes: Difficult to connect attacks consistently

· Limited to specific build types

Light Great Swords: Mady and Rana's Twin Blades

Both light great swords are powerful, with Mady being infusible and offering versatility with various affinities and weapon arts. Rana's Twin Blades are unique but less versatile due to their non-infusibility.

Pros:

· Mady: Infusible with multiple affinities

· Rana's Twin Blades: Unique dual-wielding capabilities

Cons:

· Rana's Twin Blades: Non-infusible, limiting build options

Fire Knight's Great Sword

Possibly the best new weapon in the game, the Fire Knight's Great Sword combines innate Faith scaling, fire damage, and powerful light and heavy attacks. Its weapon art, Flame Skewer, is highly effective in both PvE and PvP.

Pros:

· High Faith scaling and fire damage

· Powerful weapon art for both PvE and PvP

Cons:

· Requires significant build investment for maximum effectiveness

Ancient Great Sword

This weapon boasts one of the best weapon arts in the game, offering a swift launch and large AOE explosion. It excels at thrusting attacks, making it a formidable choice for many players.

Pros:

· Powerful weapon art with large AOE explosion

· High thrusting damage

Cons:

· Requires precise timing and positioning

Devon's Hammer

A larger and more powerful version of the Yava Great Sword, Devon's Hammer offers double stagger effect with its weapon art blast. It scales with strength and faith, making it a versatile and powerful choice.

Pros:

· High stagger potential with double stagger effect

· Scales well with strength and faith

Cons:

· Heavier and slower than other weapons

Great Sword of Solitude

A simple yet lethal weapon, the Great Sword of Solitude excels at both offense and defense with its high guard boost and physical damage negation. Its weapon art, Solitary Moon Slash, is highly effective for breaking enemy stance.

Pros:

· High guard boost and physical damage negation

· Effective weapon art for breaking stance

Cons:

· Requires precise timing for maximum effectiveness

Spear of Impaler

With a mesmerizing weapon art that offers multiple strikes, the Spear of Impaler is a powerful weapon for both consecutive hit buffs and long-range heavy attacks. It excels in both PvE and PvP.

Pros:

· High consecutive hit potential

· Long-range heavy attack

Cons:

· Requires precise positioning for maximum damage

Blood Fiend's Turkey Leg

A unique weapon with high bleed buildup and unique heavy attacks, the Blood Fiend's Turkey Leg offers a deadly combination of strength and Arcane scaling. Its bleed potential makes it a formidable choice for many players.

Pros:

· High bleed buildup with unique heavy attacks

· Effective in both PvE and PvP

Cons:

· Requires specific build investment for maximum effectiveness

Perfume Bottles

These weapons offer a unique explosive effect with wide radius damage. By using the Rolling Sparks Ash of War, you can direct the damage to a single line of impact, maximizing their potential.

Pros:

· High damage potential with wide radius explosions

· Effective for proc'ing poison or madness

Cons:

· Requires precise positioning and timing

Conclusion

The new weapons in Shadow of the Erdtree offer a wide variety of playstyles and build options. While some weapons are truly god-tier, each has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Whether you prefer to lock down enemies with a Rotting Zombie Machete or wreak havoc with a Flaming Knight Greatsword, there is a weapon for every playstyle in this expansion. In order to save your time and avoid wasting too much effort to experience new content, you can buy Elden Ring Runes PS/PC/Xbox on MMOexp, and its the best place to buy Elden Ring items, instant delivery, professional services and security guarantee. Happy hunting!

MMOexp Elden Ring Team