12 Best Axes In Elden Ring [Expert’s Take + Experience]

In the Lands Between, players will encounter various weapons to help them overcome obstacles and defeat formidable foes. Among these deadly tools are the best axes in Elden Ring, which offer immense power and versatility for various character builds.

Let’s have a look at the comparison between some of the Best Axe in Elden Ring:

1. Icerind Hatchet

The Icerind Hatchet is a unique weapon with a special Ashes of War ability called Hoarfrost Stomp, which deals significant damage while consuming minimal FP. 

To find the Icerind Hatchet:

• Players should head to the Temple Quarter Site of Grace, located just below the Raya Lucaria Academy.
• From there, they must travel southeast to a ruined tower.
• Inside the ruins, players will find a chest containing the Icerind Hatchet.
• The area is relatively safe, with only a few Alburniac wandering from the Village of the Albinaurics.

The Icerind Hatchet’s stats and the Hoarfrost Stomp ability make it a viable weapon for frost builds. It also inflicts frostbite (65) on enemies, lowering their damage absorption by 20% and reducing stamina recovery.

Icerind Hatchet, an early-game weapon in Elden Ring, is both accessible and powerful. Its Hoarfrost Stomp ability delivers significant damage, making it favored by speedrunners and frost-build enthusiasts. Recognized for its effectiveness in cheesing numerous boss fights, it holds the top spot among the best axes in Elden Ring.

2. Gargoyles Black Axe

The Gargoyle’s Black Axe is a unique and formidable weapon that players can acquire to enhance their combat capabilities with the War Cry skill.

To find the Gargoyles black axe:

• Players need to defeat the Black Blade Kindred found at the mountaintops of the giants.
• Along with the black axe, the Gargoyles Black Blade can also be acquired from feeling the same enemy.

Due to the weapon requirements and the difficulty in acquiring the weapon, it can be considered a more mid-game weapon. 

3. Rosus Axe

The Rosus’ Axe primarily scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence, making it an excellent choice for melee-focused characters looking to deliver substantial damage with every swing and dominate the battlefield.

To find Rosus’ Axe in the game:

• Players need to explore the Black Knife Catacombs in liurnia.
• The weapon is located behind a Stonesword Key door.

One of the most notable features of Rosus’ Axe is its Weapon Skill, Rosus’s Summons. By raising the axe, players can summon three skeletons that appear at a distance, attacking in tandem before vanishing. However, it’s important to note that Rosus’ Axe cannot be infused with Ashes of War.

4. Celebrants Cleaver

The Celebrant’s Cleaver is a versatile and powerful Axe in Elden Ring, making it one of the best choices for players who prioritize Strength and Dexterity in their build.

With each successful hit, the Celebrant’s Cleaver grants ten runes to the player, providing a valuable resource for upgrading and leveling.

• The Celebrant’s Cleaver can be found in the Altus Plateau’s Windmill Village.
• It is dropped by enemies in the area.
• As players explore the village and defeat celebrating foes wielding the weapon, they have a chance to obtain this unique axe for their arsenal.

One of the key aspects of the Celebrant’s Cleaver is its Default Weapon Skill, Wild Strikes. This skill allows players to swing the weapon with reckless abandon, and by holding the attack button, they can continue swinging. The skill can be followed up with a normal or strong attack, offering dynamic combat options.

This weapon can also be infused with Ashes of War, allowing players to customize and enhance their abilities further. 

5. Sacrificial Axe

The Sacrificial Axe is a unique and powerful weapon in Elden Ring, scaling primarily with Strength and Dexterity, thus making its place among the best axes. Ideal for aggressive players who like to confront their enemies head-on, this axe is particularly suitable for those who appreciate its skill, Wild Strikes.

The Sacrificial Axe can be obtained by venturing to the Weeping Peninsula during nighttime and defeating the formidable Deathbird enemy.

Additionally, the axe’s lingering power from the ancient sacrificial rite allows players to restore a small amount of FP upon slaying a foe.

6. Jawbone Axe

The Jawbone Axe is a distinctive and powerful weapon, primarily scaling with Strength and Dexterity, and offers the Wild Strike skill as well.

Players can find the Jawbone Axe by:

• Defeating the Ancestral Follower enemy.
• These formidable enemies can be found in various locations, such as near the Mausoleum Compound site of grace and the ruined Labyrinth grace.

The Jawbone Axe can be infused with Ashes of War and buffed with magic and consumables, providing additional customization options for players. 

7. Stormhawk Axe

The Stormhawk Axe is an exceptional weapon in Elden Ring that primarily scales with Strength and Dexterity. This axe is perfect for aggressive players who enjoy a relentless and dynamic combat style.

The weapon skill, Thunderstorm, sets it apart from other axes in the game, imbuing the wing-shaped blade with lightning to create a dazzling storm with each swing. The lightning stays on the blade for a brief period, enhancing the weapon’s potential in battle.

Players can find the Stormhawk Axe in various locations throughout the vast world of Elden Ring.

• One way to obtain it is by looting Nepheli Loux’s corpse at the Village of the Albinaurics in Western Liurnia of the Lakes.
• Alternatively, players can search for it on a dead body in the courtyard filled with Iron Maidens near the Fortified Manor, First Floor at Leyndell, Royal Capital.
• The axe can also be found in Castle Sol, resting on a corpse on a wooden awning in the courtyard’s central building.

The Stormhawk Axe cannot be infused with Ashes of War; however, players can upgrade it using Somber Smithing Stones to further enhance its combat capabilities.

8. Battle Axe

The Battle Axe in Elden Ring is a robust and versatile weapon, perfect for players who prefer a balance of power and adaptability. This standard axe is one of the best choices for players who wish to wield a reliable and effective armament on their journey through the world of Elden Ring.

One of the defining features of the Battle Axe is its Weapon Skill, Wild Strikes. Its weight is 4.5 and can be obtained by one of two methods:

• The Battle Axe can be found as starting equipment for the Hero class in Elden Ring.
• It can also be purchased from Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold for 800 Runes.

The battle axe can be infused with Ashes of War, offering players the opportunity to enhance its capabilities and tailor it to their preferred playstyle.

9. Warped Axe

In Elden Ring, the Warped Axe can be found by:

• Farming Omens who wield the weapon.
• With a base drop rate of 4% (at 100 Discovery), players can increase their chances of obtaining the axe by farming Omens in locations such as
  • The Cliffbottom Catacombs,
  • The Abandoned Coffin Site of Grace on the Altus Plateau,
  • or near the Underground Roadside Site of Grace in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds.

The Warped Axe’s default Weapon Skill, War Cry, allows players to unleash a rallying cry that increases their attack power.

• Furthermore, with a Skill FP Cost of 16 FP, players can execute this ability strategically during combat situations.

The Warped Axe has a weight of 7.5 and can be infused with Ashes of War, allowing players to further enhance and customize the weapon to suit their playstyle.

10. Highland Axe

The Highland Axe in the game is a single-sided axe favored by the highland warriors and is one of the best axes in the game.

The Highland Axe can be found at:

• Stormveil Castle
• It is located inside the fortress of the Grafted Scion.
• Players can acquire the weapon by looting it from a corpse situated beneath a large painting at the center of the room.

It has a weight of 4.5 and with the default Weapon Skill, War Cry, the Highland Axe enables players to increase their attack power with a rallying cry. 

The Highland Axe can be infused with Ashes of War and buffed with Magic and Consumables, allowing players to customize and enhance the weapon according to their playstyle. 

11. Iron Cleaver

The Iron Cleaver is a distinctive axe with a unique move set that sets it apart from other axes in the game. It has a weight of 6.0 and specialized attack patterns make it a formidable choice for players looking to diversify their combat strategies.

The Iron Cleaver can be found in:

• Castle Morne (Weeping Peninsula) and Leyndell, Royal Capital
• It has a chance to be dropped by the Misbegotten creatures wielding it.
• To farm the weapon easily, players can unlock the “Behind the Castle” Grace in Castle Morne and follow a strategic route that minimizes combat and maximizes backstab opportunities.

The default Weapon Skill for the Iron Cleaver is Wild Strikes, which allows players to swing the weapon with wild abandon. Players can further enhance the Iron Cleaver by infusing it with Ashes of War and buffing it with Magic and Consumables. 

12. Ripple Blade

Another unique and versatile axe in the game, making its place in the best axes due to its impressive scaling and adaptability, is the Ripple Blade.

Acquiring this remarkable armament involves:

• Seeking out Pidia, the Carian Servant at the Carian Manor.
• To reach her, you must traverse Ranni‘s Rise and head towards Seluvis’s tower.
• From there, follow the cliff until you see a rooftop for Caria Manor, which you can jump onto.
• Make your way to the broken wall on the right and descend the planks to an open rooftop area with a ladder leading down.
• Pidia awaits you there, ready to sell the Ripple Blade.

With a weight of 4.5 and being a weapon that can benefit from Arcane stat, the Ripple Blade is an excellent option for characters using Dragon Communion incantations.

Its innate Arcane scaling and ability to be buffed, such as with Electrify Armament, make it a formidable choice for those seeking a flexible and powerful weapon in the game.

My Personal Opinion On The Best Axe

As seen from the list, my favorite and personal best axe in Elden Ring is undoubtedly the Icerind Hatchet. Despite the recent nerfs, the Frost debuff is extremely overpowered in this game, which is why Frost weapons always stand out in their respective weapon categories. From my experience, the Icerind Hatchet is no exception to the rule, and when you use it, you can see why.

In my opinion, the Icerind Hatchet’s Ash of War is unbelievably effective against hordes of enemies and bosses, slowing their attacks and movement significantly. This Ash of War alone blows every other in-game axe out of the water. And besides that, the Hatchet has respectable damage output figures for both regular and charged attacks, so it’s even great as a regular axe.

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