Elden Ring: Expert’s Take On The 15 Best Arcane Weapons

Some of the best builds in Elden Ring require you to raise a particular stat, so your weapon damage can increase considerably depending on various character attributes. I have compiled a list of the best Arcane weapons in Elden Ring that can inflict severe damage to your opponents depending on your arcane attribute.

Here is a quick glance at the comparison between the Best Arcane Weapons:

The Arcane builds can improve your discovery abilities to enhance your item drop rate. Moreover, these weapons are great if you want to make your enemies bleed. A high arcane attribute will also improve your holy defense. Additionally, this attribute will enhance your character’s vitality.

Best Arcane Weapons in Elden Ring

If you’re tired of using some of the best dexterity weapons in Elden Ring, then these weapons are indeed the best if you have a high arcane attribute. Choose these weapons for your arcane build, and you will not be disappointed. On the subject of weapons, consider reading our Elden Ring Weapons Tier List. 

Ripple Blade

The Ripple Blade, an axe, is a potent melee weapon for your Arcane Build. Its immense damage scales with your character’s arcane attribute. I recommend it for high arcane characters; it requires 11 strength, 11 dexterity, and 20 arcane. The weapon skill lets you deal continuous damage, followed by strong or normal attacks, obliterating opponents. Purchase it from Pidia southwest of the Three Sisters area.

Morgott’s Cursed Sword

Morgott’s Greatsword, among the strongest curved greatswords, deals high physical damage and causes blood loss. It suits both arcane and dexterity builds, scaling well with both attributes. Your character needs 14 strength, 35 dexterity, and 17 arcane to wield it.

The weapon skill involves a forward dash and diagonal slice attack followed by a flame burst, inflicting significant damage. Purchase it from Enia in Roundtable Hold by exchanging a Remembrance of The Omen King. For more sword options, read our Best Swords guide.

Reduvia

Reduvia is a potent dagger, ideal for backstabbing, with significant damage scaling to your character’s arcane attribute. It inflicts substantial physical damage and blood loss buildup.

The weapon is speedy but has limited range, challenging in Boss Battles. Requires 5 strength, 13 dexterity, and 13 arcane. Its skill launches blood blades, causing enemies to bleed upon contact. Obtain Reduvia as an item drop after defeating Bloody Finger Nerjius, located left of Murkwater cave on the map. For item options, check our Item Tier List.

Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear

Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear inflicts massive physical and fire damage and substantial blood loss buildup. It’s among the top Arcane weapons if you me from personal experience with Elden Ring. Requires 24 strength, 14 dexterity, and 27 arcane.

The weapon skill allows up to three stabbing attacks, triggering blood explosions and causing bleeding. It also infuses the weapon with Bloodflame. Get it from Enia at the roundtable by exchanging Remembrance of the Blood Lord. If you find it challenging to beat Mohg in his boss fight, consider reading our Mohg cheese method guide.

Ripple Crescent

Ripple Crescent, an arcane halberd in Elden Ring, excels for arcane builds with high damage scaling to your arcane attribute. It’s a long-range weapon dealing substantial physical damage. Apply the Ashes of War for the “Spinning Slash” skill, combining versatile spinning movements with a heavy blow to targets. You can find this weapon in the Academy Gate Town, which may drop from defeated Albinaurics.

Rivers of Blood

Rivers of Blood, an imposing weapon, inflicts high physical and fire damage, causing blood loss buildup. Effective at mid-range attacks. Requires 12 strength, 12 dexterity, and 20 arcane.

The weapon skill unleashes a relentless barrage of attacks and causes bleeding. Obtain it from the Church of Repose after defeating Bloody Finger Okina. To locate Rivers of Blood, refer to our location guide. If you’ve not got to the location of Rivers of Blood yet, then consider reading our Rivers of Blood location guide. 

Related: Elden Ring Melee Build

Eleonora’s Poleblade

If you ask me, Eleonora’s Poleblade is one of the best arcane weapons and excels in damage-dealing capabilities. It deals high physical and fire damage, causing bleeding, with scaling to your arcane attribute. It requires 12 strength, 21 dexterity, and 19 arcane, which is ideal for Arcane builds.

The weapon skill enables a flurry of furious attacks followed by a strong strike, draining enemies’ HP significantly. Obtain it at the Church of Marika after defeating Eleonora.

Varre’s Bouquet

The Varre’s Bouquet is an Aesthetic hammer shaped like a rose bouquet, but this weapon’s sweet look packs immense power. This hammer is a fantastic choice for your Arcane builds due to the high damage scaling by your character’s arcane attribute. Moreover, Varre’s Bouquet is fabulous at dealing with significant physical damage while shedding enemies’ blood. You need 8 strength, 16 dexterity, and 20 arcane to equip this weapon.

“Blood Tax” weapon skill can be applied as an Ashes of War on this weapon. The skill gives the blood affinity to the Varre’s Bouquet and allows you to deplete enemies’ HP. You can find the Varre’s Bouquet near the Dynasty mausoleum site of grace in the Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum. You must invade and defeat White-Faced Varre to obtain this weapon.

Dragon Communion Seal

One of the best Sacred Seals, the Dragon Communion Seal, is an excellent choice for your arcane builds. It enhances incantations and damage through powerful spells in Elden Ring. It boosts Dragon Communion Incantations, improving their damage potential based on the strength attribute, making it a solid choice for magic-focused arcane builds. Requires 10 faith and dexterity.

While not melee weapons, Sacred Seals amplify status effects on enemies and provide attack boosts to various Dragon Communion Incantations, including Dragonfire, Dragonice, Dragonmaw, Borealis’s Mist, Agheel’s Flame, and Ekzyke’s Decay. Acquire it in the Fringefolk Hero’s Grave, unlocked with Stonesword keys available from various merchants.

A Similar Read: Best Elden Ring Incantations

Serpent Bow

The Serpent Bow is an excellent arcane bow if you prefer ranged attacks. The Serpent bow can inflict significant physical damage and its ability to poison enemies. The damage increases significantly depending on the arcane attribute, making this bow one of the best arcane weapons in Elden Ring. You need 8 strength, 15 dexterity, and 11 arcane to wield this weapon.

The weapon skill “ Mighty Shot” is an Ashes of War that can be used on bow builds. This weapon skill shoots a powerful attack towards an enemy that can break its guard. You can find the Serpent Bow in the abandoned cave in the pool of rot.

Bloody Helice

The Bloody Helice, though somewhat underrated, is among the best weapons, characterized as a heavy thrusting sword, delivering slower but more substantial damage.

This weapon relies on Dexterity and scales well with Arcane, providing piercing damage and a passive Blood Loss Buildup. Its unique Ash of War, Dynast’s Finesse, combines a dodge with a backstep followed by a powerful thrust attack, ideal for both PvP and boss fights. Pair it with a katana with War Cry for a damage boost and multi-hit R2 attacks that can stagger many foes.

To wield the Bloody Helice, you need 16 Strength, 19 Dexterity, and 17 Arcane. Ideal values are 50 Arcane and 55 Dexterity due to scaling. Find it in the Writheblood Ruins near the Bridge of Iniquity, underground, after defeating the generic Sanguine Noble. The weapon excels as a versatile and potent arcane weapon with bleed utility.

Marais Executioner’s Sword

The Marais Executioner’s Sword has been recently improved and feels satisfying to wield with wide horizontal combos and corkscrew attacks. It’s relatively lightweight at 11.5.

Its standout feature in my opinion is The Dancing Blade Ash of War, which channels red energy to repeatedly strike a target at medium range, finishing with a powerful blow. While less reliable in PvP, it excels against bosses with numerous strikes and considerable damage.

To use it, you need 24 Strength, 14 Dexterity, and 23 Arcane, with good scaling for all three attributes. Obtain it from Elemer of the Briar at The Shaded Castle.

The Regalia of Eochaid, a Straight Sword, boasts swift strikes compared to larger arcane weapons. If you ask me, it synergizes well with talismans that enhance skill and successive hit damage. Effective against certain bosses, human characters, and bleed-resistant enemies, it features Eochaid’s Dancing Blade skill, energizing the weapon for a powerful corkscrew attack. Its weapon art excels at close range, ideal for foes closing in.

To wield it, you need 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, and 15 Arcane, with decent Arcane and Dexterity scaling. It can be acquired in Gaol Cave or through a specific cliffside parkour near the Third Church of Marika.

Albinauric Staff

This weapon is a Glinstone Staff, arguably more powerful than the Lusat’s Glintstone Staff. Also, it scales significantly with Arcane, which is a big plus. Using the Glitstone Pebble with the Albinauric Staff delivers initial damage of 540, which is considerably more than the Lusat’s.

The Albinauric Staff requires 6 Strength, 10 Intelligence, and 12 Arcane. Moreover, I recommend keeping your Intelligence and Arcane levels equal to make the most of the damage scaling. All in all, this is a great Mage staff for Arcane builds and can be obtained from the Volcano Manor near the Guest Hall Grace.

Clinging Bone

The Clinging Bone is a Fist that excels in melee attacks to counter shielded enemies. It is probably the weakest weapon in my best arcane weapons list but is still a viable option. The weapon works well at lower levels, especially against humanoid enemies.

It also possesses the Lifesteal Fist skill, which delivers a slow punch infused with energy that can incapacitate enemies and acquire some HP from them. Despite being one of the slower weapons in the Elden Ring, the Clinging Bone can be mastered effectively in capable hands.

It requires 8 Strength, 22 Dexterity, and 16 Arcane, and scales well with Dexterity and Arcane. Ensha of the Royal drops the weapon at the Roundtable Hold.

My Experience Using Arcane Weapons

The Rivers of Blood was magnificent when Elden Ring was newly released, but FromSoftware decided to nerf it. However, after a vast nerf, the weapon is still tremendous and can shred bosses with a good build. I used Rivers of Blood on the Fire Giant when I was roughly 80 hours into my playthrough, and the first phase didn’t bother me much at all. 

Mohg’s Spear does some crazy blood loss build-up when the Ash of War is used, but the timing with the boss’s attacks can be challenging. I enjoyed the spear as it has a tremendous range, and it inflicts bleeding on enemies.  Marais Executioner’s Sword has hands down one of the best Ashes of War in Elden Ring. I loved every second of using the sword, as using its Ash of War was really fun. 

These weapons listed in my guide are the best arcane weapons; they can inflict immense damage on the enemies, while a few weapons also have the capability to make your enemies bleed, contributing significantly during combat. Choosing a few is recommended for your arcane build.

Next: Elden Ring Pyromancy Build

New Arcane Weapons have been added to the guide on April 18th, 2022.