Dark Souls 3 BEST PvP Weapons In 2024

The PvP scene of Dark Souls 3 brims with fierce competition; if you go in unprepared or even poorly prepared, you will most likely get farmed – not even trolling. Therefore, it is important to know at least some of the best PvP weapons in Dark Souls 3.

Lucky for you, I have you covered as I present, in-depth, four of my favorite weapons that have shredded many Ashen ones and will continue to do so.

My Best PvP Weapons Comparison

Here is a comparison table of my best PVP Weapons in  Dark Souls 3 . Each stat can be sorted to view the highest and lowest values, which has been done for your convenience:

No	Weapons	Physical Attack	Physical Defence	Magical Attack	Magical Defence	Fire Attack	Fire Defence	Light Attack	Light Defence	Dark Attack	Dark Defence	Critical Attack	Critical Defence	FP Cost	Soul Value
1	Claymore	138	50.0	0	35.0	0	30.0	0	30.0	0	35.0	100	-	-(17/20)	100
2	Frayed Blade	101	45.0	0	25.0	0	30.0	0	15.0	41	40.0	100	-	-(18/11)	1500
3	Splitleaf Greatsword	132	40.0	0	25.0	0	20.0	0	20.0	0	25.0	100	-	-(17/20)	500
4	Lothric Knight Straight Sword	103	45.0	0	35.0	0	25.0	0	25.0	0	35.0	110	-	-(17/20)	500

PvP Weapons Comparison Table. 

Claymore

Best Versatile Greatsword.

	Physical	Magic	Fire	Light	Dark	Critical
Attack	138	0	0	0	0	100
Defence	50.0	35.0	30.0	30.0	35.0	-
	Strength	Dexterity	Intelligence	Faith
Scaling	D	D	-	-
Requirement	16	13	-	-
Skill	Stance
Stability	35
Range	-
Durability	75
Weapon Category	Great Sword
Wgt.	9.0
Attack type	Standard/ Thrust
FP Cost	-(17/20)
Purchasing Value	-
Soul Value	100

Claymore Stats Table. 

The Claymore is a top choice for PvP due to its versatile stats and moveset:

1. Claymore: Versatile Greatsword for PvP, between Straight Swords and Ultra Greatswords.
2. Stats: Requires 16 Strength, 13 Dexterity, base D scaling improved to A with infusions.
3. Wielder’s Choice: Combines Ultra Greatsword range and damage with slower attack speed.
4. Infusions: Heavy for Strength, Sharp for Dexterity, Refined for Quality build.
5. Buffing: Use Gold Pine Resin for lightning damage, boosts Attack Rating (AR).
6. Moveset: Versatile for beginners and experts, allows thrusts, and horizontal and vertical swings. Stance weapon art breaks guards with a strong upward slash and provides hyper armor.

In summary, the Claymore’s well-rounded stats, infusions, and versatile moveset make it one of the best PvP weapons, and it’s a strong choice for players looking for a reliable Greatsword in the game.

Location: Dropped from enemies in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley that wield this PvP weapon. It is also found on the plateau where the fire-breathing Dragon rests (near the first Bonfire) in the High Wall of Lothric; it’s in the far-left corner if you look from the stairs.

Frayed Blade

Best DEX Weapon.

The Frayed Blade is the closest you can get to an anime katana, change my mind!

	Physical	Magic	Fire	Light	Dark	Critical
Attack	101	0	0	0	41	100
Defence	45.0	25.0	30.0	15.0	40.0	-
	Strength	Dexterity	Intelligence	Faith
Scaling	E	B	-	-
Requirement	11	40	-	-
Skill	Hold
Stability	30
Range	-
Durability	20
Weapon Category	Katana
Wgt.	8.0
Attack type	Standard/ Thrust
FP Cost	-(18/11)
Purchasing Value	-5,000
Soul Value	1500

Frayed Blade Stats Table. 

The Frayed Blade is a popular and formidable Dexterity weapon, especially in PvP, and it stands out among katanas in Dark Souls 3. The Frayed Blade is a unique katana introduced in The Ringed City DLC. It is known for its distinctive properties and weapon art.

• Frayed Blade: Requires 11 Strength, 40 Dexterity for high Dexterity builds.
• Range and Speed: Longer reach and fast katana attack speed.
• Durability: Low durability, carry repair powder or use Repair sorcery.
• Scaling: E scaling in Strength, B scaling in Dexterity, can’t be infused or buffed.
• Bleed Infliction: Passively inflicts bleed damage with base 34 auxiliary bleed.
• Unique Weapon Art – Hold: “Hold” weapon art adds versatility with powerful strikes and bleeding slashes in PvP.

In summary, the Frayed Blade is a top-tier Dexterity weapon in PvP, known for its impressive range, speed, and unique weapon art. It’s a favorite among katana enthusiasts and can be devastating in the hands of a skilled player.

Location: Transposed with Soul of Darkeater Midi, obtained from beating Darkeater Midir. The dragon boss is found in The Ringed City after opening the final shortcut gate near the Ringed Inner Wall bonfire.

Splitleaf Greatsword

Best Ranged DMG Weapon.

	Physical	Magic	Fire	Light	Dark	Critical
Attack	132	0	0	0	0	100
Defence	40.0	25.0	20.0	20.0	25.0	-
	Strength	Dexterity	Intelligence	Faith
Scaling	C	E	-	-
Requirement	26	16	-	-
Skill	Winv Whell
Stability	20
Range	-
Durability	90
Weapon Category	Halberd
Wgt.	13.5
Attack type	Standard
FP Cost	-(17/20)
Purchasing Value	-11,000
Soul Value	500

Splitleaf Greatsword Stats Table.

Before I begin, I just want to clarify right off the bat that this is NOT a greatsword. I repeat, this weapon is NOT a great sword. It’s a halberd – yes, you heard that right! Its weapon description describes it as a “long-handed greatsword” while it is just a halberd at through and through.

The Splitleaf Greatsword is community-wide considered the best Strength weapon anyone could use in PvP and, alone, speaks volumes. Therefore, I’ve listed it as one of the best PvP weapons.

The Splitleaf Greatsword, a halberd in Dark Souls, boasts impressive range, outperforming many weapons in its category. While its attack speed is relatively slow due to its size, it compensates with substantial damage and increased parry resistance. This weapon suits a patient playstyle, where maintaining distance and using the halberd’s range to apply pressure with sweeps and pokes is key.

By controlling the duel and punishing attempts to close the distance, you can leverage its overhead attacks and powerful weapon art. The Splitleaf Greatsword requires 26 strength and 16 dexterity, with C scaling in Strength and E scaling in Dexterity. Proper infusions can significantly enhance its scaling attributes.

The upgrade path that I would recommend for this weapon is, number one, to invest in Titanite and reinforce it completely to +10. Then, given that it is frankly the best Strength weapon in the game, you should fit it on a Strength build; otherwise, you won’t be doing this beautiful weapon justice.

You can achieve this with a heavy infusion with a heavy gem, which bumps the weapon’s Strength to a whopping S.

You can also go for a Dexterity build using a sharp infusion with a sharp gem, which, while boosting its Dexterity scaling to A-tier, is arguably not as effective at bringing out the best of the Splitleaf Greatsword. As far as the buffs are concerned, while there is freedom of choice there, I would highly recommend rocking Blessed Weapon, a miracle that commences health regeneration and buffs your right-handed weapon’s physical damage, both lasting 45 seconds. 

This, even on a simple strength build, puts the Splitleaf Greatsword at a spicy 644 AR. That, alone, would convince players of why this is one of the best PvP weapons, but there’s more…

As far as the movesets of this beast of a weapon is concerned, you could say that almost all of its moves, be it one-handed or two-handed, are valuable in certain situations. The best part is that it has a guaranteed combo; a guaranteed combo is exactly what it sounds like – if the first hit connects, then so does the rest, and there is simply no escaping it.

The Splitleaf Greatsword’s guaranteed true combo goes like this: a two-handed light attack, followed by the weapon art, Wind Wheel, and capped off with either another light attack or heavy attack. 

Location: Can be bought from the Stone-humped Hag at The Dreg Heap Bonfire as soon as you walk into the area before dropping down for 11,000 Souls. It can also be bought from the Shrine Handmaiden for 11,000 after giving her the Old Woman’s Ashes.

Lothric Knight Straight Sword

Highest Damage Straight-Sword.

	Physical	Magic	Fire	Light	Dark	Critical
Attack	103	0	0	0	0	110
Defence	45.0	35.0	25.0	25.0	35.0	-
	Strength	Dexterity	Intelligence	Faith
Scaling	D	D	-	-
Requirement	11	18	-	-
Skill	Stance
Stability	35
Range	-
Durability	80
Weapon Category	Straight Sword
Wgt.	4.0
Attack type	Standard/Thrust
FP Cost	-(17/20)
Purchasing Value	4000
Soul Value	500

The Lothric Knight Straight Sword is a staple in any list of the best PvP weapons. If you’ve ventured into the world of invasions in this game, you’ve likely encountered this weapon more than any other, and chances are it sent you to your demise.

It rightfully earns its title as the “King of all Straight Swords” because it offers a well-rounded package, combining some of the best attributes.

The Lothric Knight Straight Sword doesn’t specialize in one particular aspect but excels in multiple areas. It boasts a decent range, surpassing most other straight swords in the game.

Additionally, it provides solid damage with a base 103 AR, which can be significantly increased, making it renowned for its potential to achieve the highest damage output among all straight swords.

The upgrade path I recommend for the Lothric Knight Straight Sword is, apart from +10 reinforcement, fitting it onto a Dexterity build. That means going for a sharp infusion with a sharp gem that raises its Dexterity scaling to S, which is where things start to get serious as now you start to peak at those high damage values.

You could, conversely, also go for a strength build as a heavy infusion with a heavy gem does yield a Strength scaling of A-tier, which is not too bad either.

Regardless, as far as buffs are concerned, I always run the Gold Pine Resin, but you can run other buffs – just check how much they improve the weapon stats by comparing the before and after.

The moveset that this straight sword comes with is one of the most beginner-friendly movesets in the game. Part of the reason why is that it rewards “R1/RB spamming,” where you simply spam your right light attack nonstop, and the next thing you know, you’ve decimated your opponent.

And if they ever try to roll away in an attempt to escape this horrifying flurry of light attacks, don’t forget that the Lothric Knight Straight Sword is one of the easiest weapons to roll catch enemies with.

Other viable techniques of this weapon include thrust poking and the infamous running slash for getting a quick hit in. As a cherry on top, its Weapon Art Stance has hyper armor, meaning you can activate it without worrying about getting staggered mid-way.

This is particularly useful in quickly closing distancing with thrusts as well as breaking guards if your opponent loves to shield hug a lot.

Location: Dropped by Lothric Knights, which can be easily farmed down the stairs from the Tower on the Wall bonfire. It is also sold by Greirat for 4000 souls after pillaging Irithyll Valley.

Why Others Were Not Chosen?

• Gundyr’s Halberd: While powerful and versatile, its slow swings make it vulnerable to parries and spacing.
• Fume Knight Greatsword: It’s weight and slow attacks leave you open for attacks.
• Black Knight Greatsword: Great for one-shot trades, but its complex moves hinder aggressive play.
• Greatsword of Artorias: Its slow attack speed and situational weapon art make it less reliable in PvP.
• Dragonslayer Greataxe: High damage but extremely slow and predictable swings.
• Carthus Curved Sword: Highly aggressive, but its self-inflicted damage can backfire.
• Rotten Curved Sword: Decent bleed potential, but outclassed by other curved swords in terms of damage and moveset.
• Longsword: A basic beginner weapon, that lacks unique features or damage compared to other options.
• Astora Straight Sword: Similar to the Longsword, but with lower damage output.
• Claws: Lack of range and reliable combos compared to other weapon classes.
• Great Spears: Can be effective for spacing, but their slow attacks and limited versatility make them a bad pick.
• Bows and Crossbows: While useful for chip damage and pressure, they’re not primary weapons in PVP as they don’t do well in close-range combat.

What I Recommend

In my opinion, the Splitleaf Greatsword is the best PVP weapon which I’d recommend everyone. The reason is that it’s a ranged weapon, amazing for area control. You’ll need a bit of practice with it first. Once you master it, the Dual-wielded moveset and potential for high damage ouput, will help your progress hefty!