Shadow of the Erdtree didn't just add more "stuff" to the pile. It basically rewrote how we play the game. Honestly, when I first stepped into the Gravesite Plain, I expected more of the same—more big swords, more poke-heavy spears, maybe a fancy new staff. Instead, FromSoftware handed us a literal arm of a monster and told us to go nuts.
There are 103 new armaments in the expansion. Some of these Elden Ring DLC weapons are so absurdly strong they make the Rivers of Blood meta of 2022 look like a playground scrap. But here’s the thing: most players are still stuck using the same old "Greatsword" mentality. They're missing the nuance of the eight new weapon types.
The Bloodfiend's Arm is Still King (Even After the Patch)
You've probably heard the rumors. "The chicken leg got nerfed!" Yeah, it did. Back in patch 1.12.3, FromSoft looked at the Bloodfiend's Arm and realized that instant-proccing bleed with a single heavy attack was maybe—just maybe—a bit too much.
They lowered the Arcane scaling. They tweaked the status buildup. But let’s be real for a second. If you’re running a 60-80 Arcane build, this thing still hits like a freight train. You aren't just doing damage; you're breaking the game's posture mechanics. A single charged R2 (heavy attack) still dumps a ridiculous amount of bleed on a boss. I've watched players clear Radahn, Consort of Miquella, using nothing but this ugly hunk of meat.
It’s a "Colossal" class weapon, which means you get that juicy hyper-armor. You aren't getting knocked out of your animations easily. If you pair it with the Cragblade Ash of War or even just the Blood affinity, you’re looking at a weapon that rewards the most aggressive, "don't-care-if-I-get-hit" playstyle possible.
Why You’re Using Milady Wrong
Milady is the poster child for the new Light Greatsword category. It’s elegant. It’s fast. It’s found in a chest at Castle Ensis, which you can basically grab within the first hour if you're brave enough.
But I see people playing it like a standard Longsword. That’s a mistake.
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The power of Milady isn't in its raw damage numbers—it’s in the Wing Stance Ash of War. You find this separate skill in a tower further into Castle Ensis. When you use the heavy follow-up from the stance, you perform a leaping multi-thrust that covers massive distance.
- Scaling: It hits a solid B in Dexterity or Strength depending on your infusion.
- Speed: It’s faster than a Greatsword but has more "stagger" than a Rapier.
- The Secret Sauce: Use the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia. Because the moveset is so flowy and multi-hit, your attack power ramps up almost instantly.
Most people drop Milady because they think it "doesn't hit hard enough." It doesn't need to hit hard once. It needs to hit four times in two seconds.
Hand-to-Hand Arts: The Power of Kicking Things
Dryleaf Arts and Dane’s Footwork. Basically, you get to play Sifu in the middle of a dark fantasy apocalypse. You get the first set by challenging Dryleaf Dane at the Moorth Ruins (you have to use the "May the Best Win" gesture—no talking!).
Honestly? These are the most fun I've had in Elden Ring in years. They weigh almost nothing. Literally. They have a weight of 1.0 or 0.5. This means you can wear the heaviest, ugliest armor in the game and still light-roll.
The damage isn't coming from the fists themselves. It’s the speed. If you put Cold or Bleed on these, you will proc status effects faster than a dual-wielding Katana user. The jumping heavy attack for Dane’s Footwork is a double-kick that deals surprising poise damage. I’ve seen people stun-lock Malenia with just their feet. It’s ridiculous and I love it.
The Backhand Blade Meta
If you step into the PvP Colosseum right now, you’re going to see these. A lot. The standard Backhand Blade is found right at the start of the DLC near a small mausoleum.
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What makes them "S-Tier"? The Blind Spot skill.
It’s a literal cheat code for dodging. You press L2, your character zips to the side—avoiding the incoming attack—and stabs the enemy in the ribs. It’s fast, it costs almost no FP, and it’s incredibly hard to punish.
Expert Tip: If you're building for these, go pure Dexterity. With a Keen infusion, these reach S-scaling in Dex. That is rare. That is "melt-the-boss" levels of damage.
Don't Sleep on These Either:
- Spear of the Impaler: Messmer's weapon. The Ash of War is a three-part explosion of fire. It's flashy, but it actually does decent damage if you have the Faith to back it up.
- Greatsword of Solitude: If you like the classic "Guts" Greatsword but want something that feels a bit more modern, this is it. The guard boost on this sword is so high you can basically use it as a shield.
- Rakshasa's Great Katana: It has a skill called Weed Cutter. You just keep swinging. As long as you have stamina, you keep swinging. It has infinite hyper-armor during the animation, meaning enemies can't stop you. You’ll take damage, but they’ll die first.
The Reality of Perfume Bottles
When the DLC first dropped, the Lightning Perfume Bottle with the Rolling Sparks Ash of War was broken. Like, "kill-the-final-boss-in-three-seconds" broken. You would aim at the ground, and all the explosions would stack in one spot.
FromSoft fixed that. Now, the explosions spread out.
Does that mean they're trash? No. They’re still great for crowd control. But they aren't the boss-killers they used to be. If you're still trying to use them for massive single-target damage, you're going to be disappointed. Use them for what they are: a weird, cool tool for clearing out groups of annoying dogs or imps.
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Build Advice for 2026
The meta has settled. If you want the most "efficient" experience with Elden Ring DLC weapons, you basically have three paths.
First, the Strength/Arcane route. This is for the Bloodfiend's Arm and the Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword. You want 60 Strength and at least 45 Arcane. You will delete health bars. You will feel like a god.
Second, the Quality (Str/Dex) route. This is for Milady and the Backhand Blades. It's the most versatile. You can swap between almost any weapon in the DLC and find success.
Third, the Dex/Intelligence hybrid. This is specifically for the Star-Lined Sword (the "magic" katana). Its weapon skill, Onze's Line of Stars, is a beautiful, teleporting slash combo that catches people off-guard in PvP every single time.
Where to Go From Here
If you’re just starting Shadow of the Erdtree, don't feel like you have to stick to your base-game build. The game gives you plenty of Larval Tears.
Go to the Scorched Ruins and grab the Backhand Blades immediately. Then, head to Castle Ensis for Milady. These two will carry you through the early hours while you hunt for the more "exotic" stuff like the Spear of the Impaler or the Euporia twinblade.
The biggest mistake you can make is ignoring the new weapon types because the numbers look lower on paper. In the DLC, moveset and speed matter more than raw AR (Attack Rating). A weapon that lets you dodge while attacking is always better than a slow hammer that gets you killed mid-swing.
Stop looking at the stats and start looking at the animations. That’s where the real power is. Be sure to upgrade your Scadutree Blessing level too, or it won't matter if you're wielding a literal god-slaying blade—you'll still get one-shot by a bird.