Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree - Every New Weapon Type, Ranked

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

By Joe Grantham

Published 6 days ago

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Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

Highlights

The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC introduces eight new weapon types to Elden Ring, offering players fresh combat options.
Hand-to-Hand Arts provide a challenging playstyle with unique hand and foot attacks and the powerful Palm Blast skill.
Perfume Bottles provide extra elemental damage in the off-hand, complementing main weapons for versatile combat.

On top of an entirely new map, a myriad of bosses, and plenty of new equipment, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC also introduces eight new weapon types to Elden Ring, giving players new ways to engage in combat.

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These new weapons can only be found in the Land of Shadow, but players can then take them back to the Lands Between to complete their journey. For each weapon type, players have a few options to choose from, but not as many as there are for the base game weapons. While niche builds can make almost any weapon great, some of these new DLC weapon types in Elden Ring are arguably stronger than others.

8 Hand-To-Hand Arts

Attack With Hands & Feet But Expect A Challenge

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Dane's Footwork - Hand-to-Hand Arts

All Hand-to-Hand Arts: Dryleaf Arts, Dane's Footwork

Hand-to-Hand Arts are certainly not for the weak in Elden Ring, but they do offer a fun way to play the game for experienced players looking for a challenge. They act similarly to fist weapons, with players getting up close and personal with the enemy to land strings of fast attacks.

However, the major difference is that players will also attack with their feet when they have either Dryleaf Arts or Dane's Footwork equipped. Both of these weapons also come with the Palm Blast skill, which, when charged up, can send enemies falling to their death.

7 Throwing Blade

Returns To The Hand When Thrown But Otherwise Fairly Weak

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Smithscript Dagger - Throwing Blade

All Throwing Blades:Smithscript Dagger

There is only one Throwing Blade in Elden Ring, the Smithscript Dagger. While it doesn't boast the best damage, it is nonetheless fun to use and is perfect for those who already enjoy Throwing Dagger consumables but want something more permanent.

This is because, when it is thrown, it will automatically return to the Tarnished's hand, whereupon it can be thrown again, or players can instead make a normal melee attack. It is a versatile weapon that is perhaps best complemented with an additional weapon in the other hand.

6 Perfume Bottles

Great For Extra Elemental Damage In The Off-Hand

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Chilling Perfume Bottle

All Perfume Bottles:Firespark Perfume Bottle , Chilling Perfume Bottle , Frenzyflame Perfume Bottle , Lightning Perfume Bottle , Deadly Poison Perfume Bottle

Perfume has always been a thing in Elden Ring, with players able to find and combine empty Perfume Bottles with other ingredients to make consumable Perfumes that can be used for various buffs. However, one of the new weapon types for Shadow of the Erdtree is permanent Perfume Bottles, and these come in five forms.

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These are wielded in one hand, ideally complemented with another weapon, and they essentially provide an extra way of dealing damage in between attacks. For example, the Firespark Perfume Bottle will deal Fire damage. As individual enemies are weaker to certain types of damage, having a selection of Perfume Bottles at the ready is always great.

5 Beast Claws

Similar To Claws With New & More Vicious Attacks

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Red Bear's Claw - Beast Claws

All Beast Claws:Beast Claw (Weapon) , Red Bear's Claw

If players are looking for a new play style to try out during their time in the Land of Shadow, Beast Claws are definitely something to try out. While similar to regular Claws, Beast Claws take things to the next level, especially in terms of animations, with every attack being more animalistic.

The two examples of Beast Claws both have good damage, but players will particularly enjoy their skills, Savage Claws and Red Bear Hunt.

4 Thrusting Shields

Versatile Options For The Offhand

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Dueling Shield - Thrusting Shield

All Thrusting Shields:Dueling Shield , Carian Thrusting Shield

While the new Thrusting Shields aren't that great by themselves, they are nevertheless great options to have when players want to deal more damage while still wielding a shield. They can be used in one hand or two and are capable of blocking and impaling.

The only downside is that there are only two Thrusting Shields available, with both of them being found in the Shadow Keep. This is one of the legacy dungeons of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

3 Backhand Blades

Versatile Weapons That Can Be Dual Wielded & Used To Block

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Backhand Blade

All Backhand Blades:Backhand Blade , Smithscript Cirque , Curseblade's Cirque

Backhand Blades are easily among the most fun weapon types to use, especially out of those introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree. They are perfect for players who want to duel wield and land multiple hits on enemies in lightning-quick succession. They are also fairly effective at blocking attacks due to the unique way in which they are held.

If players want to try out a Backhand Blade early on, they can simply take down the Curseblade enemy on top of an arch right at the start of the DLC, just by the first site of grace. It is a random drop, so players may have to defeat this foe more than once.

2 Great Katanas

More Damage Than Regular Katanas At The Cost Of Attack Speed

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Dragon Hunter's Great Katana

All Great Katanas:Great Katana , Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana , Rakshasa's Great Katana

Katanas in Elden Ring have always been popular, and if players have ever felt the need for more damage from these deadly weapons, then they need look no further than Great Katanas. The trade-off is simple: Great Katanas have increased damage and range in exchange for a loss of attack speed.

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Like their smaller counterparts, Great Katanas are still great for making large bosses bleed, and the attack animations are very similar. Rakshasa's Great Katana is a particular standout with its aptly named skill, Weed Cutter, making light work of enemies.

1 Light Greatswords

The Same Length As Greatswords With Higher Attack Speed But Lower Damage

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Leda' Sword - Light Greatsword

All Light Greatswords:Milady , Leda's Sword , Rellana's Twinblade

While Light Greatswords don't sound that revolutionary, simply offering players a higher attack speed in exchange for a loss of damage over regular Greatswords, there's no denying how strong they are.

In fact, two of the swords from this weapon category are easily amongst the best DLC weapons. These are Milady with its high damage, and Rellana's Twin Blades, which comes with one of the best weapon skills, Moon-and-Fire Stance. The Fire Stance is particularly voracious, allowing players to bathe the entire area around them in flames.