Best Colossal Weapon in Elden Ring
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Best Colossal Weapon in Elden Ring
Each Weapon — Full BreakdownColossal Weapon TipsColossal weapons represent the ultimate expression of Elden Ring’s Strength build fantasy — swinging weapons larger than most enemies, trading hits through incoming attacks with sheer Poise, and reducing boss health bars in dramatic chunks. The weapon class rewards positioning and timing over speed, making it more forgiving of button-mashing than faster weapons while punishing players who overextend during slow recovery frames. The Greatsword’s accessibility (collectible before the first major boss) and the Giant-Crusher’s sheer damage ceiling create a natural progression for any Strength player: start with the Greatsword for the first half of the game, transition to Giant-Crusher once Strength reaches 60+. Both weapons remain viable through the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, and the Lion’s Claw Ash of War continues performing well against DLC bosses that have higher health pools. For players who want to combine colossal weapon damage with additional mechanics, the full Strength build guide covers stat allocation, armor choices, and talisman setups in complete detail.FAQ
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Top 5 Colossal Weapons — RankedThe best colossal weapon in Elden Ring is the Greatsword — high base damage, excellent scaling with Strength, widely available early in the game, and compatible with almost every Ash of War. For pure endgame damage, the Giant-Crusher has higher AR at max Strength. For faith/strength hybrids, the Blasphemous Blade (Talisman of All Crucibles) is the strongest option. All three require Strength as the primary stat, with a soft cap target of 54–66 STR.
| Rank | Weapon | Scaling | Where to Get | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 #1 | Greatsword | STR D → B | Chest in Caelid wagon | All-round best, early access | |
| 🥈 #2 | Giant-Crusher | STR D → S | Chest in Altus Plateau | Max Strength pure damage | |
| 🥉 #3 | Grafted Blade Greatsword | STR C → A | Drop: Leonine Misbegotten | Early game, boss weapon | |
| Starscourge Greatsword | STR C, DEX D | Remembrance of the Starscourge | Dual wield gravity colossal | ||
| Ruins Greatsword | STR C, INT D | Drop: Crucible Knight Ordovis | STR/INT hybrid builds |
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Greatsword — Best Overall Colossal Weapon. The Greatsword (not to be confused with other greatswords — this is specifically the weapon called «Greatsword») is found in a chest inside a horse-drawn cart in Caelid, accessible very early in the game by running past enemies. It has excellent base damage (164 Physical), scales well with Strength up to B at max upgrade, and can be infused with any Ash of War — giving it enormous flexibility. Equip Lion’s Claw Ash of War for a powerful somersault slam, or Stamp (Upward Cut) for hyper-armor poise trading. Requires STR 31 / DEX 12 to wield. The Greatsword is the «Berserk Dragon Slayer» homage weapon and remains one of the most satisfying weapons in the game for Strength builds.
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Giant-Crusher — Highest Strength AR in the Game. Giant-Crusher achieves the highest Attack Rating of any colossal weapon at maximum Strength (66 STR two-handed), reaching S-tier scaling at +25. Found in a chest on Altus Plateau near the Outer Wall Phantom Tree site of grace — accessible after reaching the mid-game. It requires STR 60 to wield one-handed (or 40 STR two-handed using the 1.5× multiplier). The Prelate’s Charge Ash of War is the standard pairing — a blazing charge attack that deals enormous damage and staggers most enemies. At 66 STR two-handed with Shard of Alexander talisman, Prelate’s Charge is one of the highest single-hit damage attacks available against bosses.
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Grafted Blade Greatsword — Best Early Colossal Boss Weapon. Obtained by defeating Leonine Misbegotten at Castle Morne on the Weeping Peninsula — accessible very early in the game and a manageable boss fight even at low levels. Requires STR 40 / DEX 14. Its built-in Ash of War, Oath of Vengeance, temporarily raises all stats by 5 for 30 seconds, providing a meaningful combat buff especially during boss fights. Unlike the Greatsword, its Ash of War cannot be changed — but Oath of Vengeance is strong enough that this rarely matters. Its unique appearance and the boss weapon glow make it a popular choice for both power and aesthetics.
4
Starscourge Greatsword — Dual Wield Gravity Option. Crafted from the Remembrance of the Starscourge (Radahn’s remembrance) at Roundtable Hold. Requires STR 38 / DEX 12 / INT 15. Its built-in Starcaller Cry skill pulls nearby enemies together and then slams them — exceptional for crowd control. With two Starscourge Greatswords in power stance, Starcaller Cry becomes even more devastating. The INT requirement of 15 is a minor investment for a primarily Strength build but worth it for the unique gravity mechanics unavailable on other colossal weapons.
5
Ruins Greatsword — Best STR/INT Hybrid Colossal. Dropped by Crucible Knight Ordovis and Misbegotten Warrior in Auriza Hero’s Grave (Altus Plateau). Requires STR 50 / INT 16. Its built-in Wave of Destruction Ash of War fires a gravity energy wave that deals massive damage at range — excellent against bosses and groups. Scales with both Strength and Intelligence, making it the best colossal option for hybrid Strength/Intelligence builds. The INT scaling means it benefits from the Intelligence soft caps at 60–80, giving it higher ceiling damage than pure Strength options in a hybrid build.
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How to build around Colossal Weapons — key stats and talismans. All colossal weapon builds share the same core setup. Stats: Vigor 40–60 (colossal weapons invite trading hits — you need HP), Endurance 30–40 (heavy armor + colossal weapon = high weight, equip load matters), Strength 54–66 (first soft cap 54, second 66 two-handed). Essential talismans: Erdtree’s Favor +2 (raises HP/Stamina/Equip Load), Shard of Alexander (+15% Ash of War damage), Great-Jar’s Arsenal (raises maximum equip load), and Dragoncrest Greatshield (+20% physical negation for trading hits). Two-handing a colossal weapon (hold triangle/Y) multiplies your effective Strength by 1.5 — meaning 40 STR two-handed counts as 60 STR for meeting requirements and scaling.
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Two-hand your colossal weapon for 1.5× Strength — always do this: holding the two-hand button (Triangle on PS / Y on Xbox / hold E on PC then attack) multiplies your Strength by 1.5 for scaling and requirement purposes. A player with 40 STR wielding two-handed effectively has 60 STR. This means you can meet high STR requirements earlier and deal significantly more damage without investing extra levels. There is almost no reason to one-hand a colossal weapon in PvE.
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Poise is your most important defensive stat — wear heavy armor: colossal weapons have a «hyper armor» window during attacks where incoming hits don’t interrupt your swing. But this only works if your Poise stat is high enough to withstand the hit. Aim for Poise 51+ (the key threshold for trading with most boss attacks) by wearing heavy armor pieces like Bull-Goat Set, Veteran’s Set, or Lionel’s Set. Low Poise on a colossal build defeats the purpose of the weapon class entirely.
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Get the Greatsword from Caelid on Day 1 — it requires no boss kill: the Greatsword sits in a chest on a wagon in Caelid, guarded only by normal enemies you can sprint past entirely. From Limgrave, take the portal in the Dragon-Burnt Ruins (Agheel Lake) to Caelid, sprint northeast to the wagon, grab the chest, and leave. You can do this at level 1 without fighting anything. This gives you endgame-viable weapon power from the very start of a new playthrough.
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Lion’s Claw is the best general-purpose Ash of War for colossal weapons: Lion’s Claw performs a powerful somersault slam that deals significant damage, staggers most enemies, and has excellent hyper armor during the animation. It works on any colossal weapon that accepts Ash of War changes (Greatsword, Giant-Crusher, etc.) and is consistently one of the highest-damage Ash of War options for the weapon class. Find it by defeating the Lion Guardian inside Fort Gael in Caelid.
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Colossal weapons are slowest but deal the most poise damage — use this strategically: every attack from a colossal weapon deals high poise damage to enemies, potentially staggering them into a critical hit opening. Against bosses with visible poise bars (most field bosses, some main bosses), repeatedly landing colossal weapon attacks staggers them for a free riposte. Time your attacks to maintain pressure without overcommitting — one colossal weapon heavy attack followed by a backstep is often safer than a full combo.
What is the best colossal weapon in Elden Ring?
The Greatsword is the best all-round colossal weapon — excellent base damage, good Strength scaling, compatible with any Ash of War, and obtainable very early by looting a chest in Caelid. For pure maximum damage at endgame Strength levels, the Giant-Crusher achieves higher AR at 66 STR. The best choice depends on your Strength level and playstyle preference.
Where do you find the Greatsword in Elden Ring?
The Greatsword is inside a chest on a horse-drawn wagon in Caelid, near the Caelem Ruins site of grace. You can reach it extremely early by using the portal in the Dragon-Burnt Ruins in Agheel Lake (Limgrave), which teleports you directly to Caelid. Sprint past enemies to the wagon, open the chest, and leave. No boss kill required — it can be collected at level 1.
What stats do you need for colossal weapons in Elden Ring?
Most colossal weapons require STR 30–60 to wield. Using the two-hand multiplier (×1.5), a player with 40 STR can wield weapons requiring up to 60 STR. Target build stats: Vigor 40–60, Endurance 30–40, Strength 54–66 (soft caps). Equip load is critical — colossal weapons are heavy and require heavy armor for optimal Poise, so Endurance investment is essential.
Are colossal weapons good in Elden Ring DLC?
Yes — colossal weapons remain excellent in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. DLC bosses have higher health pools where the high per-hit damage of colossal weapons shines. The Giant-Crusher with Prelate’s Charge and the Greatsword with Lion’s Claw both perform well against DLC bosses. Poise thresholds matter more in the DLC — maintain 51+ Poise to trade hits reliably with the harder-hitting DLC enemies.