How to Get the Moonlight Greatsword in Dark Souls 3
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How to Get the Moonlight Greatsword in Dark Souls 3
Moonlight Greatsword TipsThe Moonlight Greatsword is one of Dark Souls 3’s most coveted weapons — a combination of iconic series legacy, exceptional aesthetics with its glowing blue blade, and genuine competitive viability at 60 Intelligence. The acquisition path through Oceiros is straightforward once you know where the Consumed King’s Garden is, and the transposition at Ludleth is immediate. The weapon rewards Intelligence builds that mix melee and sorcery — the Weapon Art projectile extends your threat range beyond typical greatsword distance, and the charged R2 double-hit makes close-range encounters devastatingly efficient. For players building around the Intelligence build, the Moonlight Greatsword is the definitive endgame weapon — upgrade it to +5 with Twinkling Titanite, equip the Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring, and it becomes one of the most satisfying weapons to use in the entire game.FAQ
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Get the Moonlight GreatswordThe Moonlight Greatsword is obtained by transposing the Soul of Consumed Oceiros at Ludleth of Courland in Firelink Shrine. First defeat Oceiros, the Consumed King in the Consumed King’s Garden — accessible by taking the elevator behind the Cathedral of the Deep. Transpose the soul at Ludleth and choose the Moonlight Greatsword. Requires 50 Intelligence to wield.
1
Reach the Consumed King’s Garden via the Cathedral of the Deep. The Consumed King’s Garden is an optional area accessed through a hidden elevator in the Cathedral of the Deep. After clearing the Cathedral and defeating Deacons of the Deep, explore the upper rafters of the Cathedral — find the elevator shortcut that leads down to the Consumed King’s Garden. This area sits between the Cathedral and Lothric Castle and is entirely optional but contains Oceiros and the path to the Untended Graves.
2
Activate the Oceiros, Consumed King bonfire before the fight. The Consumed King’s Garden is a relatively short area — navigate through the toxic fog, Pus of Man enemies, and Drakeblood Knights to reach the fog gate at the far end. Activate the Oceiros, Consumed King bonfire directly before the fog gate. Recommended Soul Level: 60–70 with a +8 or higher weapon. Bring Estus Flasks topped up — Oceiros deals significant damage in Phase 2.
3
Defeat Oceiros, the Consumed King. Oceiros has two phases. Phase 1 — he is upright, using crystal breath and sweeping claw attacks. Stay to his left side and dodge into his swipes. Phase 2 — triggered around 50% HP when he drops to all fours and becomes extremely aggressive, charging across the arena at high speed. In Phase 2 stay directly behind him and attack his tail — his charge attacks miss completely if you keep position behind his hindquarters. He drops the Soul of Consumed Oceiros on death.
4
Take the Soul of Consumed Oceiros to Ludleth at Firelink Shrine. Return to Firelink Shrine and speak to Ludleth of Courland — the small lord sitting on a throne in the main hall. Select «Transpose a Soul» and choose the Soul of Consumed Oceiros. You are given a choice between the Moonlight Greatsword and the White Hair Talisman. Choose the Moonlight Greatsword — the White Hair Talisman is a niche faith/intelligence hybrid catalyst of limited use by comparison.
5
Meet the Intelligence requirement: 50 Intelligence minimum. The Moonlight Greatsword requires 10 Strength, 10 Dexterity, and 50 Intelligence to wield — the 50 Intelligence requirement is the defining stat investment. It scales primarily with Intelligence (S-tier scaling at +5) and deals Magic damage on all attacks. If you are not an Intelligence build you will need significant respeccing to wield it effectively — the weapon only reaches its potential at 50–60 Intelligence. With 60 Int and a +5 Moonlight Greatsword it is one of the highest-damage greatswords in the game.
6
Upgrade with Twinkling Titanite and use the Weapon Art. Upgrade the Moonlight Greatsword using Twinkling Titanite — it is a Special weapon requiring 10 Twinkling Titanite total to reach +5. At +5 with 60 Intelligence its AR is competitive with the best weapons in the game. Its Weapon Art «Moonlight Vortex» fires a powerful magic projectile that deals significant damage at range — essential for PvP and useful for hitting bosses during recovery windows when you cannot safely close the gap.
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Pair with the Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring for maximum damage: the Moonlight Greatsword’s Weapon Art projectile and all its physical attacks deal Magic damage — both are boosted by the Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring (+20% sorcery damage) and the Magic Clutch Ring (+15% magic absorption reduction). Equip both rings when using the Moonlight Greatsword to maximise every hit. This ring setup also synergises perfectly with a full Intelligence build running sorcery spells alongside the sword.
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The Weapon Art projectile costs FP — manage your Ashen Estus: Moonlight Vortex (the Weapon Art) consumes FP each use. In prolonged fights, repeated projectile use drains your FP bar. Keep at least 5–6 Ashen Estus Flasks allocated when running the Moonlight Greatsword as your primary weapon — you will use the Weapon Art frequently in PvP and against evasive bosses. The projectile can be charged by holding the Weapon Art input for increased damage at higher FP cost.
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The Moonlight Greatsword cannot be infused — it has fixed Magic scaling: unlike most weapons, the Moonlight Greatsword cannot receive any infusion — it always deals Magic damage with Intelligence scaling. This means it is permanently effective against enemies with low Magic defence but struggles against enemies with high Magic resistance. For those encounters, carry a secondary physical damage weapon as a swap option.
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The R2 charge attack fires an additional projectile: the Moonlight Greatsword’s charged R2 (hold R2) fires a magic projectile in addition to the physical swing — the projectile and the swing can both connect for double hits on close targets. In PvE this makes the charged R2 extremely powerful against bosses standing in front of you — the combined damage of swing plus projectile often exceeds the Weapon Art output for the same FP cost.
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The Moonlight Greatsword is a series staple — it appears in every FromSoftware game: the Moonlight Greatsword is FromSoftware’s most iconic recurring weapon, appearing in every Souls game and Elden Ring. In DS3 it is considered one of the most prestigious Intelligence weapons due to its legacy and its genuine competitive viability at 60 Int. Carrying it signals a deliberate Intelligence-focused character rather than a melee build — it is as much a cosmetic and roleplay choice as it is a mechanical one for many players.
How do you get the Moonlight Greatsword in Dark Souls 3?
Defeat Oceiros, the Consumed King in the Consumed King’s Garden — accessed via a hidden elevator in the Cathedral of the Deep. He drops the Soul of Consumed Oceiros. Take the soul to Ludleth of Courland at Firelink Shrine and select Transpose — choose the Moonlight Greatsword option. The weapon requires 50 Intelligence to wield and upgrades with Twinkling Titanite to +5.
What stats do you need for the Moonlight Greatsword in Dark Souls 3?
The Moonlight Greatsword requires 10 Strength, 10 Dexterity, and 50 Intelligence to wield. It scales with Intelligence (S scaling at +5) and deals Magic damage. For maximum damage output, run 60 Intelligence — the weapon reaches its full potential at the 60 Int softcap. It cannot be infused and always retains its Magic damage type regardless of any other build investment.
Where is the Consumed King’s Garden in Dark Souls 3?
The Consumed King’s Garden is accessed through a hidden elevator in the Cathedral of the Deep — explore the upper rafters of the Cathedral after defeating the Deacons of the Deep to find the elevator shortcut leading down to the garden. It is an optional area between the Cathedral of the Deep and Lothric Castle. The fog gate at the end of the garden leads to Oceiros, the Consumed King.
Is the Moonlight Greatsword good in Dark Souls 3?
Yes — the Moonlight Greatsword is one of the best Intelligence weapons in Dark Souls 3 at +5 with 60 Intelligence. Its S-tier Intelligence scaling, Magic damage output, and Moonlight Vortex Weapon Art projectile make it viable in both PvE and PvP. Pair it with the Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring and Magic Clutch Ring for maximum damage. It is a niche weapon that excels specifically on Intelligence builds and underperforms on any other stat investment.