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All Katana Locations in Elden Ring

Here's where the find the best Katanas in Elden Ring.

elden ring player in gold mask holding a katana
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware
Sebastian Thor avatar
Guide by Sebastian Thor Contributor
Updated on

Katanas in Elden Ring are a popular type of weapon that are an essential part of any good Samurai build.

They offer great offensive power for players with a Medium Load weight classification, and can inflict slash and stabbing damage, as well as very high blood loss in order to inflict heavy damage on your opponent in a short space of time. Accordingly, Katanas are popular with many in PvP in Elden Ring.

In the following guide, we take a look at all the Katanas in Elden Ring, showing their locations, damage values and special features when using these powerful blades

On this page:

Katanas in Elden Ring explained

The origins of Elden Ring's Katanas are varied, as are the special features they use. One passive effect of the Katanas in Elden Ring is the bleeding effect, which kicks in at some point if you deal enough damage to your opponent in quick succession. Almost all Katanas have an effect of this kind.

You can two-hand a Katana in Elden Ring, but you can also use a Power Stance when holding a Katana in one hand. All weapons have different skills, but only a few of them can be used with other weapons. Some of them can also be modified with Ashes of War.

elden ring characters holding blades and katanas against ghost wolf and knight enemy
Image credit: FromSoftware

All of the Katanas listed here can be fitted with Smithing Stones or Somber Smithing Stones. They have a low to medium weight, which means that your equipment load doesn't get too high.

All Katana Locations in Elden Ring

There are a total of eight Katanas to collect.

Here are all of the Katana locations in Elden Ring:

Uchigatana

The samurai class starts with this weapon when you create them during character creation. If you don't start as a samurai, however, you will find another Uchigatana in the Deathtouched Catacombs in Limgrave - it lies on a ledge that can be reached via a side passage. It's a very good weapon to start with when you are trying to level up your dexterity.

elden ring Uchigatana katana
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Damage and attack power stats

  • Physical: 115
  • Magic: 0
  • Fire: 0
  • Lightning: 0
  • Holy: 0
  • Critical: 100

More info

  • Requires: 11 Strength, 15 Dexterity
  • Scaled with: Strength (D), Dexterity (D)
  • Skill: Unsheathe
  • Weight: 5.5
  • Sell value: 100
  • Triggers blood loss (45).
  • Can be infused with Ashes Of War.
  • Can be upgraded with Smithing Stones.

Nagakiba

Follow Bloody Finger Hunter Yura's quest to the end and you can collect the weapon in the Second Church of Marika on the Altus Plateau after you have defeated the invading NPC Eleonora.

Alternatively, Yura can also be killed if you find him north of the Murkwater Cave or next to Agheel Lake. If you follow the quest too far without killing Eleonora (up to the point where his body is taken over by Shabriri), you will find the weapon at one of his previous locations (near Agheel Lake, near the 'Murkwater Coast' Site of Grace, or on the bridge next to the 'Main Academy Gate' Site of Grace).

elden ring Nagakiba katana
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Damage and attack power stats

  • Physical: 115
  • Magic: 0
  • Fire: 0
  • Lightning: 0
  • Holy: 0
  • Critical: 100

More info

  • Requires: 18 Strength, 22 Dexterity
  • Scaled with: Strength (D), Dexterity (C)
  • Skill: Piercing Fang
  • Weight: 7
  • Sell value: 100
  • Triggers blood loss (45).
  • Long range (especially with the R2/RT strike) and at the same time the typical attack speed of a Katana makes this weapon very attractive and versatile.
  • Can be infused with Ashes Of War.
  • Can be upgraded with Smithing Stones.

Serpentbone Blade

This weapon is a reward from Tanith in Volcano Manor if you have carried out the second assassination quest contained in the letter you receive from her, killing Rileigh the Idle.

elden ring Serpentbone Blade
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Damage and attack power stats

  • Physical: 120
  • Magical: 0
  • Fire: 0
  • Lightning: 0
  • Holy: 0
  • Critical: 100

More info

  • Requires: 11 Strength, 22 Dexterity
  • Scaled with: Strength (E), Dexterity (C)
  • Skill: Double Slash
  • Weight: 6
  • Sell value: 200
  • Triggers poison build up (66).
  • The poison damage with this weapon - called 'Deadly Poison' in the item description - is doubled compared to other poison buffs, but only lasts for a third of the time.
  • The weapon has a unique R2/RT attack animation with two strikes in succession.
  • Cannot be infused with Ashes Of War.
  • Can be upgraded with Smithing Stones.

Meteoric Ore Blade

This excellent Katana can be found in the Waypoint Ruins. There, you will find a staircase leading down to a small crypt, and the sword lies in a treasure chest nearby, just waiting to be collected.

elden ring Meteoric Ore Blade
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Damage and attack power stats

  • Physical: 112
  • Magic: 72
  • Fire: 0
  • Lightning: 0
  • Holy: 0
  • Critical: 100

More info

  • Requires: 15 Strength, 14 Dexterity, 18 Intelligence
  • Scaled with: Strength (D), Dexterity (E), Intelligence (D)
  • Skill: Gravitas
  • Weight: 7.5
  • Sell value: 500
  • Triggers blood loss (50).
  • It has a unique R2/RT attack: a vertical, Kendo-like strike (a la Sekiro), and a charged R2/RT attack hits very hard on your opponent's balance. It's great for breaking their stance.
  • The weapons deals +20% damage against Gravity-type enemies (for example: Fallingstar Beast, Onyx Lord, Alabaster Lord, Astel)
  • Cannot be infused with Ashes Of War.
  • Can be upgraded with Somber Smithing Stones.

Moonveil

When exploring Gael Tunnel in Caelid, you will come across a Magma Wyrm boss at the end of it. Defeat this beast and it will drop the weapon as a reward.

elden ring Moonveil katana
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Damage and attack power stats

  • Physical: 73
  • Magic: 87
  • Fire: 0
  • Lightning: 0
  • Holy: 0
  • Critical: 100

More info

  • Requires: 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 23 Intelligence
  • Scaled with: Strength (E), Dexterity (D), Intelligence (C)
  • Skill: Transient Moonlight
  • Weight: 6.5
  • Sell value: 500
  • Triggers blood loss (50)
  • Keep the blade with L2/LT hand on your belt, then press R1/RB or R2/RT for a light or heavy follow-up attack - both are lightning fast.
  • Cannot be infused with Ashes Of War.
  • Can be upgraded with Somber Smithing Stones.

Rivers Of Blood

One of the strongest and most popular weapons in the entire game. You can obtain it at the Church of Repose in the eastern region of the Mountaintop of the Giants after defeating the NPC Bloody Finger Okina who invades there.

elden ring Rivers Of Blood katana
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Damage and attack power stats

  • Physical: 76
  • Magic: 0
  • Fire: 76
  • Lightning: 0
  • Holy: 0
  • Critical: 100

More info

  • Requires: 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 20 Arcane
  • Scaled with: Strength (E), Dexterity (D), Arcane (D)
  • Skill: Corpse Pier
  • Weight: 6.5
  • Sell value: 500
  • Triggers blood loss (50)
  • Its Corpse Pier skill has a similar animation to the double slash, but has significantly larger range and higher bleed damage. It's extremely dangerous in PvP.
  • Cannot be infused with Ashes Of War.
  • Can be upgraded with Somber Smithing Stones

Dragonscale Blade

To obtain this Katana, you must defeat the Dragonkin Soldier in the Lake of Rot. He drops the weapon as a reward.

elden ring Dragonscale Blade katana
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Damage and attack power stats

  • Physical: 110
  • Magic: 0
  • Fire: 0
  • Lightning: 0
  • Holy: 0
  • Critical: 100

More info

  • Requires: 12 Strength, 20 Dexterity
  • Scaled with: Strength (D), Dexterity (C)
  • Skill: Ice Lightning Sword
  • Weight: 5.5
  • Sell value: 500
  • Its Ice Lightning Sword skill creates a lightning strike in front of you, and bathes the blade in lightning and frost damage for 20 seconds.
  • Deals +20% damage against Dragon-type enemies, and +10% against Ancient Dragons (though be warned, dragons have high resistance to slashing damage, so this may not be the best weapon to hunt dragons with).
  • Cannot be infused with Ashes Of War.
  • Can be upgraded with Somber Smithing Stones.

Hand of Malenia

To obtain this Katana, you must have defeated Malenia in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree. In return, you will receive the Remembrance of the Rot Goddess, which you can exchange for the weapon by talking to Enia in the Roundtable Hold.

elden ring Hand of Malenia katana
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Damage and attack power stats

  • Physical: 117
  • Magic: 0
  • Fire: 0
  • Lightning: 0
  • Holy: 0
  • Critical: 100

More info

  • Requires: 16 Strength, 48 Dexterity
  • Scaled with: Strength (E), Dexterity (C)
  • Skill: Waterfowl Dance
  • Weight: 7.0
  • Sell value: 1000
  • Triggers blood loss (50).
  • If you want two of these weapons, you can duplicate the Remembrance of the Rot Goddess in the Wandering Mausoleums. By doing this, you can get a second copy of the sword when you start a New Game Plus (trying to get the same weapon twice in a single playthrough doesn't work).
  • Cannot be infused with Ashes Of War.
  • Can be upgraded with Somber Smithing Stones.

Need more help? Jump back to our list of Elden Ring weapons or our Elden Ring walkthrough.

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