Washing Pole

Washing Pole
Found	Shiva of the East - purchase
Stats
	90
	-
	-
	-
	100
	45.0
	10.0
	30.0
	30.0
	30
Param. Bonus
	D
	D
	-
	-
Req. Param
	20
	16
	-
	-
Aux. Eff.	300
Weight	8.0
Durability	60
Weapon Type	Katana
Attack Type	Slash / Thrust

For the Dark Souls II variant, see Washing Pole (Dark Souls II).

For the Dark Souls III variant, see Washing Pole (Dark Souls III).

The Washing Pole is a katana in Dark Souls.

In-Game Description

Katana forged in an Eastern land. Very unusual specimen with a long blade.

The blade is extremely long, but as a result, quite easily broken.

Availability

Shiva of the East sells Washing Poles in Blighttown for 20,000 souls. Players must be in the Forest Hunter Covenant to encounter him at either location.

Characteristics

Washing Poles require 20 Strength and 16 Dexterity to wield. They deal identical damage to Uchigatanas initially, but possess greater reach. Washing Poles do not scale as well with Dexterity as other katanas, however this drawback is somewhat compensated by their additional scaling with Strength, being the only katana in the game to have scaling with it.

Due to their unique look and long reach, Washing Poles are very popular in PvP. In particular, the Washing Pole's rolling attack can be very hard to dodge due to its speed and large hitbox. However, in saying this, the Washing Pole is slightly slower and has less durability than the other katanas.

Moveset

Attack	Description
One-handed Weak Attack	Fast, vertical cuts. Good for draining stamina and increasing bleed due to its long reach and excellent hit-frames.
One-handed Strong Attack	Wielder pulls back, then lunges forward. Excellent reach, but high starting lag.
Two-handed Weak Attack	Fast, vertical cuts that are slightly slower but deal more damage than the one handed variant.
Two-handed Strong Attack	Wielder holds the sword overhead in both hands, then brings it down forcefully. High starting lag.
Jump Attack	Wielder jumps and buries the katana into the ground. Good damage, but small hitbox and a short reach.
Running Attack	Running stab. Fast with excellent reach, but small hitbox.
Rolling Attack	Swings katana in front of the wielder horizontally.
Kick	Standard kick.
Left-handed Weak Attack	Vertical swing. Similar to the one-handed weak attack, except that it does not combo into upward swings.
Left-handed Strong Attack	Standard parry.

Upgrades

• Standard
• Raw
• Crystal
• Magic
• Enchanted
• Divine
• Occult
• Fire
• Chaos
• Lightning

Requires: Standard Washing Pole, Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Standard Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Washing Pole	90	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +1 (Titanite Shard ×1)	99	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +2 (Titanite Shard ×1)	108	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +3 (Titanite Shard ×2)	117	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +4 (Titanite Shard ×2)	126	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +5 (Titanite Shard ×3)	135	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +6 (L. Titanite Shard ×1)	144	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +7 (L. Titanite Shard ×1)	153	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +8 (L. Titanite Shard ×2)	162	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +9 (L. Titanite Shard ×2)	171	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +10 (L. Titanite Shard ×3)	180	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +11 (Titanite Chunk ×1)	188	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +12 (Titanite Chunk ×1)	198	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +13 (Titanite Chunk ×2)	207	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +14 (Titanite Chunk ×3)	216	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Washing Pole +15 (Titanite Slab ×1)	225	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30

Requires: Standard Washing Pole +5, Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Raw Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Raw Washing Pole (Large Titanite Shard ×1)	156	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	45	10	30	30
Raw Washing Pole +1 (Large Titanite Shard ×1)	166	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	45	10	30	30
Raw Washing Pole +2 (Large Titanite Shard ×1)	176	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	45	10	30	30
Raw Washing Pole +3 (Large Titanite Shard ×2)	187	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	45	10	30	30
Raw Washing Pole +4 (Large Titanite Shard ×2)	197	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	45	10	30	30
Raw Washing Pole +5 (Large Titanite Shard ×3)	208	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	45	10	30	30

Requires: Standard Washing Pole +10, Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Crystal Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Crystal Washing Pole (Titanite Chunk ×1)	198	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Crystal Washing Pole +1 (Titanite Chunk ×1)	207	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Crystal Washing Pole +2 (Titanite Chunk ×1)	216	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Crystal Washing Pole +3 (Titanite Chunk ×2)	225	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Crystal Washing Pole +4 (Titanite Chunk ×3)	233	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30
Crystal Washing Pole +5 (Titanite Slab ×1)	243	–	–	–	D	C	–	–	45	10	30	30

Requires: Standard Washing Pole +5, Green Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Magic Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Magic Washing Pole (Green Titanite Shard ×1)	102	109	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +1 (Green Titanite Shard ×1)	108	116	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +2 (Green Titanite Shard ×1)	115	124	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +3 (Green Titanite Shard ×2)	122	131	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +4 (Green Titanite Shard ×2)	129	138	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +5 (Green Titanite Shard ×3)	136	146	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +6 (Blue Titanite Chunk ×1)	142	153	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +7 (Blue Titanite Chunk ×1)	149	160	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +8 (Blue Titanite Chunk ×2)	156	167	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +9 (Blue Titanite Chunk ×3)	163	175	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Magic Washing Pole +10 (Blue Titanite Slab ×1)	170	182	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30

Requires: Magic Washing Pole +5, Blue Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Enchanted Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Enchanted Washing Pole (Blue Titanite Chunk ×1)	136	144	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Enchanted Washing Pole +1 (Blue Titanite Chunk ×1)	141	148	–	–	E	E	C	–	45	10	30	30
Enchanted Washing Pole +2 (Blue Titanite Chunk ×1)	146	152	–	–	E	E	B	–	45	10	30	30
Enchanted Washing Pole +3 (Blue Titanite Chunk ×2)	152	156	–	–	E	E	B	–	45	10	30	30
Enchanted Washing Pole +4 (Blue Titanite Chunk ×3)	157	161	–	–	E	E	A	–	45	10	30	30
Enchanted Washing Pole +5 (Blue Titanite Slab ×1)	163	167	–	–	E	E	A	–	45	10	30	30

Requires: Standard Washing Pole +5, Green Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Divine Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Divine Washing Pole (Green Titanite Shard ×1)	91	111	–	–	E	E	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +1 (Green Titanite Shard ×1)	97	118	–	–	E	E	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +2 (Green Titanite Shard ×1)	103	125	–	–	E	E	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +3 (Green Titanite Shard ×2)	109	133	–	–	E	E	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +4 (Green Titanite Shard ×2)	115	140	–	–	E	E	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +5 (Green Titanite Shard ×3)	122	148	–	–	E	E	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +6 (White Titanite Chunk ×1)	128	155	–	–	E	D	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +7 (White Titanite Chunk ×1)	134	162	–	–	E	D	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +8 (White Titanite Chunk ×2)	140	170	–	–	E	D	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +9 (White Titanite Chunk ×3)	146	177	–	–	E	D	–	C	45	10	30	30
Divine Washing Pole +10 (White Titanite Slab ×1)	152	185	–	–	E	D	–	C	45	10	30	30

Requires: Divine Washing Pole +5, White Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Occult Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Occult Washing Pole (White Titanite Chunk ×1)	124	136	–	–	E	E	–	B	45	10	30	30
Occult Washing Pole +1 (White Titanite Chunk ×1)	131	142	–	–	E	E	–	B	45	10	30	30
Occult Washing Pole +2 (White Titanite Chunk ×1)	138	149	–	–	E	E	–	B	45	10	30	30
Occult Washing Pole +3 (White Titanite Chunk ×2)	146	156	–	–	E	E	–	B	45	10	30	30
Occult Washing Pole +4 (White Titanite Chunk ×3)	153	163	–	–	E	D	–	B	45	10	30	30
Occult Washing Pole +5 (White Titanite Slab ×1)	161	170	–	–	E	D	–	B	45	10	30	30

Requires: Standard Washing Pole +5, Green Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Fire Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Fire Washing Pole (Green Titanite Shard ×1)	116	–	116	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	30.0	30
Fire Washing Pole +1 (Green Titanite Shard ×1)	126	–	126	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	30.3	30
Fire Washing Pole +2 (Green Titanite Shard ×1)	135	–	135	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	30.6	30
Fire Washing Pole +3 (Green Titanite Shard ×2)	144	–	144	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	30.9	30
Fire Washing Pole +4 (Green Titanite Shard ×2)	153	–	153	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	31.2	30
Fire Washing Pole +5 (Green Titanite Shard ×3)	162	–	162	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	31.5	30
Fire Washing Pole +6 (Red Titanite Chunk ×1)	172	–	172	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	31.8	30
Fire Washing Pole +7 (Red Titanite Chunk ×1)	183	–	183	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	32.1	30
Fire Washing Pole +8 (Red Titanite Chunk ×2)	194	–	194	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	32.4	30
Fire Washing Pole +9 (Red Titanite Chunk ×3)	205	–	205	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	32.7	30
Fire Washing Pole +10 (Red Titanite Slab ×1)	216	–	216	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	33.0	30

Requires: Fire Washing Pole +5, Red Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Chaos Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Chaos Washing Pole (Red Titanite Chunk ×1)	140	–	162	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	30.0	30
Chaos Washing Pole +1 (Red Titanite Chunk ×1)	148	–	171	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	30.6	30
Chaos Washing Pole +2 (Red Titanite Chunk ×1)	156	–	180	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	31.2	30
Chaos Washing Pole +3 (Red Titanite Chunk ×2)	163	–	188	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	31.8	30
Chaos Washing Pole +4 (Red Titanite Chunk ×3)	171	–	198	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	32.4	30
Chaos Washing Pole +5 (Red Titanite Slab ×1)	179	–	207	–	–	–	–	–	45	10	33.0	30

Requires: Standard Washing Pole +10, Titanite and 200 souls per upgrade.

Lightning Variation	Attack Values				Parameter Bonus				Damage Reduction
Lightning Washing Pole (Titanite Chunk ×1)	162	–	–	162	–	–	–	–	45	10	30	30.0
Lightning Washing Pole +1 (Titanite Chunk ×1)	174	–	–	174	–	–	–	–	45	10	30	32.4
Lightning Washing Pole +2 (Titanite Chunk ×1)	187	–	–	187	–	–	–	–	45	10	30	34.8
Lightning Washing Pole +3 (Titanite Chunk ×2)	199	–	–	199	–	–	–	–	45	10	30	37.2
Lightning Washing Pole +4 (Titanite Chunk ×3)	212	–	–	212	–	–	–	–	45	10	30	39.6
Lightning Washing Pole +5 (Titanite Slab ×1)	225	–	–	225	–	–	–	–	45	10	30	42.0

Trivia

• There is no such weapon termed "washing pole" in real life; however, in the manga "Yaiba", the titular character uses a very long sword he dubs a "washing pole".
• Inspiration for the Washing Pole may have came from the Chinese Song-era weapon "Zhan Ma Dao" (literally translating to "Chop-Horse-Blade") which in turn became popular in Japanese fiction. However, while the Zhan Ma Dao(being over one and a half meters long in total) features an significantly long blade, its handle is much longer than the Washing Pole, thus making it much more wieldy.
• More than likely, the sword's name and shape is a reference to the sword of the famous Japanese Swordsman Sasaki Kojirō, who became famous for his rivalry against Miyamoto Musashi. Sasaki Kojirō used a no-dachi (Samurai equivalent of a Bastard Sword) that had been specifically rebalanced so that it could be wielded in one hand, and the traditionally long hilt was shortened to that of a normal katana. The sword was named "The Drying Pole" (物干し竿, monohoshizao) , due to its long length yet incredibly light weight.
• In the German, French, Spanish and Italian versions of the game, its name is "Nodachi".

Gallery

In-game

In-game 2