- For the disambiguation of same name, see Weapon Types.
Weapon types are a property of weapons in Dark Souls.
All weapons have a weapon type that aids the player in determining the basic functionality of that weapon. Weapons of the same weapon type have similar forms of attack.
List of weapon types
Swords
- Straight Swords
- Ordinary swords. They possess a relatively quick and versatile moveset, and as a result of their light weight, consume little stamina per swing.
- Greatswords
- Larger swords suitable for two-handed usage; slower and more powerful than normal swords. Their wide swing radius is suitable for catching agile opponents.
- Ultra Greatswords
- Very large swords that more or less require two hands to use accurately. These weapons have to hit; if they miss, the user is open to heavy counterattacks.
- Curved swords
- Curved Swords have shorter range than other swords and are slightly faster. They are well-suited to confined spaces against lightly armored enemies who will be unable to dodge or block the rapid attacks, but their Slashing-orientated movesets are ineffective against heavier armor.
- Curved Greatswords
- Larger and more damaging than normal Curved swords, designed for two-handed use. Generally slower than Curved Swords, but faster than normal Greatswords.
- Thrusting swords
- Thrusting swords are thin and wiry, like the Rapier. As their name implies, they focus on thrusts, and as such have trouble against enemies who dodge to the side often. Suited to more patient playstyles that focus on counter-attacks.
- Katanas
- Katanas are high-powered alternatives to the Straight Swords. They deal high damage, swing fast, and always have some bleed build-up. However, they're unusually heavy and must be repaired much more frequently than any other weapon type, due to their low durability.
Axes
- Axes
- Small axes are generally wielded one-handed, have wide attack arcs, and are very short-ranged. A poor choice for narrow corridors as the attack is often interrupted by the walls.
- Greataxes
- Generally the largest and heaviest weapons that require the highest strength. Their attacks are more concentrated than normal axes, and although their swings are unwieldy and leave the user open to counterattack, they are often unblockable.
Polearms
- Spears
- Spears are excellent weapons for tactical combat, as most spears' one-handed light attacks can be used while still blocking and their range is impressive. However, their stabs cover a very specific area and they are easily blocked. Spear players must take special care to let down their shield to recover stamina and avoid a guard break. Spears are best used to hold position in a narrow corridor and are a poor choice for wiggly, agile opponents or ones with small hitboxes.
- Halberds
- Halberds combine the stabs of a Spear with the slashes of an Axe. They are slower and less accurate than Spears, but their slashing attacks allow use against a wider range of enemies. Swinging a halberd without hitting an enemy will stagger the wielder for a much longer time than when successfully connecting an attack.
Hammers
- Hammers
- Hammers are slow weapons designed for single, powerful strikes. If the enemy staggers, however, another strike can probably connect. Hammers, oddly, are about evenly split between Striking and Thrust attacks.
- Great Hammers
- Great Hammers are very slow weapons with good range designed for heavy strikes. All of the Great Hammers are immensely heavy, and this weight is used in large, powerful swings.
Other melee
- Daggers
- Daggers have short range, but are extremely rapid and have high critical potential. They are best-suited towards tactical fighters with a penchant for counters and backstabs. Daggers have both slashing and thrusting attacks.
- Gauntlets
- As they are merely covers for the hands, Gauntlets have the shortest range of all weapon types. They are also extremely rapid.
- Whips
- Whips are ineffective against any kind of armor, but have an excellent attack arc and cannot be parried. They cannot perform backstabs or ripostes.
- Lantern
- The Skull Lantern is the only weapon in this class and cannot be upgraded. It can be used as a light source when activating its weak attack, while its strong attack inflicts some Fire and Strike Damage.
Ranged
- Bows
- Bows must be held two-handed to attack, and in this stance the Block button allows manual aiming. While drawing back an arrow, players cannot move without cancelling their shot, and are thus left very vulnerable while using bows.
- Crossbows
- Crossbows are generally more powerful than bows, but take longer to reload and cannot be manually aimed.
Casting Instruments
- Catalysts
- Catalysts are primarily used to cast sorceries but can also be used as melee weapons when executing their strong attack. Most inflict either Strike or Thrust Damage.
Talismans are used to cast miracles and can also be used as melee weapons when executing their strong attack, inflicting Strike Damage.
- Pyromancy Flame
- The Pyromancy Flame's primary use is that of casting pyromancy and also deals Fire Damage when its strong attack is used.