Elden Ring has a wide variety of status effects that can be caused through weapons, spells, and skills. One powerful status effect that is commonly used by players, especially those that take part in player vs player combat, is Hemorrhage, also commonly known as the bleed effect.
Attacking enemies with weapons that will slowly fill a bleed bar with each hit, once full, the enemy will take a percentage of damage equal to their max health. Overall, blood weapons can make combat in Elden Ring very easy for players and those new to souls-like games, as many enemies are vulnerable to it with few being immune. With so many blood weapons to use, only a few are truly ranked as being the best.
Updated September 29, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: It’s no secret that some of the best Elden Ring weapons are also Blood weapons. The Bleed effect is just so powerful in Elden Ring, and works well on a surprising number of bosses – even the final boss of the DLC, and bosses who you would think would be immune to Bleed, like Mohg. In the DLC, we got a few options for the best new Bleed weapons Elden Ring players can get, but the best Bleed weapon in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is actually one that doesn’t cause Bleed by default. This guide to the best Elden Ring Bleed weapons has been updated to include the Backhand Blade, which rapidly causes Blood Loss with its incredibly fast attack speed, but must be infused with the Blood affinity to fully take advantage of this weapon’s strengths.
16 Hoslow’s Petal Whip
A Unique Bleed Weapon That’s Fun For PvP
Stat Requirements |
10 Str, 20 Dex |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
55 |
Weapons Skill |
Kick Skill(can be changed) |
Those looking for a solid Strength and Dexterity scaling weapon that’s capable of causing Blood Loss buildup should definitely seek out Hoslow’s Petal Whip. Although it only has a D-grade scaling for both attributes at its base, it’s possible to get it to a B-grade for both stats.
It’s also infusible, meaning players can use whatever Ash of War they want that’s applicable to whips. It features a base physical attack of 110 and will cause blood loss buildup at a rate of 55.
How To Get Hoslow’s Petal Whip
To get Hoslow’s Petal Whip, players will either need to kill Diallos early in the game after visiting Roundtable Hold, or complete the final contract for Volcano Manor. It is actually possible to gain two of these whips by slaying Diallos and completing Volcano Manor’s contracts, and players can create solid bleed buildup by dual-wielding the whips.
15 Varre’s Bouquet
Not Much Good For Damage, But Unbeatable Bling
Stat Requirements |
8 Str, 16 Dex, 24 Arc |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
65 |
Weapons Skill |
Blood Tax Skill (cannot be changed) |
Although this hammer is easily missable and isn’t collected until late into the game, it can be a solid option for blood loss builds. A mace-like weapon, Varré’s Bouquet scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Arcane and has a build-up rating of 65. It has 46 base physical damage and requires 8 Strength, 16 Dexterity, and 24 Arcane to wield.
In the right hands, this weapon can stack bleeding quickly and comes with a unique Art of War that sees it perform a multi-thrust attack. It will also heal the user for a small percentage of their health on successful strikes.
How To Get Varre’s Bouquet
To get Varre’s Bouquet, players must complete White Mask Varré‘s questline and invade him prior to reaching the Dynasty Mausoleum Midpoint in Mohgwyn Palace.
14 Bloodhound’s Fang
Found Early & Capable Of Lasting The Whole Game
Those looking for a beefy greatsword with incredible movement and dodge potential should consider getting their hands on Bloodhound’s Fang. This two-handed weapon has the potential to carry players pretty far through the early and mid-game thanks to its impressive stats, which include a Blood Loss buildup of 55.
On top of that, Bloodhound’s Fang comes equipped with the Bloodhound’s Finesse skill. This skill allows players to somersault backward to dodge attacks and can be followed up with a teleporting stepping strike to deal damage.
How To Get Bloodhound’s Fang
To get Bloodhound’s Fang, players will need to defeat Bloodhound Knight Darriwil, which can be found by accessing the Forlorn Hound Evergaol in Limgrave. The specialized circular platform can be found in the southernmost area of Limgrave, before the bridge that connects to the Weeping Peninsula.
13 Hand Of Malenia
Surprisingly Unwieldy For The Goddess of Rot
Stat Requirements |
16 Str, 48 Dex |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
50 |
Weapons Skill |
|
Anyone who favors katanas in Elden Ring will definitely want to snag the Hand of Malenia. It gives access to the unique skill, the
Waterfowl Dance Skill, which allows players to rattle off an impressive multi-hit combo with a few button inputs. It also stacks Blood Loss buildup at a rate of 50 and features some impressive stats.
The Hand of Malenia is a great bleed weapon and simultaneously shines as a reminder that the wielding player was strong enough to defeat Malenia themselves.
How To Get Hand Of Malenia
Unfortunately, the only way to get the Hand of Malenia is to grab the weapon from Enia, the Finger Reader (at Roundtable Hold) by offering her the
Remembrance of the Rot Goddess. This particular “trophy” can only be obtained by defeating Malenia herself. This is no small task, as the Blade of Miquella is one of the most imposing and punishing bosses in the entirety of Elden Ring.
12 Uchigatana
An Early Bleed Weapon That Can Be Infused
Stat Requirements |
11 Str, 15 Dex |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
45 |
Weapons Skill |
|
Playing as the Samurai class will automatically start players with the Uchigatana although not the best bleed weapon in Elden Ring this simple katana can build up a small amount of worthwhile Bleed buildup.

Related
Elden Ring: How To Counter Bleed
When fully built up, Bleed will do a percentage damage on whatever is effected in Elden Ring; here’s how to resist and counter it.
It also inflicts a decent amount of physical damage with a base total of 115 allowing players to hold their own against starter foes. The weapon also has its own skill of Unsheathe, which deals an extra bit of damage and strikes faster than most other attacks.
How To Get Uchigatana
Those that chose not to play as a samurai can still get their hands on this weapon, as it can be found on a body inside the Deathtouched Catacombs in Stormhill. Players will need to first find a lever to open a door in one of the halls.
11 Thorned Whip
Like Hoslow’s Petal Whip, But Stronger
Stat Requirements |
8 Str, 16 Dex |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
50 |
Weapons Skill |
Kick Skill(can be changed) |
As one of the lightest weapons on the list, this weapon doesn’t only keep the player’s weight low, allowing them to move around easier. It is also something for players to try if they are looking for a different approach to combat while using Elden Ring’s bleed weapons.
The Thorned Whip does an amazing 102 points of physical damage alongside its usual bleeding effect, as well as having the skill kick that allows a player to knock back an enemy. By only needing 8 in strength and 16 in dexterity, anyone can equip it, too.
How To Get Thorned Whip
The Thorned Whip drops from Fire Prelates which can be found commonly north of the Giant-Conquering Hero’s Grave.
10 Reduvia
Among The Best Rune Level 1 Bleed Weapons
Players that are just beginning a blood loss build while playing as a dexterous character need to look no further than the Reduvia dagger, this small yet vicious blade can cut for a decent amount of damage.
It is the among the first weapons a player can acquire that scales with not only Strength and Dexterity, but also Arcana.
How To Get Reduvia
It can only be found after defeating Bloody Finger Nerijus, an invading NPC that players will encounter while exploring the ravine that leads northeast from Lake Agheel to the
Murkwater Catacombs. After defeating him he will drop the daggers he is wielding.
9 Backhand Blade
The Best Elden Ring Bleed Weapon In The DLC
Stat Requirements |
10 Str, 13 Dex |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
~100, depending on Arcane level |
Weapons Skill |
|
The Backhand Blade is one of the best Elden Ring DLC Bleed weapons, but it doesn’t automatically proc Bleed buildup like most of the other weapons listed in this guide to the best Blood weapons Elden Ring players can get. Instead, you must add the Blood infusion to it at a Site of Grace, after which it will begin to scale with Arcane and will cause Blood Loss with each hit.
The Backhand Blade’s main strength when it comes to being one of the best Bleed weapons in Elden Ring is its attack speed. When Two Handed, the Tarnished will equip a second Backhand Blade in their off-hand, enabling an extremely fast Curved Sword-like Dual Wield moveset.
This moveset can reliably proc Bleed in just a few hits, especially if you back it up with Bleed-boosting gear (like the White Mask and the
Lord of Blood’s Exultation) and the
Rotten Winged Sword Insignia.
How To Get The Backhand Blade
The Backhand Blade can be found in the very first area of the Elden Ring DLC, in the Gravesite Plain. Head northeast to the Scorched Ruins and then continue northward until you see a set of graves and mausoleums on your right (but not as far east as the bridge that leads to Castle Ensis). You should eventually spy a mausoleum with Inquisitor enemies standing outside, and a few more patrolling the graves around.
The Backhand Blade can be found on the ground in this area, but be careful not to attract the attention of the Furnace Golem in the nearby open field.
8 Moonveil
A Bleed Weapon For Mages? What Is This?
Moonveil is an interesting weapon that does a combination of magical and physical damage, alongside its bleeding effect. It also has the skill Transient Moonlight, which allows the user to fire forward a wave of light when unsheathing the weapon.
With so many other things that this little katana can do, its bleeding effect takes a back seat to its other uses, but it’s still great when used in a dual-wielding Katana build.
How To Get Moonveil
To get the Moonveil Katana, defeat the Magma Wyrm (Gael Tunnel) boss found inside Gael Tunnel, which won’t be an easy fight.
7 Meteoric Ore Blade
Perfect Offhand For A More Powerful Bleed Katana
Stat Requirements |
15 Str, 14 Dex, 18 Int |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
50 |
Weapons Skill |
Gravitas Skill (cannot be changed) |
Similar to Moonveil, the Meteoric Ore Blade does a combination of magic and physical attacks. However, its base damage is much higher than the other katana, and it procs Bleed more efficiently at higher scaling levels, making it a much more worthwhile endeavor to obtain for Bleed builds.
Not to mention its Gravitas Skill, which pulls enemies toward the player. It does require the player to have 15 Strength, 14 Dexterity, and 18 Intelligence to wield, making it difficult to use early game without planning.
How To Get Meteoric Ore Blade
The Meteoric Ore Blade is located in a treasure chest that can be found near the Caelid Waypoint Ruins, south of the Caelem Ruins in Caelid.
6 Winged Scythe
Extremely Powerful Ash of War That Prevents HP Recovery
Stat Requirements |
16 Str, 16 Dex, 24 Faith |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
55 |
Weapons Skill |
|
Gamers hoping to concentrate on a faith build in Elden Ring may wish to pick up the Winged Scythe, which is a reaper weapon with a lot to give.
However, due to its high stat requirements in not only faith but also dexterity and strength, it may be a while before this angelic scythe can be used. It also has an interesting skill called Angel’s Wings Skill, which interrupts the use of recovery actions.
How To Get Winged Scythe
The Winged Scythe can be found at the Tombsward Ruins in the Wailing Plateau – players can pick up this scythe almost as soon as they start the game.
5 Eleonora’s Poleblade
Become Darth Maul & Dance Around Enemies
Stat Requirements |
12 Str, 21 Dex, 19 Arc |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
55 |
Weapons Skill |
|
Arguably one of the most beautiful weapons on this list, this twin blade damages enemies with both physical and fire hits on top of the blood loss it causes. This makes Eleonora’s Poleblade incredibly useful against unarmored foes.
Besides, its main damage, the blade also high a high amount of evasiveness caused by the skill Bloodblade dance that allows the player to attack with a tornado of attacks before the enemy can get another swing in.
How To Get Eleonora’s Poleblade
Eleonora’s Poleblade can be found by defeating Eleonora in the Second Church of Marika, in the Mountaintops of Giants.
4 Hookclaws
Surprisingly Fast To Proc Bleed
Stat Requirements |
8 Str, 14 Dex |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
60 |
Weapons Skill |
Quickstep Skill (can be changed) |
Easily accessible and simple to use, the Hookclaws may at first not look like much. However, due to their swiftness, they are by far one of the best bleed weapons in Elden Ring to equip if hoping to build up blood loss quickly.
The Hookclaws and
Raptor Claws are both commonly used inside PVP due to how quickly players can get hits in before backing away. This weapon can be equipped in both hands while taking up a single slot, and are invaluable early on due to the low number of stats it needs.
How To Get Hookclaws
The Hookclaws are found on a body just inside Stormveil Castle after taking the secret entrance mentioned by Gatekeeper Gostoc. Go under the stairs and face off against an Exile Knight to find this on the ground.
3 Ghiza’s Wheel
When It Hits, It Shreds
Stat Requirements |
28 Str, 18 Dex |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
70 |
Weapons Skill |
Spinning Wheel Skill (cannot be changed) |
Ghiza’s Wheel is made for players hoping to cause a lot of damage while focusing on a strength build. As a colossal weapon, the character will need a lot of points for strength, 28 to be exact, and then 18 points for dexterity before they can wield this spinning blade.
It is not only known for its lethal amount of physical damage but also for its exclusive skill called the Spinning Wheel Skill. A player strikes the wheel against the ground to start it spinning, and then can slowly push this wheel into enemies that are ahead of them to do extreme damage.
How To Get Ghiza’s Wheel
After defeating the invader Inquisitor Ghiza in the Volcano Manor, players will get this weapon automatically. Simply walk up the stairs to the second floor from
Tanith‘s room to summon this invader.
2 Morgott’s Cursed Sword
One Of Two Great Main Hand Bleed Katanas
Scaling primarily through dexterity and arcane, Morgott’s Cursed Sword is a curved greatsword with a lot of potential for those looking to not only deal damage but increase their bleeding effect.
Morgott’s Cursed Sword’s unique skill Cursed-Blood Slice Skill not only inflicts further damage but also increases the Blood Loss effect of hemorrhage, making it a brutal and bloody weapon to swing around.
How To Get Morgott’s Cursed Sword
Morgott’s Cursed Sword can be purchased from Enia, the Finger Readerat the Roundtable Hold, using
Remembrance of the Omen King, which the Tarnished will receive after defeating Morgott himself at the end of Leyndell.
1 Rivers Of Blood
Even After Nerfs, Still The Best Elden Ring Bleed Weapon
Stat Requirements |
12 Str, 18 Dex, 20 Arc |
---|---|
Bleed Buildup |
50 |
Weapons Skill |
|
With such an infamous reputation among fans, it should be no surprise that the Rivers of Blood katana is the best blood weapon players can find and use. Inflicting also physical and fire damage with every hit, this is a weapon many foes will not wish to cross blades with.
Extreme damage and more bleed buildup comes from its unique skill, Corpse Piler Skill, which slashes twice forward inflicting further fire and physical damage as well as increasing the amount of blood loss.
How To Get Rivers Of Blood
After obtaining Rivers of Blood from Bloody Finger Okina, who invades near the Church of Repose in the Mountaintops of Giants, you’ll never want to unequip this best Bleed weapon in Elden Ring.