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Since they’re not accepting Melina’s help in spending hard-earned Runes, then players will have to be self-sufficient with their weapons. Truth be told, weapon choice as a level 1 character in Elden Ringis quite limited. Some weapons requirements are too picky. Thankfully, a handful of weapons are low-maintenance and don’t mind being in the hands of a naked, maidenless Wretch.
Updated November 2, 2022, by Sid Natividad: Elden Ring remains one of the most influential and more replayable games of 2022, and quite possibly the decade. Just as players think there’s no challenge left after they’ve killed every boss and seemingly mastered the game, out come the fan-based challenges. The most brutal among them is a Rune Level 1 run. The best weapons for a level 1 run in Elden Ring can vary a little depending on playstyle, but the following are all worth considering for those who are still looking for ways to optimize their Rune Level 1 builds.
12 Zweihander
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Str - D; Dex - D Requirement : Str - 19; Dex - 11
The Zweihander might not be the monster it once was when compared to its Dark Souls counterpart, but this Quality weapon at least finds its spot in Level 1 builds. It’s one of the best alternatives to the hefty and demanding Greatsword. The Zweihander does come with its own high requirements for Strength, but that’s easily fixed with a couple of talismans.
Rune Level 1 Players would want this since it’s one of the best weapons to pair with the Lion’s Claw Ash of War. This combo makes even a Level 1 run more than manageable. Players can use it to stunlock bosses from a relatively safe melee distance thanks to the Zweihander’s range. Since it’s also a colossal weapon, the Zweihander functions well as a shield.
11 Demi-Human Queen’s Staff
Damage type : Physical/Sorcery Initial Scaling : Str - D; Int - C Requirement : Str - 6; Int - 10
Most level 1 builds or runs in Elden Ring cater to melee players since they’re easier to pilot. However, even magic builds can still have fun with the help of the Demi-Human Queen’s Staff. It’s one of the best staves in the game for those who have low Intelligence, such as level 1 builds. There are certain limitations to this staff.
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For one, players can’t infuse it with a weapon skill, so they’re stuck with Sorceries. However, the Demi-Human Queen’s Staff is thankfully impressive enough in buffing Glintstone Sorceries. Such a setup is definitely more challenging compared to a full melee build in a level 1 run, but it’s still a good magic alternative.
10 Banished Knight’s Halberd
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Str - D; Dex - D Requirement : Str - 14; Dex - 12
Halberds are some of the most reliable weapons in Elden Ring due to their range and the powerful Ashes of War options for their weapon class. Most halberds in Elden Ring are heavy or have high requirements though, except for the Banished Knight’s Halberd. Players can use this weapon with just a Radagon’s Soreseal.
After that, they’re free to pick from their halberd Ash of War of choice. There’s quite a good number of powerful ones, but skills like Phantom Slash excel in dealing high damage with a fair amount of stagger or poise break. Players can even go around spamming that Ash of War until the late game.
9 Great Stars
Damage type : Physical/Bleed Initial Scaling : Str - D; Dex - D Requirement : Str - 22; Dex - 12
For those who want a bit of everything that’s busted when it comes to melee, Great Stars is a great start to a lot of fruitful kills. This huge morning star weapon in Elden Ring has innate Bleed damage buildup. Though don’t expect it to rack up the Bleed meter in just a few strikes; it’s a slow weapon.
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However, it’s also a heavy weapon, meaning it deals a dependable amount of stagger and works well even against larger enemies. Players can also customize the Ash of War or weapon skill to their liking. Strong options such as Lion’s Claw would also fit in well here. The only problem is the Strength requirement but that’s not too hard to fix with just a couple of talismans and a helmet.
8 Dragon Communion Seal
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Fai - D; Arc - C Requirement : Fai - 10; Arc - 10
Even Faith builds that dip into Arcane can be viable in a level 1 run thanks to seals such as the Dragon Communion Seal. One incantation comes to mind when putting this seal together with a level 1 build and that’s the Rot Breath spell. It’s one of the most potent damage dealers in the game.
One breath and players can retreat to safety while their enemies die from the damage-over-time effect. The developers were even kind enough to set the Faith and Arcane requirement to just 10, which is the baseline state for the Wretch or the level 1 build template. Players only have to worry about adjusting their play style.
7 Club
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Str - C Requirement : Str - 10
Sure enough, one can’t expect a great hammer if their arms are too frail. A simple Club is just about the best bludgeoning weapon available for a level 1 run. The Wretch’s base stat barely meets the Club’s base requirement of 10 Strength. That’s good since there are no raising stats via leveling on a level 1 run.
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Since it also deals bludgeoning damage, the Club is great for stunning or staggering enemies. It works particularly well against human-sized enemies, including bosses. The best part about the Club, however, is its flexible Ash of War slot.
6 Serpent-Hunter
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Str - B, Dex - E Requirement : N/A
Players ought to thank Rykard. Because despite the gimmicky boss fight, his existence led to the creation of the Serpent-Hunter. It’s one of the few heavy weapons available for level 1 Wretches. It’s thanks to the Serpent-Hunter’s nonexistent stat requirement. Even a scrawny mage who wears a Burger King helmet can wield it.
When fully upgraded, the Serpent-Hunter is quite decent. Scaling doesn’t matter much here since players remain at base level 1 stats anyway. But the Serpent-Hunter’s decent weapon skill is quite useful for stunning targets from a considerable distance. Besides, this weapon will wreck the entirety of Volcano Manor.
5 Misericorde
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Str - E, Dex - D Requirement : Str - 7, Dex - 12
Yes, the Misericorde has a Dexterity requirement of 12, which automatically makes it too strong for a level 1 Wretch. However, there are ways to boost one’s stat in Elden Ring. The Prosthesis-Wearer Heirloom, for example, will boost Dextery by five points. There are also Soreseals and Scarseals to help.
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In any case, Misericorde is an awesome one-two-punch weapon. For maximum efficiency, players will have to slot in the Flames of the Redmane Ash of War in their Misericorde. That Ash of War can stun most enemies (even bosses) in just two casts. After that, players will have to go in for the critical hit while the targets are reeling. Misericorde’s increased Critical Damage creates a good synergy here.
4 Reduvia
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Str - E, Dex - D, Arc - D Requirement : Str - 5, Dex - 13, Arc - 13
Picking Reduvia imposes the same challenge as Misericorde. Players will have to find ways through Talismans or gear pieces to raise their stats to meet the requirements. It’s worth it for this dagger, though, as it’s one of the most versatile weapons in the game.
Reduvia has a non-customizable weapon skill, but it’s usually all that the players will need for ranged damage. Both the ranged attack and the regular attacks for Reduvia inflict Bleed build-up, which can result in a big chunk of damage once it’s full.
3 Broadsword
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Str - D, Dex - E Requirement : Str - 10, Dex - 10
The Broadsword is the more elegant option in case players want to forego the caveman aesthetics of the Club. Its stat requirements fall in line with what the Wretch has at level 1 so that frees up some talisman slots for something else.
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Sure enough, players might need something like the Shard of Alexander for this, since the Broadsword’s strength lies in its default Ash of War, Square Off. This weapon skill is an underrated gem that can stagger targets. It also deals decent damage.
2 Scavenger’s Curved Sword
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Str - D, Dex - D Requirement : Str - 9, Dex - 14
The Scavenger’s Curved Sword is a key component for one of the most impressive Bleed builds for Elden Ring’s endgame. As a testament to the power of Bleed in Elden Ring, the Scavenger’s Curved Sword can also prove to be a viable weapon for a level 1 run.
This weapon has one of the highest Bleed applications in the game. If infused with a Bleed prefix, then it becomes even more viable for the endgame despite having a level 1 wielder. Problems do arise against enemies who don’t bleed, but thankfully, it’s easy to change weapon prefixes.
1 Uchigatana
Damage type : Physical Initial Scaling : Str - D, Dex - D Requirement : Str - 11, Dex - 15
The Uchigatana, despite being a starter weapon for the Samurai class, scales well into the late game. It’s one of the few rare weapons that players can use from beginning to end without much compromise. The Uchigatana owes much of its reputation to the Bleed build-up and its Unsheathe default Ash of War.
However, it can also be more versatile than that. Players can infuse it with cold damage so that it also triggers Frostbite on top of Bleed. In any case, it’s one of the weapons that community legends such as Let Me Solo Her prefer to use against Malenia.
Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Windows.
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