Seven weapon classes: controls, special effects and locations

Sword and shield, dual blades and fists

Sword and shield: hold Attack to guard frontal strikes. Face the incoming attack; the description does not promise protection from behind. Dual blades: time the next attack with the hit to extend the combo. Practise the timing against a manageable target before committing to a long sequence.

Fists build charge through qualifying hits. The damage multipliers are 1× at 1 charge point, 1.2× at 4 and 2× at 9. Ordinary qualifying attacks usually add 1 point; the fourth ground-combo strike and the Whip Strike uppercut add 2, so points are not a fixed hit count. A direct hit or guard break resets the charge, as does 4 seconds without gaining charge at normal action speed. Bernhard’s Wrath heals 1%, 2% or 3% of maximum HP per qualifying hit against a monster at the three charge stages; this healing is specific to that weapon.

One-handed swords and spears

One-handed swords gain extra damage when you attack immediately after sliding or backdashing. Link the attack to a movement you already need for positioning. Valmanway also adds a delayed second strike, so its listed DPS alone does not describe its full behaviour.

Spears: hold to aim, then release to throw. Aim before release instead of treating the hold as an ordinary melee charge. Chauve-Souris can chase two targets in sequence and pierce enemies between them; the lower-tier spears do not inherit that special effect.

Two-handed swords and whips

Two-handed swords: charge before release for a stronger strike. Choose an opening long enough for the charge. Excalibur launches light projectiles with a charged attack; an ordinary uncharged swing is not the confirmed trigger.

Whips reward a hit with the tip. Adjust spacing so the tip reaches the target rather than always standing against it. Vampire Killer adds burning to tip hits and fiery explosions on kills. Equipping a whip is separate from unlocking Arcane Whip for swinging and grappling.

Use the movement attack with your current weapon

The Whip Strike tutorial instructs you to aim toward an enemy, grapple toward it, then press the main Attack action while approaching. The equipped weapon changes the resulting strike. These are action names; use your own keyboard or controller bindings.

Compare weapons within a class using the table below, then open an entry for its acquisition conditions and map destination. Listed DPS is the game’s display value, not a measured damage-per-second result. A weapon with a more useful special effect may suit your approach even when its displayed number is not higher.

All 28 weapons: compare effects and find a location

Each class has four weapons. Open a weapon for its full conditions; a character destination may require an additional interaction.