Elden Ring Weapon Calculator: Best Weapon for Your Build

Finding a weapon that fits your build can save Smithing Stones and make boss fights feel easier. Instead of checking scaling letters by hand, enter your stats and upgrade level to compare stronger options quickly.

Use this Elden Ring Weapon Calculator to compare Attack Rating, stat scaling, requirements, affinity and two handing setup in one place.

Build Stats & Settings

Character Stats

Weapon Settings

Top Recommended Weapons

Other Strong Options

How to Use This Tool

Enter Your Build Stats

Add your Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith and Arcane values. These stats decide how much bonus damage each weapon can gain from scaling.

Choose Upgrade Levels

Select the standard or somber upgrade level you want to compare. Standard weapons use regular Smithing Stones, while somber weapons use Somber Smithing Stones.

Check Two-Handing

Turn on two handing if you usually hold the weapon with both hands. This raises your effective Strength for damage and requirements.

Compare the Results

Start with the top recommended weapons, then use the search and class filter to check a specific weapon type or build idea.

Understanding Weapon Stats

What is AR?

AR stands for Attack Rating. It is the total combined damage potential of your weapon before enemy defences are calculated. A higher AR generally means you will hit harder, though split damage (e.g., Physical + Magic) must pass through multiple enemy resistances.

How Scaling Works

Weapons gain bonus damage based on your character's stats. This is graded from S (best) down to E (worst). If a weapon has an 'A' in Strength, levelling your Strength stat will significantly increase its damage output.

Affinities Explained

Applying an affinity (like Heavy, Keen, or Magic) changes how a weapon scales. For example, the Heavy affinity removes Dexterity scaling but greatly boosts Strength scaling, making it perfect for pure Strength builds.

Two-Handing Bonus

When you hold a weapon with both hands, your effective Strength stat is multiplied by 1.5. This means if you have 40 Strength, two-handing treats it as 60 Strength for damage calculation and meeting weapon requirements.

Highest AR Is Not Always Best

A higher AR is useful, but it is not the whole story. Attack speed, range, weapon skill, status buildup and enemy resistance can make a lower AR weapon feel stronger in real fights.

When to Hide Unusable Weapons

Use the hide unusable option when you only want weapons your character can equip right now. Leave it off if you are planning future levels or checking which stats to improve next.

How Your Total Damage (AR) is Calculated

Base Damage

The weapon's innate power before any of your stats are applied.

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Stat Scaling

Bonus damage from your Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, or Arcane.

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Upgrades

Smithing Stones multiply both your base damage and your scaling bonuses.

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Total AR

Your final Attack Rating. Use it as a damage guide, then consider moveset, range and weapon skill before choosing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does an Elden Ring weapon calculator work?
It takes your character's stats (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, Arcane) and applies them to the base damage and scaling formulas of every weapon in the game. It then ranks them by total Attack Rating (AR) so you can see which weapon performs best for your specific build.
Does two-handing change weapon results?
Yes. Two-handing a weapon multiplies your effective Strength by 1.5. This not only helps you meet the Strength requirements for heavier weapons early on, but it also significantly boosts the AR of weapons that scale well with Strength.
Should I upgrade a standard or somber weapon?
Standard weapons require regular Smithing Stones and can go up to +25. They are highly customisable, allowing you to change their affinity and Ash of War. Somber weapons require Somber Smithing Stones, go up to +10, and usually have unique, unchangeable skills and affinities. Both are viable; it depends on whether you prefer flexibility or a specific unique weapon skill.
Which affinity is best for my build?
If you have high Strength, use Heavy. For high Dexterity, use Keen. If you level both equally, Quality is best. For Intelligence builds, Magic or Cold work well. Faith builds benefit from Sacred or Flame Art, while Arcane builds excel with Occult, Blood, or Poison affinities.
Why does a lower AR weapon sometimes feel stronger?
Some weapons attack faster, have better range, apply status effects or come with a stronger weapon skill. Enemy resistance also matters, especially when a weapon has split damage across physical, magic, fire, lightning or holy damage.
Should I hide unusable weapons?
Yes, if you only want results your current character can equip properly. Keep it turned off if you are planning a future build and want to see which weapons may become strong after more levels.