Elden Ring’s best weapons have been made fairly clear after players have had the chance to experiment with them in successive playthroughs of the game. The likes of the Moonveil katana and Greatsword have consequently become go-to for Tarnished on their first run-throughs of the game, as they can be obtained early and have low level requirements. But other weapons stand out more once players start their first New Game Plus and are no longer hindered by weapon accessibility or stats.

The best weapons for players who have completed Elden Ring are those that take the most advantage of New Game Plus mode. These include weapons that only become available late into the first playthrough or are better when dual-wielded. But other armaments that are overlooked by newcomers - either because they aren’t popular or are just easy to miss - are great in replays of Elden Ring because players can then obtain and use them with the knowledge of their first journey through the game.

10 Death's Poker

Elden Ring How To Get Deaths Poker

Death's Poker is often missed by Elden Ring players because they have to kill the annoying Deathrite Bird of Caelid to obtain it. That said, they would be remiss to miss out on using it in future playthroughs, as with the right build, power-ups, and smithing, Death's Poker can be the best weapon in the game.

Related: Elden Ring: How To Get Death's Poker

Death's Poker is such a strong weapon in Elden Ring because of its multifaceted skill, Ghostflame Ignition. This skill not only shoots a long, high-damage trail of ghostflames but also has a Frostbite effect. Because its frostbite build-up is so strong, Ghostflame Ignition can stagger enemies, which in turn hinders their movement in the ghostflames. Such a deadly combination makes it an extremely effective weapon in New Game Plus mode against enemies with high HP.

9 Ornamental Straight Sword

Elden Ring Beating Grafted Scion Tutorial Boss 1

One of the first things Elden Ring players get to enjoy in a New Game Plus is re-encountering the Grafted Scion with the stats, weapons, and game knowledge of their first playthrough. As such, obtaining its signature weapon, the Ornamental Straight Sword, is an opportunity many players don’t get to experience in their first go-around of the game. It’s not only a strong weapon for Dexterity builds, but it also serves as a trophy for Elden Ring players’ growth and getting revenge on the Grafted Scion.

Getting the Ornamental Straight Sword in New Game Plus makes it doubly better because the weapon functions better when dual-wielded. The Ornamental Straight Sword comes with the skill Golden Tempering, which allows the Tarnished to fight like the Grafted Scion when dual-wielding. Since the only way to get two Ornamental Straight Swords is to obtain them from the Grafted Scion at the Chapel of Anticipation, players will have to be in New Game Plus in order to dual-wield them.

8 Sacred Relic Sword

Elden Ring: How to Find (& Use) Sacred Relic Sword

The Sacred Relic Sword is one of the best weapons in Elden Ring. With one of the strongest weapon skills in the game (Wave of Gold), good scaling for Dexterity and Faith, and interesting lore implications, the Sacred Relic Sword is comparable to a Faith-based Moonveil. However, this weapon only becomes available after completing Elden Ring, when all the major bosses are dead. That’s what makes it an excellent choice for replays: returning to the Lands Between in a New Game Plus with the Sacred Relic Sword allows the Tarnished to fight the demigods with the blade of the Elden Beast.

Related: Elden Ring: How to Find (& Use) Sacred Relic Sword

7 Staff Of The Guilty

Image of the Staff of the Guilty from Elden Ring

Glintstone builds may be most Elden Ring magicians’ first choice, but there are plenty of other options to explore in replays. This is where the Staff of the Guilty comes in. It is the only staff in Elden Ring to scale on Faith and Strength rather than Intelligence. This makes it particularly useful for Blood Thorn Sorceries, an often overlooked class of magic because it requires enemies to approach the player to be effective. However, this makes for a fun mix of melee and magic that can be challenging but powerful in both PvE and PvP play, making it a good option for replays of Elden Ring.

6 Serpentbone Blade

How to Find (& Use) The Serpentbone Blade Elden Ring

When it comes to katanas in Elden Ring, Rivers of Blood and Moonveil are all the rave. However, they’ve been continually nerfed overtime, which has opened up space for the finding the Serpentbone Blade can allow players to create new poison builds that can be incredibly powerful. So even if the Serpentbone Blade was disregarded in initial playthroughs of Elden Ring, it is an excellent choice for veteran players in New Game Plus mode.

5 Jar Cannon

Elden Ring's Jar Cannon is effective for killing AFK Rune farmers.

Simply put, the Margit, the Fell Omen and Godrick at Stormveil Castle.

4 Hoslow’s Petal Whip

Image of Hoslow's Petal Whip from Elden Ring

With so many weapon choices in Elden Ring, it’s easy to forget that players can not only use whips but also that whips are very strong. Among the strongest is Hoslow’s Petal Whip, a beautifully designed metal vine of flowers that’s fantastic for bleed builds. Hoslow's Petal Whip is a fantastic option for replays of Elden Ring because, as Hoslow demonstrates in his fight, the whip is better when dual-wielded. Additionally, it has low stat requirements, making it immediately useful for Dexterity builds.

Related: Elden Ring: How To Get The Hoslow's Armor Set

3 Black Knife

Image of Black Knife from Elden Ring

Most Elden Ring players who use daggers will likely gravitate toward Reduvia, as its bleed effect, power potential, and early accessibility in Limgrave make it very strong. However, when playing Elden Ring again, knife-wielders should turn their attention to the Black Knife. This knife’s skill, Blade of Death, makes it incredible at all points of the game, as it temporarily lowers enemies’ overall health stat and affects a huge area. Combined with its strong Faith scaling, the Black Knife is an excellent option for players who overlooked it in their first playthroughs of Elden Ring.

2 Sword Of St. Trina

Image of the Sword of St. Trina from Elden Ring

Players can easily miss getting the Sword of St. Trina in their first Elden Ring playthrough, but they shouldn’t sleep on it during their second. This weapon’s skill - Mists of Slumber - casts a large purple cloud that can put enemies to sleep; additionally, it coats the blade with a purple hue that increases it Sleep build-up for short period of time. As the only melee weapon with this ability, the Sword of St. Trina is incredibly powerful in both PvE and PvP interactions in Elden Ring. It can send even the Godskin Duo to sleep, making them a cakewalk.

The Sword of Saint Trina’s only disadvantage is its short reach. However, using it in New Game Plus makes up for this. Getting to carry two makes it incredibly effective in close quarters battles, as using the Mists of Slumber on both blades before a battle makes a player’s Sleep build-up potential incredibly high.

Related: Elden Ring: Who St. Trina Really Is

1 Bolt Of Gransax

How to Find (& Use) Bolt of Gransax Elden Ring EDIT

The burning the Erdtree.

The more important reason the Bolt of Gransax is so great in a new playthrough is because of its skill and stats. The Bolt of Gransax has the unique skill Ancient Lightning Spear, which shoots a lighting spear at opponents over incredible distances; this spear also does increased damage to dragon enemies. Even though this skill is magic-based, the Bolt of Gransax scales only with Dexterity and Strength. The Legendary Weapon is thus the perfect choice for non-magic builds who wished they had better ranged weapons in their first playthroughs of Elden Ring.