Summary
One of the most iconic aspects of theDark Soulsfranchise is the bosses that inhabit the world. Each boss has a surprising amount of lore and challenges players with a deadly suite of moves. Should players be able to defeat the boss, they will drop their soul, which can be used to craft boss weapons. The art of making boss weapons in the originalDark Soulsis much more taxing than in future installments. Players must upgrade a base weapon to a certain threshold before it can be ascended at the Giant Blacksmith in Anor Londo.
The majority of these weapons are unstoppable and can take out most unsuspecting enemies in a single shot. While some people may argue that sticking with a base weapon is worthwhile in its own right, the truth is that most boss weapons end up being popular because of how unique they are. After all, any player who learns the ropes in this game will prefer to use a weapon that feels good instead of something that is widely labeled by the community as the best weapon around, despite feeling rather boring to use.
Updated on Jul 31, 2025, by Gerardo Molina:Dark Souls is the title that started it all. The one that walked so other FromSoftware titles likeElden Ringcould run and soar through the heavens. While Dark Souls was a bit limited in terms of game mechanics (at least compared to what’s available today) due to its time, it still managed to deliver a wonderful experience for players, who were immediately hooked and likely became fans of the franchise and the titles that succeeded it.
Getting the boss weapons on this list isn’t easy, but players can rest assured that they’ll be justly rewarded once they finally manage to beat the bosses that hold them. While the weapon selection is limited compared toDark Souls 3, for example, which has almost twice as many boss weapons available, those that came built into the original Dark Souls are great, powerful, and extremely empowering to wield and decimate enemies with.
18Special Mention: Shields
While the weapons made with the Boss Souls can certainly be pretty useful in their own right, players shouldn’t scoff at the shields that can also be forged with the relevant Boss Soul. A player’s defenses are just as important as the weapons they carry, and players can use a wealth of unique shields to make the mere act of guarding a blast as long as they understand what each of these two shields brings to the table.
Crystal Ring Shield
The Moonlight Butterfly is one of the easier bosses players can deal with inDark Souls. In fact, the only reason why they even tolerate this encounter is because of how legendary this figure and its implications are in the overarching legacy of FromSoftware games. That being said, players can use the Boss Soul of this weapon to create two interesting items that players can use as long as they’re willing to tweak their playstyle accordingly.
In terms of sheer coolness factor, the Crystal Ring Shield is a defensive item that players must use if they want to make guarding as engaging as can be. The button that generally allows players to parry with a shield also unleashes a magic disc that serves as one of the most unique ranged attacks in the game. It’s a fun way to enhance a player’s moveset inDark Soulsand something they can check out if simply consuming the Boss Soul of this enemy doesn’t seem all that engaging.
17Obsidian Greatsword
A Just Reward For A Nearly-impossible Feat
TheObsidian Greatswordis likely one of the hardest (if not the hardest) weapons to get inDark Souls. While obtaining other weapons, like Smough’s Hammer or the Dragonslayer Spear is also an extremely daunting task, players will inevitably get one or the other, as defeating the bosses that wield them is mandatory to progress through the game.
However, this isn’t the case of the Obsidian Greatsword. This weapon can be obtained from Black Dragon Kalameet, one of the four main bosses of theArtorias of the Abyssexpansion, but doing so is much harder than players might think. While it might be hard to believe, it’s possible for players to kill Black Dragon Kalameet and not get this weapon, as obtaining it specifically requires them to cut off the dragon’s tail before ending its life.
This is extremely challenging, as the boss is very powerful and fast, leaving few windows of opportunity to strike repeatedly at its tail. Managing to get the Obsidian Greatsword is a feat that only a handful ofDark Soulsplayers have accomplished, either due to ignoring the existence of this weapon and the method of getting it, or simply because they decided it was not worth the hassle.
16Greatshield Of Artorias
A Resistant Shield Wielded By No Other Than The Abysswalker
The battle against Sif is one of the saddest encounters inDark Soulsif people are aware of the lore surrounding this beast. This loyal canine sticks with Artorias till the very end, and it’s a shame that players must defeat this boss if they wish to progress to the end. For an additional tearjerker, players should go through theArtorias of the AbyssDLC and save him in the past to change the intro cutscene of this boss, making this battle even more of a heartbreaking affair.
Players attain the Soul of Sif after beating this boss, which allows them to craft a great shield that nulls any status effects from a blocked attack. It’s only fitting that Sif continues to symbolize the shield of his master even after his demise.
A Hardcore Weapon That Veterans Will Have A Great Time With
Most people would scoff at the idea of using a brawling weapon in a game where high damage and a good reach are important to take out most enemies. So, a Chosen Undead who decides to use the Dragon Bone Fist to wallop their enemies should be lauded for their bravery, if nothing else.
However, while most people underrate the Dragon Bone Fist as a joke weapon, players who master its moveset will become gods among men in both PvE and PvP because of its erratic moveset. The strong attack of this weapon is especially fun to pull off, uppercutting enemies and flooring most weak ones flat in no time. Like other weapons, such as the Dragon Tooth and the Dragon King Greataxe, this weapon can be enchanted or buffed to gain additional bonuses.
Also, if players are a little short on Souls, they can give the Dragon Bone Fist to Frampt to get 5,000 Souls, which might not be much in the mid-late stages of the game, but if players aren’t interested in using this weapon, there’s no point in keeping it just so it gathers dust.
Perfect For Dealing Ranged Magical Damage
The Darkmoon Bow is a pretty great magical bow that players can use to shoot out some high-damage projectiles. This weapon is pretty fun to use, even if players have to invest in their stats wisely if they wish to make the most out of this bow.
Faith users will love the idea of a long-range weapon that can cause some serious damage if used properly. However, givenhow unwieldy bows are in the majority of situations, it’s easy to see why players may ignore this weapon for other options instead.
Gwyn’s Iconic Blade That Can Only Be Wielded Properly In An NG+ Playthrough
For many people, the Great Lord Greatsword is a disappointment. Players expected the sword to be wreathed in fire and hit for both physical and elemental damage, but this isn’t the case.
That being said, the weapon is still a blast to use, even if players can only use it on a second playthrough. The Great Lord Greatsword hits like a truck and looks pretty cool to boot, which makes up for its shortcomings that the community simply can’t stop talking about.
12Greatsword Of Artorias
Split Damage Is The Only Drawback For An Otherwise Brilliant Weapon
There are two variants of Artorias' patented greatsword that can be forged after obtaining Sif’s Soul. Most people prefer the Cursed variant because of its focused damage, but the regular version of this blade isn’t all that far behind.
However, players need to construct a proper build to make the most of this weapon. Split damage is a pain to get used to, but the blade’s unique characteristics make it perfect for veterans to try out in battle.
The Cursed Variant Of Artorias' Sword
Cursed weapons are pretty useful for players who struggle with ghost enemies and how annoying they can be to deal with due to their corporeal nature. Players don’t need a divine weapon or any sort of item — they can simply swing these weapons around to hit for some serious damage.
The Cursed Greatsword of Artorias is one such weapon that players can use to great effect against these foes, even if the weapon itself has some ridiculous stat requirements and scaling. Perhaps the worst part of this weapon is that players have to take part inone of the game’s most heartbreaking boss fights, with Sif being a beloved character for a reason.
Perfect For Casting Powerful Magic
Catalysts are a great tool that lets players cast high-damage magic at relatively low costs. In this regard, the Tin Darkmoon Catalyst excels, with its low Intelligence requirement allowing players to use some truly powerful spells.
Dark Bead and Orb can hit enemies at range for massive damage. Given how powerful magic is in mostSoulsbornegames, it’s easy to see why players should use the Tin Darkmoon Catalyst if they want to branch out with their combat styles.
9Golem Axe
A Great Strength Weapon That Hits For Massive Damage
The Golem Axe is one of the best weapons that players can use in the game, so it’s a shame that the weapon’s so underrated. By the point players have cleared out Sen’s Fortress, they may have already met the Strength requirements of this weapon anyway if they’re pursuing a Strength build.
It helps that the Golem Axe hasa ton of attacking power as well, letting it absolutely blast through the defenses of most enemies in the game. The cherry on top of this cake is an air blast projectile that can hit enemies at range, although it does reduce weapon durability to quite a major extent.
