All Elden Ring Katana Locations & How to Get Them

This guide lists every katana in Elden Ring and exactly where to find each one, including the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. You’ll get the location, a short description of how to reach it, and the stats that matter for choosing which katana suits your build.

List of All Katanas in Elden Ring

There are 12 katanas in total: 9 in the base game and 3 added with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. They scale primarily with Dexterity, though a few lean into Intelligence or Arcane. Here is the full list before we break down each one:

• Uchigatana
• Nagakiba
• Moonveil
• Rivers of Blood
• Meteoric Ore Blade
• Hand of Malenia
• Dragonscale Blade
• Serpentbone Blade
• Malformed Blade
• Star-Lined Sword (DLC)
• Great Katana (DLC)
• Backhand Blade (DLC)

Base Game Katana Locations

These nine katanas are all found in the Lands Between. Some are simple chest pickups, while others require defeating a difficult boss or exploring a hidden area.

• Uchigatana – Found in a chest inside the Deathtouched Catacombs in Limgrave, just east of the starting area. The catacombs are on a small hill; the chest is behind a mist door guarded by a grave warden.
• Nagakiba – Obtained by completing Yura’s questline, or by killing him when you first meet him near the Seaside Ruins in Limgrave. If you progress his quest, he will drop it after he is killed by Elemer of the Briar at the Second Church of Marika.
• Moonveil – Dropped by the Magma Wyrm boss in the Gael Tunnel, which connects Caelid and Limgrave. The tunnel entrance is on the border; the boss is at the end.
• Rivers of Blood – Dropped by Bloody Finger Okina, an invader NPC, in the Church of Repose in the Mountaintops of the Giants. You must be in the area with the church and the invader will spawn.
• Meteoric Ore Blade – Found in a chest inside the Caelid Waypoint Ruins, in the basement. The ruins are in eastern Caelid, and the chest is behind a locked door that requires a Stonesword Key.
• Hand of Malenia – Obtained by trading Malenia’s Remembrance at the Roundtable Hold after defeating her in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree. This is one of the hardest boss fights in the game.
• Dragonscale Blade – Found on a corpse in the Lake of Rot, near the Grand Cloister site of grace. You need to traverse the rot lake; the blade is on a small island with a dragon corpse.
• Serpentbone Blade – Dropped by the NPC invader, Anastasia, Tarnished-Eater, near the Consecrated Snowfield. She appears as a red phantom in the area with the frozen river.
• Malformed Blade – Dropped by the Duelist boss in the Consecrated Snowfield, near the Yelough Anix Tunnel. The boss is in a small arena outside the tunnel.

Shadow of the Erdtree Katana Locations

The DLC adds three more katanas, each with a unique moveset or skill. They are all found in the Realm of Shadow.

• Star-Lined Sword – Found in a chest in the Ruins of Unte, a small dungeon in the southern part of the DLC map. The ruins are east of the Scorched Ruins; the chest is guarded by a few spirits.
• Great Katana – Dropped by the Blackgaol Knight boss, located in the Western Nameless Mausoleum in the DLC. This is the first major boss many players encounter in the expansion.
• Backhand Blade – Found on a corpse in a small gazebo near the Moorth Ruins in the DLC. It is not a boss drop; you can simply walk up and pick it up, though there are enemies nearby.

Katana Stats and Scaling Comparison

Choosing the right katana depends on your stats and playstyle. Here is a quick comparison of the base stats (at +0) for the most popular ones:

• Uchigatana – 115 physical damage, scales D with Strength and D with Dexterity. Requires 11 Strength and 15 Dexterity. The most basic and versatile katana.
• Moonveil – 73 physical + 87 magic, scales D with Strength, D with Dexterity, and C with Intelligence. Requires 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, and 23 Intelligence. Its skill, Transient Moonlight, fires a magic wave.
• Rivers of Blood – 76 physical + 76 fire, scales D with Strength, D with Dexterity, and C with Arcane. Requires 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, and 20 Arcane. Its skill, Corpse Piler, causes heavy bleed.
• Nagakiba – 115 physical, scales D with Strength and D with Dexterity. Requires 18 Strength and 22 Dexterity. It has the longest reach of any katana, making it great for poking.
• Hand of Malenia – 127 physical, scales D with Strength and C with Dexterity. Requires 16 Strength and 48 Dexterity. Its skill, Waterfowl Dance, is devastating but hard to land.

How to Choose the Right Katana for Your Build

Your choice should match your primary stats and desired playstyle. Here are the main archetypes:

• Pure Dexterity: Use the Uchigatana or Nagakiba with a Keen infusion. They get high damage with high Dex and can be buffed with greases or spells.
• Intelligence/Dexterity (spellblade): Moonveil is the top choice. Its weapon skill is fast, has good range, and scales with Intelligence.
• Arcane/Dexterity (bleed build): Rivers of Blood is the classic choice, but the Uchigatana or Nagakiba with a Blood infusion and high Arcane can also work well.
• Strength/Dexterity (quality): The Great Katana from the DLC is a heavy, slower katana that scales with both Strength and Dexterity. It hits much harder than the others.
• Status effect focus: The Serpentbone Blade deals poison buildup, while the Dragonscale Blade adds frost. These are situational but can be strong against certain bosses.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

One common mistake is assuming all katanas cause bleed. In reality, the Uchigatana, Nagakiba, Rivers of Blood, and Hand of Malenia have bleed, but Moonveil, Meteoric Ore Blade, and others do not. Another misconception is that the Nagakiba is a late-game weapon; it is actually obtainable very early if you kill Yura at the Seaside Ruins, though you miss his quest rewards. Also, the Malformed Blade is often confused with a straight sword, but it is indeed a katana with a unique curved moveset.

Another error is trying to power-stance two katanas without meeting the stat requirements for both. Each weapon must be held with the required stats; otherwise, you will swing one-handed. Finally, remember that the Hand of Malenia requires 48 Dexterity, so it is not viable for most builds until late game.

Katana Upgrades and Infusions

All katanas can be upgraded with Somber Smithing Stones (Moonveil, Rivers of Blood, Meteoric Ore Blade, Dragonscale Blade, Serpentbone Blade, Malformed Blade, Star-Lined Sword, and Great Katana) or regular Smithing Stones (Uchigatana, Nagakiba, Hand of Malenia, and Backhand Blade). The ones that use regular stones can also be infused with Ashes of War, allowing you to change their scaling and damage type. For example, you can put a Cold infusion on the Uchigatana to add frost buildup, or a Poison infusion for poison.

For Somber weapons, you cannot change the Ash of War, but you can still buff them with spells or greases unless they already have an elemental damage type (like Moonveil’s magic or Rivers of Blood’s fire).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the Uchigatana at the start of the game? Yes, the Deathtouched Catacombs in Limgrave are accessible from the very beginning. You can run there, grab the chest, and leave without fighting the boss.

Is the Rivers of Blood still good after the nerfs? Yes, it is still a strong bleed weapon, especially with high Arcane. The Corpse Piler skill is slower than before but remains effective against most enemies.

What is the best katana for a mage build? Moonveil is the best for a pure Intelligence/Dexterity build. Its Transient Moonlight skill deals magic damage and can be spammed from a safe distance.

Do katanas cause bleed? Not all of them. The Uchigatana, Nagakiba, Rivers of Blood, Hand of Malenia, and the Great Katana have bleed buildup. The others do not.

Can I get the Nagakiba without killing Yura? Yes, if you complete Yura’s questline, he will eventually die and drop the Nagakiba. You can also kill him at any point, but you will miss his other rewards.

Are there any katanas in the DLC that are better than the base game ones? The Great Katana is unique because it is a heavy, strength-oriented katana, which fills a niche the base game lacked. The Star-Lined Sword is also excellent for Intelligence builds, but Moonveil remains more versatile.

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