Melee, ranged, and a bit of magic—that’s the extent of the weapon system in Elderand, a spookyMetroidvania-styleRPGfrom Graffiti Games that sees players fighting off hordes of creepy foes across a variety of grim but enchanting environments.
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It might appear limiting, but this simplicity creates space for a welcome level of variety in the look, feel, and power of Elderand’s weapons, incentivizing players to experiment without overwhelming them. Whether you’re buying your kit from the traveling merchant or searching high and low for a chest full of loot, there are plenty of weapons that can get you through the game’s most challenging bosses. Keep an open mind, and the weapon you start with might look very different from the one with which you deal your final blow.
10Charmed Staff: Simple But Deadly
Like bows, in their limited circumstantial viability, but like melee weapons in their ability to generally be used without scavenging for supplies, staffs occupy a sort of strange, uncertain-feeling middle ground in Elderand’s weapon system.
Despite the weirdness, though, the Charmed Staff that you acquire at the very start of your journey can be surprisingly useful if you spend enough of your points on wisdom. If you pull it off, you can spam your enemies with a barrage of magical blue orbs that can be effective at keeping them at arms-length, and, as a result, your hunter out of the line of fire.
9Rattlesnake: A Speedy Dual Wield
Find Rattlesnake toward the outer fringes of Delinquent’s Breach before you enter the Forest of the Exhausted. This akimbo-style melee weapon requires two hands, so you won’t be able to use a shield while its equipped.
Whatever defensive capability it removes from your combat strategy, it adds in the form of swift, speedy, and potent damage. If you’re familiar with Elderand’s evasion mechanics and are accustomed to a quick, dexterity-focused play style, you can have a ton of fun with Rattlesnake. It’s like augmenting your hunter’s hands with sharp claws—very, very sharp claws.
8Ripper Ring: A Saw-Summoning Accessory
While it’s technically an accessory, the Ripper Ring earns a spot in this list for enabling your hunter to generate a new, totally standalone method of attack. With this ring equipped, every time you perform a jump-back evasion a set of spinning saws emerges from the ground, dealing continuous damage to any enemy standing in their way.
Ripper Ring also buffs you with one additional dexterity, which increases your chances of landing a critical hit. It’s particularly useful in flatter areas of Elderand with large numbers of non-flying mobs, where you’re able to lure them into aggro range then saw them to bits without being touched.
7Barrun’gar: A Big Kid’s Battle Axe
This heavy-hitting labrys has all the power you need to swing your way through the latest stages of Elderand. Found in a chest not far from where you vanquish Erik Zan in the Sanctuary of the First, Barrun’gar can handle mob and boss alike.
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Sporting a long handle that affords a decent amount of reach, the double-headed axe can actually be used with one hand despite its size. That means you can equip it with a shield to maximize your survivability in close range combat situations. Max out its upgrades in Terrakan and Amon’s disciples won’t know what hit them.
6Rustaar, The Veteran: Worth The Wait
This behemoth of a claymore doesn’t only leave a path of death and destruction in its wake, it also has a story to tell. Acquired from Eran in Terrakan after you help her defeat a horde of enemies in the Endless Lands, Rustaar, the Veteran, was the sword of her father, the first defender. Your task is to wield it in honor of his name and his memory.
Pair Rustaar, the Veteran with an attack-oriented accessory like the Ripper Ring to turn your strike-and-evade combos into additional damage-dealing opportunities. If your enemies get lucky enough to move within attacking range, you’ll have a deadly answer.
5Electric Capacitor: A Shockingly Powerful Ring
As one of only two accessories to make this weapons list, the Electric Capacitor is an Elderand must-have. Its short, nonchalant inventory description simply reads “Chain lighting,” because that’s all you need to know.
Unleashing a bolt of deadly-accurate lightning that bounces between nearby enemies with every strike of your primary weapon, Electric Capacitor is a force-multiplier that is particularly useful when battling in tight spaces and against mobs that include airborne enemies. The electric bolt emitted from your weapon while it’s equipped will automatically seek out the next-nearest enemy, and better yet: no recharge required.
4Elui’ator: Early Game Power
If you find yourself in Omulore, the Ruined City early on in your playthrough, keep an eye out for Elui’ator. You can find it in a chest, and depending on how many weapons you’ve discovered so far, it might be the most powerful one you’ve encountered.
While Elui’ator doesn’t pack the sort of punch you’ll get out of later game swords like Rustaar, the Veteran or Razshah, the Only, you wouldn’t be faulted for making it your primary weapon for a good portion of the early to middle stages of Elderand. It’s more than capable of handling bosses like the Chaos-Touched Reject, and with some persistence, maybe even Black Virtue.
3Avvit’evit: The Bow You Shouldn’t Skip
Despite the impressive diversity of bows made available to players in Elderand, the ranged weapon mostly plays a supporting role in the game’s often close-quarters, vertically-oriented combat experience. What’s more, arrows are not infinitely available and must be scavenged for along your journey.
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Whether you’re dead-set on playing through Elderand as an archer, or you’re just looking for a solid ranged option to compliment your melee inventory, Avvit’evit is a solid bow on which to nock your arrows. Throw it into the mix with a one-handed sword or axe like Lightbringer or Barrun’gar, and you’ll be nearly untouchable from every distance.
2Gurom’karah: A Big Sword Built For Heroes
This powerful sword is like an early-game version of Rustaar, the Veteran, and can easily serve as a viable primary through bosses like Sserthris and—if you’ve put enough points into strength—Erik Zan.
Unlike most of the other weapons on this list, you can purchase Gurom’karah from Pollo the traveling merchant. With 32-42 base attack, it’s a great sword to pair with a shield and maybe a bow like Avvit’evit or The Intrepid. And if you choose to upgrade it, this shiny silver slicer can be a serious contender to carry you through the endgame.
1Lightbringer: The Only Sword You Need
In all the doom and gloom that defines the vibe of Elderand, Lightbringer is both a literal and figurative bright spot. This ultra effective sword is capable of shredding through enemies for the entire duration of the game, starting with when you first discover it in a chest at the very start of the game in Delinquent’s Breach.
For melee-focused players, Lightbringer is a viable sword into the endgame, assuming you spend the resources to upgrade it in Terrakan when you get the chance. It can serve as a powerful compliment to a ranged weapon, like a bow or a staff, and also pairs well with some of the stat-buffing rings you’ll acquire throughout your journey.
