The Seven Most Devastating Strength Weapons In Dark Souls 3 (2025 Tier List)

The Dark Souls 3 meta may be old, but the colossal damage numbers of a pure Strength build are timeless. As of December 2025, the community consensus remains clear: a handful of colossal weapons, when correctly infused with a Heavy Gem and wielded with 66 Strength, still dominate both PvE and PvP. Forget slow, clunky builds—the right weapon can turn you into an unstoppable force, capable of staggering even the largest bosses.

This in-depth guide is based on the latest community testing and stat breakdowns, focusing on two-handed Attack Rating (AR) at the optimal 66 Strength soft cap. We break down the top seven weapons that deliver the most devastating damage and utility, ensuring your pure Strength build is fully optimized for the current state of the game.

The Colossal Seven: Top-Tier Strength Weapons Ranked

A pure Strength build in Dark Souls 3 is defined by hitting the 66 Strength soft cap. When you two-hand a weapon, your Strength stat is multiplied by 1.5, meaning 66 Strength becomes the effective 99 Strength cap for maximum scaling. This list focuses on the weapons that benefit most from this massive investment.

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1. Dragonslayer Greataxe: The AR King

The Dragonslayer Greataxe is, without question, the weapon that consistently boasts the highest raw Attack Rating (AR) for a pure Strength build, making it the undisputed PvE champion.

• Weapon Type: Greataxe
• Primary Scaling: Strength (C/B at +5)
• Optimal AR (66 STR): Approximately 729 at +5 (Two-Handed).
• Why It’s Top Tier: Its sheer physical and lightning damage output is unmatched. The Weapon Art, "Falling Bolt," is a massive AoE lightning strike that can delete mobs and bosses alike, offering incredible burst damage.
• The Drawback: It requires a small investment in Faith (14) to wield, and its split damage (Physical/Lightning) can be slightly less effective against enemies with high resistances compared to pure physical weapons.

2. Ledo's Great Hammer: The Pure Physical Powerhouse

Ledo's Great Hammer is the heaviest weapon in the game, a massive slab of stone that embodies the pure Strength fantasy. It’s a late-game option, but its damage and moveset are worth the wait.

• Weapon Type: Great Hammer
• Primary Scaling: Strength (S at +5)
• Optimal AR (66 STR): Approximately 681 at +5 (Two-Handed).
• Why It’s Top Tier: It offers exceptional pure physical Strike damage, which is highly effective against armored enemies and many bosses. The Weapon Art, "Call to Stone," is a devastating spin that applies a temporary damage buff, pushing its AR even higher. Its high stability and poise damage make it a PvP terror.
• The Drawback: Its colossal weight (26.5 units) requires a significant investment in Vitality to manage, and its slow swing speed demands precise timing.

3. The Greatsword (Heavy Infused): The Reliable Colossus

Often referred to as the "Berserk Greatsword," this Ultra Greatsword (UGS) is the gold standard for a Heavy Infusion. It is the longest UGS when two-handed, giving it exceptional reach.

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• Weapon Type: Ultra Greatsword
• Primary Scaling: Strength (A/S with Heavy Gem)
• Optimal AR (66 STR): Easily surpasses 650+ at +10 (Two-Handed).
• Why It’s Top Tier: It has a fantastic Ultra Greatsword moveset, including a reliable two-handed rolling attack and the powerful Stomp Weapon Art. Its pure physical damage means every point of AR is maximized, and it can be buffed with resins or spells (like Pine Bundles), further boosting its damage potential.
• The Drawback: Like all UGS, it can be parried and its large size can sometimes be a liability in tight corridors.

4. Vordt's Great Hammer: The Frostbite Cheat

While its raw AR might seem modest compared to Ledo’s, Vordt's Great Hammer is a powerhouse thanks to its unique status effect: Frostbite. This makes it an essential early-game and mid-game choice.

• Weapon Type: Great Hammer
• Primary Scaling: Strength (B/A at +5)
• Optimal AR (60 STR): Approximately 552 at +5 (Two-Handed).
• Why It’s Top Tier: The 110 Frostbite buildup per hit is incredibly fast. Once Frostbite is inflicted, it deals a burst of damage and temporarily reduces the enemy's Stamina regeneration and damage absorption, effectively acting as an enemy debuff. It’s an early-game "legal cheat" that demolishes many early bosses.
• The Drawback: Frostbite cannot be reapplied until the enemy recovers, which requires a secondary source of fire damage to reset the status effect quickly.

5. Yhorm's Great Machete: The Early UGS Option

Obtained by transposing the Soul of Yhorm the Giant, this Ultra Greatsword is a fantastic option for Strength builds looking for high damage without the late-game grind for Ledo's or the specific Faith requirement of the Dragonslayer Greataxe.

• Weapon Type: Greataxe/Ultra Greatsword Hybrid
• Primary Scaling: Strength (S at +5)
• Why It’s Top Tier: It has one of the highest pure Strength scaling grades in the game (S-scaling) and a relatively low Dexterity requirement (10). Its easy upgrade path using Titanite Scales makes it a strong contender for an end-game weapon.
• The Drawback: Its moveset is not as versatile as the standard Greatsword UGS, featuring a more "choppy" attack pattern.

6. Heavy Dark Sword: The Fast-Hitter

Not every strength weapon needs to be a colossal hammer. The Dark Sword, when infused with a Heavy Gem, is a powerful, fast-hitting Straight Sword that offers a quick alternative to the slow, heavy weapons.

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• Weapon Type: Straight Sword
• Primary Scaling: Strength (A with Heavy Gem)
• Why It’s Top Tier: It's easy to get early in the game and provides extremely high damage for a Straight Sword, making it excellent for clearing mobs and fast PvP encounters where large weapons are too slow.
• The Drawback: Its range is short, and its damage per hit is significantly lower than the Ultra Greatswords and Great Hammers.

7. Cathedral Knight Greatsword (Heavy Infused): The Poke Machine

This Ultra Greatsword is a unique choice because its two-handed heavy attack (R2) is a long-range poke—a rare and valuable asset for a massive weapon.

• Weapon Type: Ultra Greatsword
• Primary Scaling: Strength (A/S with Heavy Gem)
• Why It’s Top Tier: The exceptional range on its heavy attack allows you to punish enemies and players from a safer distance than other UGS. It hits hard and has a versatile moveset, making it a favorite for those who value reach.
• The Drawback: Despite its strengths, some players find that its overall AR is slightly lower than the standard Greatsword UGS at maximum scaling.

Optimal Pure Strength Build Stat Allocation (SL 120-133)

To maximize the potential of these weapons, you must optimize your stat allocation. The universally accepted soft cap for a pure Strength build is 66, which translates to 99 Strength when two-handing (66 * 1.5 = 99).

Here is the recommended distribution for a standard SL 120-133 build:

• Vigor (35-40): This is your health pool. You need this to survive trades, especially with slow, heavy weapons.
• Attunement (10): Base level is fine unless you plan on using specific Weapon Arts frequently or need utility spells.
• Endurance (35-40): Stamina is crucial for a Strength build. You need high Endurance to swing your Ultra Greatswords (UGS) and Great Hammers multiple times and still have enough left to dodge.
• Vitality (25-30+): This stat determines your equip load. You need high Vitality to wear heavy armor (for Poise) and carry Ledo's Great Hammer or the Dragonslayer Greataxe without fat-rolling.
• Strength (66): The absolute core of the build. Stop here; any further points are wasted unless you plan on one-handing.
• Dexterity (10-14): Only enough to meet the minimum requirements of your chosen weapon (e.g., 10 for the Greatsword, 14 for the Dragonslayer Greataxe).
• Intelligence/Faith/Luck: Keep at base levels unless you are creating a hybrid build (e.g., 14 Faith for the Dragonslayer Greataxe).

LSI Keyword Focus: Infusions and Utility

A Strength build is more than just a high number; it’s about utility. Two key components elevate a Strength build above a basic melee character: the Heavy Gem and Poise.

The Power of the Heavy Gem Infusion

For any standard weapon (like the Greatsword, Claymore, or Dark Sword), the Heavy Gem is mandatory. It completely removes the weapon's Dexterity scaling and converts its scaling entirely to Strength, often boosting it to an A or S grade. Always infuse your non-boss weapons with a Heavy Gem to maximize your 66 Strength investment. This is the difference between a good build and a top-tier build.

Poise and Hyper Armor Explained

When wielding Ultra Greatswords (UGS), Great Hammers, or Greataxes, your attacks gain "Hyper Armor." Hyper Armor allows you to absorb a hit without your attack being interrupted, a mechanic commonly referred to as Poise. To make the most of this, you need to wear heavy armor (like Morne's Armor or Havel's Set) to maximize your Poise stat. This allows you to "trade" hits with enemies and players, where your single, massive hit will always outweigh their faster, weaker attack.

Early Game Strength Weapon Recommendation

If you are starting a new character, the best early-game Strength weapon is the Heavy Broadsword or the Heavy Claymore. The Broadsword is available almost immediately and, with a Heavy Gem, provides excellent damage until you reach the Greatsword or Vordt's Great Hammer. The Claymore is a fantastic Greatsword with a versatile moveset that can carry you through the entire game.