Elden Ring: Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana Build Guide

Elden Ring: Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana Build Guide

As a seasoned Elden Ring adventurer with countless hours under my belt, I can confidently say that crafting the perfect build is akin to forging the legendary Smithing Stone. Among the myriad weapons available in the game, the Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana stands out as a formidable choice for those seeking a balanced offense and defense setup.


In the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring, the Dragon-Hunter’s weapon is a new type of Great Katana. This weapon category offers the strength of greatswords in its strikes, coupled with the agility of katanas in its slashes, creating an ideal blend of attack power and speed. What sets the Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana apart is its special ability to inflict extra damage on dragons.

Yet, it’s important to note that the Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana isn’t exclusively designed for dragon slaying. When combined with potent charms, this sword becomes adaptable to diverse conditions, such as Player vs Player (PvP) and Player vs Environment (PvE) combat situations.

How To Obtain Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana

Elden Ring: Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana Build Guide

You can obtain The Dragon-Hunter’s mighty katana by defeating the Ancient Dragon Man, the final boss in the Shadow of the Erdtree game, who resides within the Dragon’s Pit dungeon and protects the passage to the Jagged Peak.

To reach the Dragon’s Pit, travel south from the Front Site of Grace in Castle town. During your journey, you may encounter the Ancient Dragon Man in a ghostly form, but rest assured, he can also be found in his physical form at the conclusion of the Dragon’s Pit.

As an enthusiastic player, I’m thrilled to share that you can elevate your weapon to a mighty +10 level! All you need are some Somber Smithing Stones and a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. Enjoy the power boost!

Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana Stats & Scaling

Elden Ring: Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana Build Guide

As a passionate enthusiast, I was initially intimidated by the mighty name of the “Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana,” but upon closer inspection, I found it to be surprisingly adaptable for players with diverse builds. This weapon doesn’t necessarily demand a character respec to handle effectively. Here are the key stat attributes this formidable sword requires, and interestingly enough, it adjusts itself according to these:

Attribute Requirement Level Scaling
Strength 15 D
Dexterity 20 D

As a gamer, I’ve got my hands on an exceptional katana. What sets this blade apart is the Dragonwound Slash skill, unique to this weapon and unswappable. When I activate this weapon skill, it gives my katana a jagged gravel-stone aura, and I unleash a fierce slash that not only cuts deep but also deals extra damage to dragons. And here’s the kicker: I can charge up this skill for more potency, and when paired with a specific talisman, it amplifies the damage even further.

It requires roughly three seconds to fully charge the Dragonwound Slash ability, and the game doesn’t grant hyper armor during the skill’s animation. This means you should look for optimal moments to exploit your opponent with this skill, as it offers a balance between high risk and high reward in combat scenarios.

Best Talismans To Pair With Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana

When you truly unleash the power of the Dragon-Hunter’s Grand Sword, it shines brightest when paired with specific charms. These charms enhance the sword’s destructive capabilities, particularly by amplifying the damage dealt by the Dragonwound Slash technique and boosting your attack force when you grip the blade firmly with both hands.

Talisman Name Description
Found in Miquella’s Haligtree, the Dragoncrest Greatshield talisman negates physical damage by 20%.
Found in Golden Lineage Evergoal, the Godfrey Icon talisman increases the attack power of charged spells and skills by 15%.
Acquired after completing Iron Fist Alexander’s questline, the Shard of Alexander increases the attack power of skills by 15%.
Found in a chest in the Temple Town Ruins, the Two-Handed Sword Talisman increases the attack power of weapons held with both hands by 15%.

As a devoted admirer of the Dragon-Hunter’s formidable Great Katana, I can’t help but share the exciting news that four enchanted talismans have the power to amplify the sword’s destructive potential! These magical artifacts will particularly boost the effectiveness of the Dragonwound Slash skill when fully charged.

Best Armor To Use With Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana

Elden Ring: Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana Build Guide

In Elden Ring, there’s a wide variety of armor choices, each providing different degrees of protection and balancing your load. You can select armors that offer maximum damage reduction or high resistance to interruption (poise), but don’t forget about the new transformation tools introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree. These tools could play a significant role in your gameplay experience.

As a fan, I’ve found that activating the Rock Heart transformation grants me the incredible ability to assume the form of an ancient dragon with humanoid traits. This metamorphosis amplifies my resistance to all elements and improves my dragon communion spells. However, it’s crucial to note that this form can only be assumed when I’m not wearing any armor, which unfortunately reduces my ability to deflect damage. The upside is that I get to move with less encumbering equipment. You can unlock the Rock Heart by deciphering the enigmatic Dragon’s Domain painting within the DLC expansion.

If you’d rather opt for armor instead of the latest transformation tools, go for a set that provides a moderate level of poise while still allowing for a medium equipment load. If your primary goal is to inflict heavy damage, give the Rakshasa’s Set a try, as it boosts damage by 2% for each piece worn. When fully equipped with the Rakshasa’s Set, you’ll deal an extra 8% damage that isn’t affected by spell buffs, consumables, or talismans.

Best Incantations & Sacred Seal To Pair With Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana

Elden Ring: Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana Build Guide

You might want to think about combining two spells: Golden Vow and Flame, Empower Me with Courage. The first spell enhances your attacks against enemies by 15%, while also lowering the damage you receive by 10%. On the other hand, the second spell amplifies your offensive power by 20% and offers immunity to fire damage for the same amount. If you’re only going to use these two spells, Golden Vow and Flame, Empower Me with Courage, you don’t need to fret about selecting a specific Sacred Seal.

Instead, opting for the Rock Heart transformation, you can combine it with the Dragon Communion Seal to enhance your build and boost the damage of dragon communion spells even more. Remember, using the Rock Heart in its transformed state will give you a 20-second buff.

Best Wondrous Flask Of Physick Combination For Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana

Elden Ring: Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana Build Guide

As an ardent Elden Ring enthusiast, no character build is ever fully optimized without the aid of a Wondrous Flask of Physick – a trusty companion in my journey. Pairing it with suitable tears can significantly boost your playstyle and align the flask’s effects to suit your unique approach. To excel with the Dragon-Hunter Great Katana, I recommend a tear combination that amplifies both offensive and defensive prowess:

  • : You can obtain the Deflecting Hardtear by defeating the Furnace Golem roaming Gravitesite Plain in Shadow of the Erdtree. This tear allows you to deflect enemy attacks when you block right before the attack hits you, enabling you to follow up with a powerful guard counter.
  • : The Stonbard Cracked Tear can be acquired upon defeating the Putrid Avatar in Caelid. Consuming this tear enhances the stagger damage you deal to enemies, helping you quickly achieve poise breaks with fewer attacks.

Best Character Attribute Distribution For Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana

Elden Ring: Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana Build Guide

In the game “Shadow of the Erdtree,” you’ll find the Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana, a weapon that grows more powerful with both strength and dexterity. To get the most out of it, it’s wise to focus on improving these attributes when distributing your runes. By the time you obtain this weapon, your character is likely to be between levels 160 and 180. Use the provided attribute table as a guide for an efficient allocation of your runes to maximize the katana’s potential.

Attribute Level
Vigor 60
Mind 20
Endurance 30
Strength 40
Dexterity 40
Intelligence 9
Faith 30
Arcane 30

If you have no intention of using any spells or incantations, consider investing your runes in improving your physical attributes such as strength and dexterity, rather than faith.

Best Great Rune To Pair With Dragon-Hunter’s Great Katana

Elden Ring: Dragon-Hunter's Great Katana Build Guide

Lastly, think about empowering these runestones for diverse benefits they offer:

  • : This rune adds 5 flat levels across all attributes.
  • : Boosts your max HP, FP, and Stamina.
  • : Allows you to recover lost HP when attacking an enemy immediately after taking damage.

As a passionate player, I’m always on the lookout for that one powerful artifact to give me an edge in battle – the Great Rune. However, there can only be one active at any given time. To unleash its power, I must sacrifice a specific item, which once used, triggers the rune’s effects. The magic of these runes resets upon my demise, forcing me to reactivate them anew if I wish to feel their potency again.

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2024-08-02 13:18