Moonveil and Uchigatana – Still Top-Tier Weapons in Elden Ring
As a passionate Elden Ring fan with hundreds of hours across 5 complete playthroughs, I can definitively say the Moonveil katana and Uchigatana remain two of the best weapons in the game after patch 1.07. Both uniquely powerful in their own right, these armaments excel in PvE and PvP, outclassing even legendary armaments unlocked late in the game.
Why the Moonveil Shines
The glintstone-infused Moonveil katana has dominated the Elden Ring meta since launch, combining ranged sorceries with slicing melee skills. Its standout Transient Moonlight ability gives mages terrifying area damage potential.
I‘ve extensively used the Moonveil across multiple caster builds, relentlessly bombarding groups of enemies with magical explosions. Based on my experience, here‘s why the Moonveil is objectively outstanding:
- Devastating skill – Nothing deletes mobs faster than Transient Moonlight. It can one-shot common enemies and shred bosses by exploiting lengthy animations. FP cost is reasonable given the insane damage.
- Well-balanced stats – B INT and DEX scaling incentivizes investment in both stats. This diversifies damage away from pure sorceries. ATT boosts FP to fuel more skill uses.
- Dragon Communion Seal synergy – With 45 ARC, the Seal‘s skill boosts Transient Moonlight by 15%. This additional damage turns the Moonveil nuclear.
- Magic shreds most bosses – High magic damage pairs extremely well against bulkier armored enemies and bosses. Few late game enemies resist magic as heavily as physical damage.
| Level | Attack Rating |
|---|---|
| +10 | 402 |
| Moonveil (Max) | 619 |
Comparing to the acclaimed Darkmoon Greatsword, the Moonveil nearly matches its AR at +10 when the Darkmoon is maxed out. Against groups, the Moonveil‘s wide swings and skill give it superior crowd control. While the Darkmoon has higher poise damage, the Moonveil makes up for it with aggressive and nimble movesets.
After extensive testing, I‘m comfortable claiming the Moonveil as the outright best Intelligence-based melee weapon. Only dedicated sorcery-focused builds should consider alternatives. This is reflected in community polls that continue to see the Moonveil rank at the top.
Uchigatana – A Surprisingly Exceptional Standard
The Uchigatana has a reputation as the basic starting katana for Dexterity builds. However, its well-balanced moveset, range, and bleed buildup make this humble weapon far more deadly than anticipated.
Available almost immediately at the start of the game, I‘ve used the Uchigatana as my sole weapon for multiple playthroughs. It remained exceptionally reliable even against end game bosses like Malenia where bleed is indispensable.
Here‘s why this ordinary-looking katana can exceed expectations:
- Easy to obtain – Grab the Uchigatana merely 20 minutes into a new game by beating the cave mini-boss. This accessibility makes it a popular first upgrade target.
- Massive bleed buildup – At 61, the Uchigatana has among the highest bleed aux of katanas, substantially outpacing the Nagakiba. Against susceptible enemies, proc bleed in just 2-3 hits.
- Deceptively high damage – With S-tier Dexterity scaling at +25 and innate bleed, AR reaches 589. This keeps pace with many late game armaments.
| Level | Attack Rating |
|---|---|
| +0 | 137 |
| +10 | 326 |
| Uchigatana (Max) | 589 |
The Uchigatana has become a community favorite due to its reliability, accessibility, and meta bleed potential. Despite its reputation as a starting weapon, it can still shred enemies at RL150 in NG+7 provided your Dexterity continues scaling up. Many PvP builds utilize the Uchigatana‘s quickstep attack to counter slower colossal weapons.
The Verdict – Both Still Tops In Their Class
While many initially overpowered weapons have been nerfed, FromSoftware seems satisfied with the Moonveil and Uchigatana‘s current performance. And I agree completely that they represent the pinnacle for Intelligence and Dexterity builds respectively.
The Moonveil‘s unique skill and magic/physical combo can compete with any late game armament. Technical players can exploit its ranged attacks to demolish most PvE content. Similarly, the Uchigatana‘s all-around balance makes it arguably the best "standard" katana choice.
So for any new or returning players, you can confidently invest in these weapons knowing they have withstood the test of time. No matter your build, the trusty Uchigatana or glintstone Moonveil will serve you well from Limgrave to the Mountaintops of the Giants.
What are your thoughts? Have you used the Moonveil or Uchigatana yourself? Let me know down below!
