What is the best strength weapon in Dark Souls 1 PvE reddit?

As a long-time Dark Souls fanatic with hundreds of hours perfecting my PvE game, I‘ve tested my mettle with virtually every weapon class across my Str/Dex/Quality builds. And if I had to crown a single champ for dispatching bosses and mobs alike in the fastest, most rage-free way possible, the Black Knight Halberd stands tall above the rest.

What Makes the Black Knight Halberd So Powerful?

Simply put, no other early game weapon can match the raw damage and versatility of the Black Knight Halberd. Let‘s break down what gives this colossal axe-spear hybrid the edge:

• A whopping 496 AR (Attack Rating) at max upgrades – enough to shred through late-game enemies and bosses
• 20% bonus damage against all demon enemies like Taurus and Capra Demons – makes early areas like Undead Burg a cakewalk
• Wide swings and thrust attacks to hit multiple enemies at once
• Respectable speed for a colossal class weapon, with one of the best movesets in the game
• Incredible 12 units of poise damage per hit means high poise-break to stagger enemies

These well-rounded stats make Black Knight weapons some of the most sought after rare drops in Dark Souls. And the Halberd‘s versatile chains of slashes, overhead smashes, and long-reaching thrusts enable crowd control and big damage against solo bosses alike.

PvE Weapon Tier List – The Top Contenders

Of course, weapon choice still comes down to player preference and style. If you value striking speed with a katana over crushing force with an ultra greatsword, the Black Knight Halberd‘s moveset may not jive.

So let‘s explore some other heavy-hitters that excel against PvE enemies in different ways:

Analyzing this table, we see alternatives like the Zweihander provide wide, sweeping strong attacks to control crowds, while the Man-Serpent Greatsword actually attacks faster than typical ultra greatswords. And who doesn‘t enjoy the health regeneration and bleed effects on the humble Butcher Knife?

But none match that sweet, crispy high AR sweet spot balancing speed and raw damage output like the Black Knight Halberd.

Sample PvE Scenario: Ornstein & Smough DPS Breakdown

Let‘s theorycraft a typical PvE damage comparison with some actual numbers. Say we pit a max upgraded Black Knight Halberd (496 AR) against the dastardly boss duo Ornstein & Smough, compared with the hard-hitting Demon Great Axe (517 AR) and a lighter/faster Uchigatana (single-target DPS king).

We‘ll assume a 40 Strength/18 Dexterity quality build and standard boss fight length of 90 seconds hitting once every 2 seconds:

Despite the Demon Greataxe wielding higher per hit damage, its slower speed results in significantly less DPS against Ornstein and Smough. And while the quicker Uchigatana lands more hits, the Black Knight Halberd‘s substantial AR advantage gives it the edge in total damage dealt.

Maximizing Your Strength Build

To unlock that eye-popping AR on the Black Knight Halberd and really any late-game strength weapon, you‘ll want to level Strength to 40+ and two-hand your weapon for even better scaling. Throwing some points into Dexterity helps as well for better damage on quality scaling weapons like the Halberd.

Pairing complementary rings like Havel‘s and the Ring of Favor and Protection allows wielding beefy weapons and armor simultaneously. And resins like Gold Pine can coat weapons in extra lightning damage before critical boss fights.

At higher NG+ difficulty levels, the name of the game is stacking damage and survivability – and Black Knight weapons provide one of the most potent, newbie-friendly packages for tackling the greatest threats Lordran has to offer.

So there you have it – an in-depth breakdown of why the Black Knight Halberd has earned its vaunted reputation as the premier strength weapon for blazing through Dark Souls 1 PvE content. Its versatility, balance of speed/range/damage and demon-slaying capabilities are simply unmatched.

Agree or disagree? Let‘s discuss more builds/weapons in the comments!