Choosing the best offhand weapons in Elden Ring can make a huge difference in both PvE and PvP gameplay. Whether you’re looking to boost damage, apply status effects, cast spells, or complement your main weapon with utility or defense, the offhand slot opens up a wide range of tactical options. Unlike many other games, Elden Ring encourages creative and unconventional builds, where offhand weapons can be just as impactful as your primary gear. Understanding which offhand weapons work best for different builds is essential for optimizing your character’s combat effectiveness and versatility throughout the Lands Between.
What Makes an Offhand Weapon Valuable
Offhand weapons in Elden Ring aren’t limited to just parrying tools or shields. Players can equip a variety of weapon types in the offhand, including swords, katanas, daggers, catalysts, and even whips. The effectiveness of an offhand weapon depends on its synergy with your mainhand, its utility, and its contribution to your build’s overall playstyle.
Key Attributes of a Good Offhand Weapon:
- Lightweight and low stat requirement for versatility
- Complementary status effects (e.g., bleed, frost, poison)
- Parry or guard utility for defense-oriented builds
- Passive buffs or useful Weapon Skills
Best Offhand Weapons for Melee Builds
Misericorde
The Misericorde is a dagger with the highest critical rating in the game, making it an excellent choice for ripostes after a successful parry. Its low weight and requirement make it an easy addition to nearly any build.
- Critical stat: 140
- Pairs well with parrying shields or offhand parry tools
- Perfect for dexterity-based melee builds
Bloodhound’s Fang (Paired)
If you’re using powerstancing or dual-wielding curved greatswords, equipping Bloodhound’s Fang in the offhand gives you access to one of the best move sets in Elden Ring. The bleed build-up and powerful Weapon Skill, Bloodhound’s Finesse, make it deadly in close combat.
- Scales with Strength and Dexterity
- Great for aggressive builds focused on stagger and bleed
Nagakiba or Uchigatana
Katanas make some of the best offhand weapons due to their range, fast attacks, and natural bleed buildup. Using a katana in the offhand with Seppuku or another powerful Ash of War can significantly increase your DPS and inflict status effects quickly.
- Great synergy with dexterity or arcane builds
- Customizable with different Ashes of War for utility or aggression
Best Offhand Weapons for Magic Builds
Lusat’s Glintstone Staff
For sorcery-focused builds, Lusat’s Staff is a powerhouse that boosts sorcery damage at the cost of increased FP consumption. When used in the offhand, it allows for a high-damage casting setup while freeing up the mainhand for a melee weapon or shield.
- Boosts sorcery damage significantly
- Best when paired with high Intelligence investment
Golden Order Seal
Faith-based builds will benefit from having the Golden Order Seal in the offhand. It enhances Fundamentalist incantations and allows players to cast from the offhand while retaining a weapon or shield in the mainhand.
- Scales well with both Intelligence and Faith
- Ideal for hybrid builds that blend magic with melee
Jellyfish Shield
Although technically a shield, the Jellyfish Shield offers an offensive buff through its Contagious Fury skill. When activated, it boosts attack power for 30 seconds, making it an ideal offhand support tool for casters or any aggressive playstyle.
- Applies a 20% boost to all attack power
- Lightweight and easy to fit into most builds
Best Offhand Weapons for Bleed Builds
Reduvia
Reduvia is a powerful bleed dagger that excels in both PvE and PvP thanks to its fast attacks and unique weapon skill, Reduvia Blood Blade. It can be used in the offhand to apply quick bleed stacks while the mainhand focuses on heavier strikes or defense.
- Arcane scaling makes it ideal for bleed-focused builds
- Can be dual-wielded with another dagger for fast bleed
Scavenger’s Curved Sword
This weapon offers one of the highest bleed build-ups when infused with Blood affinity. Using it in the offhand allows players to dual-wield and apply pressure rapidly, especially when paired with Seppuku or another bleed-enhancing skill.
- Perfect for arcane or dex builds
- Effective against bosses and in PvP duels
Best Offhand Shields and Parrying Tools
Buckler
For players who like to parry consistently, the Buckler is one of the best offhand tools available. It has a large parry window and can be used effectively in both PvP and PvE settings. Paired with a high-crit weapon like Misericorde, it creates an efficient riposte loop.
- Increased parry window
- Low weight and stat requirements
Carian Retaliation (Small Shields)
When infused onto a small shield, Carian Retaliation can transform enemy sorceries or incantations into deadly magic projectiles. This makes it one of the best defensive-offensive hybrids in the game for magic users.
- Reflects spells and deals high damage
- Ideal for Intelligence-focused characters
Erdtree Greatshield
This greatshield offers high defense and has a unique skill, Golden Retaliation, which can deflect and counter enemy magic. Though heavy, it provides unmatched utility for Faith-based tank builds.
- Great for PvP and spell-heavy boss fights
- Scales with Strength and Faith
Best Offhand for Utility and Buffing
Beast-Repellent Torch
This torch may seem niche, but it’s incredibly useful when navigating areas with beast-type enemies. The torch causes enemies like dogs, rats, and wolves to hesitate, giving you more breathing room during exploration.
- Low weight and equip cost
- Perfect for defensive or ranged builds
Blue-Gold Kite Shield
Providing a mix of good physical defense and low weight, this shield can serve as a passive damage mitigator in your offhand while you focus on aggression with your main weapon.
- Doesn’t hinder stamina regeneration
- Reliable in early to mid-game
Tips for Choosing an Offhand Weapon
When selecting your offhand weapon, it’s important to think about synergy rather than raw power. Consider your build’s strengths and weaknesses and find an offhand that enhances your effectiveness or fills in a gap. Experiment with different combos, especially in PvP, where mixing utility, pressure, and defense often leads to better results than simply stacking damage.
General Tips:
- Use lightweight weapons to avoid going over equip load
- Infuse weapons to match your build’s stats (e.g., Keen for Dex)
- Try powerstancing for dual-wielding movesets
- Swap offhands based on the area or enemy type
In Elden Ring, the offhand weapon slot is far more than an afterthought it’s a vital part of any successful build. Whether you’re aiming for raw damage, strategic buffs, status effects, or defensive tools, the right offhand choice can elevate your performance across every aspect of the game. From the versatile Misericorde to the buff-giving Jellyfish Shield and bleed-inducing Reduvia, there are countless options to experiment with. Find the combination that suits your build and playstyle, and the Lands Between will be far less daunting.