What is the best weapon early in Elden Ring?

There is no single best. The Uchigatana suits dexterity and blood loss, and Lordsworn's Greatsword suits strength.

Where is the Uchigatana?

In Deathtouched Catacombs in Limgrave, on a hidden platform reached through an illusory wall.

Can I use a heavy weapon without enough strength?

Two-handing lowers the strength you need. Check the requirement on the item screen.

How do I get Rogier's Rapier?

Defeat Godrick the Grafted, then talk to Sorcerer Rogier at Roundtable Hold.

Elden Ring Best Early Weapons and Where to Find Them

Elden Ring has hundreds of weapons, and a good one can make the first hours much smoother. This guide covers three early picks, where to get them, and what stats they need. It is light on spoilers. We list only what the Elden Ring Wiki states.

Key takeaways

Pick a weapon that fits your build, not just the strongest-looking one.
Check the strength and dexterity needs before you swap.
Two of these three can be found in Limgrave or earned early.

The three picks

Weapon	Where	Needs	Good for
Uchigatana	Deathtouched Catacombs, Limgrave (also the Samurai start weapon)	Str 11, Dex 15	Blood loss builds
Lordsworn's Greatsword	Chest on a carriage near Gatefront Ruins, Limgrave	Str 16, Dex 10	Strength builds
Rogier's Rapier	Quest reward from Sorcerer Rogier, after Godrick	Str 8, Dex 17	Quick thrusts

These screenshots may contain violence.

Images are provided by Steam and belong to their publishers.

Uchigatana

The Uchigatana builds blood loss with its slash attacks. The wiki lists a passive buildup of 45 and a skill called Unsheathe. To find it, look for a hidden platform with a Skeleton Archer in the Deathtouched Catacombs. You reach it through an illusory wall on the right side of the stairs. Blood loss deals flat damage plus a share of enemy health, which helps against bosses.

Lordsworn's Greatsword

This one sits in a chest on a carriage just southeast of the Gatefront site of grace. It needs 16 strength one-handed, or 11 strength two-handed. The wiki rates strength and dexterity scaling at D each. That makes it a fair first big weapon for a strength-leaning character.

Rogier's Rapier

You do not find this one. Sorcerer Rogier at Roundtable Hold gives it to you at +8 after you defeat Godrick the Grafted. It needs 8 strength and 17 dexterity, and scales with strength (E) and dexterity (C). It comes with the Repeating Thrust skill.