The Best Greatswords for Domination in Dark Souls 3

As a long-time Dark Souls player with hundreds of hours across multiple journeys through Lothric, greatswords hold a special place in my heart. I still vividly remember struggling through my first playthrough, barely surviving encounters with even basic enemies. Everything changed when I got my hands on the Claymore early on. Its balanced stats and versatile moveset perfectly complemented my scrappy warrior build. The Claymore carried me all the way to the Soul of Cinder, cutting down foes and bosses along the way.

I’m not alone in my affection for greatswords. The recent explosion in popularity of Souls games means there is an influx of new players being overwhelmed by the sheer variety of weapons. Ultra greatswords seem too slow and cumbersome, while straight swords feel almost too quick and frail. This is where greatswords shine – offering the perfect blend of speed, power and ease of use.

In this guide, I’ll share my expert picks for the best greatswords to dominate both PvE and PvP encounters, along with plenty of tips to maximize their potential based on hundreds of hours of first-hand experience. Veterans may scoff at some of my choices, but I’m focusing primarily on weapons viable for new and mid-level players. these aren’t just the strongest weapons on paper – they are also a joy to wield in the hands of a skilled undead warrior.

Why Choose a Greatsword?

Before highlighting my personal favorites, let‘s examine why greatswords are such an excellent weapon class in Dark Souls 3:

Flexibile Scaling – Most greatswords effectively scale well off both Strength and Dexterity, making them great choices for quality builds. Their balanced stat investment means you aren‘t locked into a full Strength or Dexterity focus.

Room to Specialize – Infusions allow most greatswords to be tailored towards Strength, Dexterity, elemental damage or more. You aren‘t pidgeon-holed into a set upgrade path.

Beginner Friendly Movesets – Greatswords have intuitive, easy to master movesets. The weapon arts tend to be straight-forward but hard hitting attacks compared to the complexity of curved greatswords or katanas.

Excellent Damage Output – Don‘t let their moderate swing times fool you – greatswords can dish out major damage, especially when two handed. Their extended reach also lets you punish whiffed attacks.

All-Purpose Viability – From invading fight clubs in Pontiff to soloing the Nameless King, greatswords perform admirably in nearly all content. They strike a nice balance between crowd control sweeps and single target DPS.

Let‘s take a closer look at my personal top greatsword picks across various categories:

Best Starting Greatsword – Claymore

The humble Claymore exemplifies everything that makes greatswords so dependable. It boasts well-rounded statistics with solid base damage, moderate weight and versatile C/C Strength/Dexterity scaling. With the minimum 16 Strength and 13 Dexterity, the Claymore carries weak builds through early game while remaining viable into late NG+ cycles. Its moveset allows thrust counter attacks after blocking or trading blows.

Infusing with Heavy, Sharp, Refined or elemental gems are all viable depending on your build, significantly boosting AR values. My personal favorite is the Dark Claymore on my pyro builds melting enemies with the 1-2 punch of Dark damage and searing Chaos pyromancies.

The Claymore truly shines in skilled hands, with deceptively long range on its sweeping strong attacks allowing roll catches even against quickstepping daggers. Don‘t underestimate those deceiving one-handed R1s either – the delayed second swing reliably sneaks in counter hits.

Both PvE and PvP versatility cement the Claymore‘s status as one of the best greatswords in Dark Souls 3 for both new and experienced players.

Best Dex Greatsword – Hollowslayer

Dexterity focused builds will fall in love with the Hollowslayer Greatsword‘s C/D scaling and obscene counter damage against hollowed enemies and players. It shares the basic moveset of the infamous Black Knight Sword from Dark Souls but outpaces it in speed and DPS.

The weapon skill Stance utilizes the ability to enter a special stance and follow up with a vertical slash or horizontal sweep. Carefully timing the skills allows hyper armor trading and roll catching tactics. Veteran PvPers recommend the Hollowslayer specifically to counter opponents abusing Carthus Bloodring rolling iframes.

With the hefty 14/18 Strength/Dex requirements, the Hollowslayer GS transitions well off a standard Longsword or Lothric Knight Sword build. Its relatively short reach is balanced by speed and stamina efficiency in its combos. Infusing with Refined and buffing with Gold Pine Resins or Bundles strategically accentuates the pain train.

Best Boss Weapon – Gael‘s Greatsword

Arguably the most cinematic and challenging boss fight in Dark Souls 3 yields one of its most visually striking greatswords. Transposed from Soul of Slave Knight Gael, this titan serves as a brutal farewell gift. Veteran players looking to roleplay as the infamous Red Hood can lead their own quest to the ends of the world.

Its heftier 19 Strength and 18 Dexterity demands set it apart from earlier options, but 50 strength builds will reap staggering returns from its AR values. The one-handed moveset allows thrusting, sweeping and launching attacks with deceptively long range tracking. Its two-handed charged strong attack triggers the Blade of Peril skill, creating a vortex of damaging wind currents knocking enemies prone.

The complex R1 -> L2 -> R2 combo catches even wary duelists off guard, capable of nearly one-shotting phantoms. Its sweeping range also helps thin large mobs in PvE scenarios. Gael‘s GS scales very well Heavy infused for pure Strength builds while retaining respectable Dex bonus damage.

Some debate the viability of Gael‘s greatsword due to its split damage output, but the visual spectacle and fun factor more than justify transposing his soul. Wield this mythic blade and etch your own fate across the screen.

Closing Thoughts

While my beloved Claymore will always hold that special nostalgic spot, the Hollowslayer, Gael‘s GS and many other greatswords stand on nearly equal footing. Veteran players may scoff at these predictable recommendations lacking some of the flashier niche boss weapons. However, these tried and true staples offer beginners and mid-level players accessible routes to greatsword mastery.

Their balanced stat investment, customizable infusion scaling and wonderfully versatile movesets continue making greatswords popular choices for almost any build. Capable of clearing endless mobs of PvE enemies while also going toe-to-toe with the most fearsome invaders, greatswords epitomize the Dark Souls fantasy.

I‘m far from finished covering everything there is to know about getting the most from your greatsword of choice. Stay tuned for future guides covering specialized builds, gem infusion breakdowns and advanced PvP tactics to elevate your skills. No matter which blade you wield, may it strike true and clear your path to becoming an elden lord.

About the Author

Waleed is an avid gaming enthusiast with over 600 hours across multiple Dark Souls games. You can find him on Steam delving into obscure game mechanics or trying unconventional challenge run rules to push the boundaries of what is possible. For more focused Souls guides and commentary, check out his Top Builds and Game Reviews here on Very Ali Gaming.

References

• Fextralife Wiki – Claymore / Hollowslayer / Gael‘s GS pages
• Reddit compilation of top weapons for PvE & PvP
• YouTube showcase of Gael‘s GS moveset