Elden Ring: Where to find the Zweihander

The Zweihander is a classic Souls two-handed greatsword, and it makes a triumphant return in Elden Ring. It’s the lightest Colossal Swords available in the game and isn’t much weaker than the Greatsword, with essentially the same attack range, speed, and effectiveness.

Finding it isn’t hard either, as the Zweihander is available very early in any playthrough. Here is what you need to know about where to get the Zweihander in Elden Ring.

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How to Find the Zweihander Colossal Sword in Elden Ring

You can get your hands on the Zweihander as soon as you enter Limgrave for the first time, but you’ll want to have Torrent available, as the weapon’s location is a bit of a hike. From the First Steps Site of Grace, turn around and head south to the Weeping Peninsula, then cross to the far southwest of that area.

Near the coastal cliffside in the southwesternmost portion of the Peninsula is the Isolated Merchant’s Shack.

Speak to the merchant there and he’ll sell the Zweihander for a reasonable 3,500 Runes. It takes 19 Strength and 11 Dexterity to wield the weapon, and it scales the best with Strength, so both the Heavy and Fire infusions are the go-to. Heavy is best at Strength values near the 80 soft cap, and lower-level builds (around 50 Strength) can use Fire.

Best Ashes of War for Zweihander Colossal Sword in Elden Ring

The Elden Ring Zweihander can equip many Stength-oriented Ashes of War, including Lion’s Claw, Giant Hunt, and Waves of Darkness, to name a few. It can also use the likes of Royal Knight’s Resolve, Thunderbolt, and Flame of the Redmanes. Which you choose ultimately depends on the goals of your build. If PvP is the focus, Ashes of War that can deal with groups are the best. For PvE, anything that deals even heavier stagger damage is by far the best choice.

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The only downside to the Zweihander is the speed of its attacks compared to a Straight Sword, Halberd, Spear, or other smaller weapons. It can knock smaller opponents on their behinds with ease via its R2/RT, but the recovery time for even its fastest attacks can leave you wide open for a counter if you aren’t careful. Against faster bosses, of which Elden Ring has many, it’s best to attack no more than two times unless you’re sure to stagger them. Smaller foes will, of course, be sent flying by almost anything.