🥇 Top-Tier Katanas

1. Rivers of Blood
Skill: Corpse Piler – a series of fast bloody slashes with bleed and fire damage.
Location: Dropped by Bloody Finger Okina at the Church of Repose (Mountaintops of the Giants).
Best For: Dexterity/Arcane builds focused on bleed damage.

2. Moonveil
Skill: Transient Moonlight – fires a wave of magic energy after a sheathed attack.
Location: Defeat the Magma Wyrm in Gael Tunnel (Caelid).
Best For: Intelligence/Dexterity hybrid builds. Great for PvE and PvP.

3. Hand of Malenia
Skill: Waterfowl Dance – a deadly spinning aerial combo.
Location: Exchange Malenia’s Remembrance with Enia at Roundtable Hold.
Best For: Pure Dexterity builds. High damage, high risk.

4. Nagakiba
Skill: Piercing Fang (can be replaced with Ashes of War).
Location: Complete Bloody Finger Hunter Yura’s questline or kill him.
Best For: Dexterity builds. Has the longest reach of all katanas.

5. Uchigatana
Skill: Unsheathe – a quick, powerful sheathed slash.
Location:Starting weapon for Samurai class
Also found in Death-Touched Catacombs (Limgrave)
Best For: Early game and versatile Dexterity/Quality builds.

⚔️ Mid-Tier Katanas

6. Serpentbone Blade
Skill: Double Slash
Location: Reward from completing Tanith’s contracts at Volcano Manor.
Effect: Causes poison buildup.
Best For: Poison Dex builds.

7. Meteoric Ore Blade
Skill: Gravitas – pulls enemies with a gravitational field.
Location: Found in a chest at the Waypoint Ruins (Caelid).
Best For: Strength/Intelligence hybrid builds.

8. Dragonscale Blade
Skill: Ice Lightning Sword – coats the blade with frost and lightning.
Location: Reward for defeating the Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella (Ainsel River).
Best For: Dexterity builds with elemental bonuses.


💡 General Katana Tips

✅ Use Bleed Wisely: Combine with Arcane scaling or Seppuku Ash of War for faster bleed buildup.

🧠 Stat Scaling Matters: Know whether your katana scales with Dexterity, Arcane, or Intelligence.

🔧 Upgrade Your Weapon: Use Smithing Stones or Somber Smithing Stones based on the weapon type.

🛠️ Custom Skills: Most katanas (except special ones like Moonveil) allow Ash of War customization.

🤺 Dual-Wield Power: Powerstancing two katanas (e.g., Uchigatana + Nagakiba or Rivers + Seppuku) can shred through enemies fast.