The Dark Moon Greatsword is one of the most iconic weapons in Elden Ring, offering a blend of high intelligence scaling, frost buildup, and a powerful ranged weapon art. This guide covers everything you need to wield it effectively, from acquisition to optimal stat investment. Experienced players often experiment with different combinations to find what suits their specific playstyle and team composition, as there is rarely a single universally optimal choice. The depth of most ability systems rewards players who take the time to understand underlying mechanics rather than just memorizing surface-level descriptions. True strength in fiction is rarely about raw power alone; the most formidable characters combine their abilities with intelligence, experience, and the willingness to make difficult choices.
Where to Find the Dark Moon Greatsword
To obtain the Dark Moon Greatsword, you must complete Ranni the Witch's questline. After defeating the Elden Beast and choosing to become Ranni's consort, or by fully completing her quest and obtaining the Dark Moon Greatsword as a reward. Specifically, after giving Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade and defeating the Baleful Shadow, speak to her at the top of Renna's Rise to receive the sword. Alternatively, if you miss this step, you can find the sword on a body near the Site of Grace in the Cathedral of Manus Celes after Rani's quest is done. The best teams create a feedback loop where each character enhances the others, so focus on building around a core strategy rather than just stacking individually strong units. Learning the telegraph patterns is essential, as most bosses follow predictable cycles that open windows for counterattacks after certain abilities.
Dark Moon Greatsword Stats and Requirements
The Dark Moon Greatsword requires 16 Strength, 11 Dexterity, and 38 Intelligence to wield one-handed. It scales primarily with Intelligence (B at +10), with D scaling in Strength and Dexterity. It deals 130 physical and 130 magic damage at +10, plus 55 frost buildup per hit. The weapon skill, Moonlight Greatsword, coats the blade in frost and magic damage for 60 seconds, then fires a projectile that deals massive magic damage and frost buildup. The projectile costs 15 FP per shot and scales purely with Intelligence. Experienced players often experiment with different combinations to find what suits their specific playstyle and team composition, as there is rarely a single universally optimal choice. Understanding the damage formula and how different multipliers interact is key to optimizing your output, so taking the time to test rotations on practice dummies can reveal significant improvements. The depth of most ability systems rewards players who take the time to understand underlying mechanics rather than just memorizing surface-level descriptions. Consistent practice with dedicated aim trainers or custom game modes can dramatically improve your mechanical skill, though raw aim is most effective when paired with good game sense and decision-making.
Pro Tip: Use the Moonlight Greatsword skill to buff the blade before engaging enemies. The buff lasts 60 seconds and increases damage by 150 flat magic damage on top of the weapon's base. Spam the heavy attack projectile in boss fights to maintain distance. Experienced players often experiment with different combinations to find what suits their specific playstyle and team composition, as there is rarely a single universally optimal choice. Understanding the damage formula and how different multipliers interact is key to optimizing your output, so taking the time to test rotations on practice dummies can reveal significant improvements. Learning the telegraph patterns is essential, as most bosses follow predictable cycles that open windows for counterattacks after certain abilities. The depth of most ability systems rewards players who take the time to understand underlying mechanics rather than just memorizing surface-level descriptions. Applying these principles consistently in actual gameplay will yield better results than trying to implement too many changes at once, so focus on mastering one concept before moving to the next.
Best Build for the Dark Moon Greatsword
Focus on Intelligence as your primary stat, reaching at least 60-80 for maximum damage output. Strength and Dexterity should meet only the minimum requirements unless you want to powerstance with another greatsword. Put points into Mind (20-30) to sustain the weapon art's FP cost, and Vigor (40+) for survivability. Use the Lusat's Glintstone Crown for extra Intelligence but lower FP. Talismans: Magic Scorpion Charm (+12% magic damage), Shard of Alexander (+15% weapon skill damage), and Godfrey Icon (+15% charged skill damage). Shield options are limited because you need both hands for the weapon; consider a staff like Carian Regal Scepter in your off-hand for situational spells. Armor can be light or medium; prioritize poise to avoid interruption during heavy attacks. Experienced players often experiment with different combinations to find what suits their specific playstyle and team composition, as there is rarely a single universally optimal choice. Understanding the damage formula and how different multipliers interact is key to optimizing your output, so taking the time to test rotations on practice dummies can reveal significant improvements. The depth of most ability systems rewards players who take the time to understand underlying mechanics rather than just memorizing surface-level descriptions. A character limitations are often what make them relatable and compelling, as perfect characters create no tension and offer little room for meaningful growth. Applying these principles consistently in actual gameplay will yield better results than trying to implement too many changes at once, so focus on mastering one concept before moving to the next. Surviving longer in fights gives you more opportunities to learn and adapt, so prioritizing defensive awareness often leads to better long-term improvement than pure aggression.
In combat, use the weapon art buff, then follow up with charged heavy attacks or jump attacks to stack frost quickly. Against enemies immune to frost, rely on the raw magic damage. For bosses like Malenia, the projectile's range lets you punish openings safely. This build excels in PvE and is also viable in PvP with careful spacing. Experienced players often experiment with different combinations to find what suits their specific playstyle and team composition, as there is rarely a single universally optimal choice. Understanding the damage formula and how different multipliers interact is key to optimizing your output, so taking the time to test rotations on practice dummies can reveal significant improvements. Learning the telegraph patterns is essential, as most bosses follow predictable cycles that open windows for counterattacks after certain abilities.
Weapon Skill and Combat Applications
The Dark Moon Greatsword weapon skill, Moonlight Greatsword, temporarily increases magic attack power and applies frost buildup to the blade. Activating the skill buffs the weapon for about sixty seconds, during which each light attack fires a projectile of moonlight that deals magic damage and builds frost. This makes it effective at range against enemies that are difficult to approach directly. The heavy attack pierces through shields and staggers most non-boss enemies, giving you control over engagement distance. Against frost-vulnerable bosses, the combination of magic damage and frost proc creates a devastating status loop that chunks health bars. The charged heavy attack projectile has exceptional range and can hit enemies from surprising distances, making it useful for pulling individual enemies from groups. Pairing this weapon with the Jellyfish Shield increases damage output significantly, as the shield skill raises all damage dealt by twenty percent for a short duration.
Comparison to Other Intelligence Weapons
The Dark Moon Greatsword occupies a unique space among intelligence-scaling weapons in Elden Ring. Compared to Moonveil, it trades speed and bleed for higher raw damage and better range. Moonveil katana attacks faster and its weapon skill comes out quicker, making it better for aggressive PvP playstyles. The Wing of Astel offers lighter weight and a spammable weapon skill that excels against large enemies, but its individual hits deal less damage. The Sword of Night and Flame provides versatility with both sorcery and incantation damage but requires split stat investment. Death Poker offers frost buildup with a different playstyle focused on its unique ghostflame skill. For pure intelligence builds, the Dark Moon Greatsword remains the premier choice for players who prefer a greatsword moveset with the reach and damage to control battlefield spacing effectively.
Talisman Loadout Recommendations
Equipping the right talismans significantly improves the Dark Moon Greatsword performance. Magic Scorpion Charm increases magic damage by twelve percent at the cost of reduced damage negation, making it a core damage talisman for this build. Graven-Mass Talisman raises sorcery damage by eight percent, which affects the weapon skill projectiles. Godfrey Icon boosts charged spells and skills by fifteen percent, directly benefiting the charged moonlight projectiles. Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman offsets the defense penalty from Magic Scorpion Charm and provides meaningful physical damage reduction. Alexander Shard increases weapon skill damage by fifteen percent, enhancing both the buff activation and projectile attacks. For survivability, the Erdtree Favor talisman raises maximum HP, stamina, and equip load, allowing for heavier armor while maintaining medium roll. Combined with the Green Turtle Talisman for faster stamina recovery, this setup provides extended combat uptime during prolonged boss encounters.
The stat requirements of sixteen strength, eleven dexterity, and thirty-eight intelligence mean this weapon requires significant investment before it becomes usable. Focus on reaching the intelligence threshold first, as the weapon damage scales primarily with this stat.