How to get the Great Katana in Elden Ring

The Great Katana it’s by far the most adaptable of its weapon class in Elden Ring, the latter given its ability to be imbued with different properties and thus fit a wide array of builds.

But did you know that the weapon is also one of the first available as part of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC? For all looking to test out the new weapon class as soon as possible, here’s how to get the Great Katana in Elden Ring.

Elden Ring Great Katana Location

After entering the Land of Shadow, you can find the Great Katana at the center of the lake featuring the Ghostflame Dragon in Gravesite Plain. You will be able to reach the area by first heading north from the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace until you reach the Greatbridge North one. Once there, simply head west toward the frozen lake and you will be able to spot the weapon in front of the sleeping dragon at its center. You can check out the in-map location of the Great Katana below.

If you got a little careless or just want to be fully ready in case you end up awakening the boss from its nap, you can check out how to defeat the dragon in our How to Beat the Ghostflame Dragon in Elden Ring guide.

Great Katana stats and scaling

The Great Katana has an initial scaling of D Strength and D Dexterity, you will also need to have at least 14 and 18 in the respective stats to wield it. As mentioned earlier, you will be able to alter the weapon’s scaling by following different upgrade paths. For example, a +25 Quality Great Katana will have B Strength and B Dexterity scaling, while a +25 Occult will have E Strength, D Dexterity, and B Arcane. So that you can have a better view of the weapon, here are all of the initial stats for the Great Katana:

• Type: Great Katana
• Requirements: 14 Strength and 16 Dexterity
• Initial Scaling: D Strength and D Dexterity
• Weapon Skill: Overhead Stance (Can be replaced with other Ashes of War)
• Weight: 9.0
• Attack Power: 145 Physical / 100 Critical
• Guarded Damage Negation: 60.0 Physical, 30.0 Magic/Fire/Lightning/Holy, Guard Boost 35
• Passive Effects: 55 blood loss buildup

Is the Great Katana better than the Nagakiba?

Although the Great Katana will offer a great deal of damage and similar range, the Nagakiba’s ability to make use of a wider array of ashes of war and how you can dual-wield it with other light weapons for maximum effect makes it my main pick for most builds.

If you are looking for a two-hand weapon, however, the Great Katana is the best among the two given its higher damage and above-average attack speed for weapons of its size. Its native Ash of War’s ability to apply harmful effects fast and deal massive damage at a low FP cost is also a huge plus. If you cannot get used to the slow buildup of Overhead Stance, the Lion’s Claw Ash of War will allow you to deal similar damage while putting yourself at way less risk.