The Nagakiba vs. Uchigatana debate has been an apple of discord among the Elden Ring community. With an impressive number of builds, armor, skills, and weapons at your disposal in the game, Elden Ring offers great diversity to its players and how they approach combat.
Weapons in Elden Ring have different skills and attributes and it can often be tough making a decision on which weapon to use.
This is especially tough when the weapons are quite similar. Today, we will be talking about two such weapons. This is the Nagakiba vs. Uchigatana comparison in Elden Ring.
Although both the weapons are solid picks, the Nagakiba is superior to the Uchigatana due to the extra range it offers and how well its attributes scale with Dexterity. On the contrary, an Uchigatana has superior base damage and requires less Dexterity to wield. Both are great choices but the Nagakiba offers that extra oomph in some tough situations.
Given the similarities between the two weapons, our verdict might come off as surprising to some. Keep reading to find out why we ultimately favored the Nagakiba to the Uchigatana.
These weapons have great stats to offer and can last you all the way to the end of the game. Without further ado, here is the comparison of the Nagakiba and Uchigatana in Elden Ring:
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Nagakiba vs. Uchigatana
The Uchigatana has been one of the top picks for Dexterity players in the Dark Souls games too. It is the simplicity of the two weapons that make them so effective and fun to use. Powering these up with some Ashes of War will set you for the entire game. But, which one is better?
Uchigatana
- Physical Attack: 115
- Weight: 5.5
- Required: 11 STR, 15 DEX
- Scaling: STR – D, DEX, D
- Description: A katana with a long single-edged curved blade.
A unique weapon wielded by the samurai from the Land of Reeds.
The blade, with its undulating design, boasts extraordinary sharpness, and ts slash attacks cause blood loss.
The Uchigatana is a Katana in Elden Ring. It is the starting weapon for the Samurai class players and can be found in Stormhill, Limgrave inside the Deathtouched Catacombs. It scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is good for Slashing and Piercing damage.
It comes with the Unsheathe skill which performs a swift slash attack from a resting stance in true samurai fashion. It is possible to upgrade and modify the Uchigatana by infusing it with the Ashes of War. This weapon is capable of inflicting Blood Loss buildup (45).
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Nagakiba
- Physical Attack: 115
- Weight: 7.0
- Required: 18 STR, 22 DEX
- Scaling: STR – D, DEX – C
- Description: Katana with a ferociously long blade.
Signature weapon of Yura, hunter of Bloody Fingers.
Reminiscent of a reinforced spear, its imposing length can be put to good use with powerful thrusting attacks.
The Nagakiba is a Katana in Elden Ring. It is dropped by Bloody Finger Hunter Yura to the north of Murkwater Cave or in his camp near Seaside Ruins Site of Grace. Moreover, it can also be obtained by completing Bloody Finger Hunter Yura’s questline at the Second Church of Marika allowing you to also obtain Eleonora’s Poleblade and Purifying Crystal Tear.
It scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity and is good for rapid Blood Loss buildup in addition to Physical damage.
The default skill on the Nagakiba is the Unsheathe, similar to the Uchigatana. However, unlike the Uchigatana, the Nagakiba comes with the Ash of War: Piercing Fang which allows you to change its default skill.
The Piercing Fang allows you to perform an unblockable thrust attack for 16 FP. The weapon can be infused with Ashes of War and can inflict Blood Loss damage (45).
Comparison
We have deduced that both the Uchigatana and the Nagakiba are splendid weapons and both would be great to wield. However, this is a debate about which one is the best. Let us look at the pros and cons of each of the Katanas.
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Uchigatana
Uchigatana Pros
- Obtained early on in the game
- Lighter weight
- Requires less Strength and Dexterity to wield
- Perfect starter for Dexterity builds
- Faster attack speed
- Slightly higher damage after upgrading
Uchigatana Cons
- Less range than the Nagakiba
- Does not come with additional Ash of War
- Less useful in PvP combat
Nagakiba
Nagakiba Pros:
- Longer range compared to the Uchigatana
- Special R2/RT thrust attack
- Base skill can be replaced with Piercing Fang
- Very good for PvP COMBAT
- Good for Strength and Dexterity builds
- Scales better with Dexterity
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Nagakiba Cons
- “Wasted” points on Strength required to wield
- Less effective in PvE
- Clangs off surfaces in cramped areas
- Heavier in comparison
Verdict
Having weighed out the pros and cons of the Uchigatana and the Nagakiba in Elden Ring, we have concluded that the Nagakiba is the superior weapon of the two. There are a lot of similarities between the two weapons and it comes down to the specifics.
For a pure Dexterity build, the wasted Strength points are an inconvenience, but the payoff is worth it.
In the long run, the Nagakiba will have a greater damage output especially once you infuse it with some special Ashes of War. The damage difference is negligible and the long range is great for PvP and even PvE if you are a player who likes to maintain a little distance. If you can afford the extra weight and stat points, go for the Nagakiba.
Of course, personal preference is a big factor in these situations, so play with what works and resonates with you!
Conclusion
This has been our comparison guide on the Nagakiba vs. Uchigatana in Elden Ring. The weapons are only slightly different and you cannot go wrong with either of them. The Nagakiba might come out on top just a little, but that does not make the Uchigatana any less of a powerhouse.
Play with whatever weapon your heart desires from Elden Ring’s vast collection and hey, maybe try dual-wielding the Nagakiba and Uchigatana… thank us later!
If you liked this guide, be sure to leave a comment below and let us know which Katana you prefer. We hope this helps your future hacking and slashing in The Lands Between. Good luck, Tarnished!
