Dark Moon Greatsword
Dark Moon Greatsword is Ranni's quest reward and a legendary Intelligence greatsword. Its Moonlight Greatsword skill coats the blade in magic and frost, then empowers strong attacks to launch moonlight waves without spending FP for each wave during the buff.
Key Takeaways
The Dark Moon Greatsword is a quest-reward colossal sword whose identity comes from its Intelligence scaling, frost damage, and weapon skill that turns charged attacks into ranged moonlight waves.
Skill-driven greatsword
Moonlight Greatsword temporarily enchants the blade with frost and enables heavy attacks to launch magic projectiles. The skill is the weapon’s defining damage and spacing tool, not merely an alternate attack.
Intelligence commitment
The weapon requires 38 Intelligence, so it is aimed at Intelligence-focused characters rather than general-purpose physical builds. Its performance also depends on the player’s attributes and reinforcement state.
Late quest reward
It is obtained through Ranni’s questline as a reward near the quest’s conclusion, making it unavailable as an early unrestricted pickup and tying it to major story progression.
Frost and reach
The enchanted blade combines close-range colossal-sword attacks with frost buildup and projectile pressure. This gives Intelligence builds a way to threaten enemies before committing to the weapon’s slower melee range.
Slow and resource-dependent
Its large weapon class brings slower attacks and heavier commitment than lighter Intelligence weapons, while repeated use of its skill consumes FP. Missed spacing or interrupted skill use reduces its practical value.
Fixed, Somber-upgraded weapon
The Dark Moon Greatsword uses the Somber Smithing Stone reinforcement path and has a fixed signature skill rather than an interchangeable Ash of War setup.
Compared with Moonveil
Moonveil is the faster Intelligence-oriented alternative, while the Dark Moon Greatsword offers colossal-sword reach, heavier commitment, frost buildup, and skill-generated projectiles instead of a katana moveset.
Overview
Dark Moon Greatsword is a unique Greatsword in Elden Ring and the reward associated with completing Ranni’s questline. Its defining feature is Moonlight Greatsword, a weapon skill that temporarily coats the blade in frost-laden magic and enables charged heavy attacks to release ranged waves of moonlight. It is a progression weapon for Intelligence-focused characters rather than a general-purpose physical greatsword.
The weapon occupies a distinctive role among Elden Ring’s unique greatswords: its ordinary attacks provide close-range greatsword pressure, while Moonlight Greatsword adds a temporary magic-enhanced state and a ranged option without turning the weapon into a conventional spellcasting tool. The skill’s buff is central to how the weapon is played, so the sword’s identity depends on managing its activation and making use of charged attacks afterward rather than treating it as only a heavier version of a standard greatsword.
Dark Moon Greatsword is especially associated with Intelligence builds. It deals physical and magic damage, has innate Frost buildup, and rewards a character that can support its attribute demands while taking advantage of magic damage and frostbite. Its role therefore differs from strength-oriented greatswords that rely primarily on physical damage, and from magical staves that keep spellcasting at range. It offers a weapon-based alternative for a spellcaster or battlemage, but it does not replace the broader spell selection of a staff.
As a unique weapon, it follows Elden Ring’s special reinforcement path and keeps its signature skill rather than accepting the normal Ash of War and affinity customization available to many ordinary weapons. That fixed identity makes it less flexible than an infusible greatsword, but it also means the weapon’s defining magic-and-frost function is present without requiring a separate weapon skill choice. Its progression is tied to a major optional quest, placing it among rewards that may arrive well after the player has already established a build.
The Dark Moon Greatsword is a base-game weapon; it is not a Shadow of the Erdtree-exclusive variant, and this page should not merge it with other Moonlight Greatsword appearances from earlier FromSoftware games. Its strongest point of distinction is the combination of a familiar greatsword moveset, a temporary self-enhancement, frost pressure, and moonlight projectiles. Players deciding between it and another greatsword should therefore compare Intelligence investment, fixed-skill limitations, magic and status utility, and comfort with charged attacks rather than compare physical damage alone.
Statistics
Elden Ring publishes no 0–100 stat bars, so this page lists the verified requirements, scaling and handling figures instead. Taken from the project's verified weapons database, not from generated text.
- CategoryGreatswords
- Damage TypeMagic
- Primary ScalingInt D
- Weight10
- SkillMoonlight Greatsword
- Str Req10
- Dex Req18
- Int Req32
- How to ObtainRennala/Ranni questline (Remembrance)
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar greatswords
| Weapon | Str Req | Dex Req | Weight | Primary Scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Moon Greatsword | 10 | 18 | 10 | Int D |
| Fire Knight's Greatsword | 18 | 13 | 10 | Str D / Fai D |
| Iron Greatsword | 20 | 10 | 10 | Str D |
| Godslayer's Greatsword | 18 | 13 | 9.5 | Fai C |
| Greatsword | 18 | 10 | 10.5 | Str D |
Requirements, scaling grades and weight are the game’s own published figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
How to Obtain
- Base-game Elden Ring; no Shadow of the Erdtree or other DLC requirement.
- Access to Caria Manor and the Three Sisters, with Royal Knight Loretta defeated.
- Progress through Ranni's quest far enough to obtain the Fingerslayer Blade, defeat the Baleful Shadow, and receive the Discarded Palace Key.
- Defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, and obtain the Dark Moon Ring from the locked Raya Lucaria Grand Library chest.
- The weapon is a guaranteed quest reward, not a random drop or vendor item. It is obtained once per playthrough; no separate NG+ requirement applies.
- 01Begin Ranni's questline at Ranni's Rise in the Three Sisters, reached through Caria Manor after defeating Royal Knight Loretta. Progress the quest through Nokron and obtain the Fingerslayer Blade for Ranni; this is the required quest route, not a vendor purchase or enemy drop.
- 02Continue Ranni's quest into Nokstella and defeat the Baleful Shadow to receive the Discarded Palace Key. Use that key on the locked chest in the Raya Lucaria Grand Library, after Rennala's arena, to obtain the Dark Moon Ring.
- 03Defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, and use the way forward to reach the Cathedral of Manus Celes in the Moonlight Altar. Descend through the opening beneath the cathedral, place the Dark Moon Ring on Ranni, and collect the Dark Moon Greatsword she leaves behind.
Availability
Requires Complete Ranni's questline and reach its conclusion.
No vendor purchase or currency cost applies. The reward is obtainable once per playthrough.
Requires Repeat the required Ranni quest progression in the new cycle.
The weapon can be reacquired in subsequent playthroughs; the previous cycle's copy does not prevent another reward.
Requires The base-game Ranni questline remains the relevant availability gate.
The expansion does not replace the weapon's acquisition route or add a separate vendor or price context.
Mechanics and Handling
The Dark Moon Greatsword combines a conventional greatsword moveset with a temporary ranged attack pattern. Its ordinary swings are committed, close-range slashes suited to punishing openings rather than rapidly trading blows. The blade has the reach and stagger potential expected from its class, but its handling rewards spacing: missing a swing leaves the wielder committed, while a correctly timed heavy attack can threaten an enemy before the sword itself reaches the target.
Moonlight Greatsword changes how charged heavies work
The weapon’s fixed skill, Moonlight Greatsword, coats the blade in dark moonlight for a limited duration. Activating the skill consumes FP and temporarily grants the weapon additional magic power while adding frost buildup to its attacks. The skill is not merely a single strike: its main value is the altered attack state that follows activation.
While the coating is active, a charged heavy attack releases a travelling crescent of moonlight. This lets the weapon apply pressure beyond normal greatsword reach and gives the user a way to punish an enemy that is retreating, recovering, or difficult to approach safely. The projectile does not replace the melee hit; the attack remains a charged greatsword action, so timing and positioning still matter. Uncharged heavy attacks do not provide the same ranged release, making charge commitment part of the weapon’s handling rather than an incidental bonus.
Frostbite rewards repeated, deliberate hits
The frost effect applies during the Moonlight Greatsword state, including the weapon’s distinctive charged attacks. Frost buildup is a status condition rather than a constant damage multiplier: it must accumulate on a target before Frostbite triggers, and resistant enemies require more pressure or more favourable openings. The weapon therefore performs best when its user can maintain safe, repeated contact instead of relying on one isolated projectile.
The magic coating also means that the weapon’s performance changes substantially between its unbuffed and buffed states. Without the skill active, it remains a strong physical greatsword with a conventional moveset; with the skill active, charged attacks gain both ranged utility and frost pressure. Managing the temporary state is consequently central to the weapon, particularly when deciding whether FP should be spent before a short encounter or conserved for a later threat.
Spacing, commitment, and defensive handling
The Dark Moon Greatsword can be used one-handed or two-handed, but neither stance removes the deliberate commitment of its swings. Two-handing supports a more aggressive melee approach and makes the weapon’s large-sword attacks easier to incorporate into close-range punish windows; one-handing leaves the other hand available for a shield, seal, or staff, at the cost of relying more heavily on the chosen off-hand setup.
Its charged projectile is most useful as a spacing tool, not as a replacement for close-range fundamentals. The release has a visible charge commitment, so firing it while an enemy is already inside the user’s attack window can be riskier than using a quick normal swing, rolling to reset distance, or waiting for a clearer opening. The weapon can block like other greatswords, but it is not a substitute for a dedicated shield when defensive mitigation or guard-focused play is the priority.
What the weapon does not provide
Moonlight Greatsword is a fixed unique skill rather than a freely interchangeable Ash of War. The Dark Moon Greatsword therefore cannot be reshaped into another affinity-and-skill combination to fill a different role. Its identity is tied to the sequence of activating the coating, choosing safe charged attacks, and exploiting magic and frost pressure during the active state. Players who want a fully custom greatsword moveset or a weapon whose skill can be changed will need to compare it with an infusible alternative instead.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Moonlight Greatsword temporarily adds magic damage and frost buildup to the weapon, giving Intelligence-focused characters both direct damage and a route to Frostbite without changing affinities.
- While the skill's enchantment is active, charged heavy attacks release ranged magical projectiles. This lets the weapon punish openings and pressure targets without requiring the player to remain in greatsword melee range.
- The greatsword moveset supplies substantial reach, stagger potential and stance pressure at close range, while the skill gives it more spacing flexibility than a conventional weapon in the same class.
- Its fixed skill and Intelligence-oriented scaling make its intended role clear: it concentrates investment in a spellblade-style attribute profile rather than competing equally across every physical build.
Weaknesses
- The weapon's strongest ranged and status tools depend on activating its unique skill first, so maintaining the enchantment costs FP and adds setup time before the weapon reaches its full combat pattern.
- Its fixed skill cannot be replaced with an Ash of War or affinity, limiting infusion and moveset customization compared with ordinary greatswords.
- Greatsword attacks commit more slowly than lighter weapon classes. Missed swings and charged attacks can leave the user vulnerable, particularly against fast enemies or bosses that do not offer long punish windows.
- The weapon requires a substantial Intelligence investment and is therefore a poor fit for builds that primarily scale Strength, Dexterity or Faith without also meeting its Intelligence demands.
- Frost buildup and magic damage are matchup-dependent: enemies with strong resistance to magic or Frostbite reduce the value of its signature tools, leaving the player more reliant on its physical greatsword attacks.
Best uses
- PvE spellblade builds that want one weapon to combine heavy melee stagger, Intelligence-scaling damage and a reusable ranged attack.
- Boss encounters with readable openings, where the player can activate the enchantment safely and use charged projectiles to maintain pressure between melee punish windows.
- Exploration and general PvE against groups or evasive targets, where the projectile gives a greatsword user a way to engage enemies before committing to close range.
- Players who want Frostbite support without dedicating their main weapon to a conventional cold affinity, provided they are willing to manage FP and reapply the skill when needed.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Weapon | Class and build role | Distinctive skill or mechanic | Upgrade and customization | Choose it when… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Greatsword | Wolf's Assault combines a leaping slam with a frost-themed explosion | Unique weapon with a fixed skill and Somber reinforcement; not an affinity-customizable alternative | You want a heavier, more burst-oriented Strength/Intelligence weapon rather than Dark Moon Greatsword's ranged wave and frost-focused charged attacks. | — |
| Helphen's Steeple | Ruinous Ghostflame temporarily coats the blade, adding magic damage and frost buildup | Unique weapon with a fixed skill and Somber reinforcement | You want a conventional greatsword moveset with a temporary self-buff, rather than relying on Dark Moon Greatsword's weapon skill to empower charged attacks. | — |
| Death's Poker | Ghostflame Ignition offers distinct follow-ups, including a ground-level flame effect and an explosive option | Unique weapon with a fixed skill and Somber reinforcement | You prefer varied skill attacks and status-oriented pressure over Dark Moon Greatsword's sustained projectile-and-melee pattern. | — |
| Onyx Lord's Greatsword | Onyx Lord's Repulsion is a gravity-based skill that launches nearby enemies | Unique weapon with a fixed skill and Somber reinforcement | You want a gravity utility skill and a different hybrid-stat profile; Dark Moon Greatsword is the more natural choice for Intelligence builds built around magic damage and frostbite pressure. | — |
Used In
- Ranni the WitchDark Moon Greatsword is the signature weapon associated with Ranni and is obtained by completing her questline.
- Cathedral of Manus CelesAfter completing the required steps of Ranni's questline and using the Dark Moon Ring, Dark Moon Greatsword can be collected at this location.
- Dark Moon RingThis key item is required to progress Ranni's questline to the encounter at the Cathedral of Manus Celes, where the weapon becomes available.
Lore and Design
The Dark Moon Greatsword is one of the legendary armaments and is closely tied to Carian royal tradition. Its item lore describes a Moon Greatsword bestowed by a Carian queen upon her spouse, presenting the weapon as part of a longstanding ceremonial custom rather than merely a battlefield tool. In the context of Ranni’s story, that tradition connects the weapon to her lineage and to the succession of relationships surrounding the Carian royal family.
The weapon’s story significance is reinforced by its skill, Moonlight Greatsword. When activated, the blade is coated in a cold, moonlike enchantment, and charged attacks release waves of that energy. This gives the weapon a mechanical identity that reflects its association with the moon and with frost, while remaining distinct from a claim that the weapon represents a specific real-world design. Its relationship with Ranni is explicit in the game’s quest context; broader interpretations about its symbolism should be treated as interpretation rather than additional canon.
Carian Royal Tradition
The Dark Moon Greatsword links Ranni’s narrative to the Carian royal family and to the weapon tradition associated with Carian queens. The item text establishes the ceremonial relationship, while the surrounding quest context gives the weapon particular significance within Ranni’s story. It is therefore both a legendary armament and a narrative object tied to the continuity of Carian rule.
Moonlight as Weapon and Theme
Its design is expressed through function as much as appearance: the unique skill temporarily transforms the blade and turns charged attacks into ranged moonlight projectiles. Frost and moon imagery are consequently supported by observable weapon behaviour, but claims about hidden symbolism or developer intent would go beyond what the game directly establishes.
Trivia
- Elden Ring separates the familiar name across two labels: the weapon is called Dark Moon Greatsword, while its signature skill is named Moonlight Greatsword. The distinction preserves the series’ recurring Moonlight Greatsword terminology without using it as the weapon’s main title.
- The weapon’s item description presents its moon greatsword as part of a Carian royal tradition: a Carian queen bestows it on her spouse. This makes the sword’s association with Ranni’s quest a continuation of an established in-world custom, rather than merely a reward chosen for gameplay convenience.