In the ever-evolving Lands Between, speed can be a Tarnished's greatest ally. While colossal swords and giant hammers have their devout followers, many players crave the thrill of a swift, agile combat style—one that allows them to strike with blinding speed and retreat before the enemy can even react. As of 2026, with the full integration of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, Elden Ring boasts a staggering 40 distinct weapon categories. For those looking to maximize their attacks per minute and master the art of the quick strike, knowing which weapon types excel in speed is crucial.

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The Need for Speed: Why Fast Weapons Reign Supreme

A fast weapon isn't just about raw attack speed; it's about control. It allows players to exploit openings in boss patterns, apply debilitating status effects rapidly, and maintain superior positioning. The right fast weapon can turn a battle of attrition into a graceful, deadly dance. This guide explores the top-tier weapon categories for speed demons, highlighting the best individual weapons within each class to help you build the ultimate nimble warrior.

9. Twinblades: The Whirling Dervishes

While their one-handed light attacks might feel a tad sluggish, Twinblades reveal their true potential when wielded with two hands. In this stance, their light attacks become a flurry of multi-hit strikes, dramatically increasing their damage and status effect application per second.

Why they're fast: The two-handed combo chains are deceptively quick, hitting multiple times per animation. Their high innate status buildup (like bleed or frost) makes them exceptional for quickly overwhelming enemy defenses.

Top Picks for 2026:

  • Euporia ⚔️: A radiant DLC addition with a powerful unique skill.

  • Eleonora's Poleblade 🔥: Infamous for its bleed-focused, flame-engulfed combos.

  • Godskin Peeler 🌀: A classic choice with excellent reach and scaling.

8. Heavy Thrusting Swords: Reach Meets Rapier Speed

Don't let the "heavy" in the name fool you. These are essentially oversized rapiers that offer incredible reach without sacrificing much pace. Their thrusting combos are nearly as quick as a standard straight sword's, allowing for safe, punishing pokes from a distance.

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Why they're fast: The recovery time after an attack is minimal, making hit-and-run tactics supremely effective. Many in this class also feature Ashes of War that enable devastating, multi-hit lunging attacks.

Top Picks for 2026:

  • Bloody Helice 🩸: A fan favorite for its elegant, evasive Ash of War and bleed potential.

  • Sword Lance ⚡: A versatile DLC weapon with a unique moveset.

  • Great Épée 🗡️: A reliable, high-damage option available early in the game.

7. Straight Swords: The Reliable Workhorse

Sometimes, simplicity is key. The standard straight sword is a master of consistency. Its attack speed sits in a comfortable "good, not great" zone, but its true strength lies in its short start-up and recovery frames. This makes it perfect for landing a single, precise strike before rolling away to safety—a fundamental and highly effective combat loop.

Pro Tip: For maximum attacks per minute with a straight sword, stick to one-handed light attacks (R1). Dual-wielding or two-handing can alter the speed and combo flow.

Top Picks for 2026:

  • Sword of Night and Flame ✨: Still a powerhouse with its dual-beam special attack.

  • Lordsworn's Straight Sword 👑: An early-game weapon that can carry you to the end with the right upgrades.

  • Golden Epitaph ☀️: Excels against Those Who Live in Death.

6. Katanas: The Art of the Sheathed Strike

Katanas embody a unique rhythm. Their standard light attack combos are marginally faster than straight swords, but their true character shines in their heavy and special attacks. These often have a deliberate, poised start-up followed by an incredibly fast execution and recovery, mimicking the legendary iaijutsu (quick-draw) techniques of master swordsmen.

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Why they're fast: They reward calculated aggression. The player commits to a slower wind-up for a payoff of a blisteringly fast, high-damage slash.

Top Picks for 2026:

  • Moonveil 🌙: Remains a top-tier choice for intelligence/dexterity builds with its transcendent wave slash.

  • Rivers of Blood 🩸: A legend for its Corpse Piler skill, applying hemorrhage in a beautiful, deadly flurry.

  • Uchigatana 🗡️: The reliable, accessible starting katana with excellent infusibility.

5. Curved Swords: The Elegant Upgrade

Think of these as straight swords that took speed lessons. Curved swords offer a noticeable increase in attack speed and often come with more fluid, mobile movesets. The best part? Many don't sacrifice meaningful damage for this agility. Whether it's the classic scimitar flow or the exotic dances of the DLC weapons, this category is a speedster's dream.

Top Picks for 2026:

  • Dancing Blade of Ranah 💃: A DLC standout whose Ash of War allows for flowing, consecutive attacks that feel like a deadly ballet.

  • Grossmesser ⚔️: A heavy curved sword that hits hard and fast, defying expectations.

  • Bandit's Curved Sword 🏴‍☠️: A classic for power-stancing (dual-wielding) to create a blinding whirlwind of slices.

4. Axes: The Surprising Contenders

Axes are the dark horse of speed. Individually, their first light attack has a noticeable wind-up. However, once that first swing connects, the subsequent attacks in a light attack combo chain together with surprising alacrity. This gives axes a higher potential attacks-per-minute than many realize when players commit to a full combo.

Why they're fast: The combo speed. They trade a slower initial hit for a rapid, punishing sequence that can stagger opponents quickly.

Top Picks for 2026:

  • Death Knight's Twin Axes ⚡⚡: A game-changer from the DLC. This is a natural dual-wield set with a lightning-fast, spinning Ash of War that devastates groups.

  • Stormhawk Axe 🦅: Summons a powerful tempest with its skill.

  • Highland Axe 🏔️: Boosts war cry abilities, perfect for barbarian-style builds.

3. Thrusting Swords (Rapiers): The Fencer's Choice

For pure, unadulterated speed in a traditional package, look no further. Thrusting swords live up to their fencing heritage. Repeated light attacks come out in a rapid, precise staccato rhythm and are incredibly easy to chain. They also offer unique mobility options like feints and lunges built into their movesets, letting the player control the engagement range masterfully.

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Top Picks for 2026:

  • Antspur Rapier 🦠: The ultimate status-effect applicator. It innately builds up Scarlet Rot and can be infused with another status like Bleed or Poison, creating a truly toxic combination.

  • Estoc 🗡️: Offers fantastic range and poke potential.

  • Cleanrot Knight's Sword 💎: A stylish and effective weapon with solid faith scaling.

2. Backhand Blades: The New Age of Aggression

Introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree, this small but mighty category is built for aggressive, in-your-face speed. These weapons specialize in closing gaps instantly and unleashing flurries of attacks that keep opponents perpetually on the back foot. Their unique Ash of War skills, like "Blind Spot," allow for teleport-like dashes into melee range.

Why they're fast: Their entire design philosophy revolves around relentless, combo-oriented offense and unmatched engagement tools.

Top Picks for 2026:

  • Backhand Blade ⚔️: The namesake weapon, perfect for mastering the new backhand style.

  • Smithscript Cirque 🪃: A bizarre but brilliant weapon that can be thrown for ranged damage, allowing you to maintain pressure even when disengaging.

1. Fist & Claw Weapons: The Unbeaten Champions of Speed

When it comes to raw, unbridled attacks-per-second, nothing beats getting up close and personal. This category encompasses both the traditional Fist weapons and the flashy new Hand-to-Hand martial arts weapons from the DLC.

  • Hand-to-Hand (e.g., Dryleaf Arts): These are the undisputed kings of combo potential. They unleash flurries of palm strikes, kicks, and sweeps that are not only fast but have high stagger potential, letting you bully enemies with a barrage of hits.

  • Fist Weapons (e.g., Star Fist): Slightly more straightforward than their martial arts cousins, these offer brutally fast punch combos. Weapons like the Star Fist are infamous for applying status effects like Bleed at an absurd rate due to how many hits they land in a short window.

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Why they're the fastest: Their attack animations are the shortest in the game, and their combo chains are virtually seamless. The trade-off is range, requiring absolute confidence in your dodges and positioning.

Top Picks for 2026:

  • Dryleaf Arts 👐: The premier martial arts style, offering endless, stylish combo strings.

  • Star Fist ✨: A meta staple for bleed builds due to its innate bleed and incredible attack speed.

  • Madding Hand 🧠: A DLC fist weapon with a unique, madness-inducing grab skill.

Choosing Your Path in 2026

Ultimately, the "fastest" weapon is the one that best fits your playstyle. Do you want the precision of a rapier, the graceful dance of a curved sword, or the overwhelming barrage of fist weapons? With the expanded arsenal from Shadow of the Erdtree, the options for a lightning-fast Tarnished have never been better. Experiment, find the rhythm that suits you, and carve your path through the Lands Between not with overwhelming power, but with untouchable speed.