FromSoftware released Scholar of the First Sin in April 2015, rebuilding Dark Souls II on a DirectX 11 renderer, folding in all three Crown DLCs and shuffling enemy placement so returning players could not run their old routes. Drangleic still runs on Adaptability, the stat the game never explains: it feeds Agility, which starts at 85 and caps at 120, and Agility decides how many invincibility frames a roll carries. Aldia now appears as a burning apparition at bonfires and returns as an optional final boss after Nashandra.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zweihander | S | First playthroughs, Strength builds, and any area where enemies attack in pairs rather than crowds. | An ultra greatsword with long reach and a running attack that staggers most humanoid enemies before they can answer. |
| Estoc | A | Dexterity builds, shield users, and tight corridors like the Lost Bastille cell blocks. | A thrusting sword that attacks fast, works from behind a raised shield, and pairs with the Old Leo Ring for large counter damage. |
| Mastodon Halberd | A | Power stance builds and areas that send groups at you, such as Shrine of Amana and the Undead Crypt. | A heavy halberd with a sweeping horizontal that clears three enemies at once. |
| Blacksteel Katana | B | Dexterity builds and players who want speed rather than reach after a Strength first run. | A fast katana that scales purely with Dexterity unless infused, with a quickdraw strong attack that lands more often than most katana movesets. |
| Fume Ultra Greatsword | B | Late game Strength builds and invasions, where a single connected swing settles the fight. | Traded from Weaponsmith Ornifex for the Soul of the Fume Knight, this is the heaviest hitting ultra greatsword in the Crown of the Old Iron King content. |
S-Tier: Zweihander
An ultra greatsword with long reach and a running attack that staggers most humanoid enemies before they can answer. It scales with Strength and stays useful from the first ten hours through to Drangleic Castle without ever feeling underpowered.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | First playthroughs, Strength builds, and any area where enemies attack in pairs rather than crowds. |
| Key Mechanic | Adaptability and Agility |
| Recommended Build | Knight |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Zweihander: Pairs naturally with Knight thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Estoc
A thrusting sword that attacks fast, works from behind a raised shield, and pairs with the Old Leo Ring for large counter damage. Its poking moveset also travels through narrow gaps where a swing would hit the wall.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Dexterity builds, shield users, and tight corridors like the Lost Bastille cell blocks. |
| Key Mechanic | Soul Memory matchmaking |
| Recommended Build | Warrior |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Estoc: Pairs naturally with Warrior thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Mastodon Halberd
A heavy halberd with a sweeping horizontal that clears three enemies at once. Two of them in power stance produce the widest crowd control moveset available to a pure Strength character.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Power stance builds and areas that send groups at you, such as Shrine of Amana and the Undead Crypt. |
| Key Mechanic | Power stancing |
| Recommended Build | Swordsman |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Mastodon Halberd: Pairs naturally with Swordsman thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Blacksteel Katana
A fast katana that scales purely with Dexterity unless infused, with a quickdraw strong attack that lands more often than most katana movesets. The player version carries no bleed until you spend a Bleed Stone on it.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Dexterity builds and players who want speed rather than reach after a Strength first run. |
| Key Mechanic | Hollowing and Human Effigies |
| Recommended Build | Bandit |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Blacksteel Katana: Pairs naturally with Bandit thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Fume Ultra Greatsword
Traded from Weaponsmith Ornifex for the Soul of the Fume Knight, this is the heaviest hitting ultra greatsword in the Crown of the Old Iron King content. The one handed moveset is unusually usable for its weight class.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Late game Strength builds and invasions, where a single connected swing settles the fight. |
| Key Mechanic | Bonfire Ascetics |
| Recommended Build | Sorcerer |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Fume Ultra Greatsword: Pairs naturally with Sorcerer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Majula
- Estoc → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Mastodon Halberd → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Zweihander → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Adaptability is the fix for every complaint about the roll. Take it to 20 as fast as you can, check Agility on the status screen rather than the stat itself, and stop at 96 or 105 depending on how much you want to spend.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Guides
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Overview
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Best Builds
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Tier List
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Walkthrough
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Beginner's Guide
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Tips & Tricks
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Combat Guide
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Boss Guide
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Maps & Locations
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Crafting Guide
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Classes & Characters
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