New weapon types in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree: Odachi, martial arts, more

The upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring is set to feature a number of new weapon types for Tarnished to get their hands on.

Shadow of the Erdtree is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated releases of 2024. It’s set to include a new area that will be bigger than Limgrave, as well as introduce eight fresh weapons for players to use in combat.

Details about every weapon in the Elden Ring DLC haven’t been revealed just yet. However, Miyazaki has confirmed five out of the eight, so this is everything we know about the new weapons in Shadow of the Erdtree so far.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC’s 8 new weapon types

In an interview with Famitsu, Miyazaki gave fans of Elden Ring’s combat a lot to get excited about. “There are eight new weapon types added. Of course, there are additions to existing weapon types as well,” he said.

Of those eight new weapon types coming in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, these are the ones he’s mentioned so far:

Odachi

Described by Miyazaki as “fairly classic large Japanese katanas”, the Odachi coming to Elden Ring sound as if they’ll function as a sort of greatsword variant to Katanas. While we do have Yura’s Nagikiba in the base game which is much larger than other Katana’s in Elden Ring, it doesn’t have its own classification like these new swords.

This is good news for players who love the aesthetics and built-in bleed of Katanas but want a bit more oomph. Hopefully, that extra size translates to more Poise damage.

Duelling Shields

Another of the eight new weapon types in Elden Ring’s DLC is what Miyazaki has called “Duelling Shields”. This new weapon type actually appears in the trailer and can be seen in action during a fight with Messmer the Impaler.

They look like an elongated rectangular shield with two blades protruding from either end, similar to the popular Twinblade weapon type. Apparently, the weapon will have offensive and defensive capabilities, which sounds like a no-brainer.

Reverse Hand Swords

There’s some dispute around the translation for this particular weapon, which has been referred to as both ‘Gyakute ken’ and ‘Sakatemochi’. What isn’t in question is their function.

These Reverse Hand or Reverse Grip swords are held so that the blades extend outward towards the elbow. They can be seen in action during the trailer and look to have a combat style that will require some Dexterity to wield.

Throwing Daggers

Yes, you can already craft certain throwable knives but from what Miyazaki has described, the Throwing Daggers will be a brand-new weapon that can be permanently equipped. Apparently, they “change all attacks into throws”.

Like some of the other weapon types Miyazaki mentioned, they can be seen in the trailer when a tarnished hurls them at an enemy repeatedly. Another new weapon that looks to be Dexterity-focused.

Martial Arts

The final new weapon type in the Elden Ring DLC confirmed by Miyazaki is Martial Arts. While not technically a weapon, they will make your Tarnished similar to a monk in other RPGs.

Whether or not you need to equip something for this fighting style is yet to be seen but the elaborate spin kick shown in the trailer has been a highlight. Players are already plotting a fisticuff-fueled showdown with Horah Loux.

Those are the new weapon types in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC that have been named and confirmed by Miyazaki directly. The remaining three have been described by him as “more peculiar and highly novel”.

We did see a large throwable jar and a rapidly firing crossbow but whether those are new weapon types or not is unconfirmed. We’ll be sure to update this article as more information surfaces.

For more Elden Ring content, check out our coverage below:

Best early weapons for all builds & where to find them | Best Spirit Ashes ranked | Best starting class | Elden Ring characters guide: All classes explained | How to unlock all endings