Black Knight Sword vs. Zweihander in Dark Souls: Which Reigns Supreme?
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The age-old question for aspiring Lords in Dark Souls: Is the Black Knight Sword truly better than the Zweihander? The short answer is: it depends on your playstyle and where you are in the game. However, in many situations the Black Knight Sword (BKS) holds a significant early-to-mid game advantage, while the Zweihander becomes a powerhouse later. Let’s delve deeper to explain why this is the case.
Black Knight Sword: Early Powerhouse
Advantages of the Black Knight Sword
The Black Knight Sword boasts exceptional base damage and scaling that makes it a formidable weapon right from the moment you can get it. Found by defeating a Black Knight, this early acquisition can dramatically change your Dark Souls experience. Here’s why it’s often preferred in the early and mid-game:
- High Base Damage: The BKS deals a significant amount of physical damage right off the bat, especially when two-handed, making it an immediate upgrade over many early weapons.
- Ease of Upgrade: Upgrading the Black Knight Sword is easier than most weapons early on because it uses Twinkling Titanite, which is more readily available than Titanite Chunks early in the game.
- Fast Two-Handed Swings: The two-handed move set of the BKS is surprisingly quick and devastating, making it incredibly punishing to enemies, and more importantly, fun.
- Staggering Power: The BKS can effectively stagger most opponents, allowing you to capitalize with follow-up attacks.
Drawbacks of the Black Knight Sword
- RNG Acquisition: The biggest drawback of the BKS is how you obtain it – you have to rely on the random chance of a Black Knight dropping it. This is not a guaranteed drop.
- Limited Upgrade Path: While Twinkling Titanite is easier to find early on, it is not as readily available late game as regular titanite, limiting its scaling potential to +5.
- Weight: The Black Knight Sword can be a heavy weapon for early-game characters, potentially impacting mobility if not carefully managed.
Zweihander: The Late-Game Colossus
Advantages of the Zweihander
The Zweihander, while not as immediately impactful as the BKS, offers tremendous potential as you progress. It’s a weapon you can acquire early but truly shines when upgraded. It has different advantages:
- Easily Accessible: Unlike the BKS, you can find the Zweihander very early in the game, lying in a graveyard area close to the beginning. This means you can build your entire playthrough around it, if you like.
- Excellent Range: The Zweihander’s exceptionally long reach allows you to engage enemies safely, making it perfect for crowd control and maintaining distance from more dangerous foes.
- Stagger and Thrust Attack: The Zweihander’s moveset includes a powerful thrust attack that can knockdown enemies, and its overall stagger potential is very high.
- Versatile: Although not as fast as the BKS, the Zweihander’s moveset offers good versatility and a flexible approach to combat.
- High Scaling: If you invest heavily in Strength and Dexterity, the Zweihander can achieve very high damage output, especially when upgraded.
- Transformable: The Zweihander is transformable and once fully upgraded it negates physical damage from blocking.
- Colossal Sword: Despite being one of the lightest weapons in the Colossal Sword category, it can set a brutal tempo in combat.
Drawbacks of the Zweihander
- Slower Attacks: The Zwei is not as fast as the Black Knight Sword making it vulnerable in close quarters, especially in the early game.
- Stat Requirement: It requires 24 Strength and 8 Dexterity to wield, which might take time to achieve.
- Weight: Although one of the lighter Colossal Swords, its weight can still impact mobility, especially in the early game.
Which is Better? The Verdict
There is no outright “better” weapon. Both weapons offer significant benefits, but they shine in different stages of the game.
- Early Game: The Black Knight Sword is generally superior early on due to its higher base damage, faster attacks, and easier upgrade path with readily available Twinkling Titanite.
- Mid-Game: The Black Knight Sword continues to be a force in the mid-game, however the Zweihander is catching up as you acquire titanite chunks.
- Late Game: The Zweihander edges out the Black Knight Sword once it is fully upgraded and when Strength and Dexterity stats are high, due to its better scaling, range, and versatile moveset. By this point, you likely have regular Titanite to upgrade the Zweihander, and the limited upgrade of the BKS will begin to become limiting.
In summary, if you manage to get the Black Knight Sword, enjoy its power in the early and mid-game. However, plan to move to the Zweihander as your weapon of choice in late game, or if the BKS does not drop, it is the weapon you should pursue from the start. Consider your play style; if you prefer faster, hard-hitting combat, the BKS is a better choice to start. If you favor range, staggers, and a versatile weapon, the Zweihander is the better choice to aim for over the long term.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you get the Black Knight Sword in other Dark Souls games?
Yes, the Black Knight Sword (or similar versions) appears in other Dark Souls games, but they may have different stats and acquisition methods. However, this article focuses on Dark Souls 1.
2. How do you get the Black Knight Sword in Dark Souls 1?
The Black Knight Sword drops randomly from defeating a Black Knight. You must kill them and hope they drop the weapon, there is no guaranteed method. They first appear in the Undead Burg and can be found in later areas such as the Tomb of Giants.
3. How do you get the Zweihander in Dark Souls 1?
The Zweihander can be found relatively early in the game within the graveyard area near Firelink Shrine, by the Catacombs.
4. What are the stat requirements for the Zweihander?
You need 24 Strength and 8 Dexterity to wield the Zweihander effectively.
5. Which is heavier, the Black Knight Sword or the Zweihander?
The Black Knight Sword weighs 10 units, while the Zweihander weighs 10 units. They are the same weight in Dark Souls 1.
6. Does the Black Knight Sword scale with any stats?
The Black Knight Sword primarily scales with Strength and has very little scaling with Dexterity.
7. Does the Zweihander scale with any stats?
The Zweihander scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity, making it a good option for a quality build.
8. Can you transform the Zweihander?
Yes, the Zweihander can be transformed and upgraded to negate physical damage when blocking.
9. What is the best upgrade path for the Zweihander?
The best upgrade path for the Zweihander is the standard one, upgrading to +15, and investing in Strength and Dexterity stats.
10. How do you upgrade the Black Knight Sword?
The Black Knight Sword is upgraded using Twinkling Titanite, up to a maximum of +5.
11. Can the Black Knight Sword be infused with elemental damage?
No, the Black Knight Sword cannot be infused with elemental damage as it has a unique upgrade path.
12. Are Black Knights rare enemies?
Black Knights are somewhat rare, and generally do not respawn unless you are on the path to Gwyn at the Kiln of the First Flame.
13. What is a quality build in Dark Souls 1?
A quality build in Dark Souls focuses on investing in both Strength and Dexterity, to wield a variety of weapons effectively.
14. Is the Zweihander considered a Colossal Weapon in Dark Souls 1?
No, the Zweihander is considered a greatsword in Dark Souls 1. It is a Colossal Weapon in Elden Ring, and can cause confusion.
15. Is the Zweihander good for PvP?
Yes, the Zweihander can be a very effective weapon in PvP due to its range, stagger potential, and powerful thrust attacks. It is an overall popular choice in PvP.