Best Starting Weapon
Your weapon is your class in Echoes of Aincrad. All six weapon types ranked for new players — forgiveness first, damage ceiling second — plus the stat each one actually scales with and the best early crafts to chase.
The Short Answer
Pick the Sword & Shield if you want the safest way to learn the game. Pick the Two-Handed Sword if you want the strongest overall weapon and can live without a shield. Everything else is a playstyle preference — and since you can swap weapon types between quests, nothing is permanent.
Only three weapons can hold a shield: Sword & Shield, Rapier, and Mace.
All 6 Weapons Ranked for Beginners
Sword & Shield (One-Handed Sword)
Best first pickThe balanced tutorial weapon. Solid offense, a shield to cover your mistakes, and the option to unequip the shield for faster movement once you're confident. It teaches the parry/dodge fundamentals every other weapon assumes you know.
Watch out: Lower damage ceiling than the two-handers — you'll out-skill it later, and that's fine.
Two-Handed Sword
Strongest all-rounderThe heavy hitter and the community's pick for the strongest overall weapon: huge charged hits, wide arcs that clear crowds, and the best boss burst in the game. Equipping it changes your dodge into a roll with different timing.
Watch out: No shield and slow recovery — every whiff is punishable. Learn the roll before the Floor 1 boss.
Mace
Best shield buildThe unglamorous survivor. Heavy staggering blows shatter the Fragility Gauge fast, it keeps a shield, and it has the deepest build customization of the shield weapons. Great answer to enemies that block or armor up.
Watch out: Slower swings than the One-Handed Sword — commit to hits deliberately, not reflexively.
Rapier
Technical, forgiving offenseLong reach, flowing combo chains, and counter-focused play — with the rare luxury of a shield on an offense weapon. The craftable Steel Rapier deals bonus damage every third hit and recovers stamina, sustaining long boss fights.
Watch out: Weak crowd control and lower stagger. Struggles when several enemies rush you at once.
Two-Handed Axe
Fast farming, punishableSlow but brutal area attacks with long reach — the fastest farming and map-clearing weapon once you know enemy routes. Sprint-attack chains with movement EX-MODs shred groups.
Watch out: Worst mobility in the game and no shield. Your AI partner matters most here — bring a defensive one.
Dagger
Experts onlyFastest weapon in the game, can be thrown for ranged chip, and rewards relentless dodge-heavy pressure with Perfect Dodge windows.
Watch out: Highest skill floor: short range, low per-hit damage, no shield. One greedy hit undoes three clean ones — a rough way to learn the game.
Stat Scaling Cheat Sheet
Damage comes from Ability Correction Values — each weapon converts specific stats into attack power. Spend Growth Points at the inn on the stats your weapon rewards, not evenly.
| Weapon | Priority Stats | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sword & Shield | DEX | Clean damage scaling plus safe shield play |
| Two-Handed Sword | STR + END | Heavy attacks hit harder; END keeps swings affordable |
| Mace | STR + END/MND | Damage plus stamina or SP coverage for skill-heavy play |
| Rapier | AGI | Fast, precise single-target pressure |
| Two-Handed Axe | STR + VIT + END | Big damage plus durability for slow recovery frames |
| Dagger | AGI | Feeds mobility and dodge-heavy aggression |
Early-Game Weapon Tips
Craft the Bronze Sword first
Community testing rates the crafted Bronze Sword as the strongest very-early weapon. Crafted weapons can roll better MODs than field drops, so hit the Smithy as soon as you reach town.
Steel Rapier is the sleeper pick
Craftable early, bonus damage every third hit, and stamina recovery that sustains boss fights. Its only weakness is lower stagger than a sword.
You can swap between quests
Weapon type is not locked. Each type levels its own Sword Skills through use, so focus one early for power — but test all six before judging.
Spend Growth Points to match scaling
Leveling alone doesn't raise stats. Use the Chest Orb at the inn and pump the stats your weapon's Ability Correction Values actually reward.
Picked Your Weapon? Build Around It
Tier rankings, full builds, and EX-Mod priorities take your starting pick to the endgame.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use two weapon types at once?
No dual-wielding across types — you equip one weapon type per quest, plus a shield if the type allows it. You can freely change type between quests, and each type keeps its own Weapon EXP and unlocked Sword Skills.
Does my starting weapon affect the story?
No. Weapon choice is purely mechanical — quests, partners, and endings are identical regardless of what you swing. Pick for feel, not consequences.
When should I switch off my starter weapon?
When you stop dying to fundamentals. Most players who start on Sword & Shield graduate to the Two-Handed Sword or Mace around Floor 2, once parry timing and stamina discipline are second nature.
Do Sword Skills carry over between weapons?
No — Sword Skills are tied to the weapon type that unlocked them, and you can equip up to three at a time. Switching types means building that weapon's skill list through use.