Every weapon tells a story in the bleak and cryptic world of Dark Souls. Some are forged in holy flame, others in cursed blood—but few match the haunting legacy of the Greatsword of Artorias.
This isn’t just a weapon. It’s the final will of a broken hero, a symbol of both redemption and failure, and a blade that carries the echo of a knight who stood against the Abyss. From lore to combat mechanics, the Greatsword of Artorias stands as one of the most iconic weapons in gaming.
Let’s dive into its origin, power, and the sorrowful history that forged it.
Who Was Knight Artorias?
Before we can talk about the sword, we need to understand the legend behind it—Artorias the Abysswalker.
Artorias was one of Lord Gwyn’s Four Knights, a champion known for his courage, loyalty, and unmatched combat ability. His role was clear: to stand against the spreading Abyss, a dark and corrupting force capable of consuming the world.
To accomplish this, Artorias entered the Abyss willingly. He made a pact with the creatures that dwelled there and sacrificed much of his soul in the process.
He didn’t make it back.
The once-noble knight was corrupted, his mind shattered, and his body twisted into a monstrous form. Players meet this broken version of Artorias in the DLC Artorias of the Abyss, and the battle is one of the most emotional encounters in the entire game.
What Is the Greatsword of Artorias?
The Greatsword of Artorias is the weapon Artorias wielded in life and bears his name in death. It is a massive, curved greatsword that reflects both his holy mission and his tragic downfall.
There are actually two versions of the sword:
Greatsword of Artorias (True Version)
This is the blessed version of the weapon, forged using Artorias’ soul and a +10 Broken Straight Sword or Straight Sword Hilt. It deals a combination of physical, magic, and divine damage, and requires high stats across strength, dexterity, intelligence, and faith.
Greatsword of Artorias (Cursed Version)
This cursed version is crafted with Artorias’ soul and a +10 Greatsword-class weapon. While it lacks magic and divine damage, it has a powerful advantage—it can damage ghost-type enemies without the need for special items, making it incredibly useful in certain areas of the game.
The Lore Within the Blade
The Greatsword of Artorias is more than a big slab of metal—it’s a narrative in weapon form. It represents Artorias’ strength, his sacrifice, and the darkness that ultimately consumed him.
A Sword That Entered the Abyss
Artorias wielded this blade in his final mission to stop the Abyss in Oolacile. When he fell, the sword was corrupted along with him, soaking in the dark essence of the void.
The true version of the sword retains its divine nature—a reflection of Artorias’ original intentions. The cursed variant, however, mirrors the result of his descent: corrupted, impure, and tainted.
The Blessing and the Curse
The duality of the sword is essential to its story. It is both holy and unholy, a blessing and a burden. Just like Artorias, who fought to protect the realm and lost himself in the process, the blade walks the line between light and shadow.
Where other weapons in Dark Souls exist to deal damage, this one exists to make a point. You don’t just wield it—you bear it.
How the Player Acquires the Sword
In true Dark Souls fashion, acquiring the Greatsword of Artorias is no simple feat. You must defeat Artorias in the DLC, claim his soul, and then forge the blade at the giant blacksmith in Anor Londo.
It must be created from:
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Artorias’ Soul (dropped after his boss fight)
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A +10 weapon (either a Broken Straight Sword for the true version, or a Greatsword for the cursed one)
This crafting process is symbolic. You don’t find the sword—you build it from a fallen legacy. In a way, you become the successor to Artorias’ unfinished mission.
Weapon Stats and Scaling
The true Greatsword of Artorias has some of the steepest requirements in the game:
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24 Strength
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18 Dexterity
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20 Intelligence
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20 Faith
It scales with all four stats and deals split damage across physical, magic, and divine. It’s not the most min-maxed weapon in terms of raw numbers, but it’s a powerhouse for hybrid builds and lore-focused players.
The cursed version has more manageable requirements and deals only physical damage, but it shines in PvE because of its ability to strike ghosts and ethereal enemies without buffs.
Symbolism and Legacy
The Greatsword of Artorias isn’t just a powerful item—it’s a relic of a fallen legend.
Artorias’ Final Mission
His story is a tragedy. He fought the Abyss, gave everything, and still lost. But through his blade—and you—the fight continues. Wielding this sword is a way of honoring his struggle, carrying the flame of a hero who fell in darkness.
Echoes in Future Games
Artorias' influence lives on:
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In Dark Souls III, the Wolf Knight’s Greatsword and the Abyss Watchers are direct homages to him.
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His wolf companion, Sif, guards his grave and his legacy.
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His broken body and lingering soul set the tone for what it means to be a fallen hero in the Dark Souls universe.
Few weapons have such a lasting impact on a game world, not just for their strength, but for their emotional resonance.
Why the Greatsword of Artorias Still Resonates
The Greatsword of Artorias is one of the most powerful weapons in Dark Souls lore—not because of its stats, but because of what it represents.
It’s a blade of sacrifice. A monument to a mission that failed. A tribute to a knight who stood against evil and became a part of it.
When you hold this sword, you're not just choosing a weapon. You're choosing to remember Artorias—not for how he died, but for what he tried to do.
