The Best One-Handed Swords in Crimson Desert (Early to Mid Game)

In this article, we'll run through some of the best one-handed swords you can pick up pretty early in Crimson Desert (before Chapter 8). The best bet is to then pair the two you like together or simply use one with a shield. We'll keep it short and show the location, and any extra information you need to get the weapons quickly.

Quick Links:

1. The Sword of the Lord
2. Chillfallen Sword
3. Hollow Visage
4. Melted Ambition
5. Survivor's Solitude
6. Nazk Sword
7. Legionary's Gladius
8. The Tauria Curved Sword

The Best One-Handed Swords in Crimson Desert (Early to Mid Game)

These are the best one-handed swords in Crimson Desert's early to mid game.

1. The Sword of the Lord

A pretty easy one to start with, and one you may already have. This weapon is a great starting weapon and well worth sinking some upgrade points into.

• Source: Defeat Kailok the Hornsplitter (Chapter 2).
• Why it's good: Your first taste of power. Its Wind Slash Abyss Craft sends out a projectile with every charged heavy attack, giving Kliff a ranged option early on. The level 2 attack speed is also great for such an early weapon.

2. Chillfallen Sword

The Chillfallen Sword is a great early-game weapon, with strong attack speed and Abyss Craft slots.

• Source: Snowhaven Hearth, west of First-Finger Lake and Skoghorn. The mountain area is north of Calphade, which is part of the Scholastone quest chain.
• Why it's good: The Chillfallen has three Abyss Craft slots and a level 2 attack speed. With its high speed and Abyss Craft slots, it makes Chillfallen a great sword that is very easy to get.

3. Hollow Visage

With how easy it is to obtain, the Hollow Visage is well worth a stop. The level 3 Refinement also makes it a great early boost.

• Source: Found north of the Mountain of Frozen Souls, which is located in the very south of the Hernand region near the ocean. Look for the small rock shown above and Stab it to enter the Dawn Cave. You'll find the Hollow Visage inside. This is the same technique used to get the Survivor's Solitude later.
• Why it's good: Strong attack and speed, and with 3 Refinement slots. Hollow Visage is another very easy-to-obtain and solid one-handed sword to obtain.

4. Melted Ambition

Another strong weapon, and one with a unique Abyss Craft in Groundsurge.

• Source: Defeat Myurdin during the Decisive Battle (Chapter 7).
• Why it's good: Another strong one-handed weapon with Groundsurge Abyss Gear, making it a unique option. It's also very easy to obtain as you play.

5. Survivor’s Solitude

Survivor's Solitude is a great early-game weapon; while it's a little out of the way, it does feature Critical Strike. We have a full Survivor's Solitude guide.

• Source: Death’s Grip Cavern (behind the waterfall), North of Lake Kharonso.
• Why it's good: Boasting a massive 21 ATK, this is widely considered the best pure one-handed sword for critical hit builds.

6. Nazk Sword

A slightly harder-to-obtain weapon, just due to how far away it is. However, it's a strong weapon that's fairly easy to get once you get to the location.

• Source: Found in the Church of Deleysia, in the Deleysia region, inside the main city.
• Puzzle: Light the two candles and stand on the platform. Press the button to go up the elevator and open the chest to loot the sword on the floor above.
• Why it's good: A powerhouse with high base damage. It is favoured by players who prefer a traditional, heavy-hitting knight aesthetic.

7. Legionary's Gladius

A good option just due to how early you can get it. The Gladius sword is also a very good-looking weapon, being inspired by the Roman swords of the same name.

• Source: Located in a cave to your right as you cross the first bridge at the start of the game (the cave is North on the map). You can walk around the ridge to get to the cave.
• Puzzle: You need to light the two candles in front of the cave door to open it.
• Why it's good: The main reason is that you can get it at the very start of the game. In fact, that screenshot above is the first screenshot we ever took in the game. The sword is also very cool looking, and while "transmog" isn't a thing in Crimson Desert, you can upgrade this Gladius a lot to make it competitive.

8. The Tauria Curved Sword

Arguably the best early game weapon in Crimson Desert, the Tauria Curved Sword is given to players for completing Chapter 5 and defeating the Crowcaller boss fight.

• Source: Given as a reward for the Crowcaller boss fight in Chapter 5.
• Why it's good: Arguably one of the best early-game weapons in Crimson Desert, the Tauria Curved sword has a unique Abyss Craft (Crow's Pursuit). This Abyss Craft adds a ranged "Crow" attack to your heavy attacks, making it one of the best dual-whield weapons in the game. The only downside is that the Tauria Curved Sword is not the fastest one-handed sword, so pair it up with a much faster sword.

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