With so many weapons to choose from in Dead Cells, players can come up with a tremendous number of builds. This adds tons of replay value to an already excellent roguelike adventure. Though, with so many options, it can be tough to narrow down which ones are the best for the majority of one's travels across the tainted island.
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Fans of swords (due to how cool they are!) have a veritable arsenal from which to select the finest of blades. However, most don't scale too well once players get to later areas, meaning that there are a few swords that stand out as particularly viable for melee-oriented builds.
These swords represent the best balance between damage output and speed, which results in high damage per second (DPS) and impressive critical hit mechanics. Along with handy and devastating effects, these qualities make the following blades worth wielding.
Updated on August 8, 2021, by Reyadh Rahaman: Depending on a player's preferences, different swords may seem more desirable for an intended build, though, it is important for gamers to not invest their time into inferior blades, or to even stick with an average one for too long, as being able to slay foes fast is of vital importance in this action-packed sidescroller.
Always think strategically about which secondary weapons have the best synergy with one's chosen blade, as well as about optimal powers or grenades to maximize the effectiveness of the player's attacks.
10 Seismic Strike
Seismic Strike Base DPS (Critical DPS) – 130 (Cannot Perform Critical Hits)
Seismic Strike Scaling – Survival
Seismic Strike Unlock Cost – 100 Cells
Seismic Strike Location
Can be dropped by bombers with a 2% chance.
Tips On Using The Seismic Strike
Slower than many other swords, Seismic Strike is more about planning an attack and trapping enemies than it is about hurting foes by itself. The lack of critical hit potential makes the damage output of this blade lackluster, especially since its 3-hit combo takes 1.91 seconds to unleash; rather slow for a sword.
However, on the 1st and 3rd strikes of its combo, players will simultaneously cause spikes to emerge from the ground to trap enemies by rooting them. This effect is more important than the damage of Seismic Strike, so be sure to use this sword for a root-themed build.
9 Balanced Blade
Balanced Blade Base DPS (Critical DPS) – 147 (230)
Balanced Blade Scaling – Brutality
Balanced Blade Unlock Cost – No Cost
Balanced Blade Location
Available from the beginning of each run after meeting certain criteria.
Tips On Using The Balanced Blade
With one of the longest combos out of any sword, the Balanced Blade can unleash a string of 6 attacks in 1.46 seconds, which sets it as one of the faster blades in the game and grants it potential as a great weapon to spam in early parts of many runs.
Appropriately, the Balanced Blade's effect is that it gains attack after each hit that lands on a target, meaning that sustained assaults will result in higher and higher DPS to a max of +90% base damage. Although the critical multiplayer is not very high, the passive buff to base damage more than makes up for it, however, needing to land many hits constantly will leave players open to enemy attacks, which can be devastating in the later parts of runs with stronger foes.
8 Oiled Sword
Oiled Sword Base DPS (Critical DPS) – 127 (165)
Oiled Sword Scaling – Brutality
Oiled Sword Unlock Cost – 25 Cells
Oiled Sword Location
Can be dropped by bats with a 1.7% chance.
Tips On Using The Oiled Sword
This dripping blade's combo consists of 2 fast strikes that occur in 0.71 seconds; pretty fast. While this does not validate the low base DPS by itself, the fact that the Oiled Sword pairs very well with the many fire weapons and powers in the game makes it very good in the early parts of a run.
Attacks with this weapon deal guaranteed critical hits if foes are on fire, which can be done very easily since the Oiled Sword slathers those struck with slick and flammable oil. Sadly, the critical damage multiplier for this sword is rather low, which makes it unsuitable past the midway part of most runs.
7 Rapier
Rapier Base DPS (Critical DPS) – 106 (268)
Rapier Scaling – Brutality
Rapier Unlock Cost – 40 Cells
Rapier Location
Can be dropped by scorpions with a 0.4% chance.
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Tips On Using The Rapier
This is a weapon for the truly swift, as the Rapier is capable of unleashing a flurry of 4 blows in 0.85 seconds. While each individual strike is relatively weak, being able to thrust rapidly and repeatedly can be enough to take down wimpier foes quickly and possibly stagger larger threats.
The true reason to use the Rapier, however, is its massive critical hit multiplier, which more than doubles the DPS. Guaranteed critical hits can be gained by rolling or parrying immediately before attacking. For more agile and skilled players, this can be a devastating weapon.
6 Frantic Sword
Frantic Sword DPS (Critical DPS) – 137 (285)
Frantic Sword Scaling – Brutality
Frantic Sword Unlock Cost – 25 Cells
Frantic Sword Location
Can be dropped by kamikazes with a 0.4% chance.
Tips On Using The Frantic Sword
Being able to perform 5 strikes in 1.71 seconds is a sufficiently fast combo, albeit not at the speed of some other swords. However, the Frantic Sword's main usage point is the fact that the player is guaranteed to do critical hits when they have less than 50% health, more than 50% malaise, or both.
Possessing a significant critical hit multiplier is also a great boon for anyone seeking to use this sword, though, this is one meant for specific builds that plan on combining other factors that activate when one has low health or high malaise, which prevents the Frantic Sword from being truly useful for most generalized builds.
5 Spite Sword
Spite Sword DPS (Critical DPS) – 144 (255)
Spite Sword Scaling – Brutality
Spite Sword Unlock Cost – 30 Cells
Spite Sword Location
Can be dropped by buzzcutters with a 0.3% chance.
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Tips On Using The Spite Sword
With a 4-hit combo that can be performed over 1.35 seconds, the Spite Sword comes with a relatively average attack speed for a sword. The critical multiplier is rather common as well, though, don't let this dissuade one from trying out this sinister blade.
Critical hits are assured if the player took a hit from an enemy less than 8 seconds ago or if the player is cursed. While the latter is not advised, the former can be abused fairly easily with certain mutations that can allow one to recover health lost from an enemy attack quickly and do greater damage for a time. Furthermore, players don't even need to take full damage to activate the Spite Sword's effect, as blocking with a shield also triggers it for a more sustainable way to unleash a ton of crits.
4 Broadsword
Broadsword DPS (Critical DPS) – 164 (273)
Broadsword Scaling – Survival
Broadsword Unlock Cost – 20 Cells
Broadsword Location
Guaranteed to be found on the dead body of the Tutorial Knight in the Prisoners' Quarters.
Tips On Using The Broadsword
With a combo composed of 3 slow strikes over the span of 2.25 seconds, the Broadsword is one of the slower swords, though is an effective heavy weapon for a variety of builds taking the Survival character progression path (either fully or partially) thanks to having a relatively quick attack speed compared to large hammers and maces.
This solid balance of power and speed are made even more potent by the fact that every 2nd and 3rd strike in this weapon's combos are guaranteed to be critical hits, which get a boost from a respectable critical damage multiplier.
3 Hattori's Katana
Hattori's Katana DPS (Critical DPS) – 176 (266)
Hattori's Katana Scaling – Brutality
Hattori's Katana Unlock Cost – 60 Cells
Hattori's Katana Location
Can be dropped by weirded warriors with a 1.7% chance.
Tips On Using Hattori's Katana
Despite katanas in most games being known for their superior speed when compared to many other types of swords, in Dead Cells, Hattori's Katana comes with a slightly less than average attack speed in its 4-hit combo that extends over 1.9 seconds.
However, this blade's true speed is in the maneuverability that it grants its wielder, as holding down the attack button will allow the player to dash through enemies while simultaneously slashing them with a blow that is assured to be a critical hit. This is backed up by a decent critical damage multiplier for both a versatile and powerful attack that also lets one dodge at the same time.
2 Meat Skewer
Meat Skewer DPS (Critical DPS) – 181 (281)
Meat Skewer Scaling – Brutality
Meat Skewer Unlock Cost – 60 Cells
Meat Skewer Location
Successfully complete Daily Runs 10 times.
Tips On Using The Meat Skewer
With a swift combo of 3 strikes performed in 0.72 seconds, players will be capable of high burst damage. Along with a solid critical multiplier, the Meat Skewer can truly let players impale the opposition easily.
The moveset for this thrusting sword is novel and allows for a ton of evasive maneuvers while naturally attacking, making it ideal for aggressive warriors. The 1st attack of the 3-hit combo allows one to lunge forward to pierce through enemies and appear behind them, allowing for the next 2 hits to be guaranteed critical blows resulting in huge damage.
1 Cursed Sword
Cursed Sword DPS (Critical DPS) – 553 (Cannot Perform Critical Hits)
Cursed Sword Scaling – Brutality
Cursed Sword Unlock Cost – 50 Cells
Cursed Sword Location
Guaranteed to be dropped from Conjunctivius after the 2nd time they are defeated.
Tips On Using The Cursed Sword
Packing a quick combo of 3 strikes that occurs over 0.76 seconds makes the Cursed Sword one of the faster blades players can acquire. It cannot perform critical hits, however, it doesn't really need to with an absolutely monstrous base DPS that totally eclipses even the critical DPS stats of the best weapons in the game.
The catch is that if the player is hit directly, even once, they will die immediately. Using a shield and liberal amounts of freezing effects to block and slow down threats can alleviate a lot of the danger when facing conventional foes, however, the only thing that can truly protect the player from death while holding the Cursed Sword is fast reflexes.
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