The consensus best all-purpose weapon in The Blood of Dawnwalker is the Imbued Sword of St. Mihai, a Legendary greatsword that has to be reforged and then imbued before it reaches full strength. The best early pick is Durandal. But the more useful thing to understand is why the biggest damage number is usually the wrong pick.
Damage Is Not the Whole Picture
Swords carry a base damage value, and the top of that table looks clear enough: the Imbued Sword of St. Mihai at 78, The Kingslayer at 73, Durandal at 66.
What those numbers leave out is everything that actually decides fights. Weapon effects, stamina cost per swing, crit rate, bonus damage against supernatural enemies, and how a weapon interacts with your Swordmastery, Vampirism or Witchcraft perks all matter more across a full fight than a handful of base damage. A lower-damage sword that cuts stamina cost can out-perform a heavier one in a long duel where you are perfect-blocking constantly.
Swords are also usable at any time of day, unlike claws, which is a large part of why sword builds stay reliable.
The Imbued Sword of St. Mihai
This is a two-stage acquisition rather than a pickup. It comes from the quest A Monk and a Saint: you obtain the sword in a broken state, reforge it, and then imbue it to unlock its full Legendary potential. Players describe it carrying four effects, strong anti-supernatural stats, elevated crit rate and damage, and a weapon art built around spinning strikes that knock down nearby enemies.
If you stop after the reforge and never imbue it, you do not have the weapon people are talking about.
Durandal, the Early Legendary
Durandal is the safer first target and the one that will carry you through the mid-game. It is found west of Briar Sloughs, with players reporting a level requirement around 11, bonus damage against supernatural enemies, and reduced stamina cost on both attacks and dodges.
That stamina reduction is the part worth caring about. In a combat system built on blocking and countering, stamina efficiency converts directly into more counters per fight.
Names You Will See, With Less Certainty
The Kingslayer is confirmed as a Unique weapon at 73 damage, though where it comes from is not well documented. The Vrakhir, The Purge and the early Long Cleaver all get named across guides without reliable acquisition details. If a guide tells you exactly where to find these, check whether it can show its work, because the game’s weapon tables list hundreds of weapons by name and damage without saying where any of them are found.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best sword in the game?
The Imbued Sword of St. Mihai, obtained broken from A Monk and a Saint, then reforged and imbued.
What is the best early weapon?
Durandal, found west of Briar Sloughs, largely for its reduced stamina cost on attacks and dodges.
Does the highest damage sword win?
Not usually. Effects, stamina efficiency, crit bonuses and perk synergies matter more across a fight than base damage.
Can I use swords at night?
Yes. Swords work in both forms, which is why Swordmastery is the most broadly useful tree. See our best perks guide.