The Reed Great Katana is one of the six new weapons added to Elden Ring with the Tarnished Edition content and patch 1.17, and it is the only Great Katana that sits in the base map rather than the Realm of Shadow. No boss stands between you and it, which is why it has become such a common early pickup for fresh characters.
Quick answer: Fast travel to the Fort Faroth Site of Grace in Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow, ride west-northwest to the giant white skull mound beside the paralyzed Elder Dragon Greyoll, climb it on Torrent, and loot the corpse at the very top.
Reed Great Katana stats and requirements
It behaves like the rest of the Great Katana class. Slash and Pierce damage, a long reach, and passive blood loss that stacks quickly because the moveset swings fast for its size. Scaling starts at D in both Strength and Dexterity, and the weapon takes standard Smithing Stones.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Weapon class | Great Katana |
| Damage type | Slash / Pierce |
| Attack power | 158 Physical |
| Critical | 100 |
| Guard boost | 33 |
| Passive | Blood loss buildup (55) |
| Weight | 10.0 |
| Skill | Overhead Stance |
| FP cost | 8 (light) / 10 (heavy) |
| Scaling | Str D, Dex D |
| Requirements | Str 18, Dex 16 |
Note: the weapon only appears on that corpse if you own the Tarnished Edition content. On a save without it, the spot is empty.
Where the Reed Great Katana is in Caelid
The pickup sits in Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow, on top of the enormous white skull-shaped mound just north of Fort Faroth. That is the same mound Elder Dragon Greyoll is slumped against. Greyoll is paralyzed and cannot attack, so you can ride right past her legs without a fight, and the smaller dragons lying in the field nearby stay put as long as you keep moving.
The mound is rocky and covered in barnacle-like growths, and it is climbable on Torrent from the side closest to the dragon. The corpse holding the weapon rests at the peak, in plain sight once you reach the flat top.
Route from the Fort Faroth Site of Grace
There are two other ways in if you are coming from elsewhere. You can enter Caelid through the Dragon-Burnt Ruins and travel east, or use the spiritspring near the base of the Minor Erdtree to leap up and approach the mound from behind.
Reaching Dragonbarrow on a brand new character
You can do this run within minutes of leaving the Chapel of Anticipation, because nothing on the path has to be killed. The catch is that everything in Caelid will one-shot a low-level character, so the whole trip is about outrunning enemies rather than fighting them.
Overhead Stance and swapping the Ash of War
Overhead Stance comes on the weapon by default and is the same skill the Realm of Shadow Great Katana uses. You raise the blade above your head, then a light attack steps forward into a single downward slash, while a heavy attack chains into a series of overhead slams. Both versions do heavy stance damage, which sets up critical ripostes.
Because this is a standard weapon rather than a unique one, you can infuse it and replace the skill at any Site of Grace. The Great Katana class accepts a wide pool of Ashes of War, including Lion’s Claw, Piercing Fang, Bloodhound’s Step, Wild Strikes, Seppuku, and Hoarfrost Stomp.
How to confirm you got it, and why the corpse might be empty
The pickup prompt reads Reed Great Katana, and the item drops straight into your inventory. Open the equipment menu and you should see it listed with 158 physical attack, Str D and Dex D scaling, and blood loss buildup (55) under passive effects. If those numbers show up, you have the right weapon.
If there is nothing on the mound to interact with, the cause is almost always that the save is not running the Tarnished Edition content and patch 1.17. Without it, the weapon does not spawn at this location at all.
Once it is in hand, the only barrier left is the stat floor. At Str 18 and Dex 16, most melee builds can equip it far earlier than the Realm of Shadow version, which is the entire reason this pickup is worth the sprint through Caelid.
