Holy Moonlight Sword: Ludwig Reward and Build
Get the Holy Moonlight Sword in The Old Hunters and understand its physical and arcane forms.
The Holy Moonlight Sword is an Old Hunters weapon obtained from Ludwig’s head after the fight in the Underground Corpse Pile. Its transformed form adds arcane attacks, including ranged light waves. It suits a build that can use both its physical and arcane sides; check the specific mode before choosing gems.
On this page
How to obtain it
Progress through The Old Hunters to Ludwig. After the battle, speak to his head in the Underground Corpse Pile; the captured weapon guide describes using church attire for the conversation. Because the source also contains a disputed missability warning, this page does not claim a later cutoff is confirmed.
Understand the two modes
The untransformed sword has a physical moveset; the transformed mode adds arcane effects and projectile attacks. A Strength/Arcane approach can use both, but damage depends on upgrade level, gems, attack and enemy defenses. Do not infer that every swing is purely Arcane.
If the reward did not appear
Return to Ludwig’s arena and check the head and dialogue. The captured sources do not independently verify every failure branch or a guaranteed recovery after all later DLC events, so avoid acting on an unconfirmed “missable” claim without checking your save.
Confirm the reward after Ludwig
The collected GameSpot guide describes speaking to Ludwig’s remaining head after the fight, then collecting the Holy Moonlight Sword. If you do not see the reward, revisit that room and check the interaction before assuming the weapon drops elsewhere. The same narration shows the transformed light-wave attack; check the written weapon entry for its exact costs.
A GameSpot guide to the reward after Ludwig and the transformed attack. Consult the written weapon reference for exact attack costs.
GameSpot · Source / open if playback failsThe footage and applicable version have not been fully verified. Use the sourced text answer for confirmed steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Holy Moonlight Sword a base-game weapon?
No. Its normal acquisition is in The Old Hunters after Ludwig.
Should I use only Arcane?
The weapon has physical and arcane behavior that differs by form and attack; inspect the moveset and scaling.