In this Shadow of the Erdtree Messmer Spear Build, I’m going to be showing you my Fire Knight Impaler build. This is a build that uses Spear of the Impaler. This is an absolutely fantastic weapon, one of my favorites so far. And you get this weapon by defeating Messmer the Impaler and using his Remembrance back in Roundtable Hold.

Elden Ring Messmer Spear Build – Fire Knight Impaler

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Spear of the Knight build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a fire build that deals tremendous damage to all enemies alike, then you might want to check this build-out.

• Class: Any
• Flask Spread: Equal Charges
• Main Weapon: Spear of the Impaler
• Off-Hand Weapon: Erdtree Seal or Fire Knight’s Seal
• Shield: N/A
• Armor: Winged Serpent Helm, Fire Knight Armor, Fire Knight Gauntlets, Fire Knight Greaves
• Talismans: Bull-Goat’s Talisman, Shard of Alexander, Fire Scorpion Charm, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman
• Alternate Talismans: Axe Talisman, Smithing Talisman, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia or Millicent’s Prosthesis, Two-Handed Sword Talisman
• Primary Stats: Faith, Vigor, Dexterity
• Secondary Stats: Mind, Endurance
• Skills: Messmer’s Assault
• Spells: Golden Vow, Flame Grant me Strength
• Crystal Tear: Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear, Opaline Hardtear
• Great Runes: Godrick’s Great Rune or Radahn’s Great Rune

We have over 110 Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

Elden Ring Messmer Spear Build – Fire Knight Impaler: Equipment

The Spear of the Impaler is a fantastic Great Spear weapon that deals both physical and fiery damage. Depending on your stat allocation, it can have more fire damage than physical. The weapon scales with Dexterity and Faith, with Dexterity generally scaling a bit better.

However, Faith impacts the fire damage of the weapon’s skill, and since the first attack of the weapon’s skill is entirely fire damage, I prefer to prioritize Faith slightly over Dexterity. You’ll still need a good amount of Dexterity to wield the weapon. Additionally, although I haven’t done it here, you could prioritize Faith even more when leveling up to increase incantation scaling if you want to mix incantations with this weapon. My focus has been on maximizing the damage from the weapon’s skill and the weapon itself. Optimizing for Messmer Flame spells, Talismans, and attributes would require very high levels, around 200 or 250, for full optimization.

Now, let’s talk about Messmer’s Assault, the weapon’s skill. This skill is incredibly deadly. The first input performs a fire sweeping attack, the second input executes a series of pokes, and the third input leaps and plunges the spear into the ground, creating an AoE of spears and swords that deals massive damage. These three inputs are separate button presses, allowing you to stop the chain at any time for longer or shorter combos depending on the boss you’re fighting. This flexibility is great since many combos lock you in.

One aspect I love about this weapon skill, which might be overlooked, is that the fire sweep from the first press deals significant damage at a good range. During boss fights or when facing groups of enemies, I’ll often use just one button press. This conserves FP and often kills enemies outright. In boss fights, you sometimes only have time for one button press before getting knocked out of the combo. Learn to use this skill effectively, especially when unlocked, to aim at multiple enemies simultaneously. As an added bonus, this weapon skill is very effective against finger enemies.

Additionally, you can throw the Spear of the Impaler with an R2 or charged heavy attack, launching it a decent distance. A fully charged heavy attack detonates on impact, dropping magma and dealing damage over time. I haven’t built around this mechanic, but it can be useful. The Smithing Talisman and Axe Talisman work with this weapon, enhancing its throwing capabilities. However, the damage drops off significantly with distance, which can be a drawback. Despite this, it can be useful in boss fights for ranged damage, especially against large targets like dragons.

For armor, I use the Fire Knight Armor, Gauntlets, Greaves and the Winged Serpent Helmet. The Winged Serpent Helmet enhances Fire Knight skills by 10%, boosting Messmer’s Assault.

However, this setup only provides 41 poise, so I slot the Bull-Goat’s Talisman to reach the 51 poise breakpoint, preventing frequent stagger from enemy attacks. If you’re min-maxing, you might choose other armor pieces to achieve the poise requirement, but I love the style of this armor and opted for the talisman instead.

Elden Ring Messmer Spear Build – Fire Knight Impaler: Talismans

When it comes to Talismans for this build, I’m currently using the Erdtree’s Favor because I’m only utilizing Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength since the weapon deals both physical and fire damage. Flame, Grant Me Strength is a fantastic spell.

Golden Vow is excellent for boosting both damage and defenses and has a long duration, so I typically use it while exploring dungeons. I save Flame, Grant Me Strength for boss encounters. If you want to focus more on an incantation build, prioritizing Faith and using the Fire Knight’s Seal alongside some Messmer Spells could be beneficial. The Fire Knight’s Seal boosts Messmer Flame incantation damage, which works well with the armor piece we’re using, as it increases the damage of Messmer Incantations. However, you’ll need higher Faith to see significant benefits.

For other talismans, I have Shard of Alexander. This is essential to increase the damage of Messmer’s Assault. It’s a no-brainer since we use this skill frequently.

Fire Scorpion Charm boosts fire damage significantly, which is crucial since the build deals over 50% fire damage and the first input of the weapon skill is pure fire.

Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman provides additional protection, which is necessary due to the vulnerability from using the Fire Scorpion Charm. This setup offers a good balance of offense and defense.

Alternative talismans include Axe Talisman, which increases the damage of charged heavy attacks when throwing the spear, as does the Smithing Talisman. If you find yourself using this attack often, either talisman could be beneficial.

Rotten Winged Sword Insignia or Millicent’s Prosthesis are also good for this build since you need quite a bit of Dexterity for this weapon. Millicent’s Prosthesis provides additional Dexterity and boosts attack power from the poke sequence of Messmer’s Assault. However, I found the Fire Scorpion Charm to be more reliable for consistent damage.

Lastly, the Two-Fingers Heirloom can be used to boost melee attack damage when two-handing the weapon, though it doesn’t enhance the weapon skill.

Elden Ring Messmer Spear Build – Fire Knight Impaler: Recommended Attributes Distribution

Attribute-wise, for this build, I have 50 Vigor, 26 Mind, 25 Endurance, 14 Strength, 35 Dexterity, 16 Intelligence, 60 Faith, and 9 Arcane. You don’t need any Intelligence or Arcane; I was an Astrologer, so you can disregard those. The 14 Strength is solely to meet the weapon requirements.

50 Vigor is typical for builds at this level, and you’ll likely want to increase it to 55 or 60 eventually. There’s a significant drop-off in benefits starting at 60, with a mild drop-off at 55, so aiming for 55 is a good idea.

26 Mind provides enough FP to buff and use weapon skills frequently. If you use the first input on trash mobs often, you’ll conserve more FP. However, if you use the full combo frequently, you might want more Mind. If you level this build higher, consider increasing Mind to around 35 for easier FP management. Golden Vow is also FP-intensive, which contributes to the need for more Mind.

This weapon scales well with both Dexterity and Faith, with Dexterity slightly ahead in terms of damage. Faith increases fire damage, which is beneficial for the first attack that deals fire damage, so I have higher Faith. I also experimented with incantations, which require around 80 Faith for effective use. If you want to incorporate incantations, aim for 80 Faith to maximize their damage. If you don’t care about incantations, prioritize Dexterity, increasing it to 50-60. Eventually, you can take both Dexterity and Faith up to 80 for optimal weapon performance.

Endurance at 25 is enough for a medium roll with this setup, but more stamina would be beneficial. The combo and charged heavy attacks with the spear consume a lot of stamina. Consider increasing Endurance to 30 or 35 if you continue leveling this build to ensure you have enough stamina for sustained combat.

Elden Ring Messmer Spear Build – Fire Knight Impaler: Final Tips

For the Flask of Wondrous Physick, I use the Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear. This increases fire damage, enhancing the damage of the first sweep and subsequent attacks since our melee attacks also deal significant fire damage. Additionally, I include the Opaline Hardtear for further damage negation. Alternatively, you could use a stamina recovery tear, which might make this build easier to play from a stamina perspective.

Regarding Great Runes, you could use Godrick’s Great Rune since you utilize six out of the eight stats, although Strength only needs to be 14, so it’s more like five out of the eight stats. Another option is Radahn’s Great Rune, which provides more HP, stamina, and FP—all beneficial for this build and likely the best choice.

That wraps up my Fire Knight Impaler build. I hope you enjoyed this one—it’s a ton of fun to play, and the weapon is absolutely outstanding. You can expect to see other Fire Knight builds in the future, perhaps not in the next couple of builds, but I plan to explore other Fire Knight weapons as well. I’d love to hear what other builds you want to see. Your suggestions help me decide what to do next. As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree so stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check the Elden Ring Map.

The post Elden Ring Messmer Spear Build – Fire Knight Impaler (Shadow of the Erdtree Guide) appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Shadow of the Erdtree Guide, we’re going to discuss the game’s difficulty—a hot topic right now. With Calibration Patch 1.12.2 just released, the game has become slightly easier, especially for new players. While the changes aren’t drastic, they do make a noticeable difference. In this guide, I’ll cover these updates, explore additional ways to ease your gameplay experience and share my thoughts on the overall difficulty of Shadow of the Erdtree.

Patch 1.12.2’s Calibration

The calibration update has made a few notable changes. Firstly, the maximum damage you can deal has been increased from 2 times to 2.05 times, effectively a 5% raise in damage cap. Additionally, the damage reduction you receive from Scadutree Fragments has been adjusted. Previously, the cap was at 50% damage negation, but now it’s around 51.3%, giving you an extra percent or so of damage negation. While this increase might seem minor, it significantly impacts the early game.

The curve for damage increase and damage reduction with Scadutree Fragments is now stronger at the beginning. Before, it was linear, with incremental increases of 5% per level. Now, using just two Scadutree Fragments increases your damage dealt by 10%, a substantial jump from the previous 5%. At level 3 of Scadutree Fragments, you now deal 125% damage, whereas before, you would need to be at level 5 to reach that. At level 7, you now deal 150% damage, compared to the previous 135%.

This calibration seems to be based on data showing that players struggled significantly at the beginning of the DLC. From my pre-release experience, I can attest that the game is quite challenging when you first start. Enemies hit incredibly hard, bosses are tougher, and the learning curve is steep. Once you adapt and tweak your build, it becomes manageable. However, it’s easy to see why players, even those who felt prepared, might struggle initially in Shadow of the Erdtree.

Overall, I think this change was a smart move. While it may not solve all the balancing issues in the DLC, it is definitely a step in the right direction. It’s unusual for FromSoftware to adjust based on player feedback; they typically rely on data they gather for their balancing patches rather than directly listening to the masses. This departure from the norm is interesting to see.

The Importance of Scadutree Fragments

The Scadutree Fragment system used to balance the Shadow of the Erdtree area works but isn’t perfect. As mentioned in our review, character progression in this DLC feels heavily tied to gathering Scadutree Fragments rather than finding new gear, Ashes of War, weapons, or talismans. These elements are crucial to your build, but without collecting Scadutree Fragments, even the best weapons and spells can feel ineffective against certain bosses. This shifts the focus of progression.

The intention was likely to ensure that all equipment gathered in the DLC remains viable outside of it without making the base game too easy with overpowered gear. FromSoftware’s design philosophy aims to make every weapon viable, as seen in our weapon series. They avoid the typical RPG progression from weaker to stronger weapons (e.g., Iron Sword to Silver Sword to Gold Sword) because doing so would imbalance the base game.

This system works to some extent, though it may not be the ideal solution. Balancing powerful DLC items for use in the base game without overpowering it is a tough challenge. Creating a perfect system is nearly impossible—either you end up with items that dominate the base game or a progression system in the DLC that feels suboptimal. Nonetheless, the current system is a compromise that allows DLC items to be used in the base game while maintaining some level of challenge.

Every boss in the DLC is quite challenging. While the reused ones are less difficult, there are still numerous tough encounters. For new players, this can be overwhelming. However, there are a few strategies beyond picking up Scadutree Fragments that can help. By the way, we have the locations of all Scadutree Fragments on the wiki, and many are relatively easy to gather. If you’re struggling in an area, consider riding around to collect these fragments to make your journey smoother.

Leveling and Gearing up

Another key strategy is leveling up. Many players, including myself, have builds around level 150, as this has been the meta in Elden Ring for a while. However, I believe the meta in the DLC will likely increase to around 175 or 200. If you haven’t been leveling up, start doing so. Ensure your vigor is at least 55 or 60, as vigor benefits drop off significantly past 60, so there’s no need to go higher.

Continue to level your damage-dealing stats and look for weapons with good multi-stat scaling. Elden Ring features many weapons that never reach their full potential in one playthrough but excel in New Game Plus, where you can gain more stats. The DLC effectively acts as a New Game Plus, allowing you to fight tougher enemies and gain more levels. Look out for weapons that scale well with multiple stats to maximize your damage.

By collecting Scadutree Fragments, leveling up appropriately, and choosing the right weapons, you can better manage the challenges presented in the DLC. This preparation can make a significant difference in your overall experience.

Conversely, you might want to avoid weapons with only single-stat scaling or those with poor secondary stat scaling, like an E rating. As you reach higher levels, it’s crucial to keep increasing your damage to keep up with the DLC’s challenges. For example, if you have a weapon that only scales with dexterity and you max out dexterity at 80, gaining only 10 more attack rating up to 99 isn’t efficient. This setup won’t optimize your build for higher levels like 200.

Instead, look for weapons that scale with multiple stats, such as dexterity and strength. Even if strength has a lower scaling than dexterity, increasing your strength to 50 after maxing out dexterity at 80 will still yield more damage. There are many weapons with excellent multi-stat scaling, so if you’re struggling, consider switching to one of these options. If you’re not having trouble, then sticking with your current weapon is fine. But for those finding it tough, changing to a weapon with better stat scaling can make a significant difference.

Lastly, I believe talismans are crucial for increasing your strength in the DLC. There are many new talismans that boost damage, and they can be stacked with others like the Shard of Alexander or Rotten Winged Sword Insignia. For example, the new Smithing Talisman enhances thrown weapon attacks, and these can be further boosted by the Axe Talisman if the weapons use charged attacks. This double-stacking can significantly increase your damage output. Similarly, Rellana’s Cameo increases damage if you hold a stance for a second or two, and stacking it with Shard of Alexander can enhance your damage even more. Leveraging these talismans effectively is a great way to maximize your damage.

Final Thoughts Regarding The DLC

Before wrapping up, I want to share my thoughts on the DLC’s difficulty. During pre-release testing, I managed to complete the DLC with minimal changes to my build. I only swapped a talisman and changed my Ash of War from Lion’s Claw to Savage Lion’s Claw. I didn’t level up and relied on my Mimic Tear summon to get through most bosses. Despite being pressed for time, I found that having a decent build made the bosses manageable.

FromSoftware games often hinge on player knowledge. The wikis are popular because they compile essential information that players might not discover on their own, even after thousands of hours of gameplay. I have nearly 2,500 hours in Elden Ring and still learn new things daily, often from community contributions to the wiki. This collective knowledge can significantly reduce the game’s difficulty. For example, knowing that a specific boss is weak to bleed can make that encounter much easier if your build exploits that weakness. Similarly, discovering a consumable item that works exceptionally well against a boss can turn a previously unbeatable challenge into a straightforward fight.

There are numerous elements in Elden Ring and FromSoftware games that can make initial impressions of difficulty misleading. As more information becomes available over the next month or two, players will likely find ways to “cheese” many of the bosses, just like in the base game. Overall, I’m pleased with the changes FromSoftware has implemented. It’s too early to definitively state whether Elden Ring is too difficult. As a Souls veteran, I find the difficulty just about right. Other experienced players might feel it’s borderline too hard, but still within acceptable limits. If you can beat Sekiro, this shouldn’t feel harder, especially since Sekiro lacked the option for co-op assistance. In Elden Ring, you can have other players with well-developed builds help you with tough bosses. In Sekiro, victory required mastering the mechanics without any external help.

Another important aspect to consider is the summoning system. Players can place their summon sign down, get summoned to help others with a boss, and use these opportunities to learn boss mechanics without risking their own character. This is a valuable learning tool that shouldn’t be overlooked.

So that wraps up our guide on Calibration Patch 1.12.2. I hope you all are enjoying the DLC. I want to hear your thoughts on this patch. How do you find the difficulty of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC? Is it too hard, just right, or too easy? Share your opinions in the comments below!

The post Is Shadow of the Erdtree TOO HARD? How to mange Elden Ring Difficulty appeared first on Fextralife.

In the Elden Ring Dragon Incantation Build, I’m going to be showing you my Dragon God Guide. This build focuses on the use of Dragon Communion spells and utilizes a new item called Rock Heart to further boost the damage of these spells.

Elden Ring Dragon Incantation Build – Dragon God

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Dragon Communion Spell build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a Arcane build for Shadow of the Erdtree that wrecks and makes quick work of enemy bosses then you might want to check this build-out.

• Class: Any
• Flask Spread: Equal Charges
• Main Weapon: Dragon Communion Seal, Bloodfiend’s Fork
• Item/s: Rock Heart
• Shield: N/A
• Armor: N/A
• Talismans: Blue Dancer Charm, Crusade Insignia, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman
• Alternate Talismans: Blessed Blue Dew Talisman, Roar Medallion, Flock’s Canvas Talisman
• Primary Stats: Arcane, Vigor, Mind
• Secondary Stats: Faith, Endurance
• Skills: Sword Dance or Braggart’s Roar
• Primary Spells: Golden Vow, Flame Grant me Strength, Ekzyke’s Decay, Rotten Breath, Dragonmaw
• Alternate Spells: Bayle’s Flame Lightning, Ghostflame Breath, Bayle’s Tyranny
• Crystal Tear: Opaline Hardtear, Opaline Bubbletear
• Great Runes: Godrick’s Great Rune or Radahn’s Great Rune

We have over 110 Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

Elden Ring Dragon Incantation Build – Dragon God: Overview

First, let’s discuss the Rock Heart. Rock Heart is a consumable item that you can use infinitely. To obtain this item, you need to find the Domain of Dragons Painting located in Shadow Keep. It’s not too far in; you just need to get past the Golden Hippopotamus boss, then go down the ladder and find it in a small room under a bridge area. Once you’ve found the painting, you’ll need to go up to the Jagged Peak area of the game. This means going through Dragon’s Pit, defeating the boss there, and then riding up to the mountain to find the spot shown in the painting. Once you do, you’ll have the Rock Heart item. This is a relatively easy item to get quickly if you know where to look. Our Shadow of the Erdtree Map can guide you there easily.

The way this item works is similar to other consumables, but you can’t use it while wearing armor. You’ll need to remove your armor to use it, and once you do, you’ll turn into a dragon. You’ll notice increased resistances and a flat 10% damage negation across all damage types. Additionally, this transformation weighs zero, providing 10% damage negation with no weight. This is particularly useful for builds that utilize the Blue Dancer Charm.

The Blue Dancer Charm boosts physical damage but requires low equip weights. While this may not be the most optimized for every build, it is worth considering for light builds using the Blue Dancer Charm. In dragon form, you can use the consumable again to grant yourself a one-minute buff that increases your Dragon Communion Incantation damage by 20%, significantly boosting your damage. This buff stacks with the Roar Medallion, which has been updated to boost Dragon Communion Seal and Dragon Communion spell damage as well. You’ll have multiple ways to enhance your damage.

From this point, you can take this build in a couple of different directions. I’ll explain my approach, but you could certainly do it differently. I focused on using the Dragon Communion Seal to cast my spells, increasing Arcane and Faith to meet the requirements for some spells, and went the Arcane route. This has its advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is that I don’t need to use another seal. If you go the Faith route and use the Dragon Communion Seal in your offhand, you’ll have higher incantation scaling for these spells, resulting in more damage.

Holding the Dragon Communion Seal in your offhand grants an extra damage boost. The downside is that I use a weapon and the Dragon Communion Seal while exploring, allowing me to cast spells with L1 or attack with R1 without swapping back and forth. This setup is convenient if you prefer not to manage your inventory constantly during combat. Additionally, I have a bleed weapon set to the occult affinity, benefiting from high Arcane. This way, I have high damage for Dragon Communion spells and a bleed option. If you go the Faith route, you likely won’t use a bleed weapon.

Elden Ring Dragon Incantation Build – Dragon God: Equipment

For this build, I’m using a new weapon called the Bloodfiend’s Fork. What I love about this weapon is that it’s very lightweight, has good reach, native blood loss buildup, and scales with Arcane when you switch to Occult. It offers decent blood loss buildup and damage, making it a reliable backup weapon.

Since this is primarily a caster build optimized for Dragon Communion spells, I’m not focusing on maximizing melee damage. If you prefer, you could choose a different weapon with more damage and weight, but I like the Bloodfiend’s Fork because its lightweight nature allows me to maintain a relatively low equip load, maximizing the benefits of the Blue Dancer Charm. Additionally, this weapon deals 100% physical damage.

The Ash of War you put on the weapon isn’t super important; you can pick any that you like. I find that Sword Dance works well, as it can typically kill an enemy in one use for a relatively low FP cost. Another option is Braggart’s Roar, which increases stamina recovery and damage. However, I’ve noticed it doesn’t boost your damage negation while in dragon form. This might be a bug, and if it’s patched to include damage negation in dragon form, it would be a solid choice. Essentially, you can choose any Ash of War that suits your playstyle.

In my offhand, I have the Dragon Communion Seal. If you were going the Faith route, you would likely use the Erdtree Seal in your main hand, the Dragon Communion Seal in your offhand, and your other weapon in your backup slot, casting from your main hand.

For armor, we’re not wearing any because of the Rock Heart. Since you can’t use armor with this item, there’s no need for it in this build.

Elden Ring Dragon Incantation Build – Dragon God: Talismans

When it comes to talismans for this build, there are several options to consider, but let’s start with the Blue Dancer Charm. This charm increases your damage based on how light your equip load is and only boosts physical damage. This applies to your spells that deal physical damage, which many Dragon Communion spells do, making it highly effective for this build.

The Rock Heart item doesn’t weigh anything, keeping us very lightweight. Spells like Ekzykes’ Decay, Dragonmaw, and Dragonclaw all benefit from this increased damage when you’re lightweight with the Blue Dancer Charm equipped. It boosts both your weapon attack damage and spell damage, which is really beneficial.

While you don’t have to use the Blue Dancer Charm for this build, it fits well because we’re already lightweight and many Dragon Communion spells deal physical damage. However, you can drop it if you prefer to focus on other types of dragon spells without worrying about physical damage.

I also use the Crusade Insignia, which boosts your damage by 15% for 20 seconds after you kill an enemy, refreshing each time you kill one. This applies to both melee attacks and spells, constantly enhancing your damage output.

Another useful talisman for exploration is the Blessed Blue Dew Talisman, which slowly replenishes your FP. This is great for an FP-hungry build, allowing you to use dragon spells regularly without worrying too much about FP management. However, I usually swap this out during boss fights.

For added protection, I use the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman. In dragon form, you have a default 10% damage negation, which is quite low, especially in the challenging DLC areas. The Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman boosts your physical protection by 18 or 19%, giving you about 28 or 29% physical damage negation. Combining this with Erdtree’s Favor and Golden Vow buffs, you get even more protection, making you quite resilient.

You might be wondering about the Roar Medallion. I do use it, typically during boss fights or in place of the Claw Talisman. The Roar Medallion won’t buff your weapon damage directly, but if you use Braggart’s Roar and have the Roar Medallion, your charged heavy attacks will deal more damage. This can be an effective strategy, especially in boss fights where the Claw Talisman might not be as useful.

The Flock’s Canvas Talisman is another good choice, increasing your spell damage. You can slot it in place of the Blessed Dew Talisman during boss fights for more spell power. Additionally, the Shard of Alexander can boost the damage of skills like Sword Dance, making it another viable option.

There are many talismans that work well for this build, and I suggest experimenting with them to find what suits your playstyle best. The setup I use has worked well for me, but feel free to adjust things during boss fights or other challenging encounters.

Elden Ring Dragon Incantation Build – Dragon God: Spells

For spells, we focus on Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength to boost our damage. Golden Vow also provides added protection, which is crucial for this build. Flame, Grant Me Strength boosts fire and physical damage. Although we don’t have fire spells in this build, it still enhances our physical spells, making it useful. I typically use Flame, Grant Me Strength only before boss fights, while Golden Vow is used more frequently alongside Rock Heart for consistent damage and protection.

The primary offensive spells in this build are Rotten Breath, Ekzykes’s Decay, and Dragonmaw. Rotten Breath is a weaker version of Ekzykes’s Decay, but it can be used from horseback, allowing you to apply Scarlet Rot while riding. This makes it valuable for maintaining mobility in certain fights. Ekzykes’s Decay is more powerful and can set Scarlet Rot early in boss fights, which is extremely helpful. It also deals physical damage, fitting well with our build.

Dragonmaw has several advantages: high burst damage, large hitboxes, and high stance damage, which can break an enemy’s stance after a few casts. Most importantly, it provides hyper armor, allowing you to cast without interruption, even when taking hits. This is critical since you have zero poise in this build. Dragonmaw‘s ability to maintain casting through attacks makes it essential for handling aggressive bosses.

We also consider other new dragon incantations:

Ghostflame Breath is a more FP-efficient version of Borealis’s Mist, offering similar frostbite buildup and slightly more damage. While we don’t use it in this build due to its focus on physical damage, it can be an excellent choice for magic damage builds.

Bayle’s Tyranny deals significant fire AOE damage with hyper armor, similar to Dragonmaw. Although it’s currently less optimal due to potential bugs, it could improve with future patches. It’s both a fire magma spell and a dragon communion spell, making it versatile for talisman boosts.

Bayle’s Flame Lightning combines fire, physical, and lightning damage, with a long-range claw attack. It can be used from further away than Dragonmaw and offers hyper armor. These spells, including Bayle’s Tyranny, have high arcane requirements, making them better suited for builds with significant arcane investment rather than faith.

Ultimately, Dragonmaw remains the most reliable for this build, but keeping an eye on future patches could reveal improvements to Bayle’s Tyranny and Bayle’s Flame Lightning, making them more competitive options.

Elden Ring Dragon Incantation Build – Dragon God: Recommended Attributes Distribution

For attributes at level 165 in this build, I have:

• 55 Vigor: Essential for health, especially with limited protection. You can increase this to 60 for more durability.
• 42 Mind: Provides ample FP for dragon communion spells, which are known for their high FP cost. More FP allows for longer spell casting.
• 25 Endurance: Mainly for stamina, which is needed for rolling and spell casting. You can lower this to 20 or 15 if you find you’re not running out of stamina often.
• 14 Strength and 12 Dexterity: These are to meet the weapon requirements. My weapon needs 14 Strength and 11 Dexterity, and I started with 12 Dexterity, so I couldn’t lower it further.
• 16 Intelligence: This is not necessary for the build and is a leftover from starting as an Astrologer.
• 30 Faith and 50 Arcane: These are crucial for using the dragon communion spells and achieving good scaling with the Dragon Communion Seal.

Initially, I aimed for 45 Arcane and 30 Faith to meet the requirements and get good scaling. Eventually, you’ll want to increase Arcane to 80 and then raise Faith for even better scaling with the Dragon Communion Seal.

If you prefer going the Faith route, you would aim for 80 Faith and only the minimum Arcane needed for the spells, leading to higher spell damage but a trickier setup.

Elden Ring Dragon Incantation Build – Dragon God: Final Tips

For the Flask of Wondrous Physick, I recommend using the Opaline Hardtear to boost protection since we are quite light on defense. This will help mitigate damage from the first hit when entering combat, allowing you to safely cast spells like Dragonmaw or Ekzykes’s Decay. The bubbles provided by this tear can absorb the damage of one hit, which is invaluable when you’re about to engage enemies.

Regarding Great Runes, Radahn’s and Godrick’s are the best choices for this build. Godrick’s Rune is particularly useful because it grants a significant boost to all stats, which can help manage the diverse stat requirements of this build. Radahn’s Rune is also excellent as it increases health, FP, and stamina, all of which are crucial for a dragon communion build.

That wraps up our Dragon God build. I hope you enjoyed this guide. It’s one of the more powerful builds I’ve created so far. As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree so stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check the Elden Ring Map.

The post Elden Ring Dragon Incantation Build – Dragon God Guide (Shadow of The Erdtree Build) appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Elden Ring Finger Mage Build, I’m going to be showing you my Maternal Mage Guide. This is a mage build using the new Finger Sorceries that are acquired in the DLC from doing Ymir’s questline.

I’ve been rocking this build for the last day or so, and honestly, I think it’s a fantastic build. It might be one of the better builds I’ve played so far. If you’re struggling with the difficulty of the game, this could be a really good build for you, because I find that a lot of bosses are made easier by having a ranged option.

Elden Ring Finger Mage Build – Maternal Mage

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my finger sorcery build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a mage build for Shadow of the Erdtree burst down enemies then you might want to check this build-out.

• Class: Any
• Flask Spread: Equal Charges
• Main Weapon: Carian Regal Scepter
• Off-Hand Weapon: Maternal Staff
• Shield: N/A
• Armor: High Priest Hat, Finger Robe, Bull-Goat Gauntlets, Bull-Goat Greaves
• Talismans: Crusade Insignia, Blessed Blue Dew Talisman, Graven-Mass Talisman, Godfrey Icon
• Alternate Talismans: Ritual Sword Talisman, Magic Scorpion Charm
• Primary Stats: Intelligence, Vigor
• Secondary Stats: Mind, Endurance
• Skills: N/A
• Spells: Glintstone Nail, Glintstone Nails, Fleeting Microcosm, Cherishing Fingers
• Crystal Tear: Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear, Opaline Hardtear
• Great Runes: Radahn’s Great Rune

We have over 110 Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

Elden Ring Finger Mage Build – Spells

First, let’s dive into the sorceries themselves.

Glintstone Nail is your typical ranged projectile that deals 100% magic damage and tracks the target. While its tracking isn’t superb, it can still hit agile enemies occasionally. Charging it up increases the damage, making it effective for picking off individual targets, especially before they notice you.

Glintstone Nails is a multiple projectile version of Glinstone Nail. Although its damage is only about 10-20% higher than Glinstone Nail, it excels in stance damage. Each nail contributes to stance breaking, making it easier to stagger enemies. This is particularly useful in boss fights where the goal is to deal damage quickly rather than conserve FP. However, for weaker targets while exploring or in dungeons, Glinstone Nail might be more cost-effective.

Fleeting Microcosm is a phenomenal spell that summons an orb under the target’s feet or casts it a good distance away if there’s no target. The orb deals a small amount of initial damage when it emerges, then explodes after a few seconds, creating a massive AoE effect. Like the previous spells, it deals 100% magic damage and can be charged for increased damage.

This spell is excellent for clearing enemy encampments and is very effective against groups of enemies. It can also knock down elite enemies, allowing you to chain your attacks. In boss fights, it’s useful as the AoE explosion is hard to evade. However, it might struggle against highly mobile targets. If timed correctly, it can still be effective at close range by rolling into the explosion.

Cherishing Fingers is a unique spell that deals 100% physical damage, unlike the other spells which deal magic damage. It creates an AoE effect around you, dealing decent damage, and can be charged for more damage. It also wards off projectiles, but the fingers need to be fully emerged for this effect to activate, making it tricky to use defensively.

This spell is best suited for aggressive enemies that are close to you or heavily resistant to magic damage. In fights like the one against Rellena, where you need to block waves of magic, it can be particularly useful. It can hit enemies even if they get behind you, making it versatile in certain situations.

Elden Ring Finger Mage Build – Equipment

Let’s focus on the equipment for this build. I have the Carian Regal Scepter in my main hand for casting. This staff is a staple because, at 80 Intelligence, it offers fantastic sorcery scaling. While there are staves with higher scaling, they come with drawbacks like increased FP cost. For example, the Prince of Death’s Staff requires very high Intelligence and Faith to surpass the scaling of the Carian Regal Scepter. I don’t have the attribute points for that.

That’s also why I don’t use the Maternal Staff as my main staff. The Maternal Staff reaches 414 sorcery scaling at 80 Intelligence and 80 Arcane, which is better than the Carian Regal Scepter. However, it would require me to invest 70 points in Arcane to achieve that, or at least 40 points to come close. Instead, I keep it in my offhand for its passive boost to finger sorcery damage by 15%. This way, I cast with the Carian Regal Scepter while benefiting from the Maternal Staff‘s passive buff. If you were playing an Intelligence-Arcane build at a higher level, like 200 or 250, you could use the Maternal Staff as your main staff. To illustrate, at 50 Intelligence and 50 Arcane, the Maternal Staff has 280 sorcery scaling, which is poor for the amount of stat investment compared to the Carian Regal Scepter‘s 373 sorcery scaling with 80 points. This is why I use the Carian Regal Scepter while keeping the Maternal Staff in my offhand for the passive buff.

For my helmet, I use the High Priest Hat mainly for fashion. It also provides +1 Intelligence and +1 Arcane, which is beneficial if you are using the Maternal Staff. On my body, I wear the Finger Robe, which passively increases finger sorcery damage by approximately 8%. You obtain this by altering the High Priest Robe at a Site of Grace.

For gloves and legs, I have the Bull-Goat Set equipped to give me 53 poise. This setup ensures I don’t get interrupted as much when casting spells and provides better protection. The Bull-Goat Set’s armor is not very visible under the robe, so you can use other armor pieces that look better and still maintain 51 poise if you prefer. However, I highly recommend using the Finger Robe for its passive benefit.

Elden Ring Finger Mage Build – Talismans

When it comes to talismans, there are many that work well for this build. First is the Crusade Insignia, which increases your attack power by 15% for 20 seconds after you kill an enemy. This includes enemies that die randomly in the landscape, significantly boosting the power of your spells after each kill. It refreshes with each enemy killed, making it excellent for exploration, though less useful in boss fights since most bosses don’t have adds.

The Blessed Blue Dew Talisman is also fantastic for exploration because it passively recharges your FP at 1 every 2 seconds. While it might seem minimal, over 60 seconds, you’ll regain about 30 FP, enough for 2-3 casts, making it easier to play a mage while exploring. In boss fights, you might want to swap it out, but it can still be helpful.

The Magic Scorpion Charm boosts your magic damage by 12%, but you will take more damage in return. Note that this doesn’t apply to Cherishing Fingers because it deals physical damage. If you use Cherishing Fingers a lot, you might avoid this talisman. It’s generally not recommended for boss fights due to the increased damage you take.

The Graven-Mass Talisman increases the potency of sorceries by 8%, providing a better option than the Magic Scorpion Charm if you use Cherishing Fingers, as it applies to that spell as well and doesn’t have a drawback. Consider using this one to fill your last slot if you’re undecided.

All four of the previously mentioned spells can be charged, making the Godfrey Icon a good choice. This talisman is beneficial for FP management, allowing you to get more damage per spell when you charge them during exploration or boss fights. While charging isn’t always possible in aggressive boss fights, when you can, it significantly boosts damage.

Lastly, the Ritual Sword Talisman increases your damage by 10% when you’re at full health. This talisman, once a staple for mage builds, now feels a bit antiquated. The Crusade Insignia is better for exploration, and boss fights are challenging, meaning you’ll likely take damage, making the Ritual Sword Talisman less effective. Nonetheless, it can still be used if you don’t have some of the other recommended talismans.

Elden Ring Finger Mage Build – Recommended Attributes Distribution

Attribute-wise, I have 50 Vigor, 40 Mind, 25 Endurance, 8 Strength, 12 Dexterity, 81 Intelligence, 7 Faith, and 10 Arcane. You don’t need any Strength, Faith, or Arcane for this build.

The 81 Intelligence is due to the helmet I’m using; otherwise, it would be 80. This level of Intelligence gets you the most damage out of your Carian Regal Scepter. The Carian Regal Scepter isn’t worth using unless you have about 70 Intelligence anyway.

To get more damage out of this build, you might eventually crank Arcane and aim for something like 60 Arcane and 60 Intelligence, then take both to 80. However, this is a huge stat investment. Before making this switch, it’s better to level up Vigor to 60 or 55, Mind higher, Endurance higher, and Intelligence even higher.

For Vigor, 50 is my staple. We have decent protection, and you can take this up to 55 or 60 if you want, but I wouldn’t go higher than that. The 40 Mind is to have plenty of FP, reducing the need to flask often during boss fights. You can increase this to 50 for even more FP, which is a good idea if you plan to take this build to higher levels.

Elden Ring Finger Mage Build – Final Tips

And for Flask of Wondrous Physick, I have the Opaline Hardtear for more protection and Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear for more magic damage, even though this doesn’t boost the damage of Cherishing Fingers. The other three spells I use more often, so you’ll get a significant damage boost using that. You could also use Terra Magica in this build, even though it was nerfed a little, to gain even more magic damage if you find yourself staying put in fights.

For Great Runes, my recommendation would be to use Radahn’s because it gives you health, FP, and stamina. FP is good because you’re a mage, health is good, and stamina is good—all those things are good. So you could easily go with that and be well off.

So that wraps up the Maternal Mage build. I hope you found this one interesting. I really enjoy these spells, and I find this build to be one of the better ones I’ve made so far in terms of making bosses less difficult. If you’re struggling, consider trying this one. You can get the first two spells by buying them from the NPC in the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, and the third spell, which is the bread and butter of this build, requires finding the Second Bell Bearing. You don’t have to kill any bosses to get the first three spells. If you want Cherishing Finger, the Maternal Staff, and the Finger Robe, you’ll have to kill one boss. Otherwise, you can get almost all the items in this build without killing any bosses, which is great.

As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree so stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check the Elden Ring Map.

The post Elden Ring Finger Mage Build – Maternal Mage Guide (Shadow of The Erdtree Build) appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Elden Ring Sword of Night Build, I’m going to be showing you my Void Knight Guide. This is a build that not only uses the Armor of Night, but also incorporates the Sword of Night and the Shield of Night. You can find these items in our Shadow of the Erdtree Walkthrough.

Elden Ring Sword of Night Build – Void Knight Guide

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Sword of Night and Shield of Night build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a katana build for Shadow of the Erdtree that quickly slashes through your enemies then you might want to check this build-out.

• Class: Any
• Flask Spread: Equal Charges
• Main Weapon: Sword of Night
• Shield: Shield of Night
• Armor: Helm of Night, Armor of Night, Black Knight Gauntlets, Black Knight Greaves
• Talismans: Crusade Insignia, Shard of Alexander, Blessed Blue Dew Talisman, Godfrey Icon
• Alternate Talismans: Millicent’s Prosthesis or Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Bull-Goat’s Talisman
• Primary Stats: Dexterity, Vigor
• Secondary Stats: Endurance, Mind
• Skills: Witching Hour Slash, Revenge of the Night
• Spells: N/A
• Crystal Tear: Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear, Opaline Hardtear
• Alternate Crystal Tear: Thorny Cracked Tear
• Great Runes: Malenia’s Great Rune or Radahn’s Great Rune

We have over 120 Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

Elden Ring Sword of Night Build – Void Knight: Equipment

You can find the Sword of Night by completing Count Ymir‘s quest line and progressing it to its end or near the end. The Armor of Night and Shield of Night are located in Bonny Gaol, which is accessible early in the game. After passing through the Moorth Ruins, you can find this dungeon by running a bit further to obtain these items quickly.

Let’s start with the Sword of Night. This Katana features Bloodloss buildup and Dex scaling. As a unique Katana, it cannot be infused, but it offers substantial physical and magic damage, with most of the damage being physical. Its standout feature is the unique weapon skill, Witching Hour Slash.

Witching Hour Slash involves holding the Katana to the side and executing a quick three-hit slash that advances the character forward, extending the attack range beyond the Katana itself, similar to the Rivers of Blood. You can charge this skill for increased range and damage, which is particularly useful if you can predict an opening, such as when staggering a boss or anticipating an enemy’s approach. A notable advantage is that if you need to release the charge prematurely due to an enemy’s attack, the skill will still execute, allowing some flexibility in timing.

There are some drawbacks to this weapon. First, its reach is quite short compared to other Katanas like the Nagakiba or Great Katana, necessitating closer proximity to enemies. Additionally, the FP cost of 21 per use is high for a weapon skill, making FP management crucial, especially since this skill effectively kills regular enemies. Lastly, once the skill is activated, you are locked into the animation, which can be a disadvantage against aggressive bosses and enemies. This necessitates learning enemy attack patterns to use the skill effectively. Blindly using the skill in unfamiliar boss fights can lead to significant damage taken.

Next, let’s take a look at the Shield of Night. This is an interesting shield because it weighs almost nothing. It has attack power, physical and magic, but offers terrible defenses except for magic and has a poor guard boost. It scales with dexterity and has a unique skill called Revenge of the Night. Pressing L2 with this skill shoots out a projectile that deals modest damage at a modest range, costing only 5 FP. While the damage isn’t significant, it provides a ranged option for melee characters, dealing 100% magic damage, which can be easily boosted. The damage of this skill scales with dexterity, so the more dexterity you have, the more magic damage the skill will do.

The primary intention of Revenge of the Night is to catch magical or ranged projectiles and then quickly press L2 afterward to fire a powered-up projectile back at the attacker. This is similar to a block counter for regular melee attacks but using L2 instead of R2. This powered-up projectile deals significantly more damage, often four times the normal amount, and can one-shot enemies trying to range you down. While this skill is very situational, it is highly effective in certain boss fights that involve projectiles or when dealing with ranged enemies.

However, the guard boost and physical protection of the Shield of Night are not sufficient for it to function as a traditional block counter shield. Using it to block melee attacks will drain a lot of stamina and result in taking significant damage. Instead, you might consider the Messmer Soldier Shield if you want a shield that matches the set and allows for regular block counters. This shield offers better protection and functionality for traditional blocking.

In practice, you can swap between two-handing your Sword of Night and using a shield depending on the situation. During boss fights, you might switch back and forth based on the boss’s attacks. This strategy works best when you are familiar with the boss’s attack patterns, making it more challenging when fighting a boss for the first time.

For armor, I’m using the Armor of Night and Helm of Night, combined with the Black Knight Greaves and Gauntlets. The reason for this mix is the low poise of the Armor of Night Set, which is around 26 or 29 in total. By wearing the Black Knight Gauntlets and Black Knight Greaves and adding the Bull-Goat’s Talisman, I can surpass the crucial 51 poise threshold. This is essential because if you get hit and knocked out of the animation while using the katana‘s weapon skill, it can be a major setback. Achieving 51 poise helps prevent that.

This setup allows me to maintain the distinctive look of the Armor of Knight with the recognizable helmet and chest plate, while the differing legs and gloves are less noticeable.

Elden Ring Sword of Night Build – Void Knight: Talismans

For talismans, here are some options I find effective for this build:

Crusade Insignia is great for exploration and dungeons because it boosts the damage of your attacks, weapon skills, and shield skills (including the projectile). It’s versatile and beneficial when you regularly kill enemies.

Shard of Alexander enhances the damage of both Witching Hour Slash and Revenge of the Night, making it a solid choice for this build.

Blessed Blue Dew Talisman is useful for exploration as it slowly regenerates FP over time, allowing you to use your weapon skills more frequently and offsetting the high FP cost of Witching Hour Slash. However, during boss fights, it doesn’t regenerate FP quickly enough, so you’ll still need to flask.

Godfrey Icon is excellent for increasing the damage of charged Witching Hour Slash. If you find yourself using the charged version often, this is a must-have.

Millicent’s Prosthesis or Rotten Winged Sword Insignia are also viable options. During boss fights, they are more effective than in exploration since the damage boost is short-lived.

Additionally, I found that the Curved Sword Talisman does not improve the damage of Revenge of the Night‘s block counter animation, so it’s not worth using if you’re focusing on maximizing its damage.

When I first built this, I tried to maximize Revenge of the Night‘s damage, but due to its poor mitigations, it’s best used for catching projectiles and countering them effectively. Regular use of its uncharged version is negligible, so focus on using it for its intended purpose: catching projectiles and returning fire.

Elden Ring Sword of Night Build – Void Knight: Recommended Attributes Distribution

For attributes in this build, I have allocated as follows:

• 55 Vigor: This is quite standard for the DLC, ensuring enough health to survive tough encounters, especially considering the hyper-aggressive playstyle.
• 25 Mind: This allows substantial use of Witching Hour Slash and Revenge of the Night before needing to flask. If you level beyond 150, consider putting an additional 10 points into Mind for smoother gameplay.
• 27 Endurance: This is sufficient for maintaining a medium equip load and providing enough stamina. More stamina is always beneficial, so increasing to 30-35 would be ideal.
• 11 Strength: This meets the minimum requirement for wielding the weapon one-handed. If you primarily two-hand the weapon, you might not need this much, but 11 is a good baseline.
• 80 Dexterity: This is crucial for maximizing damage from both the Sword of Night and Shield of Night, as the weapon scales exclusively with Dexterity.
• 16 Intelligence, 7 Faith, 9 Arcane: These are irrelevant for this build. My Intelligence is a leftover from starting as an Astrologer, but since the weapon no longer scales with Intelligence post-patch, you can ignore these stats.

Prioritize Dexterity for damage, Vigor for survivability, and Mind and Endurance for sustainability. Strength is just enough to meet the weapon’s requirement, and the other stats can be ignored unless your starting class has unavoidable points in them.

Elden Ring Sword of Night Build – Void Knight: Final Tips

For the Flask of Wondrous Physick, there are a couple of effective setups you can use. The Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear is fantastic if you plan to use Revenge of the Night regularly. It significantly boosts the damage, making it ideal for areas with many ranged enemies or boss fights involving lots of projectiles. The Thorny Cracked Tear is great for increasing damage on repeated attacks, which is beneficial for both Witching Hour Slash and regular katana attacks. The Opaline Hardtear provides increased protection, which is always useful.

For Great Runes, you have two solid options. Malenia’s Great Rune is excellent for gaining health back when attacking after taking damage. Given the aggressive playstyle of this build, this can be very beneficial. Radahn’s Great Rune provides more health, FP, and stamina, addressing the build’s slightly lower FP and stamina.

This wraps up the Void Knight build. The Armor of Night, Sword of Night, and Shield of Night not only look cool but are also highly effective when used properly. Enjoy the build and don’t believe the haters—this weapon is really good if you use it correctly. As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree so stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check the Elden Ring Map.

The post Elden Ring Sword of Night Build – Void Knight Guide (Shadow of the Erdtree Build) appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Elden Ring Beast Claw Build, I’m presenting my Bloody Beastclaw Guide. You can assemble this build right at the start of the DLC using the Beast Claw weapon, which you can find just southeast of the first Site of Grace by defeating a hostile NPC there. You can find a progression guide on our Shadow of the Erdtree Walkthrough.

Elden Ring Beast Claw Build – Bloody Beastclaw

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Beast Claw build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a fast build that savagely shreds your enemies into a pulp then you might want to check this build-out.

• Class: Any
• Flask Spread: Equal Charges
• Main Weapon: Beast Claw
• Optional Off-Hand Weapon: Sacrificial Axe
• Shield: N/A
• Armor: Horned Warrior Helm, Horned Warrior Armor, Lionel’s Gauntlets, Horned Warrior Greaves
• Talismans: Two-Headed Turtle Talisman, Lord of Blood’s Exultation, Crusade Insignia, Shard of Alexander
• Alternate Talismans: Rotten Winged Sword Insignia
• Primary Stats: Arcane, Vigor
• Secondary Stats: Endurance, Mind
• Skills: Savage Claws
• Spells: N/A
• Crystal Tear: Thorny Cracked Tear, Greenburst Crystal Tear
• Alternate Crystal Tear: Opaline Hardtear
• Great Runes: Malenia’s Great Rune or Radahn’s Great Rune

We have over 110 Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

Elden Ring Beast Claw Build – Bloody Beastclaw: Equipment

There are four things I really love about the Beast Claw.

First, it attacks extremely rapidly, allowing you to hit enemies repeatedly and cause them to keep flinching. With many enemies, this prevents them from even attacking because they can’t get a hit off. This doesn’t apply to tougher foes like Black Knights and Horned Warriors, but for many enemies, once you start your attack pattern and don’t get interrupted, they don’t stand a chance.

Second, this weapon has native bleed buildup on hit, enabling us to trigger bleeding. I’ve used the Occult infusion here because, similar to the Savage Slasher build testing the Great Katana, I found that the Occult setting of this weapon is only about 20 attack rating lower than the Heavy scaling. This choice nearly doubles our blood loss buildup in exchange for slightly less damage, allowing us to trigger bleeding more often during boss fights. I also experimented with a Heavy version of this build using Bloodflame Blade, but found that rebuffing during aggressive boss fights is very difficult. With the Occult infusion, you don’t have to worry about buffing, making it much easier.

Third, this weapon pulls you forward as you attack. If you watch the attack chain, it pulls you forward. For mobile enemies that dodge backward or hop around, this keeps you on top of them. However, it’s a double-edged sword. For example, against Rennala, using the R1 combo when she dodges to the side might pull you past her, leaving you open to attacks from behind. Generally, though, it’s more of a positive than a negative.

Lastly, I love that you duck down like a beast when attacking, which causes you to duck under many attacks and even jump over some. This hyper-aggressive playstyle, which I prefer in Elden Ring, often results in dodging attacks accidentally during combos, preventing damage and interruptions.

The Ash of War on this weapon is Savage Claws. This skill executes five or six slashes in quick succession, pulling you forward and hitting the enemy multiple times. It costs 13 FP. What I love about Savage Claws is twofold. First, it has excellent forward momentum, allowing you to start from a safe distance. Even if you miss a few slashes, you’ll still land several hits. Once the first hit connects, many enemies will flinch, making it hard for them to retaliate until your combo finishes. Second, the tracking on this skill is superb. If you find yourself back-to-back with an enemy, Savage Claws will turn you 180 degrees to face and hit the enemy, unlike the R1 combo, which struggles to turn quickly.

Since this is a paired weapon, you can equip something like the Sacrificial Axe in your offhand. The Savage Claws skill often kills enemies in one use, and the Sacrificial Axe helps reduce FP costs, making it a great addition. While I prefer the fashion of this build and don’t often face FP issues, the Sacrificial Axe is a viable option if you want to ease FP management.

For armor, I use the Horned Warrior’s Helm, Armor, and Greaves, along with Lionel’s Gauntlets. This setup gives me 51 poise. If you use the Horned Warrior’s Gauntlets, you’ll only have around 47 poise. The claws cover your hands, so the mismatched gauntlets are not visible, allowing me to focus on poise without compromising appearance. 51 poise is sufficient, and it avoids the need for the Bull Goat’s Talisman, freeing up a talisman slot. Additionally, the Horned Warrior’s Helmet boosts strength by five, which is perfect since I started as an Astrologer with eight strength, meeting the weapon’s requirements without investing further in strength. The downside is that it slightly reduces flask effectiveness, but I haven’t noticed a significant impact.

Elden Ring Beast Claw Build – Bloody Beastclaw: Talismans

For talismans, I use two main setups. The first includes the Two-Headed Turtle Talisman for stamina recovery, which is crucial since the weapon skill consumes a lot of stamina, especially when spammed.

I also use Lord of Blood’s Exultation, which is highly effective due to the frequent bleeding triggers, particularly in boss fights. The Savage Claws skill often activates this buff on one enemy, allowing you to chain it to the next, maintaining high attack power as you clear through groups of enemies.

Additionally, I have the Crusade Insignia, a new talisman from the DLC that increases attack power by about 15% for 20 seconds after killing an enemy. This talisman can be found by defeating a hostile NPC at Belurat Tower Settlement or at a church just outside Castle Ensis.

Lastly, I use Shard of Alexander to boost Savage Claws damage, which is essential given how often I use this skill.

For an alternate setup, I swap out the Crusade Insignia for Rotten Winged Sword Insignia when fighting bosses. This is because the Crusade Insignia’s effect doesn’t last long enough between kills in boss fights, whereas the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia builds up attack power as you strike rapidly. While this talisman isn’t as effective for general enemy encounters due to its shorter buff duration and build-up requirement, it excels in sustained boss battles. For maximum damage, you could drop the Green Turtle Talisman and use the Rotten Wing Sword Insignia, but this might lead to stamina issues unless you have around 40 endurance or equip a Great Turtle Shell on your back.

Elden Ring Beast Claw Build – Bloody Beastclaw: Recommended Attributes Distribution

• Stat-wise, I have 55 vigor because I’m super hyper-aggressive, often trading damage. I don’t want to die, and I’m not using the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, which you could use for more defense. In my testing, more damage makes fights easier; the faster you kill things, the less damage you take.
• I have 25 mind to use Savage Claws frequently before needing to flask. You could get away with lower, but I find that when it’s lower, I need to pot earlier, and I don’t want to run out of FP in a fight. 25 mind is a good balance, and you definitely don’t need more.
• I have 30 endurance to maintain a medium equip load, providing plenty of room for heavier armor if desired. If min-maxing, you would wear the heaviest armor for maximum protection, but I also consider fashion in my builds.
• I have 13 strength, the minimum requirement for the claws, and 12 dexterity. Only 11 dexterity is needed, but my class can’t go lower than 12 dexterity.
• The 16 intelligence and 7 faith are not needed; the intelligence is from being an astrologer, so it’s kind of a waste. A different class might have a slightly lower level or more points to allocate elsewhere.
• Lastly, I have 80 arcane to maximize weapon damage and improve blood buildup, triggering blood loss more often. This weapon scales well with arcane. If you wanted a hybrid build, you could put some points into faith and use the Dragon Communion Seal to cast. I haven’t done that here, but it’s an option.

Elden Ring Beast Claw Build – Bloody Beastclaw: Final Tips

For the Flask of Wondrous Physick, I use the Thorny Cracked Tear to increase damage with successive strikes, which is particularly useful in boss fights. I also have Greenburst Crystal Tear for stamina recovery. Alternatively, you can use the Opaline Hardtear to reduce the damage you take. A combination of two out of these three, depending on your preference, works well.

Regarding Great Runes, Malenia’s Great Rune is a good choice for this build due to its hyper-aggressive nature. It allows you to regain health by staying on the offensive. Radahn’s Great Rune is also a solid option, providing health, stamina, and FP. More stamina and FP might allow you to reduce your mind stat and reallocate those points elsewhere, while the extra HP helps with survivability.

So that wraps up my Bloody Beast Claw Build. I hope you enjoyed this one. This is another hyper-aggressive build, which is my preferred play style in Elden Ring. It’s challenging in Shadow of the Erdtree due to the bosses’ high health and hard-hitting attacks, but this build works really well. If you’re looking for a very aggressive build, check this one out.

As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree so stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check the Elden Ring Map.

The post Elden Ring Beast Claw Build – Bloody Beastclaw (Shadow of The Erdtree Guide) appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Elden Ring Firespark Perfume Bottle Build, I’m going to showcase my Pyromancer Perfumer Guide. This build utilizes one of the new perfume bottle weapons – the Firespark Perfume Bottle. I wanted to highlight how awesome this weapon is within this build. I believe it is extremely underrated. You can obtain it very early in the game, right in front of Castle Ensis, where the perfumers are located. It’s in a chest there. You can grab it right away and start this build. So, let’s talk a bit about this weapon.

Elden Ring Firespark Perfume Bottle Build – Pyromancer Perfumer Guide

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Perfume Bottle build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a strong fire build that engulfs anyone in flames then you might want to check this build-out.

• Class: Any
• Flask Spread: Equal Charges
• Main Weapon: Firespark Perfume Bottle, Golden Order Seal
• Shield: N/A
• Armor: Perfumer Hood, Perfumer Robe, Perfumer Gloves
• Talismans: Fire Scorpion Charm, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Perfumer’s Talisman, Axe Talisman
• Alternate Talismans: Shard of Alexander
• Primary Stats: Dexterity, Vigor
• Secondary Stats: Endurance, Mind, Faith
• Skills: Quickstep or Bloodhound’s Step
• Alternate Skill: Rolling Sparks
• Spells: Flame Grant me Strength, Golden Vow
• Crystal Tear: Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear, Spiked Cracked Tear
• Alternate Crystal Tear: Dexterity-Knot Crystal Tear, Greenburst Crystal Tear
• Great Runes: Godrick’s Great Rune or Radahn’s Great Rune or Morgott’s Great Rune

We have over 110 Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

Elden Ring Firespark Perfume Bottle Build – Pyromancer Perfumer Guide: Equipment

The Firespark Perfume Bottle has Dexterity Scaling and only scales with Dexterity. It has no requirements, so you can use it regardless of your stats. It has B Scaling in Dexterity, which is decent. It deals 100% fire damage, so all your attacks with this weapon inflict fire damage. You can boost this with items like the Fire Scorpion Charm or Fire-Shrouding Cracked Tear, and spells like Flame, Grant Me Strength. These buffs significantly increase the weapon’s damage, making it easy to achieve high damage output.

For the Ash of War, I use Quickstep or Bloodhound Step. These are defensive moves that help create space for setting up charged heavy attacks and allow you to get behind enemies for surprise attacks. Another option is Rolling Sparks, which shoots out a fire explosion in a trail, similar to a Rykard spell. It has a better range than the charged heavy attack and costs 14 FP. This Ash of War can stagger enemies, giving you time to charge your heavy attacks. If you prefer Rolling Sparks over Bloodhound Step or Quickstep, you might need to adjust your talismans to something like Shard of Alexander and increase your Mind stat. You can find this Ash of War southeast of Shadowkeep in a camp with a Furnace Golem and perfumers. Look for a flying scarab above them and kill it to obtain the Ash of War.

At first glance, this weapon might not seem impressive. The one-handed attack animation looks weak, but this is a paired weapon. When dual wielding, you attack with both hands simultaneously in a cross pattern, dealing substantial damage. The charged heavy attack is particularly impressive, especially when two-handing or dual wielding. It makes you twirl in a circle, shooting out fire in a 360-degree AoE. The explosions are delayed, so enemies walking into them will be hit and usually flinch, allowing you to set up a second attack. This tactic works well in most fights and costs no FP. The jumping R2 attack is also effective, delivering a double slash with both hands. The R1 attack chain, charged heavy attack, running R2, and jumping R2 are all useful moves with this weapon when dual wielding.

Additionally, I have a Golden Order Seal in my off-hand to cast Flame, Grant Me Strength and Golden Vow. Flame, Grant Me Strength is essential for this build due to the 100% fire damage. If you’re increasing your Faith to 15 for this spell, you might as well go up to 25 to get Golden Vow as well. These buffs are extremely strong. This might not be something you do early in the game, but by the time you’re level 150+, you should have enough attribute points to invest in Faith for these spells. Make sure to use a Sacred Seal that weighs nothing. It doesn’t matter if you meet the requirements of the seal since the effectiveness of these spells is unaffected by the seal’s requirements, as long as it weighs zero.

For armor, I’m wearing three pieces of the Perfumer Set and no leg armor to keep my equip load light and maintain the Perfumer appearance since we’re cosplaying a bit here. If you’re having trouble staying alive, consider using medium armor. This will also give you 51 Poise, which helps prevent interruptions during your charged heavy attacks and similar actions. So, better armor can be beneficial for survivability and maintaining your attacks.

Elden Ring Firespark Perfume Bottle Build Guide – Talismans

I have the Fire Scorpion Charm to increase our fire damage since this weapon deals 100% fire damage.

This is a no-brainer, but it also increases the damage we take, which is why I have the Dragoncrest Shield Talisman or Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman to boost our physical protection. Since we’re wearing very light armor, this talisman is particularly useful.

I also use the Perfumer’s Talisman, which increases damage with perfume bottles. This talisman works with this weapon type, which is great for boosting overall damage on both heavy and regular attacks.

There are other good talismans for this build as well. If you like Rolling Sparks, the Shard of Alexander is a good choice to further boost its damage, especially if you use a medium armor setup. Alternatively, the Axe Talisman can increase damage when using charged heavy attacks, which is useful if you rely on those more than Rolling Sparks.

Lastly, I tested Millicent’s Prosthesis and Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, and they do not work with this weapon type. You will not build up attack power by attacking with this weapon and having those talismans equipped. The game does not consider these weapons as melee attacks in that regard, so avoid using those talismans in this build.

Elden Ring Firespark Perfume Bottle Build – Recommended Attributes Distribution

Attribute-wise for this build, I have 60 Vigor, 20 Mind, 25 Endurance, 8 Strength, 75 Dexterity, 16 Intelligence, 25 Faith, and 9 Arcane. You don’t need any Intelligence or Arcane for this build; I started as an Astrologer, so I have more in these stats than necessary. If you began with a different class, you’d probably be around level 150 with a similar stat spread. Intelligence doesn’t contribute to this build.

• I have 60 Vigor because I’m wearing light armor. This makes it feasible to use this setup, but if you’re starting out, I recommend against light armor unless you have very high Vigor (55+). This helps prevent dying from hits, especially if you don’t have many Golden Seeds yet.
• I have 20 Mind mainly for using Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength during boss fights. I don’t need a lot of FP in general as I rarely buff during regular exploration unless facing a tough enemy.
• For Endurance, I have 25, which is sufficient as I primarily use charged heavy attacks and don’t encounter many stamina issues. You might want to use medium or heavy armor for medium rolling. You don’t need any Strength for this build, so mine is at 8.
• I have 75 Dexterity, which I’ll likely increase to 80 soon. If not for the points in Intelligence, they’d go into Dexterity to boost damage. After 80, the returns diminish significantly, but since Dexterity is the primary source of damage for this weapon, I’ll probably max it to 99 eventually for maximum damage.
• Lastly, Faith is at 25 for Flame, Grant Me Strength and Golden Vow.

Elden Ring Firespark Perfume Bottle Build – Final Tips

For the Flask of Wondrous Physick, I use the Flame-Shrouded Cracked Tear to boost our fire damage, since we deal 100% fire damage with this build. This provides a significant increase in damage. If you’re using a lower-level version of this build, consider adding Dexterity to enhance weapon damage. You could also use a Greenburst Crystal Tear or the one that boosts charged heavy attack damage, which is beneficial for boss fights since you’ll use those attacks frequently.

When it comes to Great Runes for this build, you’re utilizing five out of the eight stats. Godrick’s Great Rune is a solid choice, providing a balanced boost. Radahn’s Great Rune is also effective for increasing health, stamina, and FP. Alternatively, Morgott’s Great Rune can be beneficial for the extra HP, especially if you’re using light armor, as it helps with survival in tougher fights.

So that wraps up my Pyromancer Perfumer Build. I hope you enjoyed this one. This weapon is underrated, and many players might not realize how effective the Perfume Bottles can be. While I haven’t tested them all yet, I believe they’re all outstanding. I love the moveset and damage they offer, making them fantastic weapons that provide a refreshing playstyle in Elden Ring.

As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree so stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check the Elden Ring Map.

The post Elden Ring Firespark Perfume Bottle Build – Pyromancer Perfumer Guide (Shadow of the Erdtree Build) appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Elden Ring Rellana’s Twin Blades Build, I’ll be showcasing my Carian Twinblade setup. Although technically a light greatsword build, it centers around Rellana’s Twin Blades, the weapon lending its name to the build. You obtain this weapon by defeating Rellana, the second major boss with a Remembrance in the game.

Elden Ring Rellana’s Twin Blades Build – Carian Twinblade

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my light greatsword build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a build that deals fantastic damage with both magic and fire damage with the Moon and Fire Stance then you might want to check this build-out.

• Class: Any
• Flask Spread: Equal Charges
• Main Weapon: Rellana’s Twinblade, Golden Order Seal
• Shield: N/A
• Armor: Rellana’s Set
• Talismans: Rellana’s Cameo, Two-Headed Turtle Talisman, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Shard of Alexander
• Alternate Talismans: Millicent’s Prosthesis, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia
• Primary Stats: Strength, Dexterity, Vigor
• Secondary Stats: Endurance, Mind
• Skills: Moon-and-Fire Stance
• Spells: Golden Vow, Flame Grant me Strength
• Crystal Tear: Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear or Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear, Thorny Cracked Tear
• Alternate Crystal Tears: Greenburst Crystal Tear
• Great Runes: Godrick’s Great Rune

We have over 110 Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

Elden Ring Rellana’s Twin Blades Build – Equipment

Rellana’s Twin Blades is an exceptional weapon in Elden Ring. It’s a paired weapon that deals physical, magic, and fire damage, scaling with strength, dexterity, and faith. It has similarities to the Sword of Night and Flame, with its diverse damage types, but it stands out with its unique Moon and Fire Stance compared to the Night and Flame Stance. The Rellana’s Twin Blades is categorized as a light greatsword, a new weapon type, and features a versatile weapon skill that allows you to execute either a fire attack or a magic attack. The magic attack unleashes waves similar to Rellana’s boss fight moves, while the fire attack creates a circular fire AoE around you, delivering rapid hits and leaving flames on the ground.

One notable aspect of this weapon is its scaling. Despite having C scaling in strength, dexterity, intelligence, and faith, it benefits more from strength and dexterity for melee attacks. Intelligence boosts the magic attack of the weapon skill, and faith enhances the fire attack, with neither stat affecting the other’s effectiveness. Therefore, balancing these attributes based on your preferred usage of the weapon is crucial.

The Rellana’s Twin Blades has unique stat requirements: 13 strength, 16 dexterity, 16 intelligence, and 16 faith. This diverse stat spread allows for flexibility in experimenting with various weapons in the DLC. To maximize the weapon’s potential, I prioritized increasing strength and dexterity to the highest possible levels at level 151. I also met the minimum intelligence requirement for the sacred seal and allocated 25 points in faith to use Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength. These incantations bolster your fire attack and provide vital buffs for challenging encounters and boss battles.

At level 150, the Rellana’s Twin Blades offers significant room for growth. You can potentially increase strength and dexterity to 50 each, with intelligence and faith around 30, maximizing your damage output. This flexibility allows for considerable enhancement in attack rating as you continue to level up, making this weapon increasingly deadly.

The paired moveset of the Rellana’s Twin Blades is fantastic. The initial attacks are quick thrusts, offering decent AoE and a long combo chain. This allows you to rapidly deplete your stamina on staggered or stance-broken enemies, dealing substantial damage. It also enables you to continuously interrupt enemies with lower poise. The weapon’s weight is just eight, making it much lighter than wielding two light greatswords.

For this build, I’m using the Golden Order Seal, which scales with both intelligence and faith. Since I started as an astrologer, I only needed one additional point in intelligence to use it, making it a convenient choice. While I’m not focusing heavily on incantations, this seal provides a flexible option for hybrid play. If you prefer to cast spells, you could prioritize intelligence and faith, though this would mean sacrificing points in strength and dexterity.

For those aiming to cast sorceries, the Gelmir Glintstone Staff is recommended at this level. For higher levels, around 250 or so, you might consider switching to the Prince of Death’s Staff, though it requires substantial stat investment to be effective.

In terms of armor, I’m using Rellana’s Armor for its thematic fit with the swords, excellent poise, and solid protection. This armor provides exactly 51 poise, which is ideal as it negates the need for the Bull-Goat’s Talisman. While this armor looks great and offers good balance, feel free to use any armor set that suits your preferences. If you’re min-maxing, you might opt for something a bit heavier for increased protection.

Elden Ring Rellana’s Twin Blades Build – Talismans

For talismans, there are several good options for this build. The Shard of Alexander is essential as it boosts the damage of both the fire and magic weapon skills, making it a must-have.

Another valuable talisman is Rellana’s Cameo. This talisman is unique in that holding the stance button (L2) for about a second will cause your character to glow red, and your next attack will be increased by 20%. This effect stacks with the Shard of Alexander, enhancing your weapon skills’ damage. However, it’s more situational and may be harder to utilize in fast-paced boss fights.

The Two-Headed Turtle Talisman is an upgraded version of the Green Turtle Talisman and significantly increases your stamina recovery speed. Given that this build consumes a lot of stamina due to its combos and weapon skills, this talisman helps maintain your offensive pressure.

Lastly, the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman provides extra protection, which is crucial as bosses can deal heavy damage. If you feel confident in your ability to avoid hits, you might consider swapping this out for Millicent’s Prosthesis or Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, both of which boost attack power from rapid hits, a frequent occurrence with this build.

Elden Ring Rellana’s Twin Blades Build – Recommended Attributes Distribution

For this build’s attributes,

• Vigor: 50 points for essential health. This is the minimum I’d recommend for the DLC, though you can go higher.
• Mind: 30 points for frequent FP usage. Necessary for using weapon skills and incantations like Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength. You could lower Mind if you don’t mind using Flasks more often, but I wouldn’t go below 25..
• Endurance: is for good armor protection and medium rolling, and because this build uses a lot of stamina. Eventually, you might want to raise this to 40 and use heavier armor for more protection and stamina.
• Strength and Dexterity: Balanced for significant melee damage. Dexterity scales slightly better. Swap numbers if desired, but keeping them close is beneficial.
• Intelligence and Faith: Increase for a hybrid build focusing on spellcasting. Use sacred seal or Gelmir Glintstone Staff.
• Arcane: Not needed unless required for specific incantations in a hybrid build.

Elden Ring Rellana’s Twin Blades Build – Final Tips

For the Flask of Wondrous Physick, there are a few options. Right now, I have Magic-Shrouding and Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tears in my flask, so I can use either weapon skill and still get more damage when I’m buffed. If you’re going into a boss fight, you might choose one or the other depending on the boss’s resistances.

This setup might not always be ideal, but when you’re unsure of what you’re facing, it’s a solid choice. Alternatively, you could replace one of those with a Thorny Cracked Tear for more damage with repeated attacks, or a Greenburst Crystal Tear for faster stamina recovery. Both are good options. You could also use an Intelligence or Faith-boosting tear if you’re focusing on magic attacks, like pairing a Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear with Intelligence, or Fire-Shrouding Cracked Tear with Faith.

Regarding which Great Rune to use, Godrick’s Great Rune is ideal for this build. It boosts seven out of the eight stats significantly, enhancing Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Faith, as well as Vigor, Mind, and Endurance. If there’s any weapon that benefits greatly from this rune, it’s a good choice. Another good option is Radahn’s Great Rune for more FP, stamina, and extra health. Both of these Great Runes are fantastic for this build.

That wraps up our Carian Twinblade build. I hope you enjoyed this one. The Carian Twinblade is a fantastic weapon, and I knew I had to showcase a build as soon as I got it. I hope you’re enjoying it. If you have questions or tips for others, leave them in the comments below. I’ll try to answer them, and others can benefit from your insights. How are you enjoying the DLC? Stay tuned for more Elden Ring content, including more builds and videos. We’ll be cranking out content over the next several months.

The post Elden Ring Rellana’s Twin Blades Build – Carian Twinblade (Shadow of the Erdtree Build) appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Elden Ring Hand-to-Hand Build guide, I’m going to be showcasing my Frost-Fu Monk build, which utilizes the new Hand-to-Hand weapon. This weapon has garnered significant interest since the pre-launch gameplay trailers, and in this guide, I’ll demonstrate how I use it, what strategies work best with it, and provide a quick tutorial on how to acquire it swiftly within the game. Finding this weapon can be tricky if you don’t know where to look, but I’ll make it easy for you on the Elden Ring Map.

Elden Ring Hand-to-Hand Build – Frost-Fu Monk

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Hand to Hand build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a Kung Fu build that uses both your hands and feet to deals unrelenting damage to anything and to anyone then you might want to check this build-out.

• Class: Any
• Flask Spread: Equal Charges
• Main Weapon: Dryleaf Arts
• Shield: N/A
• Armor: Dane’s Hat, Messmer Soldier Armor, Horned Warrior Gauntlets, Horned Warrior Greaves
• Talismans: Blue Dancer Charm, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Bull-Goat’s Talisman, Shard of Alexander
• Alternate Talismans: Millicent’s Prosthesis, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Godfrey Icon, Claw Talisman
• Primary Stats: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence Vigor
• Secondary Stats: Endurance
• Skills: Divine Beast Frost Stomp
• Spells: N/A
• Crystal Tear: Greenburst Crystal Tear, Thorny Cracked Tear
• Great Runes: Godrick’s Great Rune or Radahn’s Great Rune

We have over 110 Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

Elden Ring Hand-to-Hand Build – Frost-Fu Monk: Equipment

The weapon we’re using for this build is called Dryleaf Arts, which you can obtain from Dryleaf Dane, one of the NPCs in the game. Apologies for the slight spoiler, but to acquire this weapon, you’ll need to locate this character. Dryleaf Dane is found in the Moorth Ruins, southeast of the Site of Grace that appears after exiting the other side of Castle Ensis. This Site of Grace is called Highroad Cross. At Highroad Cross, there is an item or gesture you need to pick up. When you reach the Moorth Ruins, use that gesture on Dane to trigger a fight. Once you defeat him, you’ll obtain the weapon.

Alternatively, if you prefer not to go through Castle Ensis, which involves a major boss fight, you can skirt around the side of the castle into the swampy area and use the Spiritspring to reach Fort of Reprimand. From there, you can go through a tunnel to arrive at the same location. I haven’t tested this route personally, so I’m not sure if the NPCs will be present, but it’s worth trying if you want to avoid the boss fight or get the weapon early.

I’ve tested this weapon and its skill, Palm Blast, and found several notable aspects. Dryleaf Arts scales equally with both Strength and Dexterity. I tested different infusions: Quality, Heavy, and Keen. Heavy performed slightly better than Keen and Quality for pure physical damage. However, I chose the Cold Infusion for a few reasons. The damage scaling with Cold is similar to Heavy, and it adds a Frostbite buildup on enemies, causing them to take more damage and often flinch during your combos. This can be particularly useful against tougher enemies.

For the Ash of War, I switched from Palm Blast to Divine Beast Frost Stomp, a new Ash of War obtained by trading in the remembrance of the Divine Lion Beast boss from Belurat Tower Settlement. This change was made because Divine Beast Frost Stomp benefits more from Cold Infusion than Heavy Infusion.

Palm Blast has a long animation that deals significant damage in a small area around you, but it requires close range and interrupts your rapid attack sequence. In contrast, Divine Beast Frost Stomp hits enemies from a distance in a cone shape, preventing them from reaching you. It’s versatile, effective for clearing groups of enemies, and can interrupt bosses. Charged, it deals extra damage and range, making it a great addition for versatility in combat.

This weapon excels in a two-handed setup, functioning almost like a paired weapon. The two-handed attack pattern includes a rapid sequence of hits, while the one-handed pattern is different. I prefer the running R2 combo for its punch-kick sequence and the jumping R2 attack for its double kick, which feels reminiscent of Mortal Kombat’s Kung Lao. These moves deal solid damage, move you forward slightly, and deal good stance damage.

While I don’t use an offhand weapon, you could equip something like the Sacrificial Axe for FP recovery or a boost from items like the Great Turtle Shell. Notably, this weapon only weighs one unit, making it an excellent candidate for the Blue Dancer Charm, which boosts damage when your equip load is low. Pair it with light armor to maximize this benefit.

Shadow of the Erdtree enemies hit like an absolute freight train, especially if you haven’t collected many Scadutree Fragments. In successive playthroughs, once you know their locations and can quickly collect them, wearing lighter armor becomes more feasible. However, I don’t recommend light armor in the DLC because the enemies hit so hard that you’ll likely die very quickly. One advantage of not wearing light armor and avoiding the Blue Dancer Charm route is that having 51 poise allows you to continue attacking through enemy hits and maintain your long combo chains.

For armor, I’m using Dane’s Hat, Messmer Soldier Armor, and Horned Warriors Gauntlets and Greaves, which contribute to my desired appearance. These armor pieces can be obtained early in the DLC. There might be better armor sets for this style later in the game, but my builds are aimed at players in the middle or early stages of the DLC who haven’t defeated all the bosses or collected all the items. This setup allows for a quick build assembly.

The downside is that this armor doesn’t naturally provide 51 poise, so I use the Bull Goat’s Talisman to achieve that. I favor the fashion of this armor, which has a monkish, roguish look. If you were min-maxing, you’d choose armor that offers 51 poise or more by default, especially if you’re opting for protection over the Blue Dancer Charm route. This would free up a talisman slot, but I prioritize fashion, so it is what it is.

Elden Ring Hand-to-Hand Build – Frost-Fu Monk: Talismans

For Talismans, I have the Bull-Goat’s Talisman equipped. You could replace this with Rotten Winged Sword Insignia or Millicent’s Prosthesis. Both work well because they increase attack power as you stack hits.

Shard of Alexander is another excellent choice for boosting weapon skill damage, potentially allowing you to one-shot enemies depending on your Scadutree Fragments count.

Other useful talismans include the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman for added protection. Even if you’re not using heavy armor, it provides significant defensive benefits.

However, if you prefer lighter armor and are using the Blue Dancer Charm, it’s even more essential. If you find yourself charging up your Ash of War often, consider the Godfrey Icon, which boosts charged spell and skill damage. Pairing it with Shard of Alexander can significantly enhance your weapon skill damage.

Additionally, the Claw Talisman is great if you frequently use the jump R2 attack while dual-wielding or two-handing this weapon. It boosts the damage of jump attacks, which are excellent for closing gaps and dealing significant damage. If you favor this attack style, consider using Raptor’s Black Feathers or another DLC armor set that boosts jump attack damage.

Elden Ring Hand-to-Hand Build – Frost-Fu Monk: Recommended Attributes Distribution

Vigor: 50 – This is the minimum to ensure survival. If you opt for the light armor route and use the Blue Dancer Charm, you’ll want to increase this to around 60-65.

Mind: 29 – This is higher than necessary. You can likely drop this to 20, especially if you aren’t using Divine Beast Frost Stomp frequently. During testing, I found that 20 Mind is sufficient without causing FP issues.

Endurance: 30 – This attribute is crucial due to the high stamina consumption from attack combinations. If you lower Mind to 20, you can boost Endurance to 40, providing even more stamina and allowing for heavier armor for added protection.

Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence: 35 each – This balance is optimal for the build’s scaling across these stats. During testing, increasing any of these stats by five points resulted in the same attack rating improvement. This spread is ideal for playing as a martial artist.

Faith and Arcane: You don’t need any faith or arcane for this build.

Elden Ring Hand-to-Hand Build – Frost-Fu Monk: Final Tips

For the Flask of Wondrous Physick, I use the Thorny Cracked Tear to increase damage with rapid attacks, which is essential for a fast attack build. If you encounter stamina issues, you might opt for Greenburst Crystal Tear instead. While I typically don’t have stamina problems, another good option is the Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear to boost the damage of your Divine Beast Frost Stomp. Since Divine Beast Frost Stomp deals 100% magic damage, this tear significantly enhances its effectiveness.

When it comes to Great Runes, Godrick’s Great Rune is an excellent choice as it boosts six out of the eight stats you use in this build. Radahn’s Great Rune is another good option, providing extra health, stamina, and FP. If you choose Radahn’s, you can likely lower your Mind even further, reallocating those points to damage stats, endurance, or health.

That wraps up my Frost-Fu Monk build. I hope you enjoyed this one. I know many were eager for a hand-to-hand combat build, and this weapon has quickly become one of my favorites. It looks cool, feels great, plays well, and is highly effective. As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree so stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check the Elden Ring Map.

The post Elden Ring Hand-to-Hand Build – Frost-Fu Monk Guide (Shadow of the Erdtree Build) appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Elden Ring Great Katana build guide, I’ll be showcasing my Savage Slasher setup. This is one of our Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC builds, and it centers around the Great Katana, one of the new weapons, and the new Ash of War called Savage Lion’s Claw. Great Katanas ranked highly in our poll, so I chose to begin with this one. You can acquire this weapon within two minutes of starting the DLC, which is fantastic, and the Ash of War I’m using is also obtainable within the same timeframe. This means you can assemble this build, including the armor set I’m using, very quickly – find them both on the Elden Ring Map.

Elden Ring Great Katana Build – Savage Slasher

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Great Katana build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a build that does explosive damage then you might want to check this build-out.

• Class: Any
• Flask Spread: Equal Charges
• Main Weapon: Great Katana
• Shield: N/A
• Armor: Oathseeker Knight Set
• Talismans: Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Bull-Goat’s Talisman, Shard of Alexander
• Alternate Talismans: Rellana’s Cameo
• Primary Stats: Arcane, Vigor
• Secondary Stats: Endurance, Mind
• Skills: Savage Lion’s Claw, Overhead Stance
• Spells: N/A
• Crystal Tear: Greenburst Crystal Tear, Thorny Cracked Tear
• Great Runes: Godrick’s Great Rune or Radahn’s Great Rune

We have over 110 Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

Elden Ring Great Katana Build – Savage Slasher: Equipment

First, let’s take a look at the Great Katana. This new weapon class was introduced with Shadow of the Erdtree. You can find it lying on a corpse in a pool of water near a sleeping dragon, about a two-minute ride from the very first Site of Grace. Just pick it up, and you’ll have it immediately.

This weapon requires a bit of strength and dexterity to use and features a move set that is a mix between a curved sword and a Katana. It’s much longer than a Katana and has slightly more stance damage. What I really appreciate about it is the weapon’s reach, particularly its jump attack, which I find myself using frequently. The running R1 poke and follow-up poke are excellent, and the running R2 horizontal slash can hit multiple enemies at once. This move set offers a lot of versatility and reach, and it also has a native bleed status effect build-up, which is fantastic.

The default weapon skill for the Great Katana is Overhead Stance. By holding the L2 button on your controller, you hold your sword over your head. Pressing R1 executes a lunge forward slash, and pressing R2 performs a triple slash. This should remind you of Ichimonji from Sekiro if you’ve played that game. It has decent reach and pulls you forward well, though it doesn’t have much stance damage. However, it’s excellent for status effect build-up if your weapon has good status effects.

I’ve provided two options: you can use Overhead Stance if you like it, as it’s unique to Great Katanas and isn’t found in other weapon classes. Alternatively, you can use Savage Lion’s Claw, which offers more utility and versatility across different weapon types and is a better Ash of War overall.

Savage Lion’s Claw is essentially an upgraded version of Lion’s Claw. It allows you to perform a somersault and hit the enemy, then press L2 again to hit them a second time. This skill is excellent for dealing damage and stance damage, and it’s more effective overall than Overhead Stance. However, it costs roughly double the FP, making Overhead Stance easier to use more frequently. At level 150-ish, FP shouldn’t be a major issue, but if you’re starting out and just ventured into the DLC area with help, Overhead Stance might be better for FP management early in the game.

I’ve set this weapon to the Occult affinity for its weapon skill. The attack rating with Arcane scaling is quite impressive, only about 30 to 40 points less than the Dexterity scaling if you went Keen. Additionally, the blood loss build-up is nearly double compared to the default, resulting in more frequent bleed triggers. I highly recommend the Occult route for this weapon type.

The armor I’m using for this build is the Oathseeker Knight set. I love its look and style, which reminds me of the classic Demon’s Souls aesthetic. One major advantage is its good protection and the fact that you can obtain it very early in the game. I’ll show its location on the map and in my gameplay footage. However, the downside of this armor is that it doesn’t provide 51 poise—it has 42. To reach the necessary poise level for effective combat with this weapon, you’ll need to use the Bull-Goat’s Talisman to avoid being interrupted during attacks.

While this is a drawback, you can swap out a piece or two if needed. Ultimately, the specific armor set you use isn’t crucial as long as you achieve 51 poise. For optimal performance, you would typically choose an armor set with at least 51 poise, allowing you to replace the Bull-Goat’s Talisman with another talisman.

Elden Ring Great Katana Build – Savage Slasher: Talismans

For Talismans, we have Shard of Alexander to increase the damage of either Overhead Stance or Savage Lion’s Claw. Both are used frequently in this build, so enhancing their damage is crucial.

I also use Rotten Winged Sword Insignia to boost damage with successive hits, which works well with both Savage Lion’s Claw and Overhead Stance due to their rapid attack sequences. We don’t use Millicent’s Prosthesis here because we’re going with the Occult infusion, not Keen. However, if you opt for a Keen setup, Millicent’s Prosthesis could provide an additional 5 dexterity, making it a good choice for that route.

I also include the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman in this build. This talisman is almost essential for the DLC because enemies hit very hard early on, before you acquire many Scadutree Fragments. There are numerous early-game Scadutree Fragments to collect, allowing you to reach about +4 or +5 on your buffs before encountering the first major boss of the initial Legacy Dungeon. Surviving enemy hits is crucial since both Overhead Stance and Savage Lion’s Claw don’t stagger enemies enough to stop their attacks, leading to frequent damage trades.

Additionally, I have the Bull-Goat’s Talisman. Later, if you decide to change this armor set, look for a talisman that increases two-handed attack damage, which can also enhance this build. There are other valuable talismans as well, such as those increasing damage after killing enemies or performing critical strikes. New talismans introduced in the DLC can be beneficial, and even the Green Turtle Talisman for increased stamina recovery is useful.

Another talisman I recommend is Rellana’s Cameo. It provides a 20% damage increase when using Overhead Stance if you hold it for about a second before attacking. Your body will glow red after a second, indicating the damage boost. While this boost is greater than Shard of Alexander, it requires that delay to activate, which may not be practical in tight combat situations. Shard of Alexander is more reliable in quick engagements, though it offers 5% less damage. However, you can stack both talismans when using Overhead Stance to achieve even higher damage output.

Elden Ring Great Katana Build – Savage Slasher: Recommended Attributes Distribution

For attributes, I have 50 Vigor, 22 Mind, 25 Endurance, 14 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 16 Intelligence, 7 Faith, and 77 Arcane at level 150. Intelligence and Faith are unnecessary for this build, so you can disregard those. I started as an Astrologer, but you don’t need any of those stats.

• Vigor at 50 is probably the minimum I’d recommend at this point. Enemies in the DLC hit very hard, so having even 60 Vigor might be better. If you don’t use the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, you definitely want higher Vigor. With the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, 50 Vigor should suffice, especially if you pick up some Scadutree Fragments.
• For Mind, 22 is sufficient because you’ll only need FP for Overhead Stance or Savage Lion’s Claw. Overhead Stance isn’t FP-intensive, while Savage Lion’s Claw is more costly. However, with plenty of flasks available, you can afford to chug flasks occasionally rather than sacrificing points in other areas.
• Endurance is set at 25, a standard amount for most of my builds. However, this depends on the armor set you wear. If you were min-maxing, you’d opt for heavier armor, thus requiring a higher equip load and potentially more Endurance. This build isn’t particularly stamina-hungry, so you won’t face significant stamina management issues, making additional Endurance unnecessary.
• Strength and Dexterity are at 14 and 18, meeting the minimum requirements to one-hand the weapon. Since I always two-hand it, you could technically drop Strength to 10 and reallocate those points to Endurance or Mind. Although sometimes I end up one-handing the weapon accidentally, dropping Strength could save you some points.
• Arcane is the primary stat, set at 77. With a few more levels, I’d increase this to 80, as this weapon scales excellently with Arcane up to that point. You get more damage with Occult scaling than base damage, which is quite good. At 77 Arcane, you have 107 blood loss buildup, which is significant. Despite Keen having 30 to 40 more attack rating, the double blood loss buildup from Occult is worth it. Consider adding Lord of Blood’s Exultation to your talismans to boost attack power when triggering bleed, depending on the enemies you’re facing. Note that some early DLC enemies are bleed-immune, so you’ll focus on Savage Lion’s Claw or Overhead Stance for those.

Additionally, some new Dragon Incantations in the DLC have high Arcane requirements. This build can accommodate those spells, though you won’t access them until much later in the DLC.

Elden Ring Great Katana Build – Savage Slasher: Final Tips

For the Flask of Wondrous Physick, I recommend two options for this build. First, Greenburst Crystal Tear helps ensure you don’t have stamina issues during boss fights where you’re dodging and rolling frequently. Second, Thorny Cracked Tear with successive hits is beneficial because you’ll get those from Overhead Stance and Savage Lion’s Claw in both boss fights and regular attacks.

Regarding Great Runes, Godrick’s is ideal for this build since you use six out of eight stats, which can save you many levels and make your build more efficient. Alternatively, Radahn’s Great Rune is also a good choice, providing more FP, stamina, and health, which are all beneficial for this build.

That wraps up my Savage Slasher build. I hope you enjoyed this guide. As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree so stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check the Elden Ring Map.

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