Summary
2022 was the year for FromSoftware andElden Ring, with the gamewinning numerous awards at The Game Awardsand cementing how popular Soulslike games can be. TheShadow of the Erdtree DLChas knocked it out of the park in every single way, and the resurgence of interest in the game is higher than ever.
Featuring a vast quantity of weapons, magic, abilities, and talismans, creating a build forElden Ringcan be extensive. While there aren’t any definitive worst builds, as many can work if created correctly, some of the best builds can shred through adversaries in a matter of seconds. While online multiplayer can be fun,especially with mods such as Seamless Co-op,Elden Ringis mainly a solo game, and having builds to reflect this can help with the many tough bosses.
Updated June 17, 2025, by Hamza Haq:If there is one thing that Elden Ring does right, it’s build variety. The sheer amount of weapons, ashes of war, and talismans players can get their hands on in the game is only outshone by the near-infinite ways these items can be combined into uniquely powerful builds. From the strongest colossal hammer to the weakest short sword, everything in Elden Ring is viable. Level 1 runs wouldn’t be a thing otherwise. And with the addition of new items from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, that list has only expanded. That said, there are some builds that are naturally more powerful than others.
Notable Talismans
Stargazer Heirloom,Godfrey Icon,Graven-Mass Talisman,Shard of Alexander,Marika’s Soreseal
Frostbitewas introduced inDark Souls 3and remains an overlooked option. Building up Frost damage will take a chunk out of the HP of a boss and increase all damage they receive by 20%.
Dealing Frost damage with a weapon isn’t too strong of an option on its own, but becomes more powerful due to certain Ashes of War and Sorceries that apply Frostbite being some of the best in the game. A big reason why Frostbite is overlooked is that it cannot start building up again until the debuff has ended, unlike Bleed, which can be applied repeatedly.
:Prosthesis-Wearer Heirloom,Rotten Winged Sword Insignia,Millicent’s Prosthesis,Radagon’s Soreseal
Dexterityhas always been a mainstay of FromSoft’s games, with the Uchigatana being a familiar weapon to many players.With numerous weaponsbenefitting from this stat, Dexterity is known for fast attacks and low stamina requirements.
Dealing powerful damage in its own right, an issue with Dexterity is that most of its weapons can be used in more powerful builds, such as the Uchigatana proving to be incredibly strong in a Bleed build. However, Dexterity can still destroy bosses, even when using underrated weapons such as Daggers.
Embody the Frenzied Flame
Notable Weapons
Sword of Night and Flame,Godslayer’s Greatsword,Magma Blade,Giant’s Seal,Godslayer’s Seal,Frenzied Flame Seal
Two Fingers Heirloom,Marika’s Soreseal,Flock’s Canvas Talisman,Shard of Alexander,Godfrey Icon
Fire Damage mixed into a Faith build is extremely powerful due tohighly-damaging weapons, Ashes of War, and Incantations.
Incantations that cause Blackflame buildup on a target are valuable as this applies a powerful debuff that can severely harm a boss. Other spells such as Giantsflame Take Thee and Flame, Fall Upon Them are strong due to the extreme damage and area of effect capabilities they possess, causing huge explosions that can take out many enemies at once.
Great-Jar’s Arsenal,Radagon’s Soreseal,Starscourge Heirloom,Erdtree’s Favor,Claw Talisman
Strengthhas gained notoriety due to its ability to defeat a boss in one attack when designed correctly. Much like Dexterity, Strength has been a main build in FromSoft’s game for years,with a vast number of weaponsthat meet its needs.
Often seen as the most simple build to create, Strength doesn’t require any magic or special items, only needing the biggest weapon available to hit enemies with. While a Strength build is good for crowd control and dealing big damage with a single hit, getting the attack timing down - especially against fast enemies - can be challenging.
Fingerprint Stone Shield,Verdigris Greatshield,Wolf Crest Shield,Serpent Crest Shield
Greatshield Talisman,Curved Sword Talisman,Viridian Amber Medallion +3,Pearl Shield Talisman,Two-Headed Turtle Talisman
The Greatshield Poke involves equipping a Greatshield and a thrusting weapon. This combo allows players to hold block to put up the Greatshield from their offhand and press attack to use the main hand weapon to attack from above. This is a boss-killer build, working on everything from Margit to Radagon. Even Radahn, Consort of Miquella, arguably the hardest boss ever created by FromSoftware becomes a cakewalk with this combo.
A natural downside to the Greatshield Poke build is that it is entirely focused on single-target damage. The more enemies in front of the player, the worse this build becomes. There are a couple of solutions to this. An Ashes of War with an Area of Effect, like Hoarfrost Stomp or Flame of the Redmanes, is a great option to counter mobs. Alternatively, a backup weapon would get the job done as well.
Fire Scorpion Charm,Godfrey Icon,Shard of Alexander,Millicent’s Prosthesis,Flock’s Canvas Talisman
For players looking for a build that holds up in PvP as well as PvE,Madnessbuilds check all the boxes. The Madness status effect doesn’t do anything against non-human enemies, meaning most regular mobs are immune to it. Fortunately, there are tons of Madness incantations that deal incredible damage, making it a non-issue. The Flame of Frenzy incantation deserves a special mention, as it isavailable right at the start of the gameand isn’t locked behind any boss fight.
Players aiming for a Madness build should focus on increasing Faith, Mind, Vigor, and Endurance. Mind is of special importance here as increasing it directly raises the Focus stat, which in turn mitigates the negative self harm caused by triggering Madness on the player character. Coincidentally, the increase in FP directly benefits casting. For PvE, the Frenzied Flame Seal increases the damage of all madness incantations by 20%. But for PvP, the Dragon Communion Seal is the way to go, as it allows players to increase how fast they can inflict Madness on the other player. This effect is tied to the Arcane stat.
A Jack-of-all-trades build with high damage potential
Moonveil,Wing of Astel,Carian Knight’s Sword,Sword of Night and Flame,Meteoric Ore Blade,Carian Glintstone Staff,Meteorite Staff
Notable Sorceries
Carian Slicer,Comet,Carian Greatsword,Carian Piercer,Carian Phalanx,Night Comet,Collapsing Stars,Gravity Well,Great Glintstone Shard,Glintstone Cometshard
Godfrey Icon,Marika’s Soreseal,Shard of Alexander,Graven-Mass Talisman,Stargazer Heirloom,Carian Filigreed Crest,Magic Scorpion Charm
TheSpellbladebuild utilizes a combination of strong Ashes of War andpowerful Sorceriesto deal its damage. The best weapon option is the Moonveil katana, due to its incredibly damaging and poise-breaking Ash of War, fast attacks, and inherent Blood Loss application.
Using Gravity Sorceries that pull enemies closer can help with melee damage. Ranged magic can deal damage if a player wants to back away, and the Night Comet Sorcery will also offer reliable damage against any enemies that like to dodge other spells.
Blasphemous Blade
Shard of Alexander,Fire Scorpion Charm,Carian Filigreed Crest,Taker’s Cameo,Ritual Sword Talisman,Ancestral Spirit’s Horn
Thisbuild is centered around the Blasphemous Blade, a weapon retrievedfrom the Remembrance of the Blasphemousdropped by Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy.
This is an extremely strong build due to the high damage it can inflict, paired with the ability to heal when an enemy is attacked via the weapon’s Ash of War. Combine this with the correct Talismans, and using this build can keep a player alive almost indefinitely without using any healing items.
Uchigatana,Rivers of Blood,Eleonora’s Poleblade,Reduvia,Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear,Bloody Helice
Lord of Blood’s Exultation,Rotten Winged Sword Insignia,Millicent’s Prosthesis,Shard of Alexander,Carian Filigreed Crest,Marika’s Soreseal
While being a subsidiary of Arcane,Bleed buildshave become their own build category. This is due to weapons that inflict Blood Loss being infinitely more powerful than other Arcane armaments that do not.
Also known as Blood Loss or Hemorrhage, a Bleed build is one of the most destructive builds available as it immediately takes a chunk out of an enemy’s health once it has been applied enough. Blood Loss applies every time an enemy takes damage from a Bleed weapon, and possesses no cooldown, unlike Frostbite.
A true magic build
Glintstone Staff,Carian Regal Scepter,Meteorite Staff,Prince of Death’s Staff,Moonveil,Dark Moon Greatsword,Wing of Astel,Carian Knight’s Sword
Comet Azur,Cannon of Haima,Comet,Meteorite of Astel,Ranni’s Dark Moon,Rennala’s Full Moon,Terra Magica
Cerulean Amber Medallion,Marika’s Soreseal,Stargazer Heirloom,Graven-Mass Talisman,Moon of Nokstella,Godfrey Icon,Magic Scorpion Charm
IntelligenceinElden Ringis ridiculously overpowered, usingnumerous staves and weaponsto deal massive damage. Sorceries such as Comet Azur and Meteorite of Astel are some of the game’s most damaging spells, dealing incredible harm to obliterate any enemies.
The moist important part of this build is to create a suitable Flask of Wonderous Physick. Using the Cerulean Hidden Tear will negate all FP requirements, allowing spells such as Comet Azur to be cast for a absurdly long time. Additionally, the Intelligence-knot Crystal Tear can be added to boost Intelligence, or the Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear can be used to deal extra magic damage, which only amplify this already powerful setup.
