So I guess pure melee builds are not viable in this game?

[Patch]

I beat DS 1-3 just using the longsword, but trying to kill the falling star beasts with a sword is like trying to chip away at a cement wall with a plastic spoon. Also feels like you need torrent to dodge some attacks or it's literally impossible. I wish this game was more open to different playstyles. It feels like I'm gonna need some form of magic, which wasn't the case in the older games.

[Sparhawk 59]

Their are pure melee builds its making sure you have the right ash of war and talismans on you and your weapon. Try lookin at YT plenty of steamers giving help on builds

[Giganx]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-yW6jo4Mec

I was able to beat him pure melee, but it's definitely a slog. Maybe this will help.

[Lumina]

You can beat the game as pure melee, but need to know how to increase your damage with certain buffs and talismans. Also figure out the enemies weakness , prepare several weapons with different damage types and ashes of war. Learn how to use status effects.
And a melee can also use consumables like Volcano Pots, Poison Knifes, and so on.

Falling Star Beast is weak to elemental damage.

[Tikus Tycoon]

im pure melee

[Twisty]

You definitely can beat the game with a melee build though.
Torrent is a mechanic and mechanics can be used.
The game is also open to an immense amount of playstyles: full melee, hybrid, pure caster, melee caster, Archer and the list goes on. Sometimes you need to swap weapons or affinities, or add an ash of war.
Just need to adapt and try different things.
I'd highly recommend getting the Great Stars weapon and leveling it along side your longsword.

[Patch]

I haven't played this game in months, but I just looked at the patch notes..is the combat actually fair now?

[An Irate Walrus]

On my first run (PS5, for reference), I went 2h UGS, STR build. Used ash summons, but no co-op. Beat the game just fine, including Malenia.

Edit: That first run was at launch. I put the Elden Beast down on March 1st, prior to the various nerfs.

Decided to try Samurai next run, went dual Uchi, melted everything.

Third run was a rogue, stuck to daggers until I was forced to swap out for a weapon with longer reach. Tougher, but doable.

Melee is entirely viable. I'm only messing with magic now, on my fifth run, to force myself out of my comfort zone.

[Gob]

It is hard or near-impossible with some bosses (and some mobs) to just chip away at them. You gonna have to use at least some AoWs and buffs, maybe switch out weapons for this.

[Rama]

Melee is viable but it doesn't feel as good as in previous games because some bosses are not properly balanced around the character moveset. They tend to jump around a lot and spam or chain attacks so you're left with small windows of opportunity to counter.

So if you're planning on going full melee keep in mind that you'll find yourself running away or towards the bosses very often. And don't be afraid of using spirit ashes for the multi boss fights, those are not like in previous games either.

[Senki]

pure melee as in not ever switching weapons or using ashes of war either? Yeah you're gonna have a bad time depending on the weapon.

But the game gives you plenty of weapons, upgrade materials and ashes of war to play normally when you wish to.

[Superboniato]

Besides you can finish the game with pretty much any weapon (GG and those things...)

Melee is perfectly a valid option.
With the proper buffs, melee can deal very good dmg. For example powerstancing jumping attacks are quite fast, deal posture damage, can be buffed with talisman + armor...

However there are other options that requires even less effort for bosses weak to some status (bleed, rot...) or spamming magic...

Although it is true that a single broadsword is not as powerful as it was in ds3 for example.

[Ironwu]

Originally posted by Patch:

I beat DS 1-3 just using the longsword, but trying to kill the falling star beasts with a sword is like trying to chip away at a cement wall with a plastic spoon. Also feels like you need torrent to dodge some attacks or it's literally impossible. I wish this game was more open to different playstyles. It feels like I'm gonna need some form of magic, which wasn't the case in the older games.

Elden RIng is designed for a player to use all the tools available to them, including Torrent, Spirit Ashes and NPC Summons.

You can certainly make it a harder challenge by not using one or more of those tools, but please don't come here and complain that it is 'to hard' as you are the one that made it hard on yourself.

[vaanomega]

Originally posted by Patch:

I beat DS 1-3 just using the longsword, but trying to kill the falling star beasts with a sword is like trying to chip away at a cement wall with a plastic spoon. Also feels like you need torrent to dodge some attacks or it's literally impossible. I wish this game was more open to different playstyles. It feels like I'm gonna need some form of magic, which wasn't the case in the older games.

Pure melee builds are totally playable, i was a melee player, and finished the game as a melee, most of Falling Star Beast attacks are not that hard to dodge, i was not even using Ashes of War that much
I was a STR/END main as a confessor

[Fineous🔥]

However there are other options that requires even less effort for bosses weak to some status (bleed, rot...) or spamming magic...

Here we go again.....come on......thats just wrong.

I completed my second playthrough as INT/STR using mainly a Ruins greatsword.
Barely used any spell, whacking everything with the sword and ash of war was more than enough. So perfectly viable.

Also please.....dont make yourself look like a massive tool....with the "SPELLS AR EZZZS MUODEZ ZZZZ". Killed Mogh (even before his "special") the Godskin gankers and Malenia with two Godskin peelers with bleed and im talking about a NG10...
In fact Mogh as melee was a damn joke...lord of blood? he bleeds like no one just false advertisement with all the lord of blood propaganda.
The most blatant case of fraudulent advertising...even bigger than The Neverending Story.

If you are having problems dodging and dealing with the mechanics as melee thats only up to you and just you!

[Sabaithal]

After you get to a certain point in the game, about Atlas Plateau or so, you're expected to start finding more powerful methods of dealing damage through weapons, if that's your primary means of dealing damage.

A starting longsword even with good upgrades is a reliable weapon, but it won't compare to many other weapons in terms of damage. If you want to make it effective trying infusing it with a useful ash of war, or start utilizing its base WA. Square off is often overlooked, but can do some pretty nice burst damage with low FP consumption (and it can stance break).

In short, utilize infusions, and Ashes of War/WA to your advantage when dealing with stronger foes.