Build Ideas

[Karsk]

Never finished the game during my initial playthrough right after release and I want to go back into the lands between, however I have no idea about a build. All I know is I don't want to do unga-bunga sword. I remember in my first run I tried bleed but it wasn't all that exciting for me as well. I know this is kinda vague but I can't remember much of the game although I am familiar with the stats and building characters for these kinds of games. Any suggestions appreciated!

[Automaton-37467]

No matter the build you always need 60 vigor at mid and end game, but also not more than 60 because you barely get any extra health after 60. Idk any fun builds tho for pve, just pvp. One fun thing tho is the erdtree greatshild, its pretty fun because you can reflect magic projectiles.

[ZTL-Altima]

Pick dex or str and upgrade 20 or so weapons, and switch every now and then.

[[NG]Giuls The Original]

You can try a frost build.

[Nevict]

Originally posted by Steve the Meme Thief:

Never finished the game during my initial playthrough right after release and I want to go back into the lands between, however I have no idea about a build. All I know is I don't want to do unga-bunga sword. I remember in my first run I tried bleed but it wasn't all that exciting for me as well. I know this is kinda vague but I can't remember much of the game although I am familiar with the stats and building characters for these kinds of games. Any suggestions appreciated!

Why not trying a spellcasting build, or a dexterity one? A balanced build between strength and dexterity is ok too.

[Vulture]

I'm partial to Incantations. I initially started using them to supplement my item focused build (poison, no arcane) as I like Wretch and throwing bones at people is funny but there's a really nice variety that I find lacking in actual sorceries and now I absolutely adore the Crucible incantations. Outside of 'just incantations' my primary weapons had minimal investment, at a certain point in the game (about the second big boss) I just said screw it, put 20/20 STR/DEX so I could try different things to find something I liked while putting the rest in Vigor, End, Mind and Faith so I could actually beat the game. Ended up one handing a GS with a crossbow in the other. Not optimal, but fun.

[fauxpas]

Honestly I just pick a primary and backup weapon, then decide whether I want to focus on incants or sorcery as the starting point and let the build evolve from there ... I do try to pay attention to the soft caps though.


For example I'm currently playing a sorceress witch that uses a Cold glaive (pain in the butt to get one to drop) primarily and switches between straight swords and katanas as backup weapons and it seems to work fairly well.


Basically just play something semi-themed that you find fun and avoid following an actual guided build. ... Also be a wretch as that class automatically adds 10% additional enjoyment to your overall experience. 😉

[Millo]

Fextralife on youtube got good builds for all lvls
https://www.youtube.com/@Fextralife
(sorry for my english)

But to summarize (imo):

- Vigor : 40 to 60

- Mind : depends on your mana consomation. For a spellcaster it'll be important.
But if it is just for ash of war spamming, only +-30 will suffice.

- Endurance : depends on how many stamina you'r consuming when hitting and on what armor you want to wear.

- Strength : else you put only some points to use some weapons or esle you go full strength for a strength only build.

- Dexterity : same as strenght but i wont recommand a Dex only build. Combine it with one of the 3 "magic" stats.

- Intelligence : dont put too many point if you dont want a intel build. Even if it's to use a weapon wich requires intel. Because if you want to use these kind of weapon, you gonna need a intel build, not just some points.
Just put enough to use spells if you want too.

- Faith : same as intel. But many no faith build use 15 to 22 faith for some buffing spells.

- Arcane : dont put any here if you wont do bleed or an arcane build.
For a bleeding build, it can go from 30 to 80. Depends on how far you want to go in bleeding.
For an arcane build it's gonna be 80.
If you'r using arcane just to suport a faith build, 30 max imo.

[Mad Engineer Kikoumaru]

My suggestion: if you don't mind not being 100% optimized and don't plan to use your character for PVP, try a themed build. Either a build themed after any fictional character you like, or one themed after a character in the lore of the game.
I've been doing my second playthrough with a build themed after Miquella, using Golden Epitaph, Sword of St Trina, Golden Order Incantations, trying to keep a light equip load and using the Crucible Feather Talisman. I get two or three-shot by most bosses even with decent vitality, but light load + Crucible Feather Talisman make dodging much easier and it's actually really fun.

[Karsk]

Originally posted by Nevict:

Originally posted by Steve the Meme Thief:

Never finished the game during my initial playthrough right after release and I want to go back into the lands between, however I have no idea about a build. All I know is I don't want to do unga-bunga sword. I remember in my first run I tried bleed but it wasn't all that exciting for me as well. I know this is kinda vague but I can't remember much of the game although I am familiar with the stats and building characters for these kinds of games. Any suggestions appreciated!

Why not trying a spellcasting build, or a dexterity one? A balanced build between strength and dexterity is ok too.

Never tried a spellcasting build in a fromsoft game. Only dex build I tried was in Bloodborne (god I would give anything to get a pc port)

[Dr.Falcon]

Originally posted by Loathsome Dung Eater:

No matter the build you always need 60 vigor at mid and end game, but also not more than 60 because you barely get any extra health after 60. Idk any fun builds tho for pve, just pvp. One fun thing tho is the erdtree greatshild, its pretty fun because you can reflect magic projectiles.

54 Vigor is lowest investment needed to get 2000+ HP with Erdtree's Favor +2 and Crimson Amber Medallion +2, fun fact.

[Karsk]

I also have a bad tendency to get class envy and want to restart which is really frustrating to me lol

[fauxpas]

Originally posted by Steve the Meme Thief:

I also have a bad tendency to get class envy and want to restart which is really frustrating to me lol

Me too, which is why I try to use soft-themes that are still broad.

[Dr.Falcon]

Originally posted by Steve the Meme Thief:

I also have a bad tendency to get class envy and want to restart which is really frustrating to me lol

If you want some build making advice I would...
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1) Cosplay Build- Create a build centered around a characters move-set, kit, or abilities from media.
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2) Thematic Weapons- Check out a weapon list and see which weapons can be fit onto a particular build. i.e Strength, Intelligence hybrid builds have many weapons to choose from with a variety of scaling that allow you to experiment with your stat investment. You can run heavy infused weapons and buff them with a spell, cold weapons with high scaling in both stats, or some strong unique weapons like the Royal Greatsword and Helphen's Steeple.
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3) Focused- Pour all of your damage stats into one stat. Example 80 Arcane can be put to good use with weapons that have inherent bleed build up. The flamberge will get over 100+ bleed build up per hit when occult infused. Reduvia and Bloody Helice make great weapons on this build as 80 arcane is the hard-cap for damage scaling of those weapons. Any other levels are put into Vigor and Endurance and the minimum str+dex to wield particular weapons.
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4) Weapon- Challenge yourself to use one weapon type, ideally something you would rarely use that may be outside of your comfort zone. Finding the most optimal way to use and upgrade it along the way.
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There's a lot of possibility. I would definitely commit to one idea though. There is a website called "Elden Ring Build Planner" that I highly recommend for creating builds.

[SnakeshyperTTV/Kick]

Big balls Build
60 vig
13 mind
40 end
70 str
15 faith
10 Arc the for dragon communion seal for min maxing weight.

Weapon: Starfists can be obtained early by wrong warp AoW crageblade
Buffs: Flame grant me strength, golden vow AoW on a dagger, Great Turtle shield, spiked tear, and thorny tear.
Armor: None or enough to deal a lot of damage with the blue dancer charm.
Tailismans:
Blue dancer
Erdtree's favor +2, Green turtle if you don't want to use the turtle shield, or the most maidenless talisman ever.
Axe talisman
Rotten Wing Sword Insignia.

Optionally pump all of your levels into str and end if you got boulder sized balls.

[BRiAN DEVILISH]

Just play the game. Doing what others do, or what others say isn't fun. Experiment, you can always change your build after you defeat Rennala.