Summary
When it comes to build diversity and variety,Elden Ringhas no shortage ofpowerful and fun optionsfor players to choose from to suit any playstyle. Mages have a bountiful list of staffs and wands to choose from, and any traditional knight will be spoiled for choice with the long list of swords and other weapons available.
Combining build types can be incredibly useful, especially when specific weapons enjoy the benefit of multiple stat modifiers. A paladin-style build that focuses on healing with incantations and dishing out heavy strength-based damage can be incredibly versatile and powerful when taking on basic camps of enemies and destroying some of the hardest bosses in the game with little to no trouble.
8Ordovis’s Greatsword
Straight From The Crucible
Ordovis’s Greatswordis an absolute machine. The power comes from the incredible skill that charges up and then slams down in a burst of holy light, great for taking down groups of foes all at once. The scaling, with both faith and strength, allows the player to dish out some significant holy damage when starting into faith, while still dealing significant harm to those with resistances.
Players can pick up this mighty weapon after just a few bosses, allowing it to be carried through the mid-game, all the way to the core of the Erdtree. And when combined with some incantations, which any good faith user will be equipping anyway, the damage output can be insane while maintaining a high health pool with some good healing spells alongside it.
7Erdtree Seal
A Paladin’s Best Friend
While the strength component of a build is incredibly important,a good sacred seal pairingis just as important. TheErdtree Sealis the best option for a pure faith-based build and when combined with a powerful physical damage weapon, the buffs and damage output is nearly unmatched.
Found near Volcano Manor, it’s worth taking the short detour to acquire it as it scales incredibly well with faith and provides some of the best possible healing outputs of any of the seals. Using it in conjunction with a suitable weapon that also scaled with faith like the Blasphemous Blade, also found in Volcano Manor, turns the player into a mighty fighter of holy proportions.
6Ornamental Straight Sword
Two Is Better Than One
One of the first weapons the player will see in the whole game, theOrnamental Straight Swordis wielded by the very first enemy encountered. The cool part about this weapon isthe built-in dual-wield functionwhen two-handing it. Rather than needing to go find a second version or have a friend drop it, the player can experiment with the combos and damage output of the double sword moveset.
On top of this, the skill empowers the sword with holy power, turning the heavy attack into a crazy combo chain that shreds through anything unfortunate enough to get in its way. The holy damage and decent strength scaling make it a great choice for players starting into both faith and strength, and early access makes it a great choice to take on an entire playthrough.
5Miquellan Knight’s Sword
The Sword With No Master
Swinging a sword around is one thing when taking on opponents at close range, but sometimes it’s nice to have a ranged option to snipe archers or oncoming enemies from afar. Thankfully, theMiquellan Knight’s Swordis great at both, having a skill that fires a deadly blast at range, dealing significant holy damage to quell the evils of the world.
The triple scaling of strength, dexterity, and faith gives players the option to go full-on into the paladin fantasy or spread their skill points thinner for a more rounded build. If they choose the former however, the payoff is immense, as at high faith, the enemies can barely get close before being shot down by the devastating sacred blade that fires from the weapon.
4Envoy’s Long Horn
Gentle Notes With A Deadly Song
One of the more peculiar weapons inElden Ring,theEnvoy’s Long Hornis exactly what it says on the tin. A musical instrumentturned bludgeoning great hammerthat deals physical damage thanks to the strength scaling and a devastating moveset.
The best part is the player’s ability to actually play the horn, blowing out a spray of golden bubbles that, though beautiful, are incredibly deadly if touched by any unsuspecting enemies. It is a great skill for taking down larger enemies that will soak up every last burst from the horn, particularly bosses such as Placidusax.
3Golden Halberd
Shining Bright Right From The Start
The Tree Sentinel serves as the first major roadblock for so many players. Some choose to stay around and tough it out right from the get-go, and others return later to enact their revenge. He is a powerful foe indeed early on and his weaponry is no push-over either. TheGolden Halberdis a potent weapon that can be picked up early and provides a great buff for co-op or solo when taking on tougher battles.
One of the best use cases for the halberd is powerstancing with a second one. Holding two giant golden poles and sprinting forth with a sizable damage buff turns any fight into a cakewalk. The ability to jump, attack, and slam with consistent and devastating blows makes the strength and faith builds feel completely overpowered in just a few levels.
2Sword Of Light/Darkness
Two Sides Of The Same Coin
Shadow of the Erdtreeintroduced many new and exciting weapons and builds to try, but none of them come close to the uniqueness and wow factor of the Sword of Darkness and Light. The player can choose to pick up either and swap back to the other form at any point, upon returning to specific parts of the map, using the initial Stone-Sheathed Sword to conjure forth the power of darkness and a beacon of light.
Both have the same scaling and requirements and give a great incentive to stat into faith to boost the immense power of their respective skills, summoning either a burst of light beams or a shroud of darkness to destroy enemies in a huge area. Each provides a slightly different approach and distinct use-case so it is down to the player to decide whether they are a warrior of light or a bringer of the dark.
1Blasphemous Blade
Gruesome And Glorious
Tucked away in the depths of Volcano Manor lies Rykard, the slithering lord of Blasphemy, and after defeating him in cinematic fashion, the playercan pick up this incredible weaponthat hits like a truck and comes with a passive healing ability that allows players to keep the aggression going when taking on swarms of enemies.
It feels amazing to wield, swinging around a wriggling, fiery blade of destructive power that is perfect for players who want to focus on strength while having all the benefits of a faith build. To cap it all off, the skill Taker’s Flames unleashes a giant line of fire ahead of the player that decimates anything in its path and maintains the healing capabilities of the blade itself. Healing and fire all wrapped into one make this the pinnacle of aggressive paladin combat.
