Elden Ring: The Ultimate Strength Build Guide
In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps to creating the best Strength build, covering stat allocation, weapon selection, armor choices, and combat strategies. Let's dive in and turn you into an unstoppable force in The Lands Between!
Why Choose a Strength Build
Strength builds are all about wielding colossal weapons, dealing massive damage, and staggering enemies with ease. While this playstyle sacrifices speed and finesse, it makes up for it with pure brute force. Strength builds are ideal for players who prefer straightforward combat, enjoy tanking hits, and love the thrill of crushing enemies in one or two powerful strikes.
Key benefits of a Strength build:
High damage output: Colossal weapons and heavy attacks deal enormous damage.
Stagger potential: Many Strength weapons can stagger even the toughest foes, creating openings for follow-up attacks.
Tankiness: Heavy armor offers excellent defense, allowing you to take hits while dishing out punishment.
Stat Allocation for Strength Builds
Efficient rune investment is essential to optimizing your Strength build. Here's a breakdown of the stats you should prioritize:
Strength (Primary Stat)
Your primary focus should be Strength, which determines your ability to wield colossal weapons and enhances your physical attack power. Aim for at least 40-50 Strength by mid-to-late game.
Vigor (Survivability)
High Vigor ensures you can withstand powerful enemy attacks. Allocate enough points to reach at least 40 Vigor, especially for the late-game challenges.
Endurance (Stamina and Equip Load)
Swinging heavy weapons and wearing bulky armor requires plenty of stamina. Endurance also increases your equip load, letting you avoid “heavy load” penalties. Aim for 30 Endurance.
Dexterity (Weapon Requirements)
Some Strength weapons require a small investment in Dexterity. Put enough points into this stat to meet the minimum requirements, usually around 12-15.
Optional Stats
Intelligence, Faith, or Arcane can be useful if you want to experiment with hybrid builds, but they're not essential for a pure Strength build.
Best Weapons for Strength Builds
The weapon is the heart of any build, and for Strength-focused Tarnished, colossal weapons and great hammers reign supreme. Here are some of the best options:
Colossal Weapons
Great Club: The embodiment of the Bonk build, this weapon is a devastating tool for crushing enemies with massive Strength scaling.
Dragon Slayer Colossal Sword: Known for its reach and heavy damage, this iconic weapon excels in clearing groups of enemies.
Ruins Greatsword: A fan favorite for its innate scaling with Strength and bonus gravity attacks.
Great Hammers
Dragon Slayer Greathammer: A powerful weapon that deals immense damage with a unique charged R2 attack.
Brick Hammer: A simple yet highly effective Strength weapon available early in the game.
Ashes of War
Equip Strength-scaling Ashes of War, such as:
Lion's Claw: Performs a somersaulting attack, dealing high damage while closing the distance to your target.
Flaming Strike: Adds fire damage to your weapon for increased versatility.
Best Armor for Strength Builds
Strength builds benefit greatly from heavy armor, which provides high defense and poise. These armor sets let you trade blows with enemies without flinching:
Bull-Goat Set
Unparalleled poise and defense, making it the top choice for tanking hits.
Radahn's Set
A well-rounded option with solid defense and excellent aesthetics.
Lionel's Set
Heavy yet protective, this set is perfect for players who want maximum durability.
Tip: Use the Radagon's Scarseal or Radagon's Sourceal talismans to boost Strength, ensuring you can wield heavy weapons while wearing bulky armor.
Essential Elden Ring Items for Strength Builds
Talismans
Radagon's Scarseal/Sourceal: Increases Strength but makes you take slightly more damage.
Erdtree's Favor: Boosts HP, stamina, and equip load.
Green Turtle Talisman: Enhances stamina regeneration, vital for maintaining heavy attacks.
Consumables
Exalted Flesh: Temporarily boosts physical attack power.
Rune Arcs: Activate the effects of Great Runes, providing valuable buffs during difficult encounters.
Upgrade Materials
Collect Smithing Stones and Somber Smithing Stones to upgrade your weapons. Use Elden Ring Runes to purchase them from merchants or farm them in dungeons.
Strength Build Combat Strategies
Heavy Attacks are Your Best Friend
Focus on charged R2 attacks to maximize damage and stagger enemies. This tactic is especially effective against larger foes.
Use Jumping Attacks
Jumping R2 attacks are quick, powerful, and effective at breaking enemy stances.
Positioning and Poise
Strength builds rely on trading blows, so use your high poise to stand your ground while landing devastating hits.
Spirit Ashes and Summons
Summon tanky Spirit Ashes like Lhutel the Headless to distract enemies while you unleash your attacks.
Final Tips for Dominating as a Strength Build
Stay Aggressive: Don't shy away from trading hits. Your tankiness and damage output give you the edge.
Experiment with Weapons: Try different colossal weapons and hammers to find the one that fits your playstyle.
Upgrade Gear Frequently: Keep your weapons and armor upgraded to stay ahead of the game's difficulty curve.
With the right investment in Elden Ring Runes, optimized use of Elden Ring Items, and a solid strategy, you'll dominate The Lands Between with your unstoppable Strength build. Now go forth, Tarnished, and Bonk your way to glory!