UPDATE: We’ve introduced an interactive map within this guide to help you locate all the essential items for your Elden Ring Strength build!
The Ultimate Elden Ring Strength Build Guide
Creating the best Elden Ring Strength build involves more than just raw power; it combines intellectual strategies with brute force to overcome the toughest adversaries in just a few strikes. While there are countless ways to flex your muscles in The Lands Between, this build focuses on wielding massive swords, hammers, or clubs, making it a prime choice for players seeking heavy-hitting gameplay.
This build emphasizes a significant investment in the Strength stat right from the start, facilitating access early in the game. As players increase their Strength to around 60, they can easily pivot into various build variations later, making it an outstanding foundational choice for newcomers to Elden Ring.
My specific approach involves infusing the Greatsword with Cold, resulting in Frostbite damage. This build offers a fun and engaging playstyle, trading some of the outrageous power found in popular meme builds for more intricate gameplay mechanics that keep players engaged.
If you’re looking for an immersive experience, this build allows for intense melee combat that demands skill in timing attacks and dodging, offering a fulfilling challenge rather than simply steamrolling through enemies.
To assist you with this build, our interactive map below contains vital item locations.
Essential Items for a Strength Build
Elden Ring Strength Build: Key Stats and Starting Class
In an Elden Ring Strength build, prioritize three critical stats: Strength, Vigor, and Endurance.
- Strength: As the cornerstone of damage output, aim to reach 31 Strength as quickly as possible to wield your primary weapon one-handed. Continue maximizing this stat until you hit the soft cap of 60.
- Vigor: This stat is crucial for sustaining your character in battles, especially for those committed to powerful melee attacks. Invest in Vigor consistently to ensure survivability against tough enemies.
- Endurance: Increases stamina and allows for equipping heavier armor without compromising your agility. This is invaluable for a Strength build, providing crucial damage resistance in challenging encounters.
As you advance through Elden Ring’s later stages, consider integrating Intelligence into your build to apply Frostbite effects effectively.
For your starting class, the Vagabond is highly recommended due to its favorable starting stats—including Strength, Vigor, and Endurance—as well as sufficient Dexterity for a strong early weapon.
Early Game Stats: Level 30+
You can establish a formidable Strength build right from the start by acquiring the Greatsword, which will support your journey through the entire game. This weapon requires 31 Strength to wield one-handed; however, two-handing significantly reduces the requirement. Focus on enhancing Strength, Vigor, and Endurance during the initial phases.
- Vigor: 18
- Mind: 10
- Endurance: 15
- Strength: 28
- Dexterity: 13
- Intelligence: 9
- Faith: 9
- Arcane: 7
Mid-Game Stats: Level 80+
Your Strength will continue to climb toward the target of 60. Continue to enhance Vigor and Endurance, while also allocating some points to Mind for utilizing powerful Ashes of War. This stage also allows for acquiring the Lion’s Claw, a major asset for Strength builds.
- Vigor: 35
- Mind: 14
- Endurance: 22
- Strength: 50
- Dexterity: 13
- Intelligence: 9
- Faith: 9
- Arcane: 7
Late Game Stats: Level 120+
Transitioning into the late game allows you to modify your weapon’s affinity to Cold while boosting Intelligence to inflict Frostbite on challenging adversaries. This adds unique gameplay depth without requiring tedious spell buffing, making it accessible and enjoyable!
- Vigor: 40
- Mind: 20
- Endurance: 25
- Strength: 60
- Dexterity: 13
- Intelligence: 25
- Faith: 9
- Arcane: 7
Shadow of the Erdtree Stats: Level 150+
As you gear up for the DLC expansions, prioritize Vigor to withstand tougher foes while ensuring a strong attack output.
- Vigor: 55
- Mind: 20
- Endurance: 30
- Strength: 60
- Dexterity: 13
- Intelligence: 35
- Faith: 9
- Arcane: 7
While some builds advocate pushing Strength to 80 for maximum damage, incorporating elements like Frostbite can refresh gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.
Elden Ring Strength Build: Weapons
The first weapon to acquire is the Greatsword, accessible early in the game and a top-tier option when upgraded. It is located just a short ride from the First Steps Site of Grace.
To obtain it, head east towards the Caelid entrance from Limgrave, passing the Rotview Balcony. You will encounter two massive dog enemies guarding a coffin carriage; quickly retrieve the sword from the back. This becomes a reliable weapon throughout your journey, requiring only 31 Strength and 12 Dexterity to wield, with a C scaling in Strength.
For a preliminary weapon, consider the Bastard Sword, needing 16 Strength and 10 Dexterity. This versatile weapon includes the Stamp (Upward Cut) Skill and can be enhanced with an Ash of War, making it ideal for early-game combat. The Morning Star is another option, with less damage output but the advantage of passive Bleed buildup, requiring only 12 Strength and 8 Dexterity.
If you’re aiming for a display of strength, you might also want to pursue the Giant Crusher. Requiring 60 Strength, this colossal hammer is found in a carriage in Atlas Plateau. Though it has a shorter range compared to the Greatsword, it delivers devastating impact.
Additional noteworthy weapons include the Beastman’s Cleaver (C scaling with Strength, requiring 25 Strength and 14 Dexterity) and the Great Mace, which necessitates 28 Strength for use. The latter boasts superior scaling with Strength when fully upgraded. Mixing in a bit of Intelligence can open up various spells for character protection, while adding Faith enables the use of beastial incantations.
Elden Ring Strength Build: Talismans
Selecting the right talismans is critical. The Erdtree’s Favour enhances your maximum HP, Stamina, and load-bearing capacity—perfect for a Strength build. You can acquire the base talisman early in the game and the +2 variant during later phases.
Make sure to equip the Arsenal Charm to further improve your equip load. This allows for wearing heavy armor without hitches. Obtain this charm from Nepheli Loux at the Roundtable Hold after defeating Godrick.
The Green Turtle Talisman, obtainable from Summonwater Village, increases stamina recovery, vital for builds reliant on continuous melee engagement. Additionally, consider the Dragoncrest Greatshield talisman, which reduces physical damage—crucial for tough boss encounters.
For a more advanced build, be sure to acquire the Shard of Alexander by completing the quest for Living Jar Alexander, boosting your damage even further.
Elden Ring Strength Build: Spells and Incantations
This build can operate effectively without spells, relying on consumables for buffs—keeping gameplay straightforward. However, investing in Faith offers substantial benefits.
Key incantations include Flame, Grant Me Strength from Fort Gael in Caelid, and Golden Vow available near the Corpse-Stench Shack. Both enhance attack power and damage resistance, allowing for substantial one-shot potential against adversaries.
Elden Ring Strength Build: Armor
With your investment in Endurance, you can don heavier armor to maximize defensive stats. The Twinned Armour or the Royal Remains Armour are ideal choices early in the game. The Scaled Set also provides excellent protection against non-physical attacks.
Maintaining a medium equip load ensures quick dodging capabilities, which is vital in combat. Additionally, focus on achieving a Poise stat above 51 to effectively manage hits without interrupting your attacks, preferably aiming for over 60.
Elden Ring Strength Build: Ash of War
The standout Ash of War for Strength builds is undoubtedly the Ash of War: Lion’s Claw, allowing players to execute a powerful frontflip slam with their weapon, wreaking havoc upon enemies. You can find this at Fort Gael after overcoming a giant lion guardian.
If you’re seeking an easier start, the basic Stamp (Upward Cut) Ash of War offers a reliable upward attack option, making it useful against aerial foes and those pesky dragons. Moreover, consider the Ash of War: Chilling Mist to achieve the Cold weapon affinity, obtainable from a scarab near Renna’s Rise.
Alternate Elden Ring Strength Builds
Some players explore builds that focus on weapons and effects scaling with Strength rather than the Strength stat itself. This hybrid approach emphasizes Dexterity and Vigor, with Strength and Arcane as secondary attributes. Ideal weapons for this playstyle include:
- Reduvia Dagger – acquired from Bloody Finger Nerijus in Limgrave.
- Eleonara’s Poleblade – obtained from Eleanora in Altus Plateau.
The dagger excels in inflicting bloodloss, while the poleblade offers both Physical and Fire damage, making it an excellent fit for hybrid builds. The Winged Sword Insignia (or Rotten variant) is beneficial for maximizing damage potential through rapid attacks, which is particularly effective with the poleblade’s multi-hit capability.
That concludes our comprehensive guide to crafting an effective Elden Ring Strength build. Embrace the challenge and enjoy the thrilling gameplay experience that awaits!
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