Top 20 Elden Ring DLC Best Builds & Weapons Combos 2024

The long-time waited Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring is on the horizon, and it's the perfect time to craft a build that not only suits your playstyle but also gives you the versatility needed to tackle the new challenges ahead.  Here we will not only tell you how to create the perfect OP build for this epic journey but also share you with the 20 top builds to help you tackle what lies ahead.

Elden Ring Best Builds 2024 for DLC

With the upcoming release of Elden Ring's DLC - Shadow of the ER tree, players are eager to optimize their characters. Contrary to popular belief, the perfect build isn't solely about damage output. It's about utility, effectiveness against formidable foes, and, most importantly, what suits your playstyle and skill level. Here's a guide on how to prepare and create the ideal build for your adventure.

How to Prepare & Create the Perfect Build for Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC?

Here is our wealth of advice for players looking to prepare and create the ideal build for your adventure：

Utility Builds: Embrace Versatility

• Focus on Flexibility: Instead of maximizing a single stat, consider a balanced spread that allows for a variety of weapons and spells.

• Weapon Diversity: Equip weapons with different damage types (strike, slash, standard, pierce) to tackle different enemy weaknesses.

• Unique Weapons: Consider weapons like the Bloody Helik, Godslayer's Greatsword, Eleonora's Poleblade, and Bloodhound's Fang for their unique skills and styles.

Combat Strategy: Range and Damage Types

• Ranged Attacks: Incorporate magic, bows, or ranged Ashes of War to handle threats from a distance.

• Damage Type Consideration: Match your weapons' damage types to the vulnerabilities of enemies and bosses.

Special Considerations: Ashes of War and Great Runes

• Sacred Blade Ash of War: Useful against Undead enemies and prevents them from resurrecting.

• Great Runes: Collect Rune Arcs and activate Great Runes for unique buffs. Millenia's Great Rune is highlighted for its potential in the DLC.

Preparation: Physick and Exploration

• Physick Tiers: Collect and mix tiers in your Flask of Wondrous Physick for powerful buffs.

• Stock Up: Ensure you have enough Rune Arcs and other consumables before venturing into the DLC.

Experience: Avoid Spoilers and Enjoy the Challenge

• Avoiding Guides: For the best experience, refrain from using social media or guides that could spoil the new content.

• Self-Discovery: Engage with the game directly and enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from overcoming challenges independently.

Community Engagement: Sharing Your Journey

• Content Creation: You plan to upload your progress and boss victories without engaging in comments to avoid spoilers.

• Encouragement: You hope others will join you in exploring the DLC and share their experiences after they've completed it.

Top 20 Elden Ring Best Builds For DLC (2024)

Here are the top 20 Elden Ring builds tailored for the latest DLC. Whether you’re into strength, dexterity, intelligence, blood, or arcane - we have something for everyone. These builds are fun, high-damage, and perfect for any level of play.

1. Occult Cross-Naginata Build

The Occult Cross-Naginata Build is a high-level powerhouse designed for level 170 characters, focusing on dexterity and arcane stats. By imbuing the Occult Cross-Naginata with Ault Affinity and utilizing the Sword Dance skill, players can inflict rapid bleed damage. The use of specific talismans like Star Scourge Heirloom and the combination of Crimson Burst Crystal and Thorny Cracked Tears ensure high stamina and health regen, making this build lethal for both PvE and PvP encounters.

• Level: 170

• Key Weapon: Occult Cross-Naginata with Ault Affinity on Sword Dance

• Talismans: Starscourge Heirloom / Millicent's Prosthesis / Green Turtle Talisman

• Flask: Crimsonburst Crystal Tear, Thorny Cracked Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, MND 15, END 23, STR 17, DEX 25, INT 9, FTH 25, ARC 80

2. Star Fist Build

This build transforms the Star Fist into a relentless force, ideal for staggering enemies and causing rapid blood loss. With the Cracked Blade skill and Charged R2s, this setup excels in breaking down bosses' stances and inflicting hemorrhage. The Vidian Amber Medallion boosts stamina, while the talisman setup maximizes damage and blood loss effects, making it a formidable choice for taking on the toughest bosses in Elden Ring.

• Weapons: Star Fist with Cracked Blade and Charged R2s

• Talismans: Viridian Amber Medallion +2, Axe Talisman

• Flask: Stonebarb Cracked Tear, Spiked Cracked Tear

• Stats: VIG 51, MND 25, END 25, STR 65, DEX 25, INT 9, FTH 9, ARC 40

3. Spiked Palisade Shield Build

A unique approach to combat, the Spiked Palisade Shield Build turns defense into offense with Frost Affinity and Shield Crash, turning players into a juggernaut capable of dishing out hemorrhage and frost damage. Coupled with talismans that enhance shield performance and flask buffs that support successive attacks, this build proves that a good offense can be a rock-solid defense.

• Weapons: Spiked Palisade Shield with Frost Affinity and Shield Crash

• Talismans: Great Shield Talisman, Great Jar's Arsenal

• Flask: Thorny Cracked Tear, Greenspill Crystal Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, END 25, STR 80, FTH 16, ARC 7

4. Great Stars Build

The Flamberge Build leverages the weapon's strong physical damage and move set, enhanced with a Blood Affinity and the Wild Strikes skill for high blood loss buildup. It's supported by talismans that increase attack power after triggering blood loss, with the ER Tree's Favor providing a boost to health, stamina, and equip load. This build is versatile, offering a balance of offense and agility.

The Great Stars Build is all about dealing massive bleeding damage while healing with every strike. By using the Stormcaller skill, players can create whirlwinds that stack up blood loss quickly, decimating foes in PvE and PvP. Talismans like Lord of Blood's Exaltation amplify this effect, and the combination of Thorny and Spiked Cracked Tears further enhance the build's offensive capabilities.

• Weapons: Great Stars with Stormcaller

• Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Axe Talisman

• Flask: Thorny Cracked Tear, Spiked Cracked Tear

• Armor: White Mask

• Stats: VIG 50, STR 65, ARC 40

5. Flamberge Build

The Flamberge Build leverages the weapon's strong physical damage and move set, enhanced with a Blood Affinity and the Wild Strikes skill for high blood loss buildup. It's supported by talismans that increase attack power after triggering blood loss, with the ER Tree's Favor providing a boost to health, stamina, and equip load. This build is versatile, offering a balance of offense and agility.

• Weapons: Flamberge with Blood Affinity and Wild Strikes

• Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exaltation, Erdtree's Favor+1

• Flask: Thorny Cracked Tear, Greenburst Crystal Tear

• Stats: VIG 50, DEX 65, ARC 40

6. Gargoyle's Twinblade Build

With the Gargoyle's Twinblade Build, players can utilize the Frost Affinity and Spinning Slash to deal swift physical and magic damage. This build is focused on strength and uses talismans to enhance the power of twin blade attacks, especially after a Charged R2. The Thor Cracked Tear and Spike Cracked Tear further boost the build's effectiveness, making it a fun and dynamic choice for slicing through the game.

• Weapons: Gargoyle's Twinblade with Frost Affinity and Spinning Slash

• Talismans: Axe Talisman, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisma

• Flask: Thorny Cracked Tear, Spiked Cracked Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, STR 80, ARC 50

7. Ringed Finger Build

The Ringed Finger Build is centered around the Ringed Finger weapon, which leverages massive strike and physical damage with a focus on strength. The build is augmented with talismans that increase damage and reduce knockback, allowing for uninterrupted attacks. The combination of the Thorny and Spike Cracked Tears ensure that heavy charged R2s hit with devastating force, making this an excellent choice for players who enjoy overwhelming their opponents with brute force.

• Weapons: Ringed Finger with Rallying Standard

• Talismans: Erdtree's Favor +1, Axe Talisman

• Flask: Thorny Cracked Tear, Spike Cracked Tear

• Stats: VIG 50, STR 80, DEX 25

8. Great Mace Build

Crafted by guest creator Matt, the Great Mace Build is a testament to the power of strength builds. The Great Mace, with a Craig Blade affinity, delivers staggering damage and can easily break enemy postures, especially when paired with the Commander Standard buff. The talisman and flask setup reinforce the build's stance-breaking and heavy damage capabilities, making it a juggernaut in boss fights.

• Weapons: Great Mace with Cragblade

• Talismans: Commander's Standard, Great Jar's Arsenal

• Flask: Stonebarb Cracked Tear, Spiked Cracked Tear

• Stats: VIG healthy, END 30, STR 80

9. Dual Reduvia Arcane Build

The Bloody Butcher Build is a new game plus juggernaut focused on dual-wielding the Reduvia for maximum bleed effect, complemented by the Blood Blade skill. This build is a dagger enthusiast's dream, designed to spike damage quickly and efficiently with talismans that synergize with blood loss. Although it requires reaching new game plus or having a friend drop a second Reduvia, the payoff is a devastatingly fast and lethal playstyle.

• Level: New Game Plus

• Weapons: Dual Reduvia with Blood Blade

• Talismans: Millicent's Prosthesis, Lord of Blood's Exaltation

• Flask: Thorny Cracked Tear, Greenburst Crystal Tier

• Stats: VIG 59, DEX 30, ARC 80

• Special Note: New Game Plus or second Reduvia from a friend

10. Giantsflame Incantation Build (Flame Cultist)

The Giantsflame Incantation Build, or Flame Cultist, is a faith-based build that specializes in incinerating enemies with Giantsflame incantations. The Iron Great Sword with Flaming Strike, in conjunction with the Giant Seal, maximizes fire damage output, while the talisman selection and flask buffs enhance incantation potency. This build is ideal for players who want to wield the power of fire and watch their foes turn to ash.

• Weapons: Iron Greatsword with Flaming Strike

• Talismans: Fire Scorpion Charm, Flock's Canvas Talisman

• Flask: Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear, Cerulean Hidden Tear

• Stats: VIG 50, FTH 60

11. Blasphemous Blade Build

This build is centered around the Blasphemous Blade, which deals massive fire damage and can consistently heal the player. It's considered one of the most reliable and easiest weapons to use in Elden Ring. The build emphasizes a high Faith stat to scale the fire damage from the Ash of War and allows versatility for incorporating fire, holy, and lightning incantations. The recommended talismans and the high Vigor stat ensure survivability and damage output, making it suitable for a variety of PvE encounters.

• Key Weapon: Blasphemous Blade +10

• Talismans: Fire Scorpion Charm / Ritual Sword / Shield Talisman

• Flask: Faith-knot Crystal Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, END 23, MND 23, STR (not specified for Ash of War), FTH 70

12. Night Comet Build

The Night Comet Build focuses on the use of the Night Comet spell, known for its exceptional range, chargeable attacks, and high magic damage output. Doubling the staves of lost boosts the spell's effectiveness significantly. It's a build that excels in PvE, allowing players to maintain distance while casting powerful spells. Lower Vigor is offset by strategic gameplay, and the combination of intelligence and faith with appropriate talismans maximizes spell damage.

• Key Weapon: Staff of Loss (Dual-wield)

• Talismans: Godfrey Icon / Magic Scorpion Charm / Ritual Sword Talisman / Graven Mass Talisman

• Flask: Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear / Faith-knot Crystal Tear

• Stats: VIG 50, END 20, MND 24, INT 70, FTH 33

13. Scavenger's Curved Sword Build

This build utilizes dual SScavenger's Curved Swords with Cold Affinity, optimized for Arcane scaling and bleed damage. It's most effective in mid-level play, where it avoids the diminishing returns of split stats. Talismans enhance the build's bleed potential and attack power, particularly on jump attacks and successive strikes. The focus on Arcane and Vigor makes it deadly for dealing with high-health bosses and maintaining high survivability.

• Level: 125-150

• Key Weapon: Dual Scavenger's Curved Swords (Cold Affinity)

• Armor: White Mask / Raptor's Black Feathers

• Talismans: Claw Talisman / Rotten Winged Sword Insign

• Flask: Lord of Blood's Exultation / Thorny Cracked Tear / Faith-knot Crystal Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, END 26, ARC 70

14. Mohgwyn's Sacred Spear Build

Mohgwyn's Sacred Spear Build is an Arcane and Faith hybrid that excels at dealing fire and bleed damage, with the Ash of War providing a significant contribution to the build's effectiveness. It's particularly powerful against larger bosses with zero fire resistance. The build requires the user to stand still while attacking, but it compensates with high damage output. With the appropriate talismans, players can achieve a balance of offensive prowess and durability.

• Level: Not specified

• Key Weapon: Mohgwyn's Sacred Spear

• Talismans: Fire Scorpion Charm / Ritual Sword Talisman / Lord of Blood's Exultation

• Flask: Faith-knot Crystal Tear / Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, STR 30 (or higher for melee), ARC (not specified but high recommended), FTH 50-70

15. Dark Moon Greatsword Build

The Dark Moon Greatsword Build is a magic-focused build that relies on a weapon that deals significant magic damage with a low FP cost, allowing for extended use of its special attack. It's a versatile and powerful build suitable for various PvE scenarios. The talismans chosen bolster spell effectiveness, and a balanced investment in Vigor, Intelligence, and Faith ensures that the player can deal high damage while also having the option to buff with incantations.

• Level: Not specified

• Key Weapon: Dark Moon Greatsword

• Talismans: Magic Scorpion Charm / Godfrey Icon / Ritual Sword Talisman

• Flask: Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear / Faith-knot Crystal Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, INT 60, FTH 33

16. Death's Poker Build

The Death's Poker Build revolves around a weapon that deals pure magic damage and has a high frost buildup, with the Ash of War scaling purely with intelligence. Players can thus invest heavily in intelligence to maximize damage output. The unique Frost Trail Ash of War offers additional utility against large bosses. Talismans are selected to enhance magic damage and durability, creating a build capable of handling slower, high-damage playstyles.

• Level: Not specified

• Key Weapon: Death's Poker

• Talismans: Magic Scorpion Charm / Ritual Sword Talisman / Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman

• Flask: Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear / Faith-knot Crystal Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, INT 50, FTH 33

17. Ice Spear Build

The Ice Spear Build is a versatile magic and dexterity build, leveraging the Ice Spear Ash of War on a Guardian Swordspear with Magic Affinity for both magic and frost damage. It's effective at mid-range and capable of breaking enemy poise. The build is adjustable for either magic or dexterity-focused players, with talismans that enhance the damage of spells and the Ice Spear skill. Intelligence and Faith are key stats for maximizing damage and effectiveness.

• Level: Not specified

• Key Weapon: Guardian Swordspear with Ice Spear (Magic Affinity)

• Talismans: Shard of Alexander / Magic Scorpion Charm / Ritual Sword Talisman / Greatshield Talisman

• Flask: Faith-knot Crystal Tear / Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, END 20, MND 23, INT 60, FTH 33

18. Lion's Claw Build

The Lion's Claw Build is a strength-oriented build that uses the Guts Greatsword with Heavy Affinity and the Lion's Claw Ash of War to deal substantial poise damage and break enemy stances. It's a reliable build across various situations and remains effective even with the general nerf to poise. The build's high strength allows for impressive damage output, and the chosen talismans improve the weapon's performance and the player's survivability.

• Level: Not specified

• Key Weapon: Guts Greatsword with Heavy Affinity and Lion's Claw

• Talismans: Shard of Alexander / Ritual Sword and Shield Talisman

• Flask: Greenburst Crystal Tear / Faith-knot Crystal Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, END 25, STR 75

19. Ancient Dragons' Lightning Strike Build

This build centers on the Ancient Dragons' Lightning Strike incantation, a faith-based attack that can potentially one-shot bosses and is especially effective against larger targets. It involves some RNG due to the spread of lightning but excels in damage output. The build is tailored for high Faith and Vigor, with talismans that boost lightning damage and overall effectiveness in combat. It's ideal for players willing to embrace the RNG elements for high reward.

• Level: Not specified

• Key Weapon: Gravel Stone Seal

• Talismans: Lightning Scorpion Charm / Ritual Sword and Shield Talisman / Flock's Canvas Talisma

• Flask: Faith-knot Crystal Tear / Lightning-Shrouding Cracked Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, END 23, MND 23, STR 20, FTH 70-80

20. Comet Azur Build

The Comet Azur Build is designed for mages seeking high damage at long range. It utilizes the Comet Azur spell, which is powerful and has a high damage cap, benefiting from the Infinite FP tier to sustain its casting. The build is intelligence-heavy, with a significant allocation to Vigor for survivability. Talismans are chosen to enhance the spell's damage and utility, making it a formidable choice for those who prefer a casting playstyle.

• Level: Not specified

• Key Weapon: Carian Regal Scepter / Lusat's Glintstone Staff

• Talismans: Graven-Mass Talisman / Graven-School Talisman / Magic Scorpion Charm / Ritual Sword Talisman

• Flask: Cerulean Hidden Tear / Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear

• Stats: VIG 60, END 20, STR 20, INT 70, MND 25