In Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, exceptional character builds have the power to obliterate even the toughest enemies from the latest DLC. Certain weapons and spells are so overpowered that when combined with the right attribute distribution, players can vanquish many bosses in just a few strikes. The key lies in selecting the optimal talisman combination and crafting an effective elixir blend to maximize your damage potential.
- Author’s Note: I have over 400 hours in Elden Ring, including over 70 hours in the new DLC, so you can trust the information provided in my guide because I have tested these builds on multiple bosses myself.
Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree Best Builds
Here is a brief summary of my two best builds that are extremely powerful in the DLC:
| Build | Strength And Arcane | Faith/Maadness |
|---|---|---|
| Attributes | -Strength to 40 or above levels -Arcane to 60 or above levels -Vigor at 60 levels -Endurance at 30 or above levels | -Faith to 70 or above levels -Vigor at 60 levels -Endurance at 30 or above levels |
| Armor Set | Bull Goat Armor Set | Black Knife Armor Set |
| Weapon | Bloodfiend’s Blood Arm | Madding Hand and Erdtree Seal |
| Talismans | Lord of Blood’s Exultation, Two-Handed Sword Talisman, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Axe Talisman | Aged One’s Exultation, Flock’s Canvas Talisman, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Godfrey Icon |
| Incantations | – | Pest-Thread Spears, Howl of Shabriri, Golden Vow |
The Bloodfiend’s Arm Build
| Build | Wondrous Physick Mix | Weapon | Talisman |
| Strength And Arcane |
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- Why I Chose This: The DLC bosses were giving me a really tough time due to their small punishment openings, but this build allowed me to tank through their attacks and kill them with only a few hits.
Using the Bloodfiend’s Arm with its blood affinity allows you to trigger a bleed effect nearly every other time you land two charged R2 attacks with your weapon. This not only causes bleeding but also staggers most bosses, giving you an opportunity for a riposte. Following up with another charged R2 attack deals significant damage. This combination allowed me to bypass the initial phase of many DLC bosses in just three hits because I was benefiting from both the bleed effect and a riposte.
For this construction, maintaining composure is crucial. You can enhance this by employing the Endure ash of war on your weapon, along with Leaden Hardtear in the Miracle potion. Additionally, your R2 charged attacks will be amplified by both the Axe Talisman and Spiked Cracked Tear within the Miracle potion. The majority of your attribute points should be allocated to Strength and Arcane, while the Lord of Blood’s Exultation will escalate damage through blood loss.
- High melee damage.
- Quick bleed build-up.
- Bosses stagger in two or three hits.
- Stamina management gets hard.
The Pest-Thread Spears Build
| Build | Wondrous Physick Mix | Weapon | Talisman |
| Faith/Madness |
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|
|
- Why I Chose This: This build makes bosses that are huge in size, like dragons, extremely easy to beat, and I found it really effective for bosses with a big hitbox.
As a devoted fan, I’m excitedly planning to amplify the destructive potential of my Pest-Thread Spears! Instead of merely breaking it, I aim to push its damage output to the extreme with a madness-focused build.
In this setup, I’ll prioritize Vigor and Stamina after Faith for my attributes. To fuel the madness, I’ll make use of Howl of Shabriri, which not only increases my own madness but also enhances my damage output. To further intensify this effect, I’ll employ Aged One’s Exultation to supercharge it!
Equipping the Madding Hand on your off-hand will provide a passive damage boost as Madness accumulates. The Flock’s Canvas Talisman enhances this incantation’s damage, while charging the Pest-Thread Spears with the Godfrey Icon increases the overall damage output even more. Adding the Golden Vow to these buffs will ensure that bosses are defeated in just a few casts.
- Great range.
- High damage output.
- Bosses die in a few casts.
- Low stagger damage.
- Incantation needs to be charged from range.
Before you leave, don’t forget to take a look at my detailed review of Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree for a comprehensive examination of both its strengths and weaknesses as the latest expansion pack.
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2025-04-14 16:31