u/GreatJoey91

I’m heading into the DLC for the fourth time now and have decided to go back to basics completely and go with a sword and shield build.

It doesn’t need to be a historically accurate knight, but the plan is to move away from flashy Ashes of War and incantations and focus on guard counters and stance breaking with thighs like Square Off.

This is for my RL200 character and will be a quality build (80 dex and 54 strength) so I’m looking for help for weapons that will work well with that stat spread.

I’ve got a few weapons in my mind (Claymore, Zweihander and Longsword), but I wondered what is the best weapon or weapon combo for a simple, classic knight build?

I know straight swords are the standard, but don’t be afraid to suggest something more left field (for example, I was toying with the idea of using Milady).

I’ve been running pretty consistently for around 7/8 months now - completing 2-3 5k runs a week - and until now have rarely struggled. However, recently I’ve felt the need to stop mid-run for a short rest and it feels like I’m going backwards (not literally, thankfully).

While I’m physically tired, honestly most of the time I think it’s a mental barrier I hit and I almost talk myself into stopping.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m hardly Kipchoge ‘hitting the wall’ during a marathon here, and I know it’s not the end of the world if I stop, but it’s just frustrating given I’ve always been able to run for a solid 30 minutes without taking a break before.

Does anyone have any advice for breaking the mental barrier and keeping going even when you feel tired?

Introducing Shocky Balboa, the lightning knight character I’m currently using during my NG+ build.

I’d normally go for a pure strength build with the Zweihander, but heard some great things about using it lightning infused with high dexterity and the Lightning Slash Ash of War.

The higher faith is purely for offensive incantations like the Knight’s Lightning Spear, which is an absolute blast to use and offers some a ranged option.

I’m using most of the Death Knight Armour - as each piece boosts ancient dragon cult incantations by 2%, as well as the Lightning Slash Ash of War - but have thrown on the Solitude Greaves to reach over 51 poise.

Anyway, let me know what you think, or if you’d change anything with this build?

Why does the Antspur Rapier get so much love from players?

I see this weapon crop up a lot when people post about ‘what’s your favourite weapon in the game’, and I come across it a lot during PvP duals and invasions, but I’ve never really understood what makes it so popular.

I’m not trying to hate on the weapon at all, just trying to broaden my horizons a bit, as my big bonk, stagger craving brain struggles to understand why you would pick up such a lightweight stabbing stick 😅

Does it shine in a particular type of build?

I’ve decided to strip it back to basics for my latest build and use the classic Zweihander with Royal Knight’s Resolve, but I need help with my stat spread as I’ve still not done a respec from my previous Strength/Faith and have a lot of wasted levels.

The aim of the build is to really lean into the charged heavies and optimise the damage of them with the Axe and Spear talismans. I’m also using the Stonebarb Cracked Tear and Greenburst Crystal Tear in my Physick.

I’m also planning to go with a few incantations in Golden Vow, FGMS, Bloodflame Blade, Electrify Armament and Blessing’s Boon, so I’ll need some faith (but definitely not as much as I have right now).

Any advice for the optimal stat spread and affinity for the weapon? Or other ways I can better optimise the build in general.

I’m going back to basics in PvE and running a strength build using the Heavy Zweihander. My plan is to really lean into charged heavy attacks and crank out as much damage as possible from each hit.

To support this, I’m looking for a good Ash of War to pair with the weapon. I know they’re probably the best options, but I DO NOT want to use Lion’s Claw or Giant Hunt as I’d like to try something different this time (these two are staples on my greatsword/colossal sword builds normally).

Any recommendations?

I'm not looking for the most OP or broken setup. I want the weapon that is just immensely enjoyable to use.

Whether it’s for a flowing move set, a flashy Ash of War that leaves me feeling like an anime protagonist or a unique gimmick that will change how I play the game, I’d love to hear your favourites.

I just want something that will leave a smile on my face (just like my boy Albinauric Alan here ☝️). What's the most fun weapon you’ve used?

I was looking on my achievements on Elden Ring earlier - after completing the game yet again - and realised I’ve taken down a fair chunk of achievements and trophies!

I figured if I’m going to start another play through I might as well do it for a reason and set myself some goals to try gain every achievement along the way.

My question to those that have done it is; how difficult is it to Platinum the game? Will I regret making the decision to do so if I have to do a tonne of grinding like the Dark Souls days?

I decided to go through the pain of farming two of these weapons as I’ve always wanted to use them, but never had the patience to get them.

Anyway, after many hours of killing the same two man serpents, it’s only fair that I create a build dedicated entirely to them (whether power stanced or as a single sword).

Does anyone have a build they’d be willing to share? I’m a bit confused by the scaling of the weapon, but assuming it will be a Strength/Faith build.

I know there are more optimal set-ups for a sword and board style build, but does anyone have experience using the Milady as part of a guard counter build?

I’m playing around with my Dex/Faith lightning build and generally run the Milady with a medium shield. With the addition of the deflecting hard tear and the Milady’s multi-hit moveset, it seems like the ideal combination, but I’d like to hear from others that have tried it.