Two early builds that make Elden Ring easy

Want to get through Elden Ring's base game fast? You need these builds.

Moonveil and Carian Regal Scepter. / Bandai Namco

So you want to play Elden Ring’s new Shadow of the Erdtree DLC expansion, but you’re struggling to actually play through the main game? I understand your frustration perfectly, and in this guide, we’re going to solve those frustrations. 

Elden Ring can be an easy game – if you’re playing with the right build and strategy. It’s a game with dozens, if not hundreds of options to choose to build your character, so of course a few of those would end up trivializing much of the challenge. But if you just want to make progress, no matter what, then equip yourself with a strong Spirit Ash (we recommend to the Mimic Tear) and follow this guide to craft a strong build that will tear through Elden Ring’s base game, and even the DLC.

Once you have the build you need, make sure to play through all of Elden Ring's bosses in order. Once you've beat them all, you can access the DLC immediately.

Two OP early Elden Ring builds

1. Greatsword Strength build – Elden Ring
2. Moonveil Intelligence build – Elden Ring

Greatsword Strength build – Elden Ring

Greatsword in Shadow of the Erdtree. / Bandai Namco

The Greatsword can be earned very early from Caelid’s Dragonbarrow, simply hidden inside a chest on the back of a broken down carriage on the main road. Give it an Ash of War that turns it into a Heavy Greatsword that scales primarily with Strength, and at level 25 this weapon will give you A rank Strength scaling, with some of the best strength damage output in the game. Mind, you will need 31 Strength and 12 Dexterity to even wield it.

Once you’ve got the Greatsword and the stats to wield it, though, all you need to do is two-hand it and pour all of your future stats into Vitality, Endurance, and Strength – primarily Strength. Vitality is always good as more health is better, and Endurance will allow you to equip heavier armor while having more Stamina to roll and attack with. Strength will simply continually buff the amount of damage you output.

When it comes to your Talismans, the Claw Talisman in Stormveil Castle boosts Jump Attack damage – and you will be doing a lot of jump attacks with this build. The Two-Handed Sword Talisman from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC will be great with this build, but if you’re still in the main game you can focus on Talismans that increase your equip load, so you can keep loading up with heavier armor without losing a medium roll. Good examples are Erdtree’s Favor, Radagon’s Soreseal, and Great-Jar’s Arsenal.

Moonveil Intelligence build – Elden Ring

Moonveil. / Bandai Namco

The Moonveil katana opens up the option of some interesting build choices – with the Moonveil in hand, you essentially have a powerful melee weapon that inflicts both Bleed buildup as well as Magic damage which primarily scales with Intelligence, meaning you can also use some of Elden Ring’s most powerful spells without sacrificing your melee competency. The Moonveil can be earned from the Gael Tunnel in Caelid, and requires 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, and 23 Intelligence to wield. And yes, it’s well worth respecing your build entirely to use this weapon.

Pair the Moonveil in the right hand with the Carian Regal Scepter in the left hand, which can be earned after defeating Rennala – it does require 60 INT, but you can use pretty much any other staff until you hit this number. This will give you access to pretty much any Intelligence-based spell you can think of, as long as you invest enough points into Intelligence. Which is fine, because while the Moonveil does scale with DEX, it primarily scales with INT, increasing your melee damage even if your DEX and STR stats are just at minimum requirements.

Rock Sling / Bandai Namco

Being able to use techniques like Rock Sling truly trivializes a number of Elden Ring boss encounters, especially if you’re a competent melee fighter with decent defense, too. You should equip Talismans like the Great-Jar’s Arsenal, Carian Filigreed Crest, Cerulean Amber Medallion, and the Stargazer Heirloom to boost the potency of your spells. But even if you don’t actually have a staff or any spells equipped, most bosses will crumble before the Moonveil’s Transient Moonlight skill.