Summary
Elden Ringprovides players with a massive arsenal of Sorceries in the game. This can make them incredibly versatile, and give them lots of new spells to try out, provided theirIntelligence statis high enough. Even more of these were added for theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC.
TheseIntelligence buildscan provide a wide range of different playstyles when paired with the right weapons, from a full caster to a seemingly contradictory melee powerhouse with numerous points in Strength stat as well. However, all of these only come together once players have all the other necessary pieces of gear in the form of required Armor pieces and Talismans. Here are the best builds for characters looking to make Intelligence their main stat.
4Dark Moon Greatsword Build
One Of Ranni’s Best Gifts
Once playershit the soft capfor their Intelligence, they will want to put points into Strength to see better returns for theDark Moon Greatsword. The Tarnished will be playing at a closer range than a full caster, but they will still be at enough of a range to steer clear of enemies' reach. They can then utilize the Dark Moon Greatsword’s signature ability, theMoonlight Greatsword Skillweapon skill. Players will also want to bring along a Glintstone Staff for casting all the Sorceries they enjoy using.
Being a Greatsword, this weapon can come down very hard with a jump attack that can build up to a stagger, which is even better when paired with theGreatblade PhalanxSpell.Queen’s Crescent Crownis a great way to boost Intelligence, and whileOlivinus Glintstone Crownhas some good defenses, the HP reduction can’t be justified for playing at such a close range.Getting the Dark Moon Greatswordwill come late into the game, but it scales best with Intelligence, so there is no need to respec if using a dedicated caster build.
3Sword Of Night And Flame Build
Large Range of Playstyles
One of the most sought-after weapons inElden Ringis theSword of Night and Flame. Once players havegotten their hands on this weapon, they will need to put together a build befitting it. Players will also want a Glintstone Staff, andLusat’s Glintstone Staffwill benefit from the Strength scaling from meeting the requirements ofSword of Night and Flame. This build will allow a player to enjoy the game with a sword and shield playstyle, while still having access to a wide range of Sorceries. They’ll even have some incantations thanks to meeting the Faith requirements.
This allows a player to truly enjoy every aspect ofElden Ringwith a single character. This build gives players options when they encounter a foe that is resistant to Sorceries, while being able to keep Intelligence as their primary stat. Players will want to score critical hits to keep topping up their FP — and their HP if they prefer to have theAssassin’s Crimson Daggeralso equipped. There is an incredible range of playstyles for players with this build, allowing them to use different approaches to the various bosses using some ofthe best spells available.
If players are not scoring many critical hits, it might be worth swappingAssassin’s Cerulean DaggerforBlessed Blue Dew Talisman.
Sword of Night and Flame,Lusat’s Glintstone Staff,Carian Knight’s Shield
2Full Caster Sorcerer Build
Master Of Elden Ring’s Sorceries
This is the ideal build for anyone looking to play a full caster with Intelligence as their primary stat. While players get other Glintstone Staffs that scale with Intelligence at a rank of “S” when fully upgraded, theCarian Regal Scepterhas the highest base Sorcery damage. Players that wish to ignore Faith, Dexterity, Arcane, and Strength for a full-fledged Intelligence caster can’t do better than this — which will be what they need to wieldthe most powerful Sorceries in the game.
The ideal charms will be those that can increase the damage of spells, and players will not want to wear armor that is too heavy. TheBlessed Blue Dew Talismanis one of the Talismans added in theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC, and will allow players to recover 1 FP every 2 seconds. This means they will regain 30 FP per minute while they explore, and can allocate the vast majority of their flasks to regaining their HP for tough encounter. Players will want to swap outBlessed Blue Dew TalismanforPrimal Glintstone Bladewhen it is time to face a boss.
Queen’s Crescent Crown
Talismans
Magic Scorpion Charm,Graven-Mass Talisman,Ritual Sword Talisman,Blessed Blue Dew Talisman,Primal Glintstone Blade
All of them
1Carian Sovereignty Build
Playing A Powerful Battlemage
Having a battlemage covers everything a player could want from a full-caster set-up, while also being able to go in with a melee weapon. The original base game gave playersAsh of War: Carian Grandeur, but theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC added a very similar Ash of War calledAsh of War: Carian Sovereigntythat does more damage. Putting this Ash of War on aClaymorewill allow players to give it a Magic Affinity that will allow for Intelligence damage scaling.
Players can play a full caster while they build up the requirements of this build — and pick upAsh of War: Carian Sovereigntyonce they get to theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC. Players will want toget the Greatblade Phalanx Sorceryto use alongside this Ash of War, as it will be brilliant for stance breaking bosses. Players will also have the option to use plenty of other Sorceries thanks to their high Intelligence stat. This allows players to alternate between being a heavy hitter, or a ranged caster without the need to respec.
