Summary
Elden Ringhas three main stats when it comes to handling spells. Intelligence is for mastering the incredibly large number of Sorceries, Faith is for players that want to commit to a specific style of spellcasting through Incantations, andArcanefor a niche array of spells that can be utterly devastating in the right hands.
Arcane is not just used for spellcasting, it boosts various defenses, will increase the damage of several weapons, and will be the driving force for one of the games most notoriously overpowered mechanics, building up theHemorrhage status effecton enemies. Another amazing element of the Arcane stat is how it willincrease players' Drop Rate. It’s a great stat to invest in, so here are some ofthe best Arcane buildsto put together.
5Bloodblade Dance Build
For Burst Damage Enthusiasts
This build revolves aroundgettingElenora’s Poleblade. This is a very fun weapon to use in terms of dealing burst damage and triggering the Hemorrhage status effect on enemies. Players will wantShard of Alexanderfor a boost in damage to this skill, along withRotten Winged Sword InsigniaandMillicent’s Prosthesiswhich will both deal additional damage from consecutive hits.
Lord of Blood’s Exultationis a Talisman that will further increase players’ damage whenever the Hemorrhage status effect is triggered in the vicinity. Players will also want toget their hands on the White Maskhelm, as it will stack with Exultation.
4Eochaid’s Dancing Blade Build
Not Everything Relies On Bleed
Players may think that having an Arcane build instantly implies playing towards a bleed build, but that is not always the case. Arcane is a very flexible stat that can branch into many different builds down the line. One such example is a Strength/Arcane build that usesMarais Executioner’s Swordto devastating effect. Both this weapon andRegalia of Eochaidshare the weapon skillEochaid’s Dancing Blade Skill, which allows the user to throw the weapon and deal consecutive strikes with it.
This build is stunning when covering ground between Sites of Grace, as it lets players engage enemies at a distance withEochaid’s Dancing Blade Skill, which will have various stacked damage buffs, allowing players to quickly gain access to a sizable amount of the game’s map. This build is not as effective against bosses as others, but will stagger and annihilate large groups with ease, making it worthadding it to a player’s collection of weapons.
3Dragon Communion Build
Arcane Spellcaster With Gaurd Counter
Here is something players will love if they want to have access to a wide range of combat options throughout the entire game. This build makes use of theDragon Communion Sealand itsassociated set of spells, as they scale with the Arcane stat to unleash a massive amount of damage — be warned, they have rather slow wind-ups.
TheRipple Bladescales with Arcane damage, and theJellyfish Shieldcan increase one’s damage using its weapon skill. Pulling off a guard counter with this combo trivializes almost every non-boss enemy in the entire game. Players will want to put on theSilver Tear Maskbefore facing off against bosses for the +8 Arcane boost to theirDragon Communion Spells.
2Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear Build
Paint The World Red With Blood
Using the weapon skill ofMohgwyn’s Sacred Speartakes practice to get the timing right. Players will need to get their positioning down to a science to makeBloodboon Ritual Skilleffective against bosses. Making use of a Spirit Ash Summon can be a great way to take some of the aggro off the player, as they spam this weapon skill to proc the Hemorrhage status effect over and over.
Players will want to useBlessed Blue Dew Talismanbetween bosses, but switch toCarian Filigreed Crestwhen taking on one of the the bosses themselves. Meanwhile, theDragoncrest Greatshield Talismanwill help players take a hit, which is tricky with so many of their points allocated into Arcane. In the right hands, this build can trivialize the entire game as one ofthe most overpowered build optionsavailable.
1Rivers Of Blood Build
Another Great Bleed Option
One cannot make a list of notable Arcane builds without including this iconic build. While it is much better suited to PvP than PvE, it is still a very fun setup to try out. In fact, its playstyle is very similar to the Eochaid’s Dancing Blade Build listed above. However, this build relies on triggering Hemorrhage, while the Eochaid’s Dancing Blade Build is more about staggering and dealing out large burst damage numbers.
This build will useWhite MaskandLord of Blood’s Exultationin the same way as Bloodblade Dance Build. It will also make use ofMillicent’s ProsthesisandRotten Winged Sword Insignia, as it will deal numerous consecutive hits — sinceRivers of Bloodis a fast striking Katana.
