Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree

Elden Ring offers plenty of flashy attacks through unique skills from weapons like the Sacred Relic Sword or Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear, as well as spells like Comet Azur and Placidusax’s Ruin. While these are undoubtedly powerful and can help you breeze through many formidable bosses in The Lands Between and Shadow of the Erdtree‘s Shadow Realm, you don’t really need them to beat the game. Time and time again, players have finished Elden Ring with classic builds like the Knight build or the Sword and Shield build.

A Sword and Shield build comes pretty close to a Knight build — the only difference is that you need to carry a shield in the former, while it is optional in the latter. However, this might be easier said than done, as Elden Ring features many types of swords and shields to choose from. Additionally, you will also need to select various Talismans and level up your build to the right stats. Follow this guide to find the best weapon options for a Sword and Shield build in Elden Ring, along with the best stats and Talismans for the build.

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Elden Ring: Best Strength Builds

Strength Builds in Elden Ring are all about smashing opponents close up, but some can give players some added distance and versatility.

Best Starter Class & Stats For Sword & Shield Build

Before you head out to create your Sword and Shield build, it’s important to choose the right starter class and prioritize your stats. Bandit and Vagabond are the best classes for a Sword and Shield build. The Bandit starts with the Buckler, which has one of the best parry skills, while the Vagabond comes with the Heater Shield, featuring the basic Parry skill along with 100% physical damage negation.

As for stats, your first priority should be to reach the minimum requirements for the sword and shield you plan to use. After meeting the base requirements, focus on leveling up Vigor and Strength. If your sword scales better with Dexterity, prioritize that instead of Strength. If you have runes to spare, consider investing in Faith to access strong buffing Incantations like Flame, Grant me Strength and Golden Vow .

Here is an example stat array for a level 150 Strength-focused Sword & Shield build featuring Vagabond as the starter class:

Beyond level 150, you can either invest more points into Strength until it reaches 80, or allocate runes to Endurance to gain more stamina and increase your equip load for carrying heavier weapons and armor sets.

Best Armaments For Sword & Shield Build

In Elden Ring, shields come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. A shield’s guarding capability depends on its size and weight. For this reason, you must be mindful of the shield you pick. For a parry-focused Sword and Shield build, you will need a shield with a parry skill, available only for small and medium shields. However, if you want high guard value and offensive Ashes of War, large shields are the way to go.

Best Shield Choices For A Sword & Shield Build

Here are some great shield suggestions for the Sword and Shield build in Elden Ring:

• Buckler : The Buckler is a reliable shield with a useful parry skill called Buckler’s Parry. This shield is part of the starter equipment of the Bandit class. For other starter classes, the Buckler becomes available at Gatekeeper Gostoc’s shop after he opens the main gate. The Buckler’s Parry skill has one of the highest parry frames for countering an enemy’s attack.
• Brass Shield : Like the Buckler, the Brass Shield is also an early game shield that remains valuable even in the later stages of the game. Among all medium shields, the Brass Shield has the highest Guard Boost stats while also boasting 100% physical damage negation. If facing an enemy who deals mostly physical damage, like Putrescent Knight or Malenia, you can use the Brass Shield to avoid all damage as long as you have enough stamina. Alternatively, you can use the Banished Knight’s Shield or the Messmer Soldier Shield .
• Fingerprint Stone Shield : While it is the heaviest shield in Elden Ring, the Fingerprint Stone Shield offers excellent damage negation against all kinds of attacks. Though generally used in shield poke builds, you don’t necessarily need a thrusting weapon to make use of this shield. Feel free to pair it with your preferred choice of sword. However, if you don’t like the aesthetics of the Fingerprint Stone Shield, you can opt for the Verdigris Greatshield .

As for the sword, Elden Ring offers many options for players to choose from, including various Straight Swords, Greatswords, Thrusting Swords, Curved Swords, and more. You can choose your preferred sword, but here are a few reliable weapons:

Best Weapon Choices For A Sword & Shield Build

• Miséricorde : This dagger is the best weapon for a parry-crit build, featuring the highest critical damage out of all weapons. Moreover, the Misericorde can be infused with Ashes of War, allowing you to change the weapon’s affinity to exploit an enemy’s weakness. However, if you’re aiming for a guard counter build, the Misericorde won’t be of much use.
• Lordsworn’s Greatsword : A simple and reliable weapon available right at the start of the game. While it doesn’t have any flashy moves or skills, it is the only greatsword with a 110 critical damage boost.

If you’re going for a guard counter build, Greatswords like the Claymore and Flamberge , or Colossal Swords like the Zweihander and Greatsword , are strong picks. Paired with the Deflecting Hardtear, a guard counter Sword and Shield build becomes a stance-breaking machine.

Best Armors for The Sword & Shield Build

Elden Ring features many great armor sets with a varied set of aesthetics, giving players the freedom to choose their fashion. However, there is one crucial factor to consider when picking an armor set — poise. Ensure that the armor set provides a minimum of 51 poise, as this will allow you to tank most hits from PvE enemies. Here are some armor set recommendations for a Sword & Shield build:

• Godrick Knight Set : This is one of the first armor sets you can farm in Elden Ring, and it comes with exactly 51 poise. You can farm the Godrick Knight roaming near Gatefront Ruins in Limgrave to collect all four pieces of the set. Alternatively, you can choose sets from other Knight factions, such as Redmane Knights, Leyndell Knights, Cuckoo Knights, and Gelmir Knights.
• Beast Champion Set : Though a bit on the heavier side, the Beast Champion set is one of the tankiest armor sets in Elden Ring, featuring 72 poise and high damage resistances. The best part is how early you can obtain it. Defeat Knight Bernahl at the Warmaster’s Shack in Limgrave to acquire the Beast Champion armor set without needing to progress his questline.
• Rakshasa Set : Each piece of this Shadow of the Erdtree DLC armor set provides a 2% damage buff at the cost of a 2% increase in incoming damage. Players confident in their dodging (or blocking) skills can benefit from the Rakshasa set’s increased damage bonus.

Best Talismans For Sword & Shield Build

Talismans are crucial to all builds in Elden Ring. While versatile Talismans like Erdtree’s Favor and Bull-Goat’s Talisman are useful in all builds, it’s better to choose Talismans that specifically boost your build’s power.

With this, our Sword & Shield build guide comes to an end. If you have any suggestions for this build, feel free to share them in the comments to let other Tarnished know!