Alright, so with Shadow of the Erdtree just around the corner, I figured it was time to get a solid build locked in. I’ve messed around with a few things in Elden Ring before, but I kept coming back to the idea of mixing brute force with some holy magic. You know, smashing things with a big weapon but also having those cool incantations up my sleeve. So, I decided to really knuckle down and document putting together a Strength/Faith build specifically for the new content.
Getting Started – The Grind Begins
First things first, I needed a character. I went with the Vagabond start. Seemed like a decent base, good starting strength and vigor, not too many wasted points in stuff I wouldn’t use. The initial hours were pretty standard, honestly. Just getting my bearings again, running around Limgrave, grabbing those essential early Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears. My main focus right away was pumping Vigor. Learned that lesson the hard way in my first playthroughs, you need health, simple as that. Then I started splitting points between Strength and Endurance, with a few sprinkled into Faith just to get the ball rolling.
Finding gear early on was a bit of a scavenger hunt. I used the starting Vagabond gear for a while, then grabbed whatever heavy armor dropped that I could wear without fat-rolling. For weapons, I stuck with the basic Lordsworn’s Greatsword for a bit, then moved to the Claymore once I found it. It’s reliable, you know? Does the job.
Finding the Core Pieces
The build really started taking shape when I went out of my way to get the Clawmark Seal from Gurranq up in Bestial Sanctum. Dagger gave it to me after I talked to him near the Summonwater Village. This thing is key because it scales incantations with Strength, perfect for what I wanted. Getting it wasn’t too bad, just had to ride like mad past those scary big dudes.
Around the same time, I started looking for better incantations than the basic heal. I made sure to grab Flame, Grant Me Strength from behind Fort Gael in Caelid. That buff is just too good for physical damage. I also picked up Golden Vow, initially as an Ash of War slapped onto a dagger I kept in my off-hand, just for the buff. Later I farmed the proper incantation version, but the Ash worked fine for a long time.
For weapons, I experimented a bit. I tried the Great Mace for a while, good bonk potential. Then I heard about the Blasphemous Blade. Man, getting that from Rykard was a whole adventure in itself, joining Volcano Manor and doing those quests. But honestly? Totally worth it. The weapon art heals you, hits hard, and scales with both Strength and Faith. It became my go-to for a large chunk of the game. Upgrading it took some serious Somber Smithing Stone hunting, especially those later-level ones.
Refining the Build – Stats and Gear
Leveling up felt like a constant balancing act. I kept pushing Vigor towards 50, then aimed for 60 eventually. Strength was my main damage stat, got that up to around 50-55. Faith I initially kept just high enough for buffs and the Blasphemous Blade requirement (22 I think?), but later pushed it towards 30-40 to get more out of the Faith scaling and unlock some more utility incantations like Lightning Spear for range and Black Flame Protection for tough fights. Endurance needed enough points so I could wear decent armor without fat rolling and still have stamina to swing and dodge, ended up around 25-30. Mind I kept pretty low, just enough for a few casts.
I did respec once or twice using Rennala. Sometimes I felt I put too much into Faith early on, or needed more Endurance. It happens.
For armor, I ended up mixing and matching pieces for a while, aiming for decent poise (around 51+ is a good breakpoint) and physical defense. Eventually, I farmed the Banished Knight set because I liked the look and the stats were solid.
Talismans were crucial. Here’s what I usually run:
- Shard of Alexander: Got this after finishing Alexander’s questline. Big boost to weapon art damage, essential for the Blasphemous Blade.
- Fire Scorpion Charm: Found this in Mt. Gelmir. Boosts fire damage, which helps the Blasphemous Blade’s skill, but makes you take more physical damage. Sometimes swapped it out if I was struggling.
- Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman: Big boost to physical damage negation. Helps offset the Scorpion Charm or just makes you tankier overall. Found this late game in the Haligtree area.
- Claw Talisman: Grabbed this from Stormveil Castle. More jump attack damage. Simple, effective, especially with greatswords.
Sometimes I’d swap in the Ritual Sword Talisman for extra damage at full health or a defensive talisman depending on the boss.
How It Plays and Getting Ready
Playing this build feels really satisfying. You can run in, hit like a truck with your big sword, especially jump attacks and charged heavies. Then you’ve got the weapon art from the Blasphemous Blade for massive AoE damage and healing. Before tough fights or exploring, I pop Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength. If I need range, Lightning Spear does the job. It’s versatile.
So, that’s where I’m at. Got my stats sorted (around 60 Vigor, 30 Endurance, 55 Strength, 40 Faith), my Blasphemous Blade maxed out, my incantations and talismans set. Feels like a really solid foundation to tackle whatever horrors the Land of Shadow throws at me. Mixing heavy hits with powerful faith-based abilities just feels right for Elden Ring. Can’t wait to jump in!
