Roar Buffs: Your Complete Guide to Elden Ring’s Savage Gem

Ever wanted to channel your inner beast in Elden Ring? Well, grab your favorite weapon and get ready to roar, because we’re diving deep into one of the game’s most underappreciated combat mechanics – roar buffs!

The Roar Family: More Than Just Showing Off

There are several flavors of roar in the Lands Between, each with its own spicy kick:

• War Cry: The classic battle roar, boosting attack power and changing heavy attack patterns
• Barbaric Roar: The savage cousin, adding brutal combo potential
• Braggart’s Roar: The showoff’s choice, providing both offensive and defensive buffs
• Beast’s Roar: The ranged option, sending out a projectile wave (technically not a buff, but hey, it’s still cool!)
• Howl of Shabriri: The madman’s roar, building up madness in exchange for power

Let’s dive into these bad boys, starting with everyone’s favorite caveman impression:

Barbaric Roar: The Savage Special

1. Effect Duration: When activated, Barbaric Roar lasts for 40 seconds. However, if you’re out of FP, you can still use it for a reduced duration of 6 seconds.
2. Damage Boost: It adds a 7.5% increase to physical damage. This might not sound like much, but in the heat of battle, it can make a significant difference.
3. Scaling Boost: Interestingly, it adds +5 to Strength scaling. This doesn’t directly increase your Strength stat, but rather enhances the weapon’s scaling with Strength, potentially leading to even more damage.
4. Altered Attack Patterns: Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of roar buffs is how they change your strong attacks. With Barbaric Roar active, your heavy attacks transform into a savage combo attack. This new combo can catch opponents off guard and deal substantial damage if all hits connect.

War Cry and Braggart’s Roar follow similar patterns but with their own twists. War Cry focuses on pure attack power, while Braggart’s Roar adds some defensive capabilities to the mix.

Where to Find Barbaric Roar

First things first, you’ll need to get your hands on this savage Ash of War. Pack your bags and head to the picturesque Liurnia of the Lakes. Specifically, you’ll want to make your way to the Liurnia Ravine on the north side of the region. Keep an eye out for a sneaky Teardrop Scarab hiding at the end of the river. Be warned, though – some pesky vampire bats are guarding this treasure. If you’re having trouble finding it: start at the Ravine-Veiled Village Site of Grace and head northeast. You’ll find the scarab chilling in the water, slightly west of the grace point

Weapons with Barbaric Roar as Default Skill

Now, if you’re too lazy to go scarab hunting (no judgment here, but the Ash of War grants you way more options), you’re in luck! Several weapons come pre-equipped with this roar-some skill:

1. The humble Club (for when you want to go full caveman)
2. Curved Great Club (because why settle for a regular club?)
3. Rusted Anchor (ahoy, matey!)
4. Spiked Club (for extra ouch factor)
5. Butchering Knife (perfect for aspiring chefs and psychos alike)
6. Brick Hammer (when you really need to make a point)
7. Greataxe (the OG barbarian weapon)

Weapon Compatibility: Mix and Match

Thanks to the Ash of War system, you’re not limited to the above listed weapons that naturally come with roar skills. You can slap these bad boys on various armaments – from classic clubs to massive great weapons. This flexibility opens up a world of possibilities for your build crafting.

The Highland Axe and Roar Medallion: Double Trouble

Here’s where things get spicy. The Highland Axe provides a 10% boost to ALL roar effects just by being equipped in your off-hand. Pair that with the Roar Medallion’s separate 15% boost, and you’re looking at a whopping 25% increase to your roar effects. The best part? The Highland Axe only weighs 4.5 units, and you don’t even need to meet its stat requirements to get the boost!

Status Effect Synergy: Making Them Bleed and Freeze

Here’s a juicy tip: roar buffs are absolutely devastating when combined with weapons that cause bleed or frostbite. Those modified attack patterns aren’t just for show – they help you land multiple hits quickly, making status effects proc faster. Imagine your opponent’s surprise when your roaring, frost-covered weapon triggers both frostbite AND a critical hit!

Building Your Roar Arsenal

Want to maximize your roaring potential? Here’s what you need:

• Highland Axe (off-hand)
• Roar Medallion
• Your favorite heavy weapon with a roar ash of war
• A complete disregard for indoor voice levels

The Strategy Behind the Screams

Timing is everything with roars. The activation animation leaves you vulnerable for a moment, so you’ll want to:

• Use them during boss recovery animations
• Time them between enemy attack patterns
• In PvP, use them to bait aggressive players (they’ll regret rushing you when your powered-up combo connects!)

Important Notes:

• Roar buffs count as weapon buffs, so they’ll overwrite things like greases and spell buffs
• The FP-free version still works great in a pinch
• Different roars have different stamina consumption effects on your attacks

Common Misconceptions:

• No, roaring more doesn’t make the buff stronger (though we wish it did) – in other words: not chargeable
• The Highland Axe boost works even if you don’t meet its stat requirements
• You can still use roars effectively even in a dex-focused build

Whether you’re exploring the Lands Between or facing off against other Tarnished, roar buffs offer a unique and powerful addition to your combat arsenal. They might take some practice to master, but nothing beats the satisfaction of unleashing a perfectly-timed roar before demolishing your opponent with a savage combo chain.

Remember, in Elden Ring, sometimes the best strategy is to embrace your inner beast and just ROAR!

… and by the way: we’re having quite some more Guides & Tips you may want to check out.