Welcome, Tarnished ones, to our (not entirely serious) exploration of the diverse combat styles in Elden Ring. The Lands Between offer a multitude of ways to face their challenges and today we’ll delve into the various approaches players take to overcome the game’s formidable foes. From traditional sword-and-board tactics to arcane wizardry, from nimble acrobatics to brute force, Elden Ring caters to a wide array of playstyles. Each method brings its own strengths, weaknesses, and, most importantly, a unique flavor to your journey through this beautifully treacherous world. So, join me as we uncover the many faces of the Tarnished in combat…
The Sword-and-Shield Traditionalist
Ah, the classic warrior, a stalwart defender of ancient combat traditions. Armed with a trusty sword and a sturdy shield, this playstyle embodies the essence of methodical, defensive combat. You’re the patient predator, waiting for the perfect moment to strike while your shield absorbs the brunt of enemy assaults. Your strength lies in your ability to weather storms of attacks, countering with precise sword strikes when openings present themselves.
This style shines in one-on-one encounters, allowing you to learn enemy patterns and exploit them. Ideal for newcomers to the Souls-like genre, this playstyle teaches fundamental combat mechanics while providing a solid defensive foundation. Remember, in a world where death lurks around every corner, sometimes the best offense is a good defense.
The Magic Enthusiast
Who needs muscles when you can summon meteors? As a Magic Enthusiast, you’re the master of arcane destruction, turning battlefields into dazzling light shows. Your spellbook is your weapon, filled with incantations to rain fire, call forth stars, or tickle enemies with a feather (okay, maybe not that last one). You prefer keeping your distance, pelting foes with spells while dodging attacks like a caffeinated squirrel.
Resource management is key – an empty FP bar spells disaster, often literally. Intelligence and Mind are your best friends, powering your magical arsenal and ensuring you don’t accidentally turn yourself into a frog. While you struggle in close combat, few match your ranged devastation. Just remember, when that hulking giant gets too close, it’s time to run! After all, your robes offer less protection than wet tissue paper.
But oh, the joy of watching a boss’s health bar melt under a barrage of Comet Azur! You’re the bane of dragons, the nightmare of knights, and the reason why some enemies probably wish they’d chosen a career in accounting instead. Your battlefield isn’t just a place of combat; it’s your personal light show, complete with explosions, glowing sigils, and the occasional summoned blade that’s bigger than you are.
You approach each fight like a magical scientist: “What happens if I mix Rock Sling with Terra Magica? Let’s find out!” Your victories are spectacular, your defeats… well, let’s just say they often involve a lot of running and frantic Flask-chugging. But hey, who needs biceps when you can throw miniature moons? In the Lands Between, you’re not just fighting; you’re conducting a symphony of sorcery, and every enemy is your reluctant audience.
The Dodge-Roll Acrobat
Welcome to the circus of survival, where our star performer is you, the Dodge-Roll Acrobat! You’ve mastered the art of “if you can’t beat ’em, confuse ’em” by turning every battle into a dizzying display of tumbling prowess. Your strategy is simple yet effective: roll, roll, strike, roll – rinse and repeat until either your enemy falls or you get motion sickness.
Who needs stamina when you can become a human pinball? You live by the motto: “Can’t hit what you can’t see!” – although sometimes that includes not seeing where you’re rolling. Bosses fear you not for your strength, but for your uncanny ability to turn their arena into a impromptu gymnastics floor routine. Just be careful not to roll off a cliff in your enthusiasm – it’s embarrassing and ruins your perfect “dodge everything” record. Remember, in Elden Ring, it’s not about how hard you hit, but how stylishly you can avoid being hit!
The Ranged Specialist
Bow or crossbow? Why not both? You’re the nightmare of every dragon, as long as they stay within range and you don’t run out of arrows. Your favorite sport? Nudging enemies off cliffs – from a safe distance, of course. Who needs a gym when you can get your cardio running away from anything that gets too close?
As a Ranged Specialist, you’ve turned “social distancing” into an art form. Your strategy involves peppering foes with arrows until they resemble pincushions, all while staying far enough away to need binoculars to see the action. You excel at taking down flying enemies, making dragons wonder why they ever left their cozy lairs. However, your kryptonite is any enclosed space smaller than a football field. And let’s not talk about your panic when you hear that dreaded click of an empty quiver. But hey, in a world where everything wants to give you a deadly hug, sometimes the best approach is to never let them reach you in the first place!
The Colossal Weapon Wielder
Who needs finesse when you can swing a weapon larger than most NPCs? As a Colossal Weapon Wielder, your combat philosophy is beautifully simple: bonk, bonk, bonk. You don’t so much fight enemies as you do landscaping, permanently altering the terrain with each mighty swing.
Your strength stat is higher than your IQ, and you’re proud of it. Doors? You don’t open them; you introduce them to your old friend, Mr. Hammer. Your idea of a balanced build is managing not to fall over when you swing your ridiculously oversized weapon. Bosses look at you and wonder if they should have chosen a different career path. However, your Achilles’ heel is anything faster than a slumbering Tortoises – by the time you’ve lifted your weapon, speedier foes have already written a novel about how they defeated you. But when that hit connects? Oh boy, it’s like watching a meteor strike in slow motion. Remember, in the Lands Between, sometimes the best solution is to hit it until it stops being a problem!
The Ash of War Spammer
Who needs normal combat when you’ve found the magic button combination? As an Ash of War Spammer, you’ve discovered the joy of turning every fight into a one-trick pony show. By the Erdtree roots, you’ve found something that works, and you’ll use it again, and again, and again… and again.
Your strategy is as simple as it is effective: find an Ash of War that tickles your fancy, then proceed to wear out that poor button on your controller. Bosses look at you with a mix of fear and exasperation, wondering if you know any other moves. Your greatest strength? Consistency. Your greatest weakness? Also consistency.
When your chosen Ash of War works, you’re unstoppable. Malenia, Blade of Miquella? More like Malenia, Victim of Endless Corpse Pilers. Radahn, Starscourge? He’s about to become intimately familiar with your Bloodhound’s Step. You’ve turned complex boss fights into glorified quick-time events, and you’re not ashamed of it.
However, when your go-to move doesn’t work, you’re about as useful as a chocolate teapot in the Mountaintops of the Giants. Suddenly, you’re fumbling with your controller, desperately trying to remember how normal attacks work. It’s like watching a one-hit wonder trying to come up with a second song on the spot.
But hey, in a world as unpredictable as the Lands Between, there’s something to be said for finding your groove and sticking to it. You’re not just a fighter; you’re a walking, talking meme, ready to unleash your signature move at a moment’s notice. Just remember, if spamming doesn’t solve your problem, you’re clearly not spamming hard enough! After all, the definition of insanity might be doing the same thing over and over, but in Elden Ring, it’s also sometimes the definition of victory.
The Dual-Wielding Dervish
Who needs a shield when you can have another pointy thing? As a Dual-Wielding Dervish, you’ve embraced the philosophy of “the best defense is a really, really good offense.” You’re a whirlwind of steel, a ballet of blades, a tornado of… well, you get the idea.
Your strategy? Hit fast, hit often, and hope nothing hits you back. You’ve turned every boss fight into a dance-off, where your partner is pain and the dance floor is littered with fallen foes. Your strength lies in your ability to unleash a flurry of attacks that would make a blender jealous. However, your weakness is anything that actually manages to hit you – turns out, those shields everyone else uses aren’t just for show!
You live by the motto: “Two swords are better than one, and ten are better than two, but I only have two hands.” Just remember, in the Lands Between, sometimes the one who swings the most wins – or at least goes out in a blaze of glory!
The Status Effect Specialist
Welcome to the world of slow and steady destruction, where patience isn’t just a virtue—it’s a weapon! As a Status Effect Specialist, you’ve mastered the art of turning every battle into a ticking time bomb of misery for your foes.
Your arsenal? A smorgasbord of unpleasantries: poison that turns enemies green (with nausea), rot that makes them wish they’d invested in better health insurance, and frostbite that gives new meaning to “brain freeze.” You don’t so much defeat enemies as you do mildly inconvenience them to death.
Your strength lies in your ability to make bosses regret their life choices long after you’ve run away screaming. However, your weakness is anything with the audacity to be immune to your colorful cocktail of ailments. In those moments, you’re about as threatening as a sneezing kitten. But fear not! In the Lands Between, where everything can kill you, sometimes the best approach is to let your enemies slowly kill themselves. Just remember: if at first you don’t succeed, apply more poison!
Alright, here ends the first half of our tour through the combat styles that grace (or terrorize) the Lands Between. From the steadfast Sword-and-Shield Traditionalist to the whirlwind that is the Dual-Wielding Dervish, we’ve seen quite the spectrum of approaches to dealing with the many threats that await us.
But our journey is far from over! In part two, we’ll dive into even more eccentric and exciting ways to dispatch (or be dispatched by) your foes. Will we uncover a style that speaks to your inner warrior? Or perhaps inspire you to try something new on your next playthrough?
Until then, fellow Tarnished, may your rolls be swift, your strikes true, and your respawn points mercifully close. Stay tuned for part two, where the chaos only escalates!
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Please note: This article was created using the help of AI (claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620, DALL-E 3)
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