Welcome back, brave Tarnished! If you’ve made it this far, you’ve either survived our first foray into the combat styles of Elden Ring, or you’re a phantom reader who’s skipped straight to part two (we see you, and we’re judging… but only a little – just make sure you don’t miss part one).
In our last installment, we explored everything from the stalwart Sword-and-Shield Traditionalist to the dizzying Dual-Wielding Dervish. But the Lands Between are vast, and their combat styles as varied as Patches’ moral compass. So strap in, chug that Flask of Crimson Tears, and prepare yourself for another wild ride through the battlefield buffet that is Elden Ring.
In this second part, we’ll be diving into some more approaches to turning your enemies into fond memories.
The Parry Master
Welcome to the high-stakes world of combat gambling, where your currency is timing and your jackpot is not getting squashed! As a Parry Master, you’ve turned “high risk, high reward” into an art form. Who needs dodging when you can make your enemies punch themselves?
Your strategy? Wait for the perfect moment to turn your opponent’s strength against them, transforming every incoming attack into an opportunity for a stylish counter. You don’t just fight bosses; you engage them in an elegant dance of “stop hitting yourself.”
But let’s be real – being a Parry Master is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle, if the lightning could also one-shot you. You’ve spent countless hours practicing on unsuspecting Godrick Soldiers, turning Limgrave into your personal parry playground. Each successful parry sends a rush of adrenaline through your veins, making you feel like the conductor of a symphony of pain.
Your weapon of choice? A small shield or parrying dagger, because who needs protection when you can just slap attacks out of the way? You’ve memorized every enemy’s attack patterns, turning the game into a bizarre rhythm game where missing a beat means a quick trip to the nearest Site of Grace.
Your strength lies in making even the mightiest foes look like clumsy oafs. However, your weakness is, well, everything else. Miss that parry timing, and you’ll find yourself cosplaying as a pancake. You live by the motto: “Parry or perish!” Just remember, in the Lands Between, where timing is everything, you’re either the maestro of combat or the conductor of your own demise. And let’s be honest, it’s usually a bit of both!
The Faith-Based Zealot
Praise the Erdtree and pass the incantations! As a Faith-Based Zealot, you’re the walking, talking embodiment of “thoughts and prayers” – except your thoughts can summon lightning, and your prayers can set things on fire. Who says religion can’t be fun?
Your combat style is a divine mix of melee prowess and miraculous magic. One moment you’re swinging a holy weapon, the next you’re calling down the wrath of the heavens. Bosses don’t know whether to fear your sword or your sermon. But let’s not forget the true joy of being a Faith-Based Zealot: the fashion. Nothing says “holier than thou” quite like golden armor that blinds enemies with its radiance. You’re not just fighting; you’re putting on a light show that would make even the Two Fingers give you a thumbs up.
Your incantation arsenal is as diverse as the deities in the Lands Between. From hurling lightning bolts like an angry Zeus to breathing fire like a dragon with indigestion, you’ve got a miracle for every occasion. Need healing? A quick prayer, and you’re good as new. Want to make your enemies dance? Slap the ground and watch them boogie with your AoE spells.
Your strength lies in versatility and the ability to both smite foes and heal allies. However, your weakness is your constant inner struggle between bonking enemies and blessing them. You live by the motto: “When in doubt, praise harder!” Just remember, in the Lands Between, faith can move mountains – or at least help you survive falling off them.
And if all else fails, there’s always the option of aggressively spreading the good word… with your weapon. After all, nothing says “conversion” quite like a sacred blade to the face. Just be prepared for some awkward moments when you realize your “Heal” spell doesn’t work on enemies – turns out, not everyone appreciates unsolicited divine intervention.
The Bleed Build Bloodsucker
Welcome to the mosquito brigade, where size doesn’t matter, but paper cuts are lethal! As a Bleed Build Bloodsucker, you’re like a pesky insect – small, annoying, and extremely dangerous. Your weapons might look like toothpicks, but your enemies will be bleeding out before they can say “Elden Ring”. These beautiful curved swords are just to good (and deadly) for the bloody job, don’t you think?
Your strategy? Death by a thousand cuts, quite literally. You dance around foes like an overexcited chihuahua, nipping at their ankles or jumping and double-wielding until they collapse from blood loss. Bosses fear you not for your strength, but for your ability to turn their health bars into leaky faucets. However, your kryptonite is anything with the audacity to be immune to bleeding. When that happens, you’re about as threatening as a butter knife at a sword fight.
But fear not! In a world where everything bleeds (mostly), you’re the tiny terror that keeps even the mightiest foes checking their bandages. Just remember, if you can’t make them bleed, it might be time to do what you do best – run away very, very fast!
The Spirit Summoner
Who needs friends when you can conjure an entire otherworldly entourage? As a Spirit Summoner, you’re the ultimate supernatural Pokémon trainer, orchestrating a symphony of chaos with your spectral menagerie. Your strategy? Why dirty your own hands when you can have a ghostly warrior, a magical archer, or even a giant jellyfish do it for you?
You’re the general of an ethereal army, dramatically pointing at foes and shouting, “I choose you, Horned Warrior!” or “Go, Spirit Jellyfish!”. Bosses don’t know whether to attack you or your translucent trooper – usually resulting in a comical dance of confusion. Your strength lies in overwhelming enemies with sheer variety and adaptability. Need tanking? Summon a spectral knight. Crowd control? Call forth your spirit wolves. Boss giving you trouble? Time for the legendary Mimic Tear! The ultimate wingman found in the ever-charming Nokron. A doppelganger that can flawlessly execute your signature moves and strategies, turning the toughest bosses into pulp to your amusement.
However, your weakness is any situation where you can’t summon your spectral friends – suddenly, you’re about as threatening as a wet noodle trying to fight a forest fire. You live for those “Spirit Calling Bell” moments, turning every solo boss fight into an impromptu party. Just remember, in the Lands Between, sometimes the best strategy is to let others do the fighting for you. And if your summons fail? Well, there’s always the time-honored tradition of running away very, very fast while frantically searching for more FP!
The Stealth Assassin
Welcome to the shadows, where the art of combat is not being in combat at all! As a Stealth Assassin, you’ve mastered the ancient technique of “Can’t kill what you can’t see,” turning every encounter into a game of deadly hide-and-seek. Your weapon of choice? The element of surprise, with a side of backstab. How nice it is to get another spell with “Miriam’s Vanishing” from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC to expand your vanishing-into-air repertoire – but make sure not to get lost completely.
Your strategy involves more sneaking than a teenager trying to sneak out past curfew. You don’t so much fight enemies as you do mildly inconvenience them… fatally. Bosses fear you not for your strength, but for your uncanny ability to turn their arena into a real-life game of “Where’s Waldo?” – except Waldo has a dagger and murderous intent. However, your kryptonite is any well-lit room or enemy with eyes in the back of their head – as you experienced when trying to deal with the winter lanterns. When stealth fails, you’re about as combat-ready as a startled cat. But hey, in a world where everything wants to give you a deadly hug, sometimes the best approach is to hug them first… from behind… with a knife. Remember, in the Lands Between, if they can’t see you, they can’t kill you!
The Jack of All Trades
Ah, the walking armory, the Swiss Army knife of Elden Ring! As a Jack of All Trades, you’ve embraced the “why choose when you can have it all” philosophy. Your combat style? Yes. All of them. At once, if possible.
Your strategy involves more weapon swapping than a juggler at a knife-throwing contest. One moment you’re swinging a colossal sword, the next you’re pelting enemies with arrows, then you’re casting spells – all while your spirit wolves nip at their heels. Bosses look at you with a mix of confusion and admiration, wondering if you’re one person or a very coordinated group effort.
Your strength lies in your adaptability – no situation catches you off-guard because you’re prepared for everything. However, your weakness is, well, everything. Jack of all trades, master of none, as they say. When a specialist would excel, you’re fumbling through your inventory like Mary Poppins on a bad day.
But fear not! In the Lands Between, where versatility is key, sometimes being okay at everything is better than being great at one thing. Just remember, if switching weapons mid-combat doesn’t solve your problem, you’re clearly not switching fast enough!
The Talon-Fisted Brawler
Welcome to the world of knuckle sandwiches and claw-some combat! As a Talon-Fisted Brawler, you’ve decided that regular fists just aren’t spicy enough. Why settle for plain old punches when you can turn your hands into a multitool of mayhem? And how big was the joy when the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC gave you even more toys to play with by providing you with beast claws and even hand-to-hand arts?
Your arsenal is a fashionista’s nightmare and a chiropractor’s dream: razor-sharp claws, spiked knuckles, and fist weapons that would make even a dragon think twice about dental hygiene. You’re not just throwing punches; you’re delivering high-fives from hell.
Your strategy? Get in close, unleash a flurry of strikes faster than a caffeinated hummingbird, and leave your enemies looking like they just lost a fight with an angry food processor. Your strength lies in your ability to turn every battle into a deadly game of patty-cake. You excel at building up status effects faster than a teenager’s mood swings. However, your weakness is anything that refuses to play your up-close-and-personal game. Ranged attackers? They’re your kryptonite, leaving you flailing at the air like an enraged windmill.
In the Lands Between, where everyone’s wielding weapons bigger than their egos, you’re the maniac trying to give Radahn a manicure he didn’t ask for. And when all else fails, there’s always the option of challenging Malenia to a tickle fight. Who knows? You might just claw your way to becoming the Elden Lord… or at least the most feared nail technician in the realm!
And there you have it, a colorful (and surely incomplete) tapestry of combat styles that make the Lands Between such a diverse and exciting realm to explore. From the steadfast Sword-and-Shield Traditionalist to the perfectly-timed Parry Master, each playstyle brings its own unique flavor to the perilous journey through Elden Ring.
And as I always I’d like to point out, there’s no “right” way to play. Whether you’re rolling your way to victory, turning enemies into pincushions from afar, or trying to parry away whatever is going to hit you, the beauty of Elden Ring lies in its versatility. So, fellow Tarnished, I encourage you to experiment, mix and match, and find the style (or styles) that resonate with you. After all, in a world as vast and unforgiving as the Lands Between, the only wrong choice is not to explore your options.
What’s your preferred style? Have you tried them all, or do you swear by one particular approach? Share your experiences in the comments below – I’d love to hear about your adventures and how many times you’ve accidentally rolled off a cliff while trying to look cool!
By the way, if you haven’t already read the first part related to this post, you’ll find it right here.
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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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