Mastering the Dual Wield Playstyle in Elden Ring with Keyboard & Mouse
So you want to unleash a whirlwind of steel with two weapons simultaneously? Dual wielding in Elden Ring can enable truly terrifying DPS for dexterity focused builds. However, it has a steep learning curve to master.
In this guide, I‘ll share everything you need to know to dual wield effectively with keyboard and mouse inputs on PC.
Why Dual Wield in Elden Ring?
Here are the main benefits of dual wielding:
- Higher damage per second (DPS): By attacking with two weapons, you can rack up damage faster. More attacks = more DPS.
- Faster attacks: Dual wielded weapons have quicker attack animations compared to two-handed heavy weapons.
- Increased versatility: Dual wield "powerstancing" unlocks special moves based on your equipped weapons.
- Rapid status buildup: Applying effects like bleed, frost and poison happens quicker.
However, dual wielding isn‘t all upside:
- Stamina hungry: Those flashy moves use lots of stamina. Manage your green bar carefully.
- Steep learning curve: It takes practice to effectively use dual wield movesets.
- Lower defense: No ability to block attacks while dual wielding. Prioritize dodging.
Best Weapons Types for Dual Wielding
I‘ve tested many weapon combinations for dual wielding. Here are my top picks:
| Weapon Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Curved Swords | Fast moveset, good at inflicting bleed status |
| Katanas | Quick slashes, scales well with Dexterity |
| Rapiers | Excellent critical damage for ripostes and backstabs |
| Daggers | Extremely fast, can stack blood loss quickly |
| Spears | Good range and moveset versatility |
Recommended Stats for a Dual Wield Build
To dual wield with power and finesse, you‘ll want to focus your character build on:
- Dexterity: Increases attack damage with faster weapons. Should be your highest stat.
- Endurance: Boosts stamina and equip load. Dual wielding eats tons of stamina per attack combo.
- Strength: Minimum requirements to wield your weapons of choice. Secondary priority stat.
I recommend getting Dexterity to 80, Endurance to at least 30-40, and enough Strength to match your weapon‘s prerequisites.
How to Enter the Dual Wield Stance
Equipping two one-handed weapons and entering the dual wield stance is simple:
- Open your equipment menu and select a one-handed weapon for your right hand and left hand slots.
- Exit the menu with weapons equipped in both hands.
- Press E + right mouse click at the same time to enter the dual wield stance.
- Your character will now wield both weapons simultaneously!
Unleash Your Customizable Attacks
While dual wielding, your normal light and heavy attacks will strike alternating between your two equipped weapons. But the real reward lies in the special dual wield powerstance attacks.
These are unlocked when you match specific weapon categories in your left and right hands. For example: two Straight Swords, two Katanas, dual Spears etc.
To perform the powerstance attacks, enter your dual wield stance then press E + left mouse click. This will unleash a unique attack animation utilizing both your main hand and off-hand weapons!
These attacks dish out high damage at the cost of increased stamina consumption. But they excel at breaking enemy poise and are just plain fun to execute!
Closing Thoughts on Mastering the Dual Wield
Learning to dual wield effectively takes some investment. But eventually you‘ll be shredding foes with twice the steel!
It‘s one of the highest risk vs reward playstyles – extremely aggressive offense in exchange for no defense. I love the adrenaline rush of narrowly dodging attacks then countering with a blistering powerstance combo.
Hopefully this guide gives you a solid foundation on unleashing queued weapons with keyboard and mouse controls on PC. Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments!
