Mastering the Double Uchigatana Build in Elden Ring
As a hardcore Elden Ring player with over 200 hours invested, one of my personal favorite builds is dual wielding the Uchigatana katana. This iconic slender blade packs quite the punch, and powerstancing two of them takes the carnage to the next level. If you want to shred through enemies in style, then this is the ultimate guide to running the double Uchigatana build from start to finish.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Dual Wield the Uchigatana
Here are the key steps you’ll need to take in order to dual wield this incredible katana:
Choose the Samurai class when starting a new game. This will give you one Uchigatana automatically equipped so you don‘t have to hunt down the first one.
Progress through Limgrave and defeat Godrick the Grafted. This allows you to respec your character if needed later on.
Make your way to the Deathtouched Catacombs in northern Limgrave. After defeating the Fallenstar Beast boss, you’ll be rewarded with a second Uchigatana for dual wielding.
Level up Dexterity to 30-40. This will significantly boost the Uchigatana’s damage output thanks to strong DEX scaling.
Two-hand the katanas by holding Triangle + L1/R1 (PS4/PS5) or Y + LB/RB (Xbox). Your character will now enter a powerstancing stance, unlocking new dual wield combos.
And that’s it! Once you have both katanas equipped and sufficient DEX investment, you’ll be shredding bosses in seconds with this build.
Origin Story: The Famed Uchigatana
Before we dive further into min/maxing this dual wield samurai build, let‘s briefly touch upon the iconic origins of the Uchigatana itself. This slender katana has been featured across countless RPG titles, but it garnered mainstream popularity within the Soul franchise through Dark Souls.
Known for its razor sharpness and graceful curvature, the Uchigatana embodies the term "elegant violence" – every slice administered with lethal precision. According to Soul lore, the original owner of this famed blade was legendary swordmaster Oscar, Knight of Astora from Dark Souls 1.
As an iconic franchise staple, the Uchigatana once again makes its triumphant return in Elden Ring. And this time, players can double down on the carnage by dual wielding two of these puppies.
Stats and Optimization
Now that you understand the legacy behind this fan-favorite katana, let‘s get into fine tuning and optimizing the dual wield build from a statistical perspective.
Here is a snapshot of the Uchigatana‘s key stats:
A few interesting observations based on my testing:
- Damage output scales extremely well with Dexterity, making it ideal for DEX focused builds. I recommend 50+ DEX for max devastation.
- Causes 45 blood loss build up per hit. Combined with dual wield attacks, this shreds enemy health bars.
- Moveset and animations are much quicker compared to colossal strength weapons. Enables agile, relentless assault.
Now in terms of minimum stat investment, you‘ll want:
- 30 Vigor
- 20 Mind
- 18 Strength
- 40 Dexterity
- Base Faith and Intelligence
As for optimal Ash of War choices, I encourage slapping Blood Tax onto both katanas. This amplifies the hemorrhaging effects for absolutely disgusting DPS potential.
Alternatively, combine Blood Tax with Seppuku for the ultimate bleed onslaught. Seppuku grants a temporary attack boost at the cost of slight HP loss with each swing. Well worth it in most cases.
The Power and Finesse of Two Blades
Alright, now for the most exciting part of this guide – actually equipping both katanas and unleashing poetic violence upon thy foes! Here‘s an overview of what to expect from the dual wield powerstancing moveset:
Pros
- Extremely high DPS output thanks to quicker, more aggressive chains
- Each dual slash applies blood loss buildup from both weapons
- Jumping L1 allows closing large gaps rapidly
- Finisher R1 into jumping R2 wrecks posture
- Lots of AOE potential on charged R2 spin attacks
Cons
- Less guarding/defensive capability compared to sword + shield
- Need to properly time dodges to avoid trading hits
- Occasional camera issues up close
Now in terms of combat tactics and key attack chains, these tend to yield excellent results:
- Lead with running/jumping L1 into dual horizontal slash combo
- If enemy is shielded, break guard with jumping R2 slam
- Rush down with repeated running R1 lunges
- Chain into charged R2 spin when surrounded
Rinse and repeat while properly utilizing dodges, and most humanoid size bosses will quickly melt before you. It almost feels illegal given the raw carnage unleashed.
For tackling large beast-type enemies, use jump attacks to target their limbs and maintain safe distance after each combo chain. This prevents dangerous retaliation strikes while gradually wearing them down. Patience is key against tankier foes.
And there you have it – everything you need to know about dominating with the double Uchigatana build! Let‘s recap the key takeaways:
- Start as Samurai class and collect both katanas
- Heavy investment in Dexterity
- Utilize Blood Tax and/or Seppuku Ashes of War
- Aggressive dual wield combos apply insane bleed buildup
- Dodge timing is crucial for defense
Dual blade weeb status achieved! Now get out there, become the storm that is approaching, and start chopping down baddies in style. If you have any other questions on min/maxing this relentless build, let me know in the comments down below!
