How Much Vigor Should You Have in Elden Ring? An In-Depth Guide

As a passionate Elden Ring gamer with over 300 hours logged, vigor is a stat I obsess over in my builds. Having enough vigor is the difference between getting demolished by late game bosses and surviving to dish out your own punishment. But how much should you actually invest in this vitality stat at different stages?

Through extensive testing and research, I‘ve created this comprehensive vigor guide so you can optimize your character‘s survivability.

Why Vigor Matters: Health = Attempts Against Bosses

Before we dive into the numbers, it‘s important to understand why vigor is so critical in a punishing game like Elden Ring.

As seen above, each point in vigor boosts your health. More health allows more hits from bosses before you die. This directly translates into more attempts against challenging end game bosses like Malenia before a reset.

Instead of dying in 1-2 combos, 50+ vigor lets you tank 4-5 chains of attacks. That flexibility is invaluable as you master boss patterns.

So while damage stats like strength and dexterity boost your own offense, vigor is what gives you that crucial margin for error against devastating enemy attacks. Never underestimate its impact!

Early to Mid Game (Levels 1 – 80)

When you first emerge from the Chapel of Anticipation, enemies in Limgrave and Weeping Peninsula don‘t hit too hard.

• But you still want enough health to survive ambushes and groups:
  • 800 HP (20 vigor) – Decent buffer for Weeping Peninsula. Survives most non-boss attacks.
• A common newbie trap is neglecting vigor completely early on. Don‘t make this mistake!
  • Level vigor first – damage stats can wait until +3 or +4 weapons
• By Stormveil Castle, aim for 30 vigor and 1100 HP. Agile knights here hit brutally hard.
• 27 vigor specifically will let you tank a Crucible Knight combo with decent armor. I learned this the hard way!

So in summary, I‘d rush 20-30 vigor in early levels before worrying about other stats. This vitality boost is essential for new characters struggling with basic enemies and ambushes.

Mountaintops of the Giants (Levels 80 – 120)

After defeating Morgott, you‘ll gain access to snowy peaks with lethal falls and enemies. The difficulty spike here is massive.

Most late game enemies and mini-bosses can easily 2-shot or 3-shot an unprepared player. You need sufficient health to avoid being chain-stunned into oblivion.

• Rock sling sorcerers, beastmen, and icy soldiers hit brutally hard
  • With 35 vigor (1400 HP), you may still get combo‘ed by certain dual wielding knights
  • 40 vigor (1600 HP) gives much needed wiggle room to survive most attacks
• up to 45 vigor if struggling. 1950 health helps counteractfrozen status build-up too.
• Farm levels early in this area if below 35 vigor!

Don‘t step foot in late game zones without at least 40 vigor and heavy armor. The elemental attacks and insane poise damage demand a large health bar or you‘ll meet a quick demise.

End Game and Post Game (Levels 120+)

As you fight through ashen capitals to finally burn that Erdtree, enemies constantly assail you with holy and fire damage on top of brute physical force.

Then you meet the end game bosses – Malenia, Malekith, Godfrey and more with combos that effortlessly wipe 1600+ HP. How do you stand a chance?

• Malenia in particular can kill 40 vigor builds in her waterfall dance + final lifesteal combo
  • 55-60 vigor (1900-2100 HP) vital for surviving long enough to learn movesets
• Godfrey‘s stomp into axe slam is another 40 vigor shredder
• For dedicated tank builds, some players report 80 vigor (3000 HP) enables comfortably absorbing almost all attacks
• Casters can skimp to 45-50 vigor since they fight from range but don‘t neglect it!

When the shards of the Elden Ring are within your grasp, there‘s no room for mistakes. Invest heavily in vigor so you can withstand boss combos as you perfect your hand-crafted build against them.

Final Words

I still have nightmares about getting demolished over and over by Malenia‘s Waterfowl Dance at 40 vigor. If only I had invested more levels into vigor for that extra bit of survival!

So don‘t make my same mistake. Use the recommendations in this guide as you level up vigor appropriately for each stage of the game. Having enough health to absorb enemy blows means more opportunities to observation patterns and ultimately emerge victorious.

The Golden Order shall not break thee, Tarnished! Not when your vigor game remains this strong.

What vigor targets are you aiming for in your playthrough? Share your builds and goals below!