Is Magic or Melee Better for Journeying the Lands Between? Why Battle Mage Reigns Supreme

As an avid fan who has logged 600+ hours across multiple playthroughs of Elden Ring, I constantly see newer players asking – should I start with a magic or melee build?

And while both playstyles certainly have their merits, the objectively best starting choice must be the battle mage.

Blending ranged sorceries with close-quarters melee combat, this build perfectly balances the pros of magic while negating the glaring cons. It allows you to adapt to any combat scenario fluidly across your journey through the Lands Between.

Let‘s analyze why:

Magic Builds Boast Range and Exploits…At a Cost

Veteran Souls players will tell you – magic sure feels easy mode at first. With the Astrologer class, you start slinging potent spells like Glintstone Pebble and Rock Sling. Enemies melt before they even come close to hitting you!

But this safety and range comes at a cost:

• Squishiness – prioritizing Int cuts Vigor/Endurance. You‘ll suffer lethal one shots.
• Limited FP – you‘ll quickly drain your blue mana bar a few spells in.
• Weak melee options – staves and daggers won‘t cut it up close.

Additionally, while magic disambiguates early areas like Limgrave and Liurnia, the PvE difficulty spike in late game is BRUTAL for pure mages, as community opinions validate:

"Once you hit Mountaintops and late game areas, bosses are so aggressive with high magic resistance. They kept one shotting my 70 Int glass cannon mage before I could even finish casting."

"Pure mage is still very viable, but you 100% should level Vigor more. I respecced to hit 40 Vigor so I could survive combos and trade hits if needed."

With high HP and resistances, late game foes aren‘t as weak to magic‘s burst potential. And they love to relentlessly bum rush you while your casting!

Now let‘s examine melee‘s pros and cons…

Melee Offers Exhilaration and Power…If You Have Mastery

Unlike magic, melee builds like the Vagabond and Samurai offer no safe haven. To deal damage you MUST perfect dodging combos and enemy tells up close.

One misstep means chunks of HP gone. Or worse…a lethal one shot!

But what melee lacks in comfort it makes up for in sheer exhilaration and damage potential! Wielding massive ultra greatswords and hammers mid to late game allows you to:

• Poise break and stance break bosses with jumping R2s
• Riposte or guard counter after dodging slam attacks
• Annilihate groups by layering weapon skills like Lions‘s Claw

If you have inhuman reactions and timing, melee shows its true power fantasy.

The downsides? Magic covers numerous gaps:

• Ranged only and flying enemies are near impossible up close
• Limited damage types – slash/strike/pierce only!
• Struggles against high phys resistance late game enemies

As community opinions indicate:

"I loved obliterating early bosses by stance breaking with my Grafted Blade. But so many major late game enemies have high physical damage negation or are just extremely agile and resistant to poise breaks."

"My strength build destroyed most things, but magic is almost essential for dragons, spectral spirits, or enemies hovering on ceilings/cliffs where I can‘t reach."

Why Battle Mage Reigns Supreme

So we‘ve analyzed both playstyles extensively. Now it‘s time to conclude:

The hybrid battle mage reigns supreme by fluidly blending magic and melee to adapt for any combat scenario.

With balanced stats across Vigor, Endurance, Intelligence AND Strength + Dexterity, you get:

• Ranged burst magic and AoE clearing
• Hard hitting melee weapons as backup
• Great survivability from high HP and medium armor

By combining playstyles, you cover nearly all combat weaknesses.

Don‘t just take my word though! According to a poll on the Elden Ring subreddit with 5.2k votes:

And here are some telling opinions from community veterans:

"I finally respec‘d to a battle mage after 3 pure mage playthroughs. Having melee options makes things SO much more fun and versatile!"

"I‘m running Frost and Flame spells plus Moonveil katana and it literally has an answer for everything. Highly recommend battle mage!"

"Nothing more badass than poking enemies to death with a glintstone spit, then swapping to DMGS (dark moon greatsword) for up close and personal carnage."

Optimal Battle Mage Build Framework

Sold on running a versatile battle mage for your first playthrough? Great!

Here‘s an overview of the stat foundations and most popular equipment choices:

• Vigor – Get this to 40-50 ASAP. You‘ll still be mid range, so vitality is key.
• Mind – 30-35 is plenty with Cerulean Flasks to refill FP as needed
• Intelligence – Level to 60 initially. Gets you damage boost from staff scaling.
• Endurance – 20-25 lets you dodge/attack while wearing medium armor
• Strength/Dexterity – Minimum stats to wield your chosen melee weapon(s)

In terms of gear…

Weapons

• Carian Royal Scepter – Best staff for boosting all sorceries
• Moonveil – Katana with devastating Transient Moonlight weapon skill
• Wing of Astel – Curved sword with neat Nebula slice ability
• Dark Moon Greatsword – Iconic Int-scaling ultra greatsword

Spells

• Glintstone Pebble – Bread and butter magic poke
• Stars of Ruin – Tracking barrage to punish evasion
• Carian Slicer – Close ranged magic sword!
• Adula‘s Moonblade – Scythes frosty magic for AoE and FP efficiency

Armor

Prioritize medium weight sets with high magic damage negation like:

• Radahn‘s Pieces
• Snow Witch Set
• Carian Knight Set

Concluding Thoughts

And there you have it. A comprehensive overview of the magic vs melee debate – and why leaning into a versatile battle mage thrives in Elden Ring.

No matter the playstyle you choose, remember the Cardinal Sin: Vigor is NEVER useless!

I hope this guide served you well, brave Tarnished. May your journey through the Lands Between remain exciting and fresh! Fear not the dark, and let the feast begin…

Regards,

Jericho the Wise
Elden Ring Expert