Dexterity Reigns Supreme for PvE & PvP Success in Elden Ring
As a passionate Elden Ring fan who has tested countless builds, I believe prioritizing dexterity over strength sets you up for more success – especially in boss battles and PvP matches.
Why Dexterity Separates Itself in Key Areas
While strength builds can crush standard enemies, dexterity excels in three crucial areas:
Faster Weapons & Attack Speed
Wielding dexterity-scaled weapons like katanas, daggers, and rapiers allows for quicker dodges and reactions compared to hefting around colossal weapons. This agility suits the precise play demanded in epic boss fights.
Casting speed for sorceries and incantations also improve with higher dexterity, expanding build variety.
Vicious Critical Damage Potential
Successfully landing parries and backstabs causes dexterity weapons to absolutely demolish enemy HP bars.
Late game weapons like the Misericorde can one-shot even formidable foes when buffed with skills like Flame of the Redmanes on a high dexterity build.
Well-Balanced Quality Builds
Quality builds aiming for 40 strength / 40 dexterity (or higher) can wield weapons with the best strength/dex scaling for extremely versatile damage. Somber smithing stone weapons punched above their weight class on these builds.
The flexibility to swap between heavier and faster dexterity weapons makes Quality some of the strongest PvE and PvP.
Strength Build Pros Don‘t Outweigh the Dexterity Difference
Don‘t get me wrong – I‘ve had a blast smashing foes with colossal weapons on pure strength builds. However, certain limitations hamper their viability compared to dexterity:
- Slow attack speed and lengthy recovery windows make strength weapons unforgiving.
- Low poise damage reduces ability to consistently stagger enemies.
- Restricted to a slower, more one-dimensional playstyle. Some customization is sacrificed.
- Less variety in ranged options – casting or bows don‘t scale with strength.
In the table below, you can see some sample weapons with high dexterity scaling out-damaging popular strength options after factoring in attack speed:
| Weapon | Attack Rating | Attack Speed Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Colossal Weapon | A | D |
| Katana | B+ | B |
So while it ultimately comes down to your individual playstyle, prioritizing dexterity opens up more tools and tactics to overcome FromSoftware‘s lethal challenges with reactive speed and deadly critical attacks. Give it a shot on your next character if you haven‘t already!
