5 best PvP builds in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

Almost every weapon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree can be turned into a lethal option for defeating foes in the Land of Shadow. However, when it comes to PvP, you will find the most success using fast weapons that give you mobility or can deal a significant amount of damage. There are lots of good weapons in Elden Ring for PvP.

That said, PvP players will also need to build around their choice of weapon. To help you start off, here are five of the best PvP builds in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer. The entries are arranged in no particular order.

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Here are five of the best PvP builds in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

1) Obsidian Lamina

The Obsidian Lamina (Image via FromSoftware)

• Vigor: 60
• Mind: 35
• Endurance: 40
• Strength: 18
• Dexterity: 50
• Intelligence: 20
• Faith: 30
• Arcane: 8

Obsidian Lamina is one of the best weapons in Shadow of the Erdtree. Its Ash of War, Dynastic Sickleplay provides you with a ton of mobility, making it excellent for PvP encounters. You can easily get within striking range, get off a few hits, and then escape using the Ash of War.

Obsidian Lamina also has innate blood buildup, so you can combine it with a bunch of Talismans to get the most out of it. The Lord of Blood's Exultation will boost your damage whenever you get a blood proc, and the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia will also buff damage with each successive attack. If you plan on two-handing the weapon, the Two-Handed Sword Talisman is also a good pick.

Before heading into battle, use Flame, Grant Me Strength, and Golden Vow to buff your damage and for damage negation. Now, you're ready to dominate PvP with the Obsidian Lamina.

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2) Backhand Blade

Backhand Blade's Ash of War is excellent for closing distances (Image via FromSoftware)

• Vigor: 60
• Mind: 30
• Endurance: 40
• Strength: 18
• Dexterity: 50
• Intelligence: 20
• Faith: 30
• Arcane: 8

The Backhand Blade is excellent for closing distances thanks to its Ash of War, Blind Spot. This will allow us to close in and deliver a devastating attack on our enemies. You can also aim it away from your foes and use it to escape dangerous situations. Much like Obsidian's Lamina, the Backhand Blade also comes with innate Blood buildup.

So, you need to equip the Lord of Blood's Exultation to make the most of it. Moreover, the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia and the Shard of Alexander are also excellent picks for buffing your damage. Last but not least, players can use the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman for a big boost to damage negation.

In battle, you will mainly be using your Ash of War to deal damage. Thanks to the amount of mobility you get with Blind Spot, it will become very hard for your opponents to keep track of you in PvP. If you can master moving with the Ash of War, you can pretty much roll through anything in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

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3) Death Knight's Twin Axes

Death Knight's Twin Axes (Image via FromSoftware)

• Vigor: 60
• Mind: 25
• Endurance: 40
• Strength: 50 (as high as you can go while meeting the other stats)
• Dexterity: 50 (as high as you can go while meeting the other stats)
• Intelligence: 20
• Faith: 25
• Arcane: 8

The Death Knight's Twin Axes is also an excellent choice for PvP. This weapon comes with the Blinkbold: Twinaxe Ash of War. When used, same as with the weapons above, you will be able to close in and separate from your enemies with ease, making it hard for them to land hits on you. You will also need to apply a quality affinity to this weapon to maximize damage.

For your Talismans, go with the Lightning Scorpion Charm to boost lightning attacks and the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia to boost the damage of the Twin Axes' excellent combos. Finally, you will also need the Shard of Alexander and the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman to complete the build.

In combat, focus on closing in on opponents with the Ash of War. At the end of your Ash of War hold the heavy attack button to do a spinning move that deals a devastating amount of damage. A few of these are all you'll need to make short work of most PvP encounters in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

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4) Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword

The White Light Charge Ash of War in action (Image via FromSoftware)

• Vigor: 60
• Mind: 30
• Endurance: 40
• Strength: 80
• Dexterity: 20
• Intelligence: 20
• Faith: 25
• Arcane: 30

The Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword is easily one of the best weapons for PvP in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. Its Ash of War White Light Charge makes you perform a forward thrusting attack; you can give another input at the end to cause a white light explosion that deals significant damage.

You need to pair this weapon with the Shard of Alexander to maximize the damage of its Ash of War. You will also need to use the Two-Handed Sword Talisman and the Ritual Sword Talisman for additional boosts to your damage. Lastly, you can equip the Blessed Blue Dew Talisman to help you recover FP in combat.

The strategy with this build is simple: we will be using the Ash of War for all of our damage. Simply wait for an opportunity to strike and use the White Light Charge to completely obliterate your opponents.

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5) Gravity Driller

The Sword Lance (Image via FromSoftware)

• Vigor: 60
• Mind: 30
• Endurance: 40
• Strength: 80
• Dexterity: 11
• Intelligence: 30
• Faith: 25
• Arcane: 8

The Sword Lance in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree comes equipped with the Spinning Gravity Thrust Ash of War. Upon using this, your character will levitate into the air and rotate in a corkscrew-like fashion, dealing damage along the way. At the end of the first rotation, you can use the Ash of War again for two attacks in a row.

You need to apply the Cold affinity to this weapon; this will give you a good amount of Frost buildup, which in turn will make enemies more susceptible to damage. For your Talismans, go with the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman for damage negation. To buff your damage, you need to equip the Shard of Alexander, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, and the Ritual Sword Talisman.

Like most PvP builds, this one will also rely heavily on its Ash of War. You need to create some distance between you and your opponents, and then use the Ash of War to deal damage. A few hits should be all you need to defeat most players in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

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Check out our other articles covering Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree:

• What are the requirements for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree?
• ER stat cap, recommended level for SOTE
• 5 things you might've missed in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
• Best Armor Sets to get before Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
• How to get the Sword of Morne in Elden Ring
• Best builds to use for Commander Gaius boss fight in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree