Across the Lands Between, the legend of the Moonveil katana spreads rapidly amongst magic swordsmen. This mystical blade, discovered sealed away underground, possesses untold potential for Intelligence-oriented warriors.
But the Moonveil remains shrouded in mystery and misinformation, its true capabilities perplexing even the wise. Through extensive firsthand experience and research into arcane theorycrafting, I will unravel this enigma – revealing why the Moonveil reigns as Elden Ring‘s ultimate magic katana.
What Makes Moonveil Special?
As an avid fan of fromsoft games, I‘ve extensively used almost every iconic katana across the Souls series. But none match the Moonveil‘s sheer versatility and power.
Unlike previous magic swords limited to basic buffs, Moonveil uniquely empowers the wielder to directly channel sorcerous meteors through each slash via the "Transient Moonlight" skill.
Activating this sends the next attacks into overdrive – warping streaks of sapphire energy engulf the black steel, converting even simple slashes into thundering crescents of astronomical force akin to a falling star.
Such violently beautiful Lunar magic enables veteran mage-knights to adapt to any enemy using finessed applications of gravitational power – launching calibrated waves to crush distant foes or focused sickle-shaped projectiles for surgically precise mortal blows.
But raw destruction only scratches the surface of why top players covet the Moonveil. Its moveset enables ingenious combinations that dominate both PvE and PvP when skillfully utilized.
Let‘s analyze the cold hard data and mechanical intricacies that cement the Moonveil‘s S-tier ranking across the community.
Moonveil Stats & Attribute Scaling
Here are the baseline Moonveil attributes at Level 0 without upgrades or stat boosts:
| Attribute | Scaling |
|---|---|
| Attack Power | 160 (Physical: 73, Magic: 87) |
| Strength | E |
| Dexterity | D |
| Intelligence | C |
| Skill | Transient Moonlight |
Right away, we see fantastic Magic Damage values even before upgrades or stat boosting. With a "C" rank Intelligence scaling, sorcery specialists can transform the Moonveil into an absolute powerhouse later on.
But there‘s a hidden stat not shown here – the poise damage dealt by attacks. And Moonveil‘s heavy hitting Transient Moonlight explosions excel at interrupting enemy attacks via high "stance damage".
Let‘s explore more advanced stats using the knowledge of dedicated wiki editors and data miners.
Attack Rating at Max Upgrade Level
The Moonveil can be upgraded to +10 using Somber Smithing Stones. Here are the final Attack Ratings by equipment level courtesy of the Elden Ring Wiki:
| Level | Attack Rating |
|---|---|
| +0 | 160 |
| +10 | 424 |
As expected, the Moonveil scales tremendously with upgrades – over 2.5x damage gained from smithing!
This relies on the rarer Somber Stones, but makes the commitment very rewarding. Other katanas peak around 379 AR with standard upgrades – showcasing the Moonveil‘s higher damage ceiling.
Magic Attack Rating by Intelligence
What about damage scaling with player statistics like Intelligence? Fextra Wiki provides this breakdown of Magic Attack values by Intelligence rank:
| Intelligence | Magic Attack Rating |
|---|---|
| 20 | 107 |
| 25 | 123 |
| 30 | 141 |
| 40 | 182 |
| 50 | 216 |
| 60 | 239 |
Note the massive late-game benefits – a 60 Intelligence Moonveil projects a horrendous 239 Magic AR! Combined with 424 Physical thanks to weapon level, we hit an eye-watering 663 total AR – easily surpassing all rival katanas.
This makes Intelligence the most valuable stat for improving the Moonveil‘s devastation. For dedicated battlemage builds, stacking Int results in insane damage unmatched by other melee weapons.
Transient Moonlight Frame Data
Let‘s analyze the animations and recovery speeds for Moonveil‘s iconic Transient Moonlight ability. Compared to the regular katana slash, how much faster is this magical slash?
According to Illusorywall‘s frame data, here are the key values:
| Attack | Startup Frames | Active Frames | Recovery Frames |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Katana Slice | 14 | 12 | 22 |
| Transient Moonlight | 16 | 27 | 24 |
Observe that while the initial activation takes 2 extra frames, the magical follow-up slash enjoys a far longer active duration and shorter recovery. This enables easier combos, critical hits, or chase-downs.
Plus the recovery difference allows safer usage – less downtime vulnerable to enemy punish attempts. Combined with higher poise damage, this faster, longer ranged attack overwhelms unaware PvP opponents.
Best Stats & Builds for Moonveil
Now let‘s explore recommended player builds and attribute distributions to maximize the Moonveil‘s capabilities based on your preferred combat style.
While gameplay ultimately depends more on player skill over mathematical stats, optimized builds prevent capping out damage numbers – letting you fully utilize weapons against end game challenges.
Standard Battle Mage
For versatile magic warriors adept at both spells and steel, I suggest the classic Battle Mage allocation:
- Vigor: 30-40
- Mind: 25-35
- Endurance: 20-25
- Strength: 16 (equips 100% phys shields)
- Dexterity: 18
- Intelligence: 50-80
- Faith / Arcane: Baseline reqs
Balanced without glaring weaknesses, this spread offers strong melee skills backed by ranged sorceries like Glintstone Pebble, Rock Sling, or Carian Slicer.
Mind boosts your FP (mana), allowing more spell combos before running dry. With enough blue bar you can wield the Moonveil almost permanently enhanced by ranged magic attacks.
This flexible foundation transitions smoothly from early to endgame. Start as the Prisoner class, then pour points into Intelligence followed by Vigor, Mind, and some Endurance sprinkled around.
Hybrid Samurai
My personal favorite utilizes the incredible Samurai starting class – combinining its special weapon skills with lunar sorcery:
- Vigor: 35+
- Mind: 15+
- Endurance: 20+
- Strength: 14
- Dexterity: 32 (80 dex for max casting speed)
- Intelligence: 60+
- Arcane: 20+
Here, we leverage the Samurai‘s unique Unsheathe dashing slash skill alongside the Bloody Slash katana art. These specialty attacks stack blood loss buildup separate from Moonveil‘s magic bursts.
Proper skill rotation between physical blood slashes and Transient Moonlight detonations devastates boss HP bars. I‘ve discovered even Malenia can‘t handle aggressive combos!
Higher Arcane improves blood loss statuses while boosting discovery. Combine with items like Lord of Blood‘s Exultation or Kindred of Rot‘s Exultation talismans to detect devastating critical hits whenever hemorrhaging enemies.
This high risk, high reward "Lethal Lunar Samurai" build provides nonstop aggression thanks to HP restoring skills from both Samurai and weapon arts. Wading through oceans of gore under azure moons – such is the glory of the Moonveil!
Advanced Combat Tips & Tactics
Now let‘s explore critical techniques and tactics for mastering combat with the Moonveil against any opponent. Both new players and veterans can improve their skills using this advice.
While stats provide the numerical foundations, true mastery flows from creatively reacting to dynamic battles. Unleash your inner artist by internalizing these expert pointers!
Charged Strong Attack Roll Catches
Unlike faster weapons reliant on rapid successive strikes, the Moonveil punishes sloppy dodging using precise powerful swings for critical damage.
Bait overeager opponents into premature rolls with feinted normal attacks. As they attempt escaping out of i-frame invincibility, release a fully charged heavy attack in the roll destination path.
If aimed and timed correctly, the strong attack animation will hit opponents just as they exit invulnerability frames, preventing any response as they resume "normal state".
Practice controlling swing direction using the left stick during heavy charge animations to effectively "lead" targets. This easy technique works wonders against panicked PvP players!
Chained Skill Combos
While the Moonveil‘s Transient Moonlight looks like a single ability, it‘s actually a multi-hit combo! Master chaining the full magic series:
- Activate Transient Moonlight (weapon flashes blue)
- Perform standard katana slash
- Land unique magical slash (fires arc wave)
Learning proper rhythm between activation, slash, explosion is crucial. The initial sword flash lasts several seconds – enough for 2 fast attacks. But delay too long and the buff dissipates wasting FP.
Once mastered, this becomes natural muscle memory. Alternate normal slashes with the enhanced magical portions to maximize damage. This fluid mix-up devastates bosses and keeps PvP enemies off-balance.
End combos with Glintstone sorceries like Rock Sling or Stars for even heavier magical carnage! Such sophisticated spell-blade skills distinguish veteran Moonveil adepts.
Reaction Parries & Ripostes
While attacking remains critical, even advanced players often neglect defense. Yet mastering parry timings can swiftly turn losing battles into comeback victories!
Moonveil‘s lengthy two-handed heavy attack animation broadcasts intentions – bait overconfident foes into interrupted swings. Lean slightly early into parry stance catching assault windups for a satisfying punish via riposte critical attacks.
This "match breaker" completely shifts momentum, especially helpful recovering disadvantageous situations. But the lengthy parry/riposte window leaves you vulnerable – so read opponents carefully before committing.
With practice, you‘ll learn distinguishing real attack commitments against feints or spacing pokes – crucial PvP insight. Achieve complete perception-reaction fluidity and no weapon can touch you!
Final Impressions & Closing Thoughts
And there we have it – the full picture behind the Moonveil‘s outstanding performance plus actionable tactics for unlocking its potential in-game.
On paper, the stats and scaling already showcase this mythic blade‘s excellence for Intelligence builds. Yet only through extensive first-hand usage do the nuances and advanced tactics shine.
Mastering the unique Transient Moonlight extensions delivers dynamic new combo paths and opportunities far beyond standard katana fare. Creative hybridization with supplemental ashes, spells, or consumables expands options tenfold.
Few weapons so elegantly blend magic and melee into a cohesive lethal dance. Much like the waxing crescent moons themselves, this hypnotic ebb and flow conceals sheer unrelenting might behind natural cycles of calm and chaos.
So why shouldn‘t you wield this cosmic power? Journey now towards Limgrave‘s western stormgates and claim your Moonveil prize! Those desiring dominated worlds or dominated worlds need not look further…
What other Elden Ring topics would interest you? Let me know in the comments below!
