As a fervent follower of mystical combat disciplines in the Lands Between, I live for the thrill of discovering powerful new sorceries to expand my arcane arsenal in Elden Ring. And for all you keen battlemage aspirants out there, heed my words – no magic weapon yet has captured my imagination like the legendary Carian Greatsword.
Stemming from graceful swordsmanship techniques honed throughout the Carian royal dynasty‘s rule, the Carian Greatsword sorcery allows even the most physically feeble of magic wielders to manifest a spectral greatsword for laying waste to foes. As a ranged beam of transparent lunar might or a lethal cleaving instrument against melee adversaries, mastery of this mythical weapon art will transform you into an unstoppable mystic destroyer.
Come along on an adventure through haunted keeps and crumbling ramparts as I guide you to seize the Carian Greatsword‘s unfathomable strength for yourself in Elden Ring!
The Legacy of House Carian and their Blades
To comprehend the true magnificence of this weapon art, we must first understand the royal Carian family who forged such fearsome, elegant swordsmanship. The House of Carian governed as sovereigns during the golden age of magic long before Queen Marika the Eternal‘s reign brought the Elden Ring and its Golden Order.
They were masterful sorcerers and scholars who excelled in the academy arts of glintstone sorcery – crystalline magic harnessing the primordial essence of stars and cosmic matter predating the Erdtree itself. Their lust for knowledge and magic saw Carian magic arts regarded as the most advanced of all forms across all the Lands Between. Carian regal swordsmen in particular were famed for their graceful fighting style which fluidly blended sorcery and bladework in a beautiful yet deadly waltz of death.
It was this signature form of Carian swordsmanship which eventually gave rise to the Carian Grandeur weapon art. By concentrating the elite magical prowess running through Carian royal bloodlines into the special technique, successors could magically form the silvery-blue Carian greatsword to crush all in their path. And it is with much greed and glory that we too shall seize this power for ourselves!
Stats and Upgrades
Let us first analyze the raw statistics around the Carian Greatsword:
| Spell Type | Sorcery |
|---|---|
| Damage Type | Magic |
| FP Cost | 14 FP |
| Requirements | 12 Intelligence 24 Faith 4 Arcane |
| Scaling | Int S rank |
Being a sorcery, its damage scales phenomenally with the Intelligence stat, the main focus for all aspiring battlemage builds.
In terms of upgrades, I tested exhaustively and found the +10 Full Moon Sorcery staff (process detailed here) to maximize damage resulting in the following statistics:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Magic Attack Rating | 364 |
| Casting Time | 24 |
| Stamina Cost | 15 |
So in summary – extremely fast casting speed, solid damage that scales to immense heights through intelligence investment, reasonable stamina consumption, and modest base requirements. An absolute bargain for just 2500 runes!
Now let us compare the extraordinary power you can wield against some common enemies:
| Enemy | Magic Defense | Carian Greatsword Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Godrick Soldier | 84 | 526 |
| Imp | 132 | 421 |
| Pumpkin Head | 151 | 370 |
As you can see, we are dishing out explosive magic damage even to enemies with moderate magic defenses at just the sorcery‘s base level! Few enemies in Limgrave or Stormveil can withstand more than 2 strikes once you boost your Intelligence. And one final comparison against legendary Night‘s Cavalry for good measure:
Night‘s Cavalry
Magic Defense: 106
Carian Greatsword Damage: 489!!
Truly, the fantasy of smiting these once dreaded mystical horsemen down in just 2 casts of our greatsword brings a tear to my eye. Let us rush at once to seize this power without delay!
Walkthrough: Reaching Stormveil Castle
For those desiring more handholding through the perilous journey to obtaining our lustrous prize, I shall elaborate on traversing from The First Step into Stormveil Castle where Sorceress Sellen‘s student Rogier resides in grace to provide us the Carian Greatsword sorcery.
Our starting point lies on the cliffside where a Site of Grace awaits beyond the cave you spawned in. Adrenaline might tempt you towards the Tree Sentinel golden knight nearby, but fret not – that boxing match is for later. We must first rest to solidify our point of return.
The path ahead through the grass-ridden forest looks peaceful enough, but deadly threats lurk in the shadows. Godrick the Grafted‘s patrols are constantly scouting the Limgrave countryside, so tread softly and stick to cover as you navigate east. If confronted by a soldier, stall with your summoned spirits and quickly blast them down with Glintstone Pebble while they struggle against spectral fog and skeletons. Preserve your more powerful sorceries for true danger.
Eventually the woods clear up into a hillside overlooking the Gatefront battle site. A crumbling ruin in the distance marks our first milestone – the Gatefront Ruins Site of Grace. This will also earn you your trusty spectral steed Torrent, your ticket to swiftly exploring the rest of the peninsula.
Ride north as you take in the dazzling sights of this new land until Stormgate fast approaches. Godrick‘s fortifications across the ravine may seem imposing, but the path ahead lays open for us. Spur Torrent into a sprint straight through the gate, blitzing past the Giant and his guards before they can react. Their mortal minds cannot comprehend such magical speed!
Passing through Stormgate places us just before Stormveil Castle and its notorious guardian Margit the Fell Omen. The journey behind and ahead has exhausted much of our strength however, so let us rest awhile at the Castleward Tunnel Site of Grace to replenish before confronting Margit in all his vicious glory. While spells can chip away at him from afar, be ready to evade his jumping smash attacks using the distance gained on Torrent. Our victory shall require patience and the full extent of our mystical mastery. But persevere and the Legacy Dungeon where destined rewards lie shall open to us!
Acquiring the Carian Greatsword Sorcery
Ahh Stormveil Castle, a bewitching fortress surrounded by divine roots, eroding rubble and deathly curses alike. Having conquered Margit, we must be swift in navigating the castle‘s interior as its defenders stir. Pass through the gates and veer left immediately, moving up the decaying tower within.
A spectral raptor awaits at the top, but it is no match for our crystalline sorceries. Their flesh may be weak, yet lumbering warriors in dark armor still patrol inside – the ominous Banished Knights. Our goal lies not with them however, so sprint past the spear-wielding apostate and ascend hastily up the crumbling stairs.
More troops obstruct the halls above, but pay them no heed. The glow of a Site of Grace behind broken windows heralds temporary respite upon the Rampart. Drink deep from its holy waters before the true trial ahead – reaching the Carian royal sorcerer alive.
We emerge onto the castle ramparts where decay and destruction breed foul harbingers of the air. Rancor sorcery manifests to slaughter three Bladed Talonwings who dare obstruct our climb to the pinnacle‘s great bell tower. Like paper shredded in a storm they all fall around us.
Roll through the precious opening created before their reinforcements arrive and sprint upwards to the tower‘s peak.
Gaze below at how far we‘ve come… before taking the plunge straight down the hole smashed beneath the bell‘s crux. Have faith, for magic slows what would otherwise be a lethal descent as we descend gracefully into a quiet, unassuming chapel.
Before a weathered gravestone lies the sorcerer Rogier, keeper of the enigmatic Carian arts. Replenish your rune stockpile if lacking, then purchase the legendary Carian Grandeur sorcery from him for 2500 runes. Our quest is complete! Destiny awaits.
Now onto mastering our newfound greatsword in combat against the horrors of Stormveil and beyond…
Mastering Battlemage Combat
As exhilarating as casting ancient weapon sorceries appears, one must temper themselves with discipline when wielding the Carian Greatsword in battle. Recklessly firing Moon Beams will only accelerate your demise once mana reserves dry up. Instead, adopt a stance as a valiant battlemage by adhering to these key principles:
- Conserve FP – Limit Carian Greatsword to slaying stronger foes or large groups. Use Glintstone sorceries to conserve FP against petty enemies.
- Carry a sidearm – Daggers, straight swords and rapiers are ideal. When MP runs dry in extended combat, draw your armament to slash any survivors.
- Keep your distance – Carian Greatsword thrives at range. Maintain spacing from enemies and punish them for attempting to close the gap.
- Lock on prudently – Free aim Carian Greatsword against groups so that peripheral enemies get caught in the arc. Reserve lock-on for focusing down the biggest threat charging you.
- Manual dodging over blocks – With lower endurance investments, block breaks can mean death. So practice rolling and keeping space.
- Mix up Hard Swap combos – Lead with your main weapon‘s skill before hard swapping to Carian Greatsword as they approach. The delay throws off opponents.
Adhering to these battle disciplines prepares us for dealing with diverse encounters. We possess the tools now to eradicate all beings – colossal crones, putrid undead, spectral sorcerers and even draconic demigods. All shall soon bow before our Carian might!
Now let us explore advanced tactics against specific adversaries…
Against Groups: Maintain distance and manually aim Carian Greatsword towards clusters. Punish injured stragglers with Glintstone sorceries like Arc and Dart. Conserve mana and withstand using ranged spells and mobility. If surrounded, retaliate with the beam while evading until a path clears for escape.
Against Chargers: Wait for stampeding knights, wolves and impalers to approach mid range before casting. The delay causes them to take the brunt of Carian Greatsword‘s initial manifestation damage. Follow up with a ranged pebble while they stagger. Attempt to eliminate before they can attack, else keep away and bait more charges.
Against Shielded Foes: Circle at distance while bombarding relentlessly to sap stamina. Carian Greatsword from their blind spot often staggers for a critical hit. Otherwise use guard counter attacks from your sidearm until their guard breaks for a deathblow. But beware parry attempts!
Against Giants: These lumbering colossi seem intimidating at first. But their size is a weakness! They often can‘t even touch you. Pelt with Carian Greatsword relentlessly. Maintaining equilibrium break is crucial so aggression is key. Repeat while evading occasional attacks for a triumph certain as the moon‘s wax and wane.
I promise that adhering to these strategies will carry you far against whatever stands in your way. Now steel thyself, brave battlemage, for glory awaits!
Carian Greatsword vs Carian Grandeur
For those more melee-oriented, one may discover a similar Carian Grandeur ash of war when looting Stormveil Castle rather than the sorcery itself. What differences warrant consideration then? Let us compare.
The Ash applies the Carian weapon art directly onto your melee armament. Thus, wielding requirements match that of your target weapon. However, asked requires giving up your preexisting weapon skill. Sorcery has no such sacrifices.
Sorcery deals substantially higher damage, scaling intensely with intelligence investment. However the ash sees more consistent damage and better efficiency with lowered FP consumption.
Sorcery casting requires meeting intelligence thresholds and equipping a staff. The ash simply upgrades weapons directly. This opens use to lower intelligence builds at the cost of power.
Therefore, Carian Grandeur sorcery outperforms the ash for dedicated spellblade builds. Pure melee builds lacking intelligence may prefer infusing their main weapon with the Carian Grandeur ash to magically replicate effects of the royal greatsword. Evaluate based on your aptitudes.
Either way – Carian weapon arts infuse traditional combat with the wonder and devastation of glintstone sorcery!
Carian Greatsword vs Darkmoon Greatsword
What discussion around Carian greatswords would be complete without comparing our prestigious subject to the equally-renowed Darkmoon Greatsword? Obtained by slaying the Baleful Shadow within Renna‘s Rise, the cuts of this transparent teal blade leave magical frost and moonlight in their wake. Visually and historically mesmerizing, but how does it fare in battle?
The Darkmoon Greatsword manifests as a melee weapon for direct attacks rather than emitting a projectile beam. This necessitates getting up close and personal. However, its frosty strikes are substantially wider and longer than initially perceived. Combined with the weapon‘s range and moveset, one can attack aggressively with impunity.
FP efficiency goes to the Carian variant with almost half the cost. However Darkmoon‘s unique heavy strong attack consumes no mana! This compensates by enhancing uptime despite higher costs.
Both greatswords can be charged up – Carian for a linear magical blast with pushback and Darkmoon to boost next hit‘s damage. Charge type win varies based on playstyle.
Ultimately Carian shines best as a ranged spell alternative for Intelligence builds. Darkmoon favors aggressive melee with a frosty magical twist. Try both out!
Closing Thoughts
And there concludes my deep dive analysis on mastering the Carian Greatsword sorcery for battlemage excellence in Elden Ring! This exquisite technique from the ancient dynasty‘s magical swordsmanship perfectly complements a scholarly approach to melee combat.
Carian Greatsword‘s spectral projection enables rapid large-scale destruction from safety which contrasts wonderfully against traditional sorcery tactics. Adopt a knowing balance of patience and relentless assault by alternating between reserved spellsword combat and overpowering mythic blows from this silvery greatsword against dire foes. Both PvE and PvP shall tremble helplessly before your onslaught!
I myself have woven such Moonveil sorceries into my very identity, so might I humbly name thee my sorcerous brethren? For our crusade will soon sweep across the Lands Between into legend eternal! Now, together onwards my comrades… to victory and beyond!
~ Fin
