As a hardcore Elden Ring enthusiast with over 1000 hours played, dexterity builds are my specialty. I‘ve extensively tested and optimized around prioritizing the dex stat for lethal results.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll equip you with cutting-edge knowledge to excel using high-risk, high-reward dex builds in both PvE and high-stakes PvP.
What Makes Dexterity Builds Unique?
Dexterity builds eschew brute force in favor of finesse – favoring nimble movement and rapid precision strikes. With enough dexterity, you gain access to some of Elden Ring‘s flashiest weapons:
- Blades that inflict devastating hemorrhaging
- Polearms boasting incredible range
- Twinblades that pummel with multi-hit combos
- Katanas capable of disciplined yet aggressive onslaughts
You trade raw strength and tankiness for unmatched versatility when wielding such armaments. And seasoned players can string dex weapons together effortlessly in mesmerizing, acrobatic attack sequences.
Enemies that easily block heavy, telegraphed blows from colossal weapons become helpless against the flurry of dex weapons evading their defenses. Few things feel as satisfying as carving through late game bosses using nothing but well-timed dodges and rapid precision strikes.
Now let‘s explore exactly how to maximize your lethality on a dex build from early to endgame.
Optimizing Your Dexterity Stats for Scaling
While dexterity obviously remains the primary stat, properly balancing other attributes bolsters survival and weapon damage. I would recommend the following benchmarks as you level:
Early Game (Stormveil Castle)
- Vigor: 15-20
- Mind: 10-15
- Endurance: 15-18
- Strength: 12-16
- Dexterity: 20-25
- Everything else baseline
Mid Game (Altus Plateau)
- Vigor: 30-40
- Mind: 18-25
- Endurance: 20-25
- Strength: 16-20
- Dexterity: 45-55
- Specialize into a secondary damage stat (Int, Arcane, Faith) based on build
End Game (Haligtree/Farum Azula)
- Vigor: 50-60
- Mind: 30-50
- Endurance: 30-50
- Strength: 18-30
- Dexterity: 70-80
- Secondary damage stat: 60+
As a general rule, shoot for a 2:1 ratio of dexterity to strength. You‘ll meet minimum equip requirements while still enjoying strong dex scaling. Mind, endurance, and vigor should gradually increase in tandem with dex to improve survivability and equip load.
Ideally upon completing the game, your dexterity approaches 80 to maximize weapon damage and bleed build-up. Coupled with 60+ in intelligence, arcane, or faith, you‘ll unlock incredibly powerful hybrid dex options.
S-Tier Leveling Path for Early Dex Domination
While veterans can succeed with any starting class, the Samurai provides the most powerful springboard into dex excellence:
- Uchigatana katana gifted immediately for extreme early damage
- Decent arcane and faith to spec into occult or holy infusion sooner
- Ample vigor and endurance to balance glass cannon potential
Here is the route I‘d recommend while collecting critical items that facilitate quickly snowballing into an unstoppable dex machine:
- Limgrave/Weeping Peninsula – Farm runes to hit 40 dex ASAP for Scaling softcap
- Stormveil Castle – Defeat Night Cavalry for Bloodhound Step ash of war
- Liurnia – Grab Moonveil Katana, Carian Glintblade Staff
- Caelid – Fight blood lord for iconic Rivers of Blood
- Dragonbarrow – Collect flavorful Dragon King‘s Cragblade
- Altus Plateau – Purchase Hand of Melania from Roundtable vendor
- Mountaintops – Brave the gauntlet for deadly Hand of Malenia
If you follow this route adjusting for your own skill level, you‘ll obtain some of the most menacing dex weapons available with minimum struggle.
PvE Destruction: The Ultimate Bleed Dexterity Build
For trivializing Elden Ring‘s PvE content, few builds compare to the overwhelming hemorrhage potential of this setup:
Stats:
- Vigor: 60
- Mind: 15
- Endurance: 20
- Strength: 16
- Dexterity: 70
- Arcane: 50
- Everything else baseline
This massive arcane investment stacks with our weapons‘ innate bleed buildup for screen-filling blood loss procs. Colossal health and stamina pools let you annihilate bosses with endless chained attacks.
Playstyle:
Dual-wielding katanas like Rivers of Blood and Uchigatana allows violently aggressive play. Stack bleed rapidly with the katana‘s Corpse Piler weapon art. Once bleed procs, immediately go for a critical attack like Triple Slash for massive restoring the bleed gauge.
With high arcane scaling the blood loss, bosses melt before they can even retaliate. You exploit tiny openings in combos relentlessly until breaking their poise for a visceral coup de grâce. Rivers of Blood cleansing rot special attack also keeps health topped off.
For troublesome ranged enemies, keep Serpent Bow equipped in second slot with blood arrows to snipe. Otherwise keep the pressure up close with your twin demon blades.
Through rigorous testing, I‘ve concluded this builds surpasses any strength or sorcery alternative for effortlessly shredding PvE encounters.
Sample Stats at Level 125:
- Vigor: 60
- Mind: 10
- Endurance: 25
- Strength: 20
- Dexterity: 50
- Intelligence: 9
- Faith: 8
- Arcane: 50
Dueling Devastation – The PvP Moonveil Build
While various dex builds prove viable for multiplayer, none elicits as much dread as the infamous Moonveil duelist build:
Stats:
- Vigor: 45
- Mind: 25
- Endurance: 25
- Strength: 12
- Dexterity: 55
- Intelligence: 70
- Everything else minimum
Balanced offense and defense keeps you agile while wielding one of Elden Ring‘s most notorious armaments. Extreme intelligence investment empowers all your sorceries.
Playstyle:
The bread and butter is baiting over-eager phantoms in close then unleashing the Moonveil‘s Transient Moonlight. It erupts for heavy poise damage, one-shot capable if you catch players mid-attack animation.
Punish panicking runners with long range moves like Carian Greatsword or advanced Carian Retaliation exploit.
I cannot overstate the importance of deception – fake drinking blue juice then surprise opponents with your Miséricorde critical attacks. Frequently mix ranged sorceries and in-your-face melee disorientation.
Abuse Bloodhound Step or Corpse Piler when cornered to make daring escapes and reset to neutral. Patience and positioning is pivotal. Go for max damage only when you‘ve manipulated the fight momentum fully in your favor.
Talismans:
- Graven Mass
- Graven School
- Magic Scorpion Charm
- Bull Goat Talisman
These accessories compound mighty magic damage alongside poise. Eventually you‘ll dominate so utterly, desperate players will disconnect the moment they see your glistening Moonveil drawn.
Top 14 Must-Have Dexterity Weapons
Through extensive hours experimenting with movesets and scaling, I‘ve curated the definitive dex weapons tier list:
| S-Tier | A-Tier | B-Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Hand of Malenia | Rivers of Blood | Dragon King Cragblade |
| Moonveil | Hand of Melania | Winged Scythe |
| Malekith‘s Black Blade | Uchigatana | Godskin Stitcher |
| Mohgwyn‘s Sacred Spear | Nagakiba | Morgott‘s Cursed Sword |
S-Tier Analysis:
Hand of Malenia – Highest reliable dex scaling and devastating weapon art. Heals upon hitting enemies.
Moonveil – Busted magic damage and poise breaking potential. One of the most popular weapons online.
Malekith‘s Black Blade – Destructive ranged waves of darkness energy to catch runners.
Mohgwyn‘s Sacred Spear – Longest spear with bloodflame weapon art. Insane roll-catching capabilities.
A-Tier Weapons
Rivers of Blood – Meta-defining sword that decimates enemies through bleed explosion.
Hand of Melania – Another outstanding curved greatsword powerstance option. Occult infusion wrecks.
Uchigatana – Reliable bread and butter dex katana available immediately. Easy to upgrade.
Nagakiba – Essentially extended uchigatana with better range. Amazing roll catching moveset.
As you explore and experiment, you may discover even deadlier effective weapons to add to high tier dex arsenal. But the above armaments will carry you to victory in 99% of battles.
Conquering All With Dexterity Mastery
And there you have it – after hundreds of hours of rigorous testing, I‘m confident these are the most powerful, fun dex builds for tackling every corner of the Lands Between. No other attribute provides such thrilling versatility when used expertly.
Nimble dexterity stands poised to overcome hulking strength. Precise blades pierce impenetrable plates of armor. Care to see for yourself? I wish you good fortune slaying demigods and proving might makes right. See you in the arena, Tarnished!
