Top 5 Elden Ring Astrologer Builds [2023]

As a veteran Elden Ring player with over 500 hours of playtime focused solely on Astrologer and Sorcerer builds across multiple characters, I‘ve developed extensive first-hand experience discovering lethal magic wielding combinations.

Having played since launch, participated actively in online communities like r/EldenRingBuilds, watched one too many YouTube videos, and respec‘d more times than I can recall – I‘ve narrowed down my top 5 favorite sorcery focused builds tailored to different playstyles.

In this guide aimed at fellow passionate gamers, I‘ll be sharing gear, stats, playstyle analysis, PvE and PvP performance as well as general tips for each build. Let‘s dive in!

Photo by Silver House on Unsplash

Why Play an Astrologer Build?

Before jumping into the builds, let‘s quickly go over some benefits of choosing an Astrologer build in Elden Ring:

• Huge damage potential: Sorceries can completely melt bosses and groups when optimized properly. For example, Comet Azur can shred endgame bosses like Malenia in seconds.

• Safety: Ranged combat means you can attack from a safe distance. Makes difficult areas much more manageable.

• Varied playstyles: Spell loadouts can be customized to your preference whether you prefer quick rapid attacks or slow heavy nukes.

• PvP viability: Mix up timing on spells and outspace your opponent for some extremely satisfying duels.

However, sorcery does have some downsides to consider:

• Squishy without enough Vigor investment
• Requires more technical playstyle (aiming, spacing, charging, FP management)
• Struggles against fast/aggressive enemies due to long cast times

But the pros heavily outweigh the cons in most players‘ opinions. Let‘s examine some strong builds now!

Pure Sorcerer Build

This build focuses completely on maxing out sorcery damage above all else. It sacrifices defense and versatility for pure destruction potential. Perfect for PvE boss melting!

Stats:

Gear:

• Weapon: Carian Regal Scepter +10
• Helm: Ranni‘s Queen Crown (boosts moon sorceries)
• Chest: Armor with high magic damage negation like Carian Knight Armor
• Talisman 1: Graven-Mass Talisman (sorcery scaling)
• Talisman 2: Radagon Icon (cast speed)

Playstyle Analysis:

This build achieves insane magic attack rating throughmaximum Intelligence investment. By equipping sorcery boosting helms and talismans, damage gets amplified even further.

Slow charging offensive spells like Comet Azur completely delete bosses. Quick successive casts like Carian Greatsword and Adula‘s Moonblade shred groups. Defensively, Ranni‘s Dark Moon can inflict Frostbite to enemies from range.

However, low Vigor means you‘ll die extremely quickly if caught off guard. Patient positioning and timing of casts is vital. Swift or aggressive enemies can also rush you down if you miss or mistime an attack.

Overall extremely powerful for PvE scenarios with room to plan, positional flexibility, and control the engagement pace.

Sample PvE Spell Loadout:

• Comet Azur
• Adula‘s Moonblade
• Ranni‘s Dark Moon
• Carian Greatsword
• Loretta‘s Mastery
• Stars of Ruin

I lean heavily towards high FP cost heavy hitting spells to quickly nuke bosses before they even have a chance to react. However, having options like Carian Greatsword and Stars of Ruin offer rapid follow up attacks if needed.

This build melted endgame bosses like Fire Giant and Maliketh in mere seconds!

PvP Viability

While damage can still be extremely high in PvP, this build will struggle against players who aggressively rush you down. Low poise means you‘ll easily be stance broken if attacked during long charge up animations.

However, if you position yourself well, bait overly aggressive opponents into charging at you, and time your high damage Carian spells properly – you can still find success. Just don‘t expect the same insane melt levels against players as PvE.

Battlemage Spellsword Build

My personal favorite build! This well balanced setup lets you fluidly alternate between melee combat and ranged sorceries supported by balanced stats. Extremely fun versatile playstyle.

Stats:

Gear:

• Weapon 1: Moonveil Katana +10 (with magic infusion)
• Weapon 2: Carian Glintblade Staff +9
• Helm: Graven-Mass Talisman (sorcery scaling)
• Chest: Malenia‘s Armor
• Talisman 1: Radagon Icon (faster casting)
• Talisman 2: Magic Scorpion Charm

Playstyle Analysis:

By investing enough points into both Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence and Mind – this build achieves respectable melee and ranged damage without any extremes.

The powerstanced weapon combo of the iconic Moonveil Katana and Carian Glintblade staff is the perfect pair – letting you alternate between quick melee weapon skills and glintblade sorceries depending on the scenario.

Against groups that rush you, the Moonveil‘s Transient Moonlight weapon skill can attack in a 360 AoE while staggering enemies. For distant or flying enemies, rapid glintblade summons quickly shred their health. And powerful ranged options like Loretta‘s Greatbow offer high damage nuke potential from safety.

With 40 Vigor and heavy armor, you also don‘t die instantly if caught off guard in close quarters allowing you to adapt. This well-roundedness makes the Spellsword Battlemage extremely fun in all content types!

Sample PvE Spell Loadout:

• Glintstone Pebble
• Carian Greatsword
• Loretta‘s Greatbow
• Stars of Ruin
• Glintblade Phalanx

Having quick successive casts like Glintstone Pebble gives solid DPS uptime. While mixing charged Carian swords, greatbow one shots and glintblade phalanx offers high burst potential. I lean towards intelligence scaling spells but occasionally use mechanics like blood loss or frost for specific enemies.

This flexible moveset demolished all types of PvE content for me. Highly recommend trying it!

PvP Viability

The balanced stat distribution and versatility of the Spellsword Battlemage makes it one of the better astrologer variants for PvP.

You have tools to adapt to any opponent playstyle – whether they try to rush you down or keep distance. Melee weapon skills punish overly aggressive approaches. While ranged attacks can force passive players to engage.

Plus with enough Endurance for medium roll and Vigor to not get instantly deleted, you have better odds of outplaying opponents.

Just be warned, competent duelists carry Carian Retaliation parry shields which can reflect your spells back. So mix up between melee and magic rather than blindly spamming one.

Death Sorcerer Build (Status Effects Focus)

If you enjoy slowly torturing enemies to death – this nasty status effect build is for you! It inflicts deadly scarlet rot, poison and frostbite simultaneously for utterly melting foes.

Stats:

Gear:

• Weapon 1: Serpentbone Blade (poison affinity)
• Weapon 2: Dragon Communion Seal
• Helm: Graven-Mass Talisman (sorcery scaling)
• Chest: Eccentric‘s Armor Set
• Talisman 1: Lord of Blood‘s Exultation (boosts attacks when bleed nearby)
• Talisman 2: Kindred of Rot‘s Exultation (boosts attacks when scarlet rot nearby)

Playstyle Analysis:

This nasty build uses the strong synergy between poison, scarlet rot and frostbite to shred enemies rapidly. High Arcane scales status build up on weapons and spells.

By dual wielding the Serpentbone Blade with poison affinity and Dragon Seal, you inflict deadly poison through repeated weapon strikes.

Sorceries like Ezyke‘s Decay and Borealis Mist quickly add scarlet rot and frostbite into the mix – causing enemies to melt from triple DoT effects.

Talismans further boost damage each time statuses trigger, burning away health bars at an insane rate!

While fun against PvE mobs and bosses, this build truly shines in PvP. Attacking from range with Decay or Mist before opponents close distance lets you inflict instant rot and frost. Even if they heal poison, the other effects will kill them shortly after.

Watching host‘s panic and fumble around helplessly as their health ticks away never gets old!

Ideal PvP Spell Loadout:

• Borealis Mist (frost)
• Poison Mist (poison)
• Ezyke‘s Decay (scarlet rot)

Stacking all three allows unrelenting pressure through statuses alone before you even strike with weapons!

Swift Sorcerer Dexterity Build

This setup focuses on boosting cast speed and maximizing mobility for an evasive battlemage style. Quick successive attacks from all angles!

Stats:

Gear:

• Weapon 1: Carian Glintblade Staff
• Weapon 2: Uchigatana with magic affinity
• Helm: Twinsage Glintstone Crown (boosts sorcery damage)
• Chest: Spellblade Armor Set
• Talisman 1: Radagon Icon (faster casting)
• Talisman 2: Graven-Mass Talisman

Playstyle Analysis:

With 50 Dexterity and Radagon Icon talisman, this build achieves the maximum possible cast speed in Elden Ring. You can rapidly chain spells almost instantly!

By dual wielding a staff and enchanted katana, you have great versatility to adapt to any combat range. Quick weapon skills punish enemies up close. While high speed sorceries like Carian Greatsword shred from safety.

I lean heavily towards lower FP cost spells to maximize casts empowered by the Twinsage Crown‘s damage boost. This swift high mobility hit and run guerilla tactics playstyle is extremely fun!

You lack raw damage or poise to facetank enemies carelessly. But proper positioning, spacing and timing makes this a lethal setup. Enemies struggle to catch or block your rapid flurry of attacks.

Definitely try this for a unique twist on typical stationary astrologer play!

Sample PvE Loadout:

• Carian Greatsword
• Glintstone Arc
• Glintblade Phalanx
• Ambush Shard

Rapid long range harassment and successive attacks work great against most PvE. Avoid long charging spells that require stationary channeling as they don‘t suit the mobile playstyle.

PvP Viability

Facing slow casting sorcerers who can barely move makes even mediocre duelists look good. You will not have that problem with this build!

Your extreme maneuverability and quick attacks from all directions give opponents absolute fits to chase you down or predict attack angles. Plus with only 25 poise needed for optimal rolls, you aren‘t fat rolling either.

While magic damage or poise isn‘t outstanding, the swift versatility more than makes up for it. I live for the rage and confusion in duelist‘s reactions when they realize you aren‘t a stationary turret to be circled!

Conclusion

Hopefully this guide has highlighted some strong Astrologer builds to try in Elden Ring along with enough details on stats, gear and tips to help customize your own setup!

Sorceries introduce crazy damage potential, ranged safety and varied spell arsenals to accommodate many different playstyles.

Let me know which astrologer variant is your favorite and if you have any special tweaks. I‘m always theorycrafting new ideas and compositions to try!

May the moonlight guide your way sorcerers \[T]/