The best Strength build and weapons in Elden Ring

Although Dexterity builds might be a more popular choice for some Elden Ring players, there’s something extra satisfying about hitting a demigod with a big hammer and making them fall on their butt. If that sounds like fun to you, then this Strength-based build and weapons are for you.

The build

Keep in mind that this build is fairly flexible aside from a few pieces, and in general there’s a lot of room to tweak it to your personal taste or character level. The most important aspects are Flame Grant Me Strength, Great Jar’s Arsenal, Royal Knight’s Resolve, and a heavy weapon that deals good poise damage, like the ones listed.

Giant Crusher: With a Strength requirement of 60 to wield one-handed, and a huge carry weight, this hammer takes a while to build toward. Once you can carry it, though, it packs a punch, dealing the highest per-swing damage of any weapon in the game. It also boasts huge poise damage and a charged heavy attack that sends you tumbling end over end at your foes. As a nice bonus, since most players will wield this weapon with two hands, it also has the best block values of any weapon in the game, making guard counters devastating. To find it, head south of the Outer Wall Phantom Tree Site of Grace, near Leyndell. You can grab it from a chest in the back of a carriage there.

Royal Knight’s Resolve: This Ash of War boosts the damage of your next attack, meaning you’ll bonk even harder with each swing. You can find it in Volcano Manor, after you defeat the Godskin Noble.

Strength Knot Crystal Tear: This Tear grants a buff to Strength for a short duration after you drink your Flask of Wondrous Physick. You can find this to the northeast of the Stormhill Shack Site of Grace.

Stonebarb Cracked Tear: This Tear buffs the poise damage you deal for a short duration after you drink the Flask of Wondrous Physick. You can find it at the Minor Erdtree on the eastern side of Caelid.

Lionel’s Armor: With such a heavy weight, this might be an aspirational armor set for most players for a while. It also isn’t critical to the build, as is the case with most armor in Elden Ring. But we think it looks cool, and its huge poise fits with the theme of the build. You can find it in the bed next to the Lower Capital Church Site of Grace in Leyndell.

Great Jar’s Arsenal: Since this build is so heavy, you’ll need a hefty equip weight capacity to make the most of it. Luckily this talisman gives you a nice 19% buff. To find it, kill all three summonable enemies in front of the Great Jar in Caelid.

Bestial Vitality: This incantation gives some slow but steady HP recovery over time. Pick it up by giving three Deathroots to Beast Clergyman Gurranq.

Flame, Grant Me Strength!: This incantation gives a hefty boost to physical and fire damage from attacks. Plus it adds in some helpful Stamina recovery speed. Get it in Caelid, between two mobile flame turrets near the edge of Fort Gaol.

Other weapons

Brick Hammer: A fantastic earlier option for Strength builds, this hammer doesn’t require nearly as much Strength as the Giant Crusher. You can find it on the side of Stormveil Castle. After you unlock the door past the wine cellar, head up the ladder and turn right. From here, jump across both gaps and walk out the hole in the wall. Turn left on the scaffolding here and follow it to the room inside the large round turret. The hammer is on the body here.

Grafted Blade Greatsword: This massive sword might be the most stylish colossal weapon in Elden Ring. Plus, it’s a cool homage to collaborator George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones. It can be found at the end of Castle Morne, upon defeating Leonine Misbegotten.

Ruins Greatsword: What better way to knock down your foes than with a giant chunk of ruined building masquerading as a sword? On top of that, this weapon’s unique skill, Wave of Destruction, hits enemies with a wave of gravitational force. To find this weapon, you’ll need to fight the Mibegotten Warrior and Crucible Knight in Castle Redmane Plaza.

Warped Axe: Although the Giant Crusher swings harder per hit, this bent axe beats it in pure DPS. To obtain it, farm the Omens near the Underground Roadside Site of Grace in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell.