Elden Ring: 13 Builds Ideal for Two-Handed Combat Styles

GhostlyWhisper

Two-handed combat in Elden Ring offers a thrilling and powerful way to experience the game. Whether you prefer swinging massive greatswords, wielding colossal axes, or mastering heavy polearms, going two-handed can drastically change your combat approach. In this article, I’ll walk you through 13 builds that excel with two-handed weapons, helping you make the most of raw power and sweeping attacks.

1. Greatsword Colossus

Focus on Strength and Endurance to wield the Greatsword with maximum damage output. This build emphasizes heavy armor and stamina management to survive while dishing out devastating blows.

2. Dexterity Polearm Expert

Using spears or glaives two-handed lets you keep enemies at bay with long reach. High Dexterity scaling improves your damage and attack speed, perfect for aggressive yet precise playstyles.

3. Quality Build (Strength/Dexterity)

Balanced between Strength and Dexterity, this versatile setup allows you to wield a wide variety of two-handed weapons effectively, adapting to different enemy types and situations.

4. Colossal Weapon Tank

Maximizing Endurance for heavy armor and Strength for colossal weapons, this build sacrifices speed for sheer survivability and raw damage.

5. Bleed Two-Hander

Utilizing Dexterity-heavy weapons that cause bleed effects, this build focuses on applying rapid pressure, causing enemies to hemorrhage quickly.

6. Faith Infused Greatsword

A hybrid build that uses two-handed weapons augmented by Faith-based buffs and incantations, combining raw power with magical enhancements.

7. Arcane Two-Hander

By boosting Arcane and Strength, this build excels with weapons that scale with arcane stats, benefiting from status effects like poison or scarlet rot.

8. Heavy Quality Two-Hander

A focus on heavy weapons that scale with both Strength and Dexterity, paired with stamina regen and equip load management for sustained offense.

9. Magic Two-Hander

Combining Intelligence scaling with two-handed weapons, this build uses sorceries to buff attacks or control the battlefield while dishing out melee damage.

10. Endurance-Focused Powerhouse

Prioritizes stamina and equip load to wield massive two-handed weapons with heavy armor, capable of taking hits and delivering crushing counterattacks.

11. Dexterity-Greatsword Hybrid

This build uses weapons that benefit from high Dexterity and incorporates fast, sweeping attacks that keep foes on their toes.

12. Poise-Stacked Tank

With high poise and strength, this setup allows you to trade blows while two-handing heavy weapons, perfect for aggressive frontline combat.

13. Bloodhound Two-Hander

Utilizes fast movement skills combined with two-handed weapon strikes to maintain pressure while dodging enemy attacks efficiently.

Two-handed combat requires careful management of stamina and positioning, but these 13 builds give you a variety of ways to approach the challenge. Whether you prefer the brute force of colossal weapons or the finesse of Dexterity-based polearms, experimenting with these setups can elevate your Elden Ring experience.

For those who want to optimize their builds without spending excessive time farming, checking out the best place to buy Elden Ring runes and the best site to buy Elden Ring items can be a useful shortcut. This way, you can focus on mastering your chosen two-handed style and enjoying the thrill of powerful, sweeping attacks in the Lands Between.