Elden Ring's 1.17 update landed alongside the Tarnished Edition DLC, and the game feels fresh again. With seven new weapons, adjusted scaling values, guard-boost buffs on shields, and a light dusting of balance changes, the meta has shifted in some fun directions. Whether you are grinding through New Game Plus, hopping into Elden Ring on Switch 2 for the first time, or diving back into duels after a long break, this ranked build tier list gives you a clear roadmap for the strongest PvE and PvP setups right now.
Elden Ring Build Tier List 2026 (1.17 Tarnished)
Patch 1.17 is likely the final major balancing pass Elden Ring will ever receive, and FromSoftware used it to reward experimentation. The Carian Sorcery Sword got a scaling glow-up. Greatshields like the Spiked Palisade and Black Steel dropped in weight while gaining guard boost. Perfume bottles received a small damage bump, and throwing weapons like the Spear of the Impaler now hit harder. Add to that the fresh arsenal from the Tarnished Edition mini-DLC: Leontius's Light Greatsword, the Reed Great Katana, the Regalia Katana, the Hefty Scimitar, the Reverse Blades, and the Golden Order Flail, and you have more viable builds than at any point in the game's life.
Before jumping into the rankings, keep two things in mind. Your Shadow Tree Blessing should be at level 20 if you plan on farming DLC content. And most top-tier setups rely on the same core buff routine: pop your Wondrous Physick, cast Golden Vow, then apply a body buff like Howl of Shabriri, Flame Grant Me Strength, or Bloodboil Aromatic. With that groundwork in place, let's get to the tier list.
Top 10+ Elden Ring 1.17 PvE Builds Ranked
PvE in 1.17 is all about stacking damage multipliers, abusing new weapon movesets, and taking advantage of the buffs baked into recently patched gear items in Elden Ring. The following builds obliterate bosses, clear open-world content quickly, and remain fun to play across hundreds of hours. Each entry includes a short overview followed by the exact setup you need.
1. God Fist (Star Fists Bleed) - S+ Tier
The God Fist sits at the top because the Star Fists carry nuclear-grade poise damage and near-instant blood loss procs. It trivializes every boss fight in the game, punches through poise on colossal enemies, and can be assembled surprisingly early with the right routing.
Setup:
Weapon: Power-stanced Star Fists on Blood affinity +25
Stats: 50 Vigor, 35 Endurance, 24 Strength, 60 Dexterity, 45 Arcane
Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Millicent's Prosthesis, Winged Sword Insignia (Rotten if available), Shard of Alexander
Physick: Thorny Cracked Tear + Bloodsucking Cracked Tear
Buffs: Golden Vow, Bloodboil Aromatic
2. Dark Moon Slayer (Dark Moon Greatsword) - S+ Tier
The Dark Moon Greatsword remains the poster child for intelligence builds. Its ranged wave, huge frost proc, and stance-shatter attacks let it dominate at any distance. Pair it with sorceries and you have a full-toolkit spellblade.
Setup:
Weapon: Dark Moon Greatsword +10, off-hand Carian Regal Scepter
Stats: 50 Vigor, 30 Mind, 25 Endurance, 16 Strength, 20 Dexterity, 80 Intelligence
Talismans: Magic Scorpion Charm, Shard of Alexander, Graven-Mass Talisman, Radagon's Icon
Spells: Ranni's Dark Moon, Comet Azur, Adula's Moonblade
Physick: Cerulean Hidden Tear + Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear
3. Nightmare (Butchering Knife Seppuku) - S+ Tier
The Nightmare fuses the Butchering Knife's lifesteal with Prelate's Charge and Seppuku's flame coating. You heal on every hit, deal absurd damage per second, and stack blood loss faster than most bosses can react.
Setup:
Weapon: Blood Butchering Knife +25 with Seppuku
Stats: 60 Vigor, 25 Endurance, 55 Strength, 25 Dexterity, 45 Arcane
Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Shard of Alexander, Great-Jar's Arsenal, Millicent's Prosthesis
Physick: Thorny Cracked Tear + Bloodsucking Cracked Tear
4. Demon Paladin (Blasphemous Blade + Crucible/Lightning) - S+ Tier
The Demon Paladin turns the fan-favorite Blasphemous Blade into a hybrid nuke platform. Its Ash of War heals you while devastating enemies, and the Faith investment opens Ancient Dragon's Lightning Strike plus Crucible incantations for one-shot potential.
Setup:
Weapon: Blasphemous Blade +10
Stats: 60 Vigor, 25 Mind, 30 Endurance, 50 Strength, 21 Dexterity, 80 Faith
Talismans: Shard of Alexander, Fire Scorpion Charm, Flock's Canvas Talisman, Two Fingers Heirloom
Spells: Ancient Dragon's Lightning Strike, Aspects of the Crucible: Horns
5. Night Blade (Wing of Astel + Night Sorceries) - S Tier
Wing of Astel's arcing wave produces some of the highest poise damage in the game, and Night Comet is undodgeable. Together they create a magic build that feels flat-out unfair against most late-game enemies.
Setup:
Weapon: Wing of Astel +10 with off-hand Carian Regal Scepter
Stats: 50 Vigor, 30 Mind, 25 Endurance, 80 Intelligence
Talismans: Magic Scorpion Charm, Shard of Alexander, Graven-Mass, Godfrey Icon
Spells: Night Comet, Ranni's Dark Moon, Carian Slicer
6. Void Reaper (Fire Knight's Greatsword Pyro) - S Tier
The Void Reaper leans into Mesmer's Assault, the Fire Knight's Greatsword, and hyper armor. Winged Serpent Helm buffs the Ash of War, giving you fire-based DPS that shreds bosses while soaking incoming hits.
Setup:
Weapon: Fire Art Fire Knight's Greatsword +10 with Mesmer's Assault
Stats: 50 Vigor, 20 Mind, 30 Endurance, 40 Strength, 20 Dexterity, 60 Faith
Armor: Winged Serpent Helm, Fire Monk chest, Rakshasa's arms and legs
Talismans: Fire Scorpion Charm, Shard of Alexander, Millicent's Prosthesis, Flock's Canvas
7. Cold Blooded Flame (Eleonora's Poleblade Twin Blade) - S Tier
Power-stancing Eleonora's Poleblade with a cold-infused twin blade generates continuous frostbite procs, blood loss stacks, and fire damage all at once. Ice Spear tacks on a ranged tool that scales for free.
Setup:
Weapons: Eleonora's Poleblade +10, Cold Godskin Peeler +25 with Ice Spear
Stats: 50 Vigor, 20 Mind, 30 Endurance, 20 Strength, 55 Dexterity, 30 Intelligence, 25 Arcane
Talismans: Shard of Alexander, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Magic Scorpion Charm, Lord of Blood's Exultation
8. Dragon Cult Flash (Bolt of Gransax + Cragblade) - S Tier
The Flash is the strongest pure lightning build in Elden Ring. Bolt of Gransax snipes enemies from insane range while Dragon King's Cragblade closes the gap and eats poise bars for breakfast.
Setup:
Weapons: Bolt of Gransax +10, Dragon King's Cragblade +10
Stats: 50 Vigor, 25 Mind, 30 Endurance, 50 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 70 Faith
Talismans: Lightning Scorpion Charm, Shard of Alexander, Godfrey Icon, Ancestral Spirit's Horn
Spells: Ancient Dragon's Lightning Strike, Vyke's Dragonbolt, Lansseax's Glaive
9. Carian Sorcery Sword Turtle Poke - S Tier (New in 1.17)
Buffed in patch 1.17, the Carian Sorcery Sword now hits hard enough to justify its unique niche. Turtle behind a Carian or Jellyfish Shield, poke with the thrusting moveset, and cast spells simultaneously for a true magical knight fantasy.
Setup:
Weapons: Carian Sorcery Sword +10, Jellyfish Shield or Carian Shield
Off-hand: Cold Rogier's Rapier for power-stance option
Stats: 40 Vigor, 30 Mind, 25 Endurance, 80 Intelligence
Talismans: Spear Talisman, Graven-Mass, Radagon's Icon, Shard of Alexander
Spells: Scholar's Shield, Glintblade Trio, Glintstone Icecrag, Freezing Mist
10. Leontius's Light Greatsword Matador - S Tier (New in 1.17)
The Muleta stance-based Ash of War rewards patient play. Charge the heavy for a Ranni's Dark Moon-boosted nuke while wearing hefty armor to tank through incoming attacks.
Setup:
Weapon: Leontius's Light Greatsword +10
Stats: 50 Vigor, 15 Mind, 30 Endurance, 20 Strength, 70 Dexterity, 15 Faith
Talismans: Ranni's Dark Moon, Godfrey Icon, Shard of Alexander, Two-Handed Sword Talisman
Armor: Heavy set for 51+ poise
Physick: Green Burst Crystal Tear + Blood Sacred Tear
11. Bleed Seppuku Jump Attack (Dual Scavengers) - A+ Tier
Dual Scavenger's Curved Swords with Seppuku still clear the entire game before level 100 thanks to Arcane's efficient scaling. Jump attacks proc bleed almost instantly and hit multiple times per input.
Setup:
Weapons: Dual Scavenger's Curved Swords +25 with Seppuku
Stats: 50 Vigor, 25 Endurance, 60 Arcane, minimum stat requirements everywhere else
Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Claw Talisman, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Millicent's Prosthesis
12. Reed Great Katana Spinning Weapon - A+ Tier (New in 1.17)
The new Reed Great Katana has excellent base damage and pairs beautifully with Spinning Weapon in Keen affinity. Add Bloodflame Blade for extra bleed stacks and you have a build that pumps out 20,000+ combo hits.
Setup:
Weapon: Keen Reed Great Katana +25 with Spinning Weapon
Stats: 50 Vigor, 20 Mind, 30 Endurance, 18 Strength, 80 Dexterity, 12 Arcane
Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Shard of Alexander, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Millicent's Prosthesis
Buffs: Bloodflame Blade, Golden Vow, Flame Grant Me Strength
13. Unga Bunga Bonk (Giant's Crusher + Prelate's Inferno Crozier) - A Tier
Pure Strength doesn't get more direct than dual colossal weapons. The Giant's Crusher and Prelate's Inferno Crozier have the highest strength attack rating in the game. Slam, repeat, win.
Setup:
Weapons: Heavy Giant's Crusher +25, Heavy Prelate's Inferno Crozier +25
Stats: 60 Vigor, 40 Endurance, 80 Strength, minimum elsewhere
Talismans: Great-Jar's Arsenal, Erdtree's Favor +2, Axe Talisman, Shard of Alexander
Buffs: Golden Vow, Flame Grant Me Strength
Top 10+ Elden Ring 1.17 PvP Builds Ranked
PvP in the Tarnished Edition meta rewards mixups, quick trades, and status-effect pressure. The buffs to greatshields, perfume bottles, and thrown weapons all pushed several builds into the invasion spotlight. These ranked entries focus on setups that punish rollcatching, apply status procs faster than opponents can react, and offer strong defensive options for extended duels.
1. Evil Beyblade (Cursed-Blade Serpent + Perfume Bottles) - S+ Tier
The Cursed-Blade Serpent absolutely dominates 1v1s thanks to its 49 guard boost and huge guard counter damage. Both the weapon skill and guard counters activate successive-hit buffs, letting you stack damage while a Fire Spark Perfumer keeps groups off you.
Setup:
Weapon: Keen Cursed-Blade Serpent +10, off-hand Fire Spark Perfumer +10
Stats: 40 Vigor, 20 Mind, 25 Endurance, 55 Dexterity, 40 Faith
Talismans: Curved Sword Talisman, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Millicent's Prosthesis, Shard of Alexander
Spells: Black Flame, Golden Vow, Flame Grant Me Strength
2. Dark Paladin (Black Steel Great Hammer + Deflect Tear) - S+ Tier
Post-patch, the Black Steel Greatshield weighs less and blocks more. Pair it with the Black Steel Great Hammer's Goldbreaker explosion guard counter and the Deflecting Hardtear for perfect-parry damage boosts. You become an immovable holy wall.
Setup:
Weapons: Sacred Black Steel Great Hammer +10, Sacred Black Steel Greatshield +25
Stats: 50 Vigor, 20 Mind, 40 Endurance, 55 Strength, 20 Dexterity, 60 Faith
Talismans: Curved Sword Talisman, Green Turtle Talisman, Great-Jar's Arsenal, Shard of Alexander
Physick: Deflecting Hardtear + Holy-Shrouding Cracked Tear
3. Spiked Palisade Tank (Poison + Frost Trifecta) - S Tier
The Palisade Shield lost 2 units of weight and gained 17 guard boost in 1.17. Shield-crash your opponent, proc bleed and poison simultaneously, and toss Frost Bolts from the Pulley Crossbow for the third status.
Setup:
Weapons: Poison Spiked Palisade Shield +25 with Shield Crash, Pulley Crossbow, Heavy Pike +25
Stats: 50 Vigor, 30 Endurance, 55 Strength, 20 Dexterity, 45 Arcane
Ammo: Frost Bolts
Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Kindred of Rot's Exultation, Arrow's Sting Talisman, Shard of Alexander
4. Pyro Cavalier (Spear of the Impaler + Backhand Blades) - S Tier
The Spear of the Impaler's charged throw hits multiple times, triggering successive-hit buffs. Swap to a flame-art Backhand Blade at close range for lightning-fast pressure. The Winged Serpent Helm boosts Mesmer's Assault damage.
Setup:
Weapons: Spear of the Impaler +10, Flame Art Backhand Blade +25
Stats: 40 Vigor, 25 Mind, 25 Endurance, 15 Strength, 40 Dexterity, 65 Faith
Talismans: Millicent's Prosthesis, Shard of Alexander, Fire Scorpion Charm, Flock's Canvas
Armor: Winged Serpent Helm + Fire Monk chest + Rakshasa's arms and legs
5. Rite Great Katana Bleed (Piercing Fang) - S Tier
The Rite Great Katana with Piercing Fang catches opponents rolling in duels. Flame Art or Sacred affinity gives it monstrous damage while Old Lord's Talisman extends your buffs across a full duel round.
Setup:
Weapon: Sacred or Flame Art Rite Great Katana +25 with Piercing Fang
Off-hand: Dagger with Sacred Order Ash of War (for 10% damage buff)
Stats: 60 Vigor, 25 Mind, 40 Endurance, 11 Strength, 24 Dexterity, 99 Faith
Talismans: Shard of Alexander, Fire/Sacred Scorpion Charm, Old Lord's Talisman, Spear Talisman
6. One-Eyed Shield Pyro Strength (Magma Wyrm's Scale Sword) - S Tier
The One-Eyed Shield's bazooka blast punishes distance duelists while the Magma Wyrm's Scale Sword's Magma Guillotine gives hyper-armored close-range punishment. A guard counter build with real reach.
Setup:
Weapons: Magma Wyrm's Scale Sword +10, One-Eyed Shield +25
Stats: 50 Vigor, 20 Mind, 40 Endurance, 60 Strength, 12 Dexterity, 40 Faith
Talismans: Curved Sword Talisman, Shard of Alexander, Green Turtle Talisman, Great-Jar's Arsenal
7. Iris Sword Seppuku Bleed - S Tier
Fast, elegant, and absolutely lethal in duels. The Iris Sword with Seppuku on Blood affinity procs bleed in a couple of clean hits, and Swarm of Flies applies pressure at range.
Setup:
Weapon: Blood Iris Sword +25 with Seppuku
Stats: 50 Vigor, 19 Mind, 35 Endurance, 26 Strength, 62 Dexterity, 33 Faith, 45 Arcane
Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Two-Handed Sword Talisman, Roaring Windstorm Insignia, Millicent's Prosthesis
Buffs: Bloodboil Aromatic + Golden Vow
8. Golden Order Flail Hybrid - S Tier (1.17 Buff)
The Golden Order Flail's new charged Ash of War explosion punishes turtling opponents. Faith incantations fill the gaps at range. Its light weight lets you fat-roll through Colosseum matches with fashion armor.
Setup:
Weapon: Golden Order Flail +10
Stats: 50 Vigor, 30 Mind, 30 Endurance, 12 Strength, 12 Dexterity, 65 Faith
Talismans: Sacred Scorpion Charm, Millicent's Prosthesis, Godfrey Icon, Shard of Alexander
Spells: Multilayered Ring of Light, Black Blade, Blessing of the Erdtree
9. Reverse Blades Cold Blindspot - S Tier (New in 1.17)
Cold Reverse Blades with Blindspot's invincibility frames dodge through opponent attacks while stacking frostbite. The successive-hit combo builds up frost fast enough to shatter poise in a single trade.
Setup:
Weapon: Cold Reverse Bladed Sword +25 with Blindspot
Stats: 50 Vigor, 20 Mind, 30 Endurance, 15 Strength, 70 Dexterity, 30 Intelligence
Talismans: Blade of Mercy Talisman, Shard of Alexander, Millicent's Prosthesis, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia
Physick: Thorny Cracked Tear + Bloodsucking Cracked Tear
10. Samurai Mage (Moonveil + Second Katana Carian Grandeur) - S Tier
The classic Moonveil never dies. Pair it with a second katana carrying Carian Grandeur for the perfect mix of quick pokes and burst nukes. Multiple Grandeur phases let you mid-fight adapt to opponent playstyles.
Setup:
Weapons: Moonveil +10, Cold Uchigatana +25 with Carian Grandeur
Stats: 50 Vigor, 30 Mind, 25 Endurance, 16 Strength, 55 Dexterity, 60 Intelligence
Talismans: Magic Scorpion Charm, Godfrey Icon, Shard of Alexander, Radagon's Icon
11. Golden Fist Shriek of Sorrow - A+ Tier
The Golden Fist's Shriek of Sorrow inflicts a debuff and rapid bleed proc. It devours stamina, so pack Green Turtle Talisman and Cerulean-Hidden Tear, but the payoff is one of the most oppressive dueling patterns available.
Setup:
Weapon: Blood Golden Fist +25 with Shriek of Sorrow
Stats: 50 Vigor, 40 Endurance, 80 Strength, 25 Faith, 45 Arcane
Talismans: Axe Talisman, Smithing Talisman, Lord of Blood's Exultation, Roaring Windstorm Insignia
12. Juggernaut Fingerprint Shield Poke - A Tier
Ultimate turtle strategy. Bleed-infused Fingerprint Shield with an Antspur Rapier or Great Épée pokes opponents into oblivion while nothing on their bar can touch you. Toxic to fight, hilarious to play.
Setup:
Weapons: Bleed Fingerprint Stone Shield +25, Occult Antspur Rapier +25
Stats: 50 Vigor, 40 Endurance, 60 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 45 Arcane
Talismans: Great-Jar's Arsenal, Curved Sword Talisman, Roaring Windstorm Insignia, Green Turtle Talisman
13. Hefty Scimitar Storm Blade - A Tier (New in 1.17)
The new Hefty Scimitar with Storm Blade in Keen affinity has an A scaling grade at plus 24 and outputs monstrous ranged AR. Add Bloodflame Blade and you have a poke-and-punish duelist that shuts down aggression.
Setup:
Weapon: Keen Hefty Scimitar +25 with Storm Blade
Stats: 50 Vigor, 25 Mind, 30 Endurance, 14 Strength, 70 Dexterity, 15 Arcane
Talismans: Shard of Alexander, Millicent's Prosthesis, Godfrey Icon, Blood Talisman
Buffs: Bloodflame Blade, Golden Vow, Flame Grant Me Strength
Patch 1.17 gave Elden Ring one last love letter. The Carian Sorcery Sword finally justifies its unique identity. Greatshields feel viable again. New toys like Leontius's Light Greatsword and the Reed Great Katana offer fresh playstyles without invalidating the old classics. Whether your favorite is the God Fist punching bosses into orbit, the Dark Paladin deflecting duelists to death, or the Evil Beyblade guard-countering everything in sight, the 2026 Tarnished Edition meta is the most diverse Elden Ring has ever been.
Pick a build that fits your playstyle, get your Shadow Tree Blessing to level 20, run your buff sequence, and go annihilate the Lands Between one last time. Stay golden.
