Elden Ring DLC Strength Build: The Power of Curved Greatswords

Mar-05-2025 PST Category: Elden Ring
Welcome back, Tarnished! Today, we're diving into a powerful Strength-focused Curved Greatsword build, perfect for PvP invasions and duels. Despite their raw power and versatility, Curved Greatswords are often overlooked. However, they possess phenomenal horizontal coverage, roll-catching potential, hyper armor, and excellent damage output. If you're looking to enhance your experience and make the most of this build, consider ways to improve your character, such as finding opportunities where you might want to buy Elden Ring Runes to upgrade your weapons or acquire important gear. Let's break down why this weapon class shines in Elden Ring's DLC and how you can dominate with it.

Why Use Curved Greatswords?

Curved Greatswords have a unique mix of speed, range, and stagger potential, making them perfect for outnumbered fights in invasions. Here's what makes them so good:

· Wide, sweeping attacks that can hit multiple opponents.

· High hyper armor, allowing you to tank through smaller weapons.

· Fast recovery time, making them hard to punish.

· Excellent roll-catch potential, especially with running light attacks.

· Exceptional damage output, even higher than some Greatswords.

· One of the strongest aspects of this build is the running light attack chain, which seamlessly transitions into additional roll catches if your opponent panics. Additionally, most of the moveset naturally flows into roll catches, increasing your overall pressure in fights.

The Build: Weapons, Talismans, and Ashes of War

Weapons

For this build, we are focusing on pure Strength scaling Curved Greatswords, ideally using two-handed play for maximum poise damage and damage output. Here are the top choices:

1. Frias' Greatsword – Highest damage among Curved Greatswords, surpassing even a Banished Knight Greatsword in raw output.

2. Omen Cleaver – Strong choice with great stagger potential and fantastic synergy with certain Ashes of War.

3. Beastman's Cleaver – A top-tier pick for its brutal Strength scaling and ability to break enemy posture quickly.

Ashes of War

Choosing the right Ash of War is crucial for maximizing roll-catching and burst damage. Some of the best options include:

· Sword Dance (Frias' Greatsword) – This roll-catches incredibly well after a running light attack and can trigger Frostbite in three quick hits.

· Storm Stomp (Omen Cleaver) – Guarantees a free heavy attack follow-up, increasing your burst damage potential.

· Flaming Strike – Adds fire damage and boosts your weapon's AR, making it deadly in exchanges.

· Lion's Claw – Provides an excellent somersault attack with high hyper armor, allowing you to trade favorably in fights.

Talismans

To enhance our build, we use a combination of damage-boosting and survivability-focused Talismans:

1. Shard of Alexander – Boosts Ash of War damage, a must-have for a build relying on burst damage.

2. Two-Handed Sword Talisman – Increases poise damage while two-handing weapons, letting you stagger enemies faster.

3. Erdtree's Favor – Provides extra HP, stamina, and equip load for survivability.

4. Bull-Goat's Talisman – Enhances poise, allowing you to hyper armor through enemy attacks.

5. Alternatively, if you need more equip load for heavier armor, consider swapping in Great-Jar’s Arsenal.

Combat Strategy & Playstyle

1. Open with Running Light Attacks

· The running light attack chains into itself, making it a fantastic roll-catch tool.

· If your opponent panic rolls, you can seamlessly transition into another light attack or Sword Dance.

2. Use Ashes of War Wisely

· Sword Dance: Start with a running light, then follow up with Sword Dance for a near-guaranteed Frostbite proc.

· Storm Stomp: When using Omen Cleaver, Storm Stomp lets you land a free charged heavy.

· Flaming Strike: If opponents respect your range, bait them into a Flaming Strike buffed heavy attack.

3. Manage Your Stamina

· Curved Greatswords consume stamina quickly, so be mindful of overcommitting to attacks.

· Keep stamina reserved for dodging high-commitment attacks like Moonveil’s Transient Moonlight.

4. Dealing with Light Roll & Fast Opponents

· Predict movement patterns and time your roll catches accordingly.

· Use flaming strike to extend hitboxes and force fast rollers into bad positions.

· Patience is key – wait for them to commit to an attack before punishing with a hyper armor trade.

Final Thoughts

Curved Greatswords are a high-damage, high-pressure weapon class, perfect for Strength builds looking to dominate both duels and invasions. With excellent roll-catching potential, fast recovery, and stagger potential, this build is an absolute powerhouse. To further enhance your arsenal and gain an edge, consider investing in cheap Elden Ring Items from reputable sources like MMOEXP. So, go forth, Tarnished, and bonk your enemies into oblivion!