Sorceries and Incantation are two sides of the same coin. As compared to the best Sorceries, however, Incantations are a mixed bag. They belong to various factions like the Golden Order and the Dragon Cult, among others, each with its unique aspects. That is why this list will show you the best Incantations in Elden Ring.
This wide variety of Incantations encompasses both offensive and defensive spells. To be exact, there are 101 Incantations, but luckily, we’ve already done the heavy lifting by rounding up the best ones. With that said, players wanting to make the most of their Faith build in Elden Ring should not miss the following fantastic spells!
Burn O Flame
Kicking off this list with one of the, if not perhaps the best, Incantation in Elden Ring, Burn of Flame. Longtime fans coming from the Dark Souls trilogy will remember how underwhelming the Pyromancy Firestorm felt. Elden Ring’s Burn O Flame is a love letter to those players, and it improves upon the shortcomings of Firestorm.
Not only does it feel snappy to cast, but once a fire pillar connects, it sends humanoid enemies flying. It also deals tons of damage, especially against massive bosses like the many dragon bosses. Burn O Flame! was also among the beneficiaries of Patch 1.07, where the spell has received a reduction in its FP cost, making it much more efficient.
Catch Flame
A staple spell for any Pyromancy build, Catch Flame easily ranks as the most powerful spell in Elden Ring, and for good reasons. It’s a simple spell that has made it as the Prophet Class’s primary source of damage.
What’s more, it is so effective that it can be quickly spammed over and over, leaving enemies with a charred face, and it does so to an incredible effect. All this for a measly 10 FP cost per cast.
The spell can also be used while moving, thus adding to its list of many benefits. While it already deals insane amounts of damage for an early-game ability, you can use the Fire Scorpion Charm and the Incantation’s sibling spell, Flame, Grant Me Strength, to min-max its damage output.
Pest Threads
You won’t find any Incantation in the game more efficient for larger enemies than Pest Threads. Plus, you don’t even have to lock on to enemies. Thanks to its excellent tracking, you can simply whip it out, and the spells will do the rest for you. When cast, it launches countless sticky threads, homing at an enemy that deals ridiculous physical damage.
Players know how much of an annoying bunch the Lesser Kindred of Rots are, thanks to their Pest Threads, and having it in your arsenal of spells can be a huge game-changer. The only drawback is its short-range and late-game availability.
Greyoll’s Roar
Upon slaying the Elder Dragon Greyoll near Fort Farroth, players will be able to learn one of the best Dragon Communion Incantations, Greyoll’s Roar, at the Cathedral of Dragon Communion. Players will need to trade 3 Dragon Hearts to make the spell their own, and fortunately, the dormant dragon drops 5 of these, which is more than the required amount.
Investing the dragon hearts into this is worth the payoff, as Greyoll’s Roar is a handy PVP and PVE spell. The spell conjures a dragon head, unleashing a crowd-controlling roar that not only damages enemies but applies a damage and defensive debuff. However, use it sparingly, as the spell consumes a lot of FP.
Bloodflame Blade
Bleed setups continues to be a menace in the Lands Between, and the best Bleed weapons imbued with the Bloodflame Blade buff will turn you into an unstoppable force. Players wanting to add it to their repository of spells will have to hunt a Teardrop Scarab near Rose Church.
Weapons like the Uchigatana, Nagakiba and the Cross Naginata make ideal use of the spell. For only 20 FP, 12 Fai and 10 Arc investment, such blades will cause rapid hemorrhage and additional fire damage, scaling with the spell’s Faith stat.
The effect is similar to that of the Rivers of Blood Katana and Eleonora’s Poleblade. Plus, if a Twinblade is wreathed by the buff, you’ll end up with Darth Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber, which is cool enough.
Ancient Dragon’s Lightning Strike
The Ancient Dragon’s Lightning Strike has a similar premise to that of Burn O Flame Incantation, only that it calls forth red lightning from the sky. This is arguably the best Elden Ring Incantation against anything slightly big enough for all the bolts to hit. In order to cast it, you’ll need 26 Faith, which isn’t much for Faith enjoyers.
In essence, this is the Faith equivalent of Come Azure, capable of one-shotting the most challenging bosses in the game. Just fork out 10,000 Runes after handing the Ancient Dragon Prayerbook to Miriel in the Church of Vows, and you’ll have one of the strongest Faith-based spells at your disposal.
Black Blade
Maliketh is a treasure trove for dedicated Faith players, and a trip to the local Walking Mausoleum is worth the payoff. You’ll get two incredible damaging tools in Maliketh’s Black Blade Greatsword and the Black Blade Incantation. Both deal Holy damage over time and are most effective against enemies with massive health pools.
While both strike the perfect balance between looks cool and hits hard, the Greatsword pales compared to the spell’s fantastic range. The channelled illusionary blade unleashes a wave of Destined Death that travels great distances at the cost of 26 FP. While the spell requirements are pretty steep, it won’t be much of a problem as it’s acquired near the end-game zone.
Stone of Gurranq
Obtaining some of the Bestial Incantations in Elden Ring sees you hunting Deathroots for Gurranq in the Bestial Sanctum. As such, you’ll get the Stone of Gurranq – a unique Incantation in Elden Ring for dealing physical damage – after giving the NPC his 6th Deathroot. With only 13 Faith and a 15 FP cost, the Stone of Gurranq is simply incredible at what it does.
The spell manifests a giant boulder from the ground for those half-court shots, dealing tremendous damage from mid-range. It has also been buffed in Patch 1.07, making it all the more incredible. It is also worthy of being used in Elden Ring’s PVP scene. You can outplay players by hurling the stone towards your feet as the AOE impact can roll-catch enemies for follow-up spells.
Blessing’s Boon
Few healing spells in Elden Ring measure up to Blessing’s Boon – an Erdtree Incantation requiring 24 Faith and 30 FP. It casts a blessing that grants a heal over-time buff, which can come in handy when running dry on your flask’s charges. This will provide you with that extra bit of health to tank and trade that final hit during boss fights.
This makes it a must-have utility spell, especially if you’re playing co-op, as allies can benefit from it. Not only that, but you can also heal your Spirit Ashes and the NPCs that aid you in battle. 8 HP is recovered for 90 Seconds each second, and the Old Lord’s Talisman can extend the healing duration.
You can learn this spell for 4000 Runes if you visit Miriel in the Church of Vows.
Lightning Spear
Faith players looking for a reliable all-purpose offensive spell that never misses will find Lightning Spear to be an incredible addition to their roster. Lightning Spear consumes 18 FP and requires 17 Faith to cast. Its damage scales with the player’s Faith stat. The spell can be learned for 6000 Runes after giving the Dragon Cult Prayerbook you acquire in Liurnia to Miriel.
Lightning Spear conjures a lightning bolt that travels great distances, and various Talismans can be used around it to enhance its damage. Charging the spell also adds an AOE effect that zaps surrounding enemies. When faced off against groups of enemies, you can use this to pick them off one at a time from a distance.
Moreover, you won’t find any spell more fun than the Lightning Spear for PVP situations. It’s pretty amusing interrupting fellow Tarnished who are about to buff their weapon or cast their own spells.
Giantsflame Take Thee
Another Fire Giant Incantation, Giantsflame Take Thee, is a pyromancy that hits like a truck. The giant incendiary bomb consumes a staggering 30 FP and requires 30 Faith to cast. The spell can be charged to hurl a massive ball of fire, increasing the blast radius on impact. Plus, the attack has a fantastic knockback against smaller enemies.
It’s helpful in every situation imaginable. Whether it’s against a boss, groups of enemies, or even better in PVP, Giantsflame Take Thee will get the job done. Tarnished players walking down the Pyromancy path should buy the spell for 13000 Runes the second they acquire the Giant’s Prayerbook in the Mountain Tops of the Giants.
Flame, Grant Me Strength
Flame, Grant Me Strength is exactly what’s given on the tin. It grants a 20% damage buff to both damage types, reducing the effect to 15% in PVP. This makes it a well-rounded spell that can benefit melee users and any players making use of fire damage. Plus, spells dealing physical damage, like the Bestial Incantations, can also benefit from the damage increase.
The Incantation only requires 15 Faith and 28FP, making it a must-have in your active spell slots, especially if you’re using physical weapons or running a Pyromancy setup. You must head to Fort Gael in Caelid to get it, where the spell lies on a corpse.
Ekzykes’s Decay
While the Incantations you acquire from the Dragon Communions are some of the strongest in Elden Ring, their high FP cost makes them situational. That’s especially true when most breath spells have added elemental damage. Ekzykes’s Decay is one such spell that conjures a dragon head, elevating the player from the ground while spewing a damaging cloud of Rot.
The spell requires 23 Faith and 15 Arcane, and takes a hefty 48 FP. To make the Radahn boss fight less vexing, the Decaying Ekzykes dragon is conveniently found near his castle in Caelid. Players must slay the rotting beast and trade 2 Dragon Hearts at the Cathedral of the Dragon Communion to get Ekzykes’s Decay and quickly dispatch the Conqueror of the Stars.
Dragonclaw
While eating enemies whole with Dragonmaw is cool, slapping enemies using Dragonclaw has its own flair. This spell belonging to the Dragon Communion can be purchased from the get-go at the Church of the Dragon Communion after getting your first Dragon Heart. It’s a fantastic spell that can make quick work of enemy groups.
The caster channels a giant dragon hand, slamming foes with it and catching anyone in the impact radius. What’s more, the spell also grants hyperarmor, increasing your overall poise for a short duration. To properly use Dragonclaw, ensure casting it alternately with any two of the best Sacred Seals in hand. Doing so significantly increases Dragonclaw’s DPS.
The Flame of Frenzy
Without giving in to the corruption of the Frenzied Flame, players do get an excellent assortment of Frienzied Flame Incantations in Elden Ring, one of which is the Flame of Frenzy. This Incantation has a relatively low FP cost that manifests a burst of flames in a cone shape from the caster’s eyes. The cast speed is also fast, and the spell can be charged to increase the damage.
However, it’s worth noting that it causes Madness build-up on the caster, but it stacks at a shallow rate. Requiring 16 Faith and consuming 16 FP, Flame of Frenzy is one of the early-game Frenzied Flame Incantations that players can obtain from the Weeping Peninsula.
Honed Bolt
While there are more attractive spells out there, Honed Bolt is always there for you to pick up if you don’t know what to do. It’s fast and reliable, like the Lightning Spear Incantation, and only costs a puny 12 FP. Players can quickly chain cast the spell without worrying about enemies dodging the lightning bolt.
You can squeeze out much damage as a dedicated Faith player by peppering enemies from a decent range. After handing them the Dragon Cult Prayerbook, you can purchase the spell from any Incantation vendor, like Miriel or Brother Corhyn.
Discuss of Light
The single most efficient spell in Elden Ring is Discuss of Light, costing only 3 FP per cast, with this being reduced to a whopping 1 FP with the Incantation Scarab helmet. This bad boy is an improved version of the Way of White Corona Miracle from Darks Souls 3, which only gets better as you go further down the game.
While the Incantation requires 13 Int and 13 Faith, casting this with a Golden Order with a good split in the two stats makes it standout. Players can always keep this spell handy, no matter the situation. Having said that, Brother Corhyn teaches it for a generous 11000 Runes once he relocates to the Altus Plateau.
Aspect of the Crucible (Tail)
The earliest variant of the Aspect of the Crucible Incantation players will get to learn is the Tail one after defeating the Crucible Knight in the Stormhill Evergaol. Players will need 27 Faith in order to make proper use of the spell. While the damage it inflicts is not the best of all, players shouldn’t overlook its utility.
The spell does a sweeping tail, flinching enemies and dealing stamina damage. You can also charge it for a second sweep to amp up the damage while knocking them back. That’s the perfect Incantation for a glasscannon build that struggles once enemies are within melee range.
Golden Vow
Being an Erdtree Incantation, players would assume Golden Vow to be a utility spell without looking into its flavor text. They’re right, but more specifically, the Golden Vow bestows a 15% damage buff (7.5% in PVP) and a 10% defensive buff (5% in PVP) that lasts 80 seconds. Both you and your allies benefit from the effect, making it a decent ability.
While the numbers are nothing spectacular, players prefer it so much because it stacks with every fortification buff and weapon enchantment. Want more physical damage negation? Pair it with a Boiled Crab! Lacking in damage? Stack it with Flame, Grant Me Strength!
Stat-wise, it does consume 47 FP and requires 25 Faith to cast, which is a lot. Plus, you’ll also need to head to the Corpse-Stench Shack in Mt. Gelmir to get it.
Barrier of Gold
Concluding our list with another Erdtree Incantation, Barrier of Gold, is a defensive ability, granting a whopping 60% negation to magic damage. Plenty of mobs and bosses in Elden Ring utilize magic, and popping Barrier of Gold can be a lifeline for intrepid melee fighters. Hits from Rennala and Astel that could once one-shot will tickle you.
As impressive as the spell is, getting it can be quite a chore. Players will need to hit the invisible Teardrop Scarab roaming the area after beating the Golden Shade Godfrey boss in Lyndell, Royal Capital. It requires 24 Faith and consumes 30 FP. The effect also extends to nearby allies and lasts for 70 seconds.
Final Thoughts
That’s all for our list of the best Elden Ring Incantations. If you love playing as a mage going down the Faith route, ensure using any of the mentioned spells in your active spell slots. But you’re free to pick any spells in Elden Ring if you know how to use it to their strengths.
Which Incantation do you like most in Elden Ring? Do you prefer using Sorceries in Elden Ring? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
