Best Elden Ring Samurai Build (Weapons, Stats, and More)

Elden Ring features a ton of classes that have their own advantages and disadvantages. The Samurai class allows players to take advantage of their dexterity and intelligence. If you want to find out about the best Elden Ring Samurai build, you’ve come to the right place.

We will show you everything you need to know about the class. The Samurai is a good class for beginners. However, we will also show you the optimal playstyle so that you can master this class and finish the game. With that said, let’s dive right in and check out the best Elden Ring Samurai build.

Samurai Build

In this guide, we will look at all the stats, gear, weapons, and other useful items you will need to use as a Samurai. This class is surprisingly versatile when it comes to using different gear. However, we will talk about some of the best equipment that will assist you in the end game as well.

Here is a brief rundown of what you can expect in this build:

Which Stat to Level Up?

Before we take about the gear, let’s take a look at which stats are worth putting points in and which to avoid. Since this Samurai build uses a lot of Intelligence and Dexterity, you need to prioritize both of these stats as much as possible.

Here is a rundown of the stats that are going to be beneficial for you:

• Intelligence: This is your primary magic stat, so give preference to this the most as it further boosts your spells’ capabilities and even complements any magic scaling Ashes of War.
• Endurance: As you stay behind and cast away you will be consuming stamina as well, so upgrade this stat to give yourself enough stamina to deal magic and dodge away when danger is near. 15 to 20 levels are more than enough.
• Vigor: Level this enough so that you can take a major hit or two especially one-shot attacks, again your goal is staying out of enemy range so more health will ultimately be wasted levels as you won’t be needing it.
• Mind: This will increase your FP bar, giving you more resources to cast spells and consume flasks efficiently.
• Dexterity: This stat should be leveled up as much as you can. Having more dex will lead to lesser casting speeds and will allow you to wield stronger weapons.

Armor

When it comes to Armor in Elden Ring, you do not have to put a lot of stock in specific sets and their unique bonuses. Instead, you can mix and match various sets to make the most out of the weight, stats, and protection.

It’s not worth getting a set that gives you a measly +3 STR stat if the result is a lack of protection from attacks. In that regard, there are only a few armor sets that you can use viably for the Samurai build.

Raya Lucarian Sorcerer Set

During the early stages of the game, you will come across a dungeon called Raya Lucaria Academy. Here, you will encounter many sorcerer enemies that have a mask and cool robes as their attire. Luckily, you can get this outfit for yourself as well.

The best part is that it works well with your INT build if you want to focus more on that part of the build. The Raya Lucarian Sorcerer Set is a lightweight armor that caters to Intelligence characters, offering light Physical and moderate Magical defense.

This armor provides your character with protection and different resistance against all types of damage and negative status effects.

Spellblade Set

Moving on to the Spellblade Set, it offers great stats and looks amazing as well. If you have played the game a bit, you’ll notice that this outfit is worn by Rogier which can be found in the Roundtable Hold. He drops this after he passes away so you can just pick it up at that point without any worries.

Keep in mind that this outfit does not boost the damage of your sorceries. Instead, it only boosts the effects of your Ashes of War. So, if you plan to use a melee weapon like the Moonveil Katana, this is a good outfit to have. Despite what the in-game description set says, it increases the damage of Magic dealing ashes of war/skills by 2% per piece.

Black Knife Set

While a lot of sets fluctuate between either great physical or magical damage reduction, few manage to do both at the same time. The Black Knife Set offers decent damage reduction which is always welcomed. However, it doesn’t offer the best protection but since you’re getting the best of both worlds, it should be alright.

If you want to use ranged magic spells and melee attacks, this is the set for you. Plus, it also looks amazing and has an effect that stops enemies from hearing you while sneaking. So, you can easily backstab enemies since they won’t be able to hear you.

Land of Reeds Set

Land of Reeds Set is an Armor made from strips of iron fastened together and worn by the warriors of the Land of Reeds, made to reduce damage intake and protect warriors during battle. This is the set that the Samurai class starts with and it looks absolutely amazing.

While wielding a katana, you cannot go wrong with wearing a traditional samurai outfit as well. Plus, it is quite lightweight which goes hand in hand with the fast-paced nature of the Moonveil. While wearing this armor, you will mostly stay at Medium Load which is the optimal equipment load that you should aim for.

The best part is that you can easily apply bleed to the enemy as well since you won’t have any debuff on your Stamina either. This is one of the best armors with this weapon in the game.

Raging Wolf Set

The Raging Wolf Set is a Medium Weight armor. Armor provides our character with protection and different resistance against all types of damage and negative status effects. While some of the stats are lower than the Land of the Reeds armor, this one is overall better in the late game.

With your Endurance leveled up, you will eventually lower your equipment weight to Light Load. This is extremely useful against late-game bosses like Malenia, Radagon, Godfrey, etc. Plus, this set looks extremely cool which automatically gives you style points!

Talisman

Talismans play a massive role in all types of builds. That is why Elden Ring is completely filled with different types of them. There are so many Talismans that you can find across the map that it can be quite overwhelming for a newer player.

However, there are a few that will help you take your Samurai build to the next level. So, make sure that you get the ones we’ve mentioned below to make the most out of your build.

Erdtree’s Favor 

While playing a Dex/Int build, you will often find yourself having issues with your total equipment load, HP, and Stamina. Since you won’t be directly applying points into Vigor or Strength, having this talisman allows you to have increased stats.

While this might not sound like a big deal, it actually makes a lot of difference. Since you need all the HP, Endurance, and equipment load you can get, make sure that you equip this talisman. There are three variants of it (normal, +1, and +2). If you can get your hands on the +2 variant, make sure that you equip it.

Graven Mass Talisman

You can also try out the Graven Mass Talisman as well. This is a great option since it raises the potency of all your sorceries. This is great for dealing additional damage or healing yourself if needed. The best part is that it greatly increases the potency which means that all your spells will deal tons of damage.

Combine this with the next talisman and your charged attacks will almost one shot enemies without any issues.

Radagon Icon

Playing as a caster in Elden Ring has a lot of pros. However, the biggest flaw is that your character is often left open to attacks. Since your character is somewhat squishy in this build, you will often find yourself dying while casting a spell near an enemy.

To prevent situations where the long casting times of spells cause your death, you need to equip the Radagon Icon. This Talisman allows you to greatly reduce the cast time of your spells. It comes in handy when the boss is running toward you while you are stuck in a casting animation.

Shard of Alexander

Shard of Alexander can be obtained by completing the quest of Alexander at Crumbling Farum Azula. It greatly boosts the damage of your skills by 15%, which is a massive amount. This falls perfectly in line with your Moonveil Katana since you will be using its skills most of the time.

Sorceries

If you are leveling up your INT stat in Elden Ring, Sorceries are extremely vital as they will allow you to make the most out of your build. There are tons of spells in the game that you can use. Some of them allow you to buff your character, heal yourself, or deal damage to enemies.

Since there are a lot of options to choose from, we have mentioned some of the best ones. I would suggest that you check out other Sorceries as well to see if they suit your style or not. Otherwise, going for the ones mentioned will give you guaranteed results.

Comet Azur

Starting with the most popular sorcery in the game – Comet Azur. This is not only one of the strongest spells buts it’s downright broken at times. While it has been nerfed now and players have learned how to counter it, this spell was a menace when Elden Ring initially came out.

To use it, you must require a hefty amount of stats but the damage it dishes out is insane. You fire a laser from your staff in a straight line that deals damage to anything it hits. On top of that, it has a long range which makes it harder for the enemy to dodge.

If you use this against bosses, you can quickly shred through their HP without a second thought. Some bosses are so easy due to this that you won’t even feel a challenge against them.

Carian Slicer

The Carian Slicer is a short and simple spell. It allows you to use your staff to slice in front of you like a sword. It deals a decent amount of damage but its main purpose is to force the enemy to reposition. If you are using this against bosses, then I suggest that you wait for a good moment and then use it.

Certain bosses can be hit with this spell a lot while they are either charging or just finished an attack. However, make sure that you only use it if you get a chance. Since you have to get close to the enemy, you are leaving yourself open.

Carian Phalanx

The Carian Phalanx is a great spell that has multiple uses. For starters, you can cast it and run toward the enemy in PvP to force them to back off. This forces them to stop attacking you and roll through all the daggers. Meanwhile, you can run at them at full force and swing your sword if you are carrying it.

Otherwise, you can use it as a defensive spell as well. If the enemy gets too close, the daggers will fly toward them and force them to roll away. The best part is that if you use it against bosses or normal enemies, they are bound to get hit with all the daggers since they can’t dodge it easily.

Loretta’s Great Bow

Moving on to a spell that I like a lot but is somewhat tricky to use. Loretta’s Great Bow allows the caster to charge an attack and fire a large magical arrow. While it deals a lot of damage and can take out even the strongest enemies at full charge, it is difficult to hit.

In PvP, the players will almost always dodge it since this attack can be easily telegraphed. Plus, you need to charge for quite a bit for it to fully become active. During that time, you are extremely vulnerable and the enemy can charge toward you.

Swift Glintstone Shard

The Swift Glintstone Shard is a simple spell that is good for the earlier stages of the game. It causes your character to fire a single bolt of magical projectile that goes in a straight line. While it doesn’t deal a lot of damage, the casting time is extremely low.

Plus, it doesn’t consume a lot of FP either so you can potentially spam it on weaker enemies or even bosses to reduce their HP. Since it is a quick attack, you can use it and immediately run away if the boss is charging toward you.

Founding Rain of Stars

This spell not only looks pretty but also deals a lot of damage. If you use it in PvP, the enemy will be forced to reposition and attack from a different angle. When you cast it, the attack takes a few seconds to come raining down. However, if you use it against bosses, they will often take all the damage since they do not roll away.

Thanks to its high area of effect damage, you can take care of enemies that are in groups without any worries.

Weapons

Moving on to the weapons, having the right sword is extremely important for a Samurai. If you want to use powerful weapons that deal tons of damage, make sure that you have the ideal sword. Since the game offers a wide variety of weapons to choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming for most players.

Uchigatana

To start with, the Uchigatana is a fantastic choice for any character that utilizes melee attacks. While it’s not a traditional weapon for Faith builds, you can use it on the Confessor since it is a strong katana.

If you pick the Samurai class, the Uchigatana will be your starting weapon. Players might think that a starting weapon won’t be this good, but this katana is superb from early to late game. However, if you didn’t pick the Samurai class, worry not because you can still find this weapon pretty early in the game.

The ‘Blood Loss Buildup’ passive effect applies to almost all enemies since you will be leveling up your Strength as a Confessor. As long as you attack frequently and build up the meter, the Hemorrhage status will take place and shred through enemies with high HP.

Moonveil Katana

The Moonveil katana is one of my favorite weapons in Elden Ring. It does a mix of magical and physical damage with every hit. Plus, it also has the bleed effect which is always a welcomed addition. On top of that, its skill – Transient Moonlight – is extremely effective against a lot of enemies in the game.

When you use it, your character will fire a straight wave while unsheathing the katana. This can be used to force the enemy to either dodge and be vulnerable or take the damage in PvP. With all these effects, bleeding takes the backseat with this weapon.

This weapon should be ideal for a Dex/Int build but you can try a few more swords as well if you want to try out different weapons. Otherwise, I highly suggest sticking with the Moonveil as it has great stats and works wonders with this build.

Lusat’s Glintstone Staff

Found after killing Nox Swordstress & Nox Priest boss. This staff is a weird one. The initial Intelligence requirement is huge, and it is upgraded with Somber Stones. Also, it has another doozy, it costs 50% more FP to cast each spell with this staff on the contrary the damage output is greater too.

This staff is recommended for players that prefer to keep higher FP flasks and have massive Mind investment, or if you are rocking Cerulean Hidden Tear talisman that eliminates all FP consumption for some time to truly take advantage of that enhanced damage without the downside of the FP running out early.

Meteorite Staff

Found in the Caelid Region, this staff is the best thing your mage can find early on, you can beeline to it right from the beginning of the game without any fight. It has the best Intelligence (S) and Sorcery Scaling (248) that you can get at the start of the game and can carry you through much of the journey. Also, if you are fond of using gravity sorcery like Rock Sling then this staff can be in the S-tier for you.

Mind you, this staff cannot be upgraded at any smith so there is a point where other staves will overtake this when they are upgraded enough. Though this staff can be your backup choice until you are collecting all the necessary resources to upgrade your main staff.

Prince of Death’s Staff

Prince of Death’s Staff is a Glintstone Staff in Elden Ring. The Prince of Death’s Staff scales primarily with Intelligence and Faith and is a good weapon for death sorceries. This staff has good scaling with E in STR, D in INT, and D in Faith. If you are someone who uses a lot of Dark Sorceries, then this weapon is ideal for you as it boosts that effect.

You can get this staff in the Deeproot Depths by making your way across the map and finding it in a tower when you are climbing the large roots. One of the good parts about this staff is that it is light in weight so you don’t have to worry about having a heavy load.

Astrologer’s Staff

The Astrologer’s Staff is a sleeper hit in Elden Ring. This is the starting staff of the Astrologer class, which can be underestimated very easily considering it a starting weapon. But as you upgrade it, it will show you that in terms of sheer numbers and stats, this staff is second to the Academy staff mentioned before. So pump this bad boy at the smiths and bask in the glory of this mighty humble staff.

Spirit Ashes

Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring are a great tool in your arsenal. They assist you in combat by either tanking damage or applying debuffs to enemies. The good thing is that you can summon Spirit Ashes against bosses and against groups of enemies as well.

While some players say that this makes the game easy, it is your choice if you want to use them or not. I’d suggest using them if you are a new player to the game.

Lhutel the Headless

This is a Legendary Spirit and Summon in Elden Ring. When used, it summons an allied spirit version of an unmounted Mausoleum Knight. Lhutel will periodically teleport while in combat, allowing her to move around quickly, avoid being surrounded by enemies, and avoid large area of effect attacks from enemies.

Also, the strikes from her lance cause a buildup of the death blight status on her target. Unfortunately, the vast majority of enemies found in Elden Ring are immune to death blight.

Her heavy armor, great shield, teleportation ability, a mix of melee and ranged attacks, and immunity against all status effects allow her to work well alongside a variety of player builds as a “tank” or damage dealer.

However, due to her teleporting around the area, the enemies might stop attacking her and start focusing on you instead.

Night Maiden and Swordtress

When summoned, you will call upon 2 spirits that wield flowing weapons. The good news is that you summon 2 sisters each with their own HP bars. Both of them deal a lot of damage and can tank quite a few hits before going down.

However, summoning them uses a lot of FP so make sure that you have FP flasks ready after you call them.

Skeletal Militiaman Ashes

This is a great Spirt Ash in Elden Ring as it allows you to summon the spirits of 2 skeletal militiamen. While the spirits are a bit weak, they will resurrect after dying. Until the enemy properly finishes them off, these skeletons will continue to rise and attack your foe.

This can be great to remove the aggro of bosses from your character. You can run around for a while and wait for the skeletons to rise again. Once they do, attack the boss or enemy while they are distracted by your summons.

Omenkiller Rollo

Once a famous perfumer, Rollo imbibed a physick to rid himself of emotion, thus enabling him to enact his nightmarish labor, hunting the Omen. This is a strong summon that can cause bleed damage to the enemy. However, it uses a lot of FP which is a major downside. If you do not level up your Mind stat, you might not be able to summon it.

Samurai Playstyle

There are two ways in which you can make use of the Dex/Int in the Samurai build – ranged or melee hybrid. If you want to rely on ranged, then make sure that you have all the appropriate Sorceries equipped alongside tons of FP flasks. This will allow you to safely cast magic while having tons of flasks to refill your FP.

Make sure that you stay away from the enemy and roll away whenever they come close. Since you won’t have a lot of HP or Stamina, you’ll probably get one-shot by most mid-late game bosses and enemies. You will have to play slow and only rely on your ranged damage Sorceries.

Alternatively, you can choose to play as a melee/ranged hybrid. In this style, you can use some Sorceries from a distance to deal damage while you close the gap. When the enemy gets up close and personal, you can use your weapon like the Moonveil Katana to slice and dice through them.

I suggest going for the hybrid build since it’s more fun. However, since everyone has their own playstyle, you can choose to go for the ranged build as well. While you won’t have as much fun as with ranged sorceries, it is still a blast to play.

Conclusion

That’s everything you need to know about the Elden Ring Samurai build. This is a great class if you want to go for a raw strength build that deals a lot of damage. The best part is that you can use some of the best colossal weapons in the game while using other great swords as well.

Do you like the Samurai class? Which class is your favorite in Elden Ring? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!