Faith and Strength builds are some of the most fun and satisfying setups in Elden Ring. You’re not just swinging massive weapons, you’re doing it while glowing like a divine furnace. This hybrid style blends raw physical might with the light of the Erdtree, letting you crush bosses and then casually heal yourself mid-fight.
If you’ve ever wanted to play as a holy barbarian, a paladin who actually bench-presses their own weapon, or a golden demigod with muscle and miracles, this is your zone.
Why Faith and Strength Works So Well
Faith and Strength feed into each other beautifully.
- Strength lets you wield colossal weapons and hit like a landslide.
- Faith brings buffs, healing, lightning, and fire-based holy destruction.
- Combined, you become a one-person crusade, able to tank damage and smite everything that moves.
The real trick is balance. You’ll want enough Strength to swing your weapon without stagger issues and enough Faith to make your incantations feel worthwhile.
Stat Priorities
| Stat | Ideal Range | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Vigor | 40–60 | Stay alive through boss tantrums |
| Mind | 20–30 | Enough FP for your buffs and incantations |
| Endurance | 25–35 | For heavy armour and colossal weapons |
| Strength | 40–60 | Your main damage stat |
| Faith | 30–45 | For strong incantations and scaling weapons |
| Dexterity | 10–20 | Just enough for weapon requirements |
| Arcane | Base | Not needed unless you want extra flavour |
Best Weapons for Faith and Strength Builds
Faith-scaling Strength weapons are where the magic happens. These options are top-tier for hybrid play.
1. Blasphemous Blade
- Location: Volcano Manor (Rykard’s Remembrance)
- Why it works: It heals you every time you use its weapon skill and every time something dies nearby. Combine that with Strength scaling and fire damage, and you’ve got a self-sustaining tank.
- Perfect for: Players who like setting everything on fire while never dying.
2. Maliketh’s Black Blade
- Location: Remembrance of Maliketh
- Why it works: It looks like the weapon of a fallen god, and it hits like one too. Its skill, Destined Death, reduces max HP and deals huge holy damage.
- Perfect for: Gothic paladin energy.
3. Golden Order Greatsword
- Location: Cave of the Forlorn
- Why it works: Scales well with both Strength and Faith, and its weapon art looks like you’re casting the sun itself.
- Perfect for: Roleplaying as an actual knight of the Erdtree.
4. Ordovis’s Greatsword
- Location: Auriza Hero’s Grave
- Why it works: Heavy, divine, and stylish. Its weapon skill, Ordovis’s Vortex, smashes enemies with holy force and scales beautifully with Faith.
- Perfect for: The heavy armour enjoyer who wants divine flair.
5. Gargoyle’s Blackblade
- Location: Leyndell, Royal Capital
- Why it works: A dark mirror to the holy builds. Deals split damage and scales with both Strength and Faith.
- Perfect for: Edgy holy warriors.
Best Incantations to Pair with Strength
Hybrid builds thrive on buffs and burst damage. These incantations keep you glowing and going.
- Flame, Grant Me Strength – Boosts physical and fire damage. A must-have.
- Golden Vow – Universal buff to damage and defence. Stack it before every big fight.
- Blessing of the Erdtree – Regenerative heal over time. Saves flask uses.
- Lightning Spear – The classic Faith projectile. Quick, reliable, cinematic.
- Black Flame Blade – Adds fire-over-time damage to your weapon for melting tanky enemies.
- Giantsflame Take Thee – Massive fireball for when subtlety is overrated.
Armour and Talismans
Armour
You’ll want a mix of protection and fashion. Heavy armour is fine since you’ll likely invest in Endurance.
- Crucible Tree Set – Great balance of defence and divine aesthetic.
- Lionel’s Set – Chunky protection for boss fights.
- Cleanrot Set – Lighter, with holy warrior vibes.
Talismans
- Radagon’s Scarseal / Soreseal – Easy early boost to key stats.
- Faithful’s Canvas Talisman – Increases incantation potency.
- Erdtree’s Favour +2 – Boosts HP, stamina, and equip load.
- Godfrey Icon – Buffs charged incantations like Lightning Spear.
Sample Build: The Holy Juggernaut
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Vigor | 55 |
| Mind | 25 |
| Endurance | 30 |
| Strength | 50 |
| Faith | 40 |
| Dexterity | 15 |
Weapon: Blasphemous Blade
Incantations: Golden Vow, Flame Grant Me Strength, Lightning Spear
Armour: Crucible Tree Set
Talisman: Erdtree’s Favour +2, Faithful’s Canvas, Godfrey Icon, Radagon’s Soreseal
This setup turns you into an unstoppable machine that buffs before battle, heals during battle, and annihilates everything with flaming faith-powered swings.
Tips for Playstyle
- Buff before boss doors. Stack Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength for absurd opening damage.
- Time your incantations. Hybrid builds need rhythm, not button mashing.
- Mix melee and miracles. Use incantations to soften groups, then charge in with your greatsword.
- Stay topped up. You can heal yourself without using flasks, which makes you tankier than you look.
The Seven Swords Takeaway
Faith and Strength hybrid builds in Elden Ring are about as close as the game gets to letting you play a divine executioner. You get the satisfaction of crushing foes under colossal weapons and the versatility of casting fire, lightning, and holy wrath at will.
You can tailor your build for fire damage, holy smiting, or pure physical destruction, and it will still feel epic. It’s like FromSoftware finally gave us permission to be both priest and warlord at once, and honestly, it feels incredible.
