Elden Ringis arguably FromSoftware’s most complex game to date, in part thanks to the sheer number of viable builds that players can pursue. One new mechanic inElden Ringthat lets players avoid dealing damage entirely and play the Support role instead is Spirit Ashes.
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Elden Ringgives players a ton of healing and buffing spells, and because these Incantations work on Spirit Summon allies, it’s actually possible tobeat the entire gamewithout dealing a single point of damage directly. It’s an incredible challenge, but it’s not impossible – check out content creators likeIron Pineapple for proofthatElden Ringcan be beaten by a pacifist.
Recommended Stat Allocation for Pacifist Priest Builds
Because this is a build intended to take players tothe end ofElden Ring,and not intended for PvP or NG+, it’s difficult to recommend stats for a Level 150 build as a Pacifist Priest’s goal is simply to beat the game. With that in mind, Pacifist Priests should invest points in a few important stats over others.
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In order of importance,put stats into Faith, Mind, Vigor, and Dexterity. Faith is your most important stat as it directly influences your healing prowess. Mind and Vigor should be given a point or two every few levels to keep up with the difficulty curve of the game. Dexterity is mostly unimportant, but putting a point or two in it along the way can increase your casting speed a little bit. Arcane, Endurance, andIntelligence have almost no usein this type of build, though having a high Endurance can help a fragile Priest shrug off blows that would otherwise spell doom.
Seals, Talismans, and Armor for A Pacifist Priest
As a Pacifist, you should use Seals and Talismans that increase your ability to support Spirit Ashes. Thebest Seal inElden Ringfor this build is the Erdtree Seal, as it has higher scaling and less Weight than the standard Finger Seal, but it’s found prettylate into the game at Volcano Manor. Until then,the Finger Seal will get the job done just fine.
Talismans that are important to this build are theFaithful’s Canvas Talisman, theTwo Fingers Heirloom, theOld Lord’s Talisman, andthe Radagon Icon. The Faithul’s Canvas Talisman and the Two Fingers Heirloom raise Faith and increase Incantation strength. The Old Lord’s Talisman makes all spells last longer, including heal-over-time spells, and the Radagon Icon increases spellcasting speed.One to consider using is the Crepus’s Vial, which elimates all sound the player makes and allows for stealthy navigation through areas where allies can’t be summoned.
Though a good Pacifist Priest stays out of the midst of combat most of the time, there are some Armor pieces that can increase the healing done with this build. TheDeathbed Dress slowly recovers ally HPin the nearby area, which also affects Spirit Summons. TheRoyal Remains set gives you passive heal-over-timeat low HP, but it weighs a lot. There are a selection of helms that increase Faith, like theRuler’s Mask or the Haligtree Helm, but these arefound relatively late into the game.
Incantations: What To Use, What To Avoid
A central part of this build is Incantations. Using the right healing Incantations at the right time can mean the difference between getting an ENEMY FELLED or a YOU DIED screen. Spirit Ashes aren’t as affected by direct healing spells as players are, so try using heal-over-time spells and other means of protecting them from death.
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The best Incantations for this build tend to be heal-over-time spells likeBlessing’s Boon, which affects Spirit Summons more than a regular instant healing Incantation. Avoidspells that take a long timeto cast, like Lord’s Heal, and opt instead for quick-cast buffing Incantations like theFortificationspells andLord’s Aid, which heals a variety of ailments all at once.
Best Spirit Ashes For A Pacifist Priest
The keystone to this build, the thing that makes any of it possible, is the Spirit Summon system. A true Pacifist Priest can’t fight Evergaol bosses as they don’t allow summons, but just about every othermajor enemy inElden Ringlets you bring in help. There are some that are patently better than others for this type of build, though.
In the early game when you have little access to truly powerful Incantations, using the Demi-Humans or the Godrick Soldiers Ashes grants multiple allies to manage so that if one dies you still have another to fight for you. Dolores the Sleeping Arrow is great for crowd controlling enemies, and the Greatshield Soldiers make up for their lack of damage with nigh-impenetrable defenses. At the end of the game, Lhutel the Headless is a fantastic choice for her ability to teleport and deal Deathblight damage. TheDung Eater Puppet is arguably the most powerfulSpirit Ash in the game, aside from Black Knife Tiche who can only be acquired in an evergaol fight, and the Mimic Tear who would be useless with a no-damage build.
Elden Ringis available now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.
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