Elden Ring Bleed Build: A Comprehensive Guide to Hemorrhaging Your Foes
Bleed builds in Elden Ring are a potent and popular choice, known for their ability to inflict massive damage in short bursts. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to create and optimize a bleed build, covering everything from stat allocation and weapon selection to talismans, armor, and strategies for different encounters.
## What Makes Bleed Builds So Effective?
The Bleed status effect (also known as Hemorrhage) rapidly fills a meter when a target is struck with a weapon that inflicts bleed buildup. Once the meter is full, the target suffers a burst of damage equal to a percentage of their maximum health. This damage is often significant, making bleed builds extremely effective against enemies with large health pools, including bosses. Several factors contribute to their effectiveness:
* **Percentage-Based Damage:** Bleed damage scales with the enemy’s maximum health, making it consistently strong throughout the game, unlike builds that rely solely on flat damage scaling.
* **Burst Damage Potential:** Bleed delivers damage in large bursts, allowing you to quickly dispatch enemies or stagger them.
* **Staggering:** Hemorrhage often causes enemies to stagger, creating openings for further attacks. This is especially valuable against aggressive bosses.
* **Accessibility:** Many weapons and Ashes of War that inflict bleed are available relatively early in the game.
* **Viability Against Most Enemies:** While some enemies are immune or highly resistant to bleed, the vast majority are vulnerable, making bleed builds a reliable choice for general exploration and combat.
## Understanding the Mechanics of Bleed
Before diving into the specifics of building a bleed character, it’s crucial to understand how the bleed mechanic works in Elden Ring.
* **Bleed Buildup:** Weapons and skills that inflict bleed have a buildup value. Each successful hit applies that amount of bleed buildup to the target.
* **Bleed Resistance:** Enemies have a bleed resistance stat, which determines how much bleed buildup they can withstand before Hemorrhage is triggered.
* **Hemorrhage Trigger:** Once the bleed buildup exceeds the enemy’s resistance, Hemorrhage occurs, dealing damage and briefly staggering the target.
* **Bleed Scaling:** The amount of bleed buildup a weapon inflicts can be increased by upgrading the weapon, using certain talismans, and allocating stats to Arcane (more on that later).
* **Blood Loss Damage:** The damage dealt by hemorrhage is calculated based on a percentage of the target’s maximum health. This percentage can vary slightly depending on the enemy.
## Stat Allocation for a Bleed Build
Here’s a recommended stat distribution for a bleed build, assuming a level 150 character. This is a general guideline, and you can adjust it based on your personal preferences and playstyle.
* **Vigor (60):** Vital for survivability. Maxing out Vigor is highly recommended, as it will significantly increase your health pool and allow you to withstand more hits.
* **Mind (20-30):** Determines your FP, which is used for weapon skills (Ashes of War). The amount you need depends on how frequently you plan to use skills. If you plan to rely heavily on weapon skills, allocate more points to Mind.
* **Endurance (20-30):** Increases your stamina and equip load. Stamina is essential for attacking, dodging, and blocking. Equip load determines how much armor and weapons you can carry without being encumbered. Medium load is generally preferred for maneuverability, but some builds can function with heavy load.
* **Strength (12-18):** Minimum requirement for your chosen weapons. Only invest enough points to meet the minimum strength requirements of your preferred weapons.
* **Dexterity (12-55):** Increases weapon attack power and casting speed. Similar to Strength, invest only enough to meet the requirements of your chosen weapons, however, some weapons scale very well with dexterity. If you have a weapon that scales well with Dexterity and Arcane, it is advantageous to continue leveling Dex after meeting the Arcane softcaps.
* **Intelligence (7-9):** Leave as base unless you plan to use specific spells or weapons that require Intelligence. Most Bleed builds don’t require intelligence.
* **Faith (8-12):** Leave as base unless you plan to use specific incantations or weapons that require Faith. Some incantations can buff bleed buildup.
* **Arcane (45-80):** **The most important stat for bleed builds.** Arcane directly affects bleed buildup on weapons that scale with it (innate bleed weapons or those infused with bleed affinity). It also increases your item discovery, allowing you to find more rare items. The soft caps for Arcane are generally considered to be 45, 60 and 80. Determine how far you want to invest in Arcane.
**Important Considerations:**
* **Early Game:** In the early game, prioritize Vigor, Endurance, and the minimum stats required for your chosen weapon. You can start investing in Arcane later, once you have access to weapons and Ashes of War that scale with it.
* **Respec:** Don’t be afraid to respec your stats if you’re not happy with your current build. You can respec by using a Larval Tear at Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, in Raya Lucaria Academy.
* **Weapon Requirements:** Always ensure you meet the stat requirements for your chosen weapons before investing in other stats.
## Weapon Selection: The Best Bleed Weapons
Choosing the right weapons is critical for a successful bleed build. Here are some of the best options, categorized by weapon type:
**Katanas:**
* **Uchigatana:** Available early in the game from the Deathtouched Catacombs in Limgrave. It’s a solid, reliable katana with good bleed buildup.
* **Nagakiba:** A longer katana with slightly lower bleed buildup than the Uchigatana but with better range. It’s obtained by completing Yura’s questline or killing him.
* **Rivers of Blood:** A powerful katana that inflicts both bleed and fire damage. It’s obtained by defeating Bloody Finger Okina at the Church of Repose in the Mountaintops of the Giants. Its weapon art, Corpse Piler, is extremely effective at inflicting bleed.
* **Moonveil:** (INT Build) While primarily an Intelligence-scaling weapon, Moonveil’s transient moonlight skill can inflict bleed at range, making it a good option for hybrid builds that want to incorporate magic.
* **Hand of Malenia:** Obtained by trading the Remembrance of Malenia with Enia at the Roundtable Hold. It has high bleed buildup, and its unique skill, Waterfowl Dance, can quickly trigger Hemorrhage.
**Twinblades:**
* **Eleonora’s Poleblade:** A powerful twinblade that scales with Dexterity and Arcane. Its weapon skill, Bloodblade Dance, is excellent for inflicting bleed. Dropped by Eleonora, Violet Bloody Finger, at the Second Church of Marika in Altus Plateau.
**Curved Swords:**
* **Scavenger’s Curved Sword:** A curved sword with innate bleed buildup. Two of these can be powerstanced for extremely fast bleed application. Found in Mt. Gelmir in a camp guarded by a few demi-humans.
* **Bloodhound’s Curved Greatsword:** While technically a greatsword, it’s worth mentioning due to its unique moveset and bleed buildup. Obtained by defeating Bloodhound Knight Darriwil in Forlorn Hound Evergaol.
**Daggers:**
* **Reduvia:** A dagger that scales with Arcane and inflicts bleed with its weapon skill, Blood Blade. Dropped by Bloody Finger Nerijus near Murkwater Cave.
* **Black Knife:** While its bleed build-up is low, its weapon art, Blade of Death, deals damage based on max health and is invaluable against bosses. Dropped by Black Knife Assassin in the Sainted Hero’s Grave.
**Spears:**
* **Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear:** A powerful spear that scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Arcane. Its weapon skill, Bloodboon Ritual, is highly effective at inflicting bleed and deals fire damage. Obtained by trading the Remembrance of Mohg with Enia at the Roundtable Hold.
**Whips:**
* **Thorned Whip:** A whip that innately causes blood loss build-up. It is found in a chest at Rose Church in Liurnia of the Lakes
**Claws:**
* **Bloodhound Claws:** Claws with good bleed buildup and a unique moveset. Found in Volcano Manor.
**Important Considerations:**
* **Weapon Upgrade:** Upgrade your chosen weapons as much as possible to increase their attack power and bleed buildup.
* **Weapon Arts:** Experiment with different weapon arts to find those that complement your playstyle and effectively inflict bleed.
* **Powerstancing:** Powerstancing two weapons of the same type can significantly increase your damage output and bleed application rate.
## Ashes of War: Infusing Your Weapons with Bleed
Ashes of War allow you to customize your weapons with different skills and affinities, including bleed. Here are some of the best Ashes of War for bleed builds:
* **Seppuku:** Applies a bleed buff to your weapon, significantly increasing bleed buildup for a short duration. Found on a frozen corpse near the Freezing Lake site of grace in the Mountaintops of the Giants. Using this Ash of War will also cause your character to inflict blood loss on themselves.
* **Bloody Slash:** A powerful attack that deals significant damage and inflicts bleed buildup. Dropped by a Teardrop Scarab east of the Rose Church in Liurnia of the Lakes.
* **Bloodflame Blade (Incantation):** Adds fire damage and blood loss build-up to your weapon. Found on a Teardrop Scarab near the Church of the Plague in Caelid.
* **Blood Tax:** Quickly attack your enemy with a series of blood infused strikes. Acquired by progressing White Mask Varré’s questline.
**Applying Ashes of War:**
* **Whetstone Knife:** You need the Whetstone Knife to apply Ashes of War to your weapons. It’s found in the Gatefront Ruins in Limgrave.
* **Lost Ashes of War:** If you accidentally overwrite an Ash of War, you can purchase it back from specific merchants.
## Talismans: Enhancing Your Bleed Build
Talismans provide passive bonuses that can significantly enhance your bleed build. Here are some of the most useful options:
* **Lord of Blood’s Exultation:** Increases attack power when blood loss occurs in the vicinity. Obtained by defeating Esgar, Priest of Blood, in the Leyndell Catacombs (Subterranean Shunning-Grounds).
* **Millicent’s Prosthesis:** Boosts Dexterity and raises attack power with successive attacks. Earned during Millicent’s questline.
* **Rotten Winged Sword Insignia:** Greatly raises attack power with successive attacks. Earned during Millicent’s questline.
* **Marika’s Soreseal/Scarseal:** Increases Mind, Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane, but also increases damage taken. Found in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree (Soreseal) and the Weeping Peninsula (Scarseal).
* **Ritual Sword Talisman:** Increases attack power when at maximum health. Found in the Altus Plateau, in the Hermit Village.
* **Green Turtle Talisman:** Raises stamina recovery speed. Found in Summonwater Village in Limgrave.
* **Erdtree’s Favor:** Increases maximum HP, stamina, and equip load. Found in Fringefolk Hero’s Grave in Limgrave.
**Important Considerations:**
* **Talisman Slots:** You start with two talisman slots and can acquire two more by finding Talisman Pouches.
* **Experimentation:** Try different combinations of talismans to find what works best for your playstyle.
## Armor: Balancing Protection and Mobility
Armor is less critical for bleed builds than other stats, but it’s still important to choose armor that provides decent protection while maintaining good mobility. Here are some general guidelines:
* **Medium Load:** Aim for a medium equip load to maintain good dodge rolling speed. You can increase your equip load by investing in Endurance or using the Erdtree’s Favor talisman.
* **Poise:** Poise determines how easily you can be staggered by enemy attacks. Higher poise is beneficial, but it often comes at the cost of equip load.
* **Fashion Souls:** Don’t underestimate the importance of fashion! Choose armor that you like the look of, as it can enhance your enjoyment of the game.
**Specific Armor Pieces (Optional):**
* **White Mask:** Increases attack power when blood loss occurs in the vicinity. Dropped by an invader in the Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum area.
## Gameplay Strategies for a Bleed Build
Here are some gameplay strategies to maximize the effectiveness of your bleed build:
* **Aggressive Playstyle:** Bleed builds excel at delivering burst damage, so be aggressive and try to trigger Hemorrhage as quickly as possible.
* **Weapon Skills:** Use your weapon skills strategically to inflict bleed and stagger enemies.
* **Dodging and Positioning:** Master the art of dodging to avoid enemy attacks and maintain good positioning.
* **Jump Attacks:** Jump attacks are effective for inflicting bleed, especially with weapons that have a wide swing arc.
* **Powerstancing:** If you’re using two weapons of the same type, powerstancing can significantly increase your damage output and bleed application rate. Use the L1/LB button to attack with both weapons simultaneously.
* **Charged Attacks:** Although less reliable than Weapon Skills, fully charged attacks can cause your enemy to flinch, making it more difficult for them to dodge your future attacks, and thus making it easier to inflict Blood Loss build-up.
* **Status Effect Build Up:** Don’t be afraid to apply other status effects on your enemies such as Frostbite. This will weaken your opponent and make them easier to handle.
## Dealing with Bleed-Resistant Enemies
Some enemies in Elden Ring are resistant or immune to bleed. Here’s how to deal with them:
* **Fire Damage:** Many bleed-resistant enemies are weak to fire. Use fire-infused weapons or spells to deal additional damage.
* **Poison/Rot:** Consider using poison or rot to inflict damage over time on bleed-resistant enemies.
* **Physical Damage:** If all else fails, focus on dealing physical damage with weapons that have high attack power.
* **Different Weapon:** Keep a backup weapon that does not cause blood loss build-up in case your main weapon is ineffective.
## Specific Boss Strategies for Bleed Builds
Here are some tips for dealing with specific bosses using a bleed build:
* **Margit, the Fell Omen:** Use a fast weapon with bleed buildup, such as the Uchigatana. Focus on dodging his attacks and triggering Hemorrhage. Summon Rogier to help you defeat him.
* **Godrick the Grafted:** Use a weapon with good range, such as the Nagakiba. Stay mobile and exploit his openings to inflict bleed. Summon Nepheli Loux and Godrick Soldier Ashes to defeat him.
* **Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon:** Bleed is not particularly effective against Rennala in her first phase, as she is protected by a magical barrier. However, once the barrier is broken and she enters her second phase, bleed can be very effective. Use a fast weapon with high bleed buildup and focus on dodging her spells.
* **Radahn, Starscourge:** Bleed is very effective against Radahn. Use a fast weapon and stay close to him to trigger Hemorrhage. Summon as many NPC allies as possible to distract him.
* **Godfrey, First Elden Lord/Hoarah Loux, Warrior:** Bleed is effective against both forms of Godfrey. Use a weapon with high bleed buildup and focus on dodging his aggressive attacks.
* **Malenia, Blade of Miquella:** Bleed is extremely effective against Malenia. Use a weapon with high bleed buildup, such as Rivers of Blood or Hand of Malenia, and focus on dodging her Waterfowl Dance attack.
* **Elden Beast:** Bleed is not effective against the Elden Beast. Focus on dealing physical and holy damage.
## Final Thoughts
Bleed builds are a powerful and versatile option for players in Elden Ring. By understanding the mechanics of bleed, choosing the right weapons and talismans, and employing effective gameplay strategies, you can create a character that excels at inflicting massive damage and dispatching even the toughest enemies. Experiment with different setups and find what works best for your playstyle. Good luck, Tarnished, and may your foes bleed profusely!