Mastering Incantations in Elden Ring: A Comprehensive Guide

Elden Ring, FromSoftware’s sprawling open-world RPG, offers players a vast array of combat options. While melee combat and sorceries are popular choices, Incantations provide a powerful and versatile alternative, drawing upon faith and the power of the Greater Will. This comprehensive guide will delve into the world of Incantations, covering everything from understanding their mechanics to mastering their use in combat and exploration.

## What are Incantations?

Incantations in Elden Ring are spells that draw power from Faith. Unlike Sorceries, which require Intelligence, Incantations scale primarily with the Faith stat. They offer a diverse range of effects, including:

* **Offensive Incantations:** Projectiles of fire, lightning, holy power, and various elemental affinities.
* **Healing Incantations:** Restore health to yourself and allies.
* **Buff Incantations:** Enhance your attack power, defense, or grant other beneficial effects.
* **Status Effect Incantations:** Inflict poison, bleed, madness, or other debilitating conditions on enemies.
* **Utility Incantations:** Provide light, cure poison, or perform other helpful functions.

## Understanding the Requirements

To cast Incantations, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:

* **Faith Stat:** Each Incantation has a minimum Faith requirement. You must have enough Faith to equip and cast the spell.
* **Sacred Seal:** Sacred Seals are the catalysts for Incantations, similar to how Staves are for Sorceries. You must equip a Sacred Seal in one of your hands to cast Incantations. Different Sacred Seals scale differently with Faith and other stats, influencing the effectiveness of your Incantations.
* **FP (Focus Points):** Casting Incantations consumes FP. Ensure you have enough FP to cast the Incantation you desire.
* **Memory Slots:** You need to memorize Incantations at a Site of Grace before you can use them. The number of Incantations you can memorize is determined by your Memory Slots, which can be increased by finding Memory Stones.

## Choosing the Right Sacred Seal

Selecting the right Sacred Seal is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of your Incantations. Here are some of the best Sacred Seals in Elden Ring and their strengths:

* **Finger Seal:** The starting seal for the Prophet class and a solid all-around option for early-game Incantations. Good for characters who use a mix of Incantations.
* **Gravel Stone Seal:** Boosts Dragon Cult Incantations (lightning-based). Ideal for builds focused on lightning damage. Found in Stormveil Castle.
* **Godslayer’s Seal:** Enhances Godslayer Incantations (black flame-based). A strong choice for dealing damage over time and against enemies weak to black flame. Located in Stormveil Castle.
* **Erdtree Seal:** Scales exceptionally well with Faith at high levels (60+ Faith). One of the best overall seals for pure Faith builds. Found in Volcano Manor.
* **Clawmark Seal:** Scales with both Strength and Faith. An excellent choice for hybrid Strength/Faith builds that want to use both melee weapons and Incantations effectively. Obtained from Gurranq, Beast Clergyman in Caelid.
* **Dragon Communion Seal:** Scales with Faith, Arcane, Strength, and Dexterity, with a strong emphasis on Arcane. Boosts Dragon Communion Incantations (breath attacks). Requires a significant investment in Arcane. Found in the Fringefolk Hero’s Grave (requires two Stonesword Keys).
* **Frenzied Flame Seal:** Boosts Frenzied Flame Incantations. Great for builds focused on inflicting madness. Found in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell, Royal Capital.
* **Golden Order Seal:** Scales with both Intelligence and Faith. Ideal for builds that invest in both stats and utilize Golden Order Incantations (Holy Damage).
* **Two Fingers Seal:** Boosts fundamentalist incantations. Located in Altus Plateau.
* **Marika’s Soreseal and Radagon’s Soreseal:** These talismans, while not seals, raise your Faith stat at the cost of increased damage taken. Useful for meeting the Faith requirement for specific Incantations or Sacred Seals.

**Factors to Consider When Choosing a Seal:**

* **Scaling:** The scaling grade (S, A, B, C, D, or E) indicates how well the seal’s Incantation Scaling (which affects Incantation damage and effectiveness) increases with your Faith stat. Higher grades are better.
* **Special Boosts:** Some seals boost specific categories of Incantations, such as Dragon Cult or Godslayer Incantations. If you specialize in a certain type of Incantation, choose a seal that complements it.
* **Stat Requirements:** Consider the stat requirements of the seal itself. Some seals require Strength, Dexterity, or Arcane in addition to Faith.
* **Weapon Upgrade Level:** Upgrade your Sacred Seals at a blacksmith to increase their Incantation Scaling and improve the effectiveness of your Incantations. The upgrade level matters *significantly*.

## Obtaining Incantations

Incantations can be obtained in several ways:

* **Purchase from NPCs:** Various NPCs throughout the Lands Between sell Incantations. These include:
* **Brother Corhyn:** Located initially at the Roundtable Hold, and later moving to Altus Plateau, Corhyn sells fundamental Incantations.
* **Miriel, Pastor of Vows (Turtle Pope):** Found at the Church of Vows in Liurnia of the Lakes, Miriel sells a wide range of Incantations, including both fundamental and advanced options.
* **Gurranq, Beast Clergyman:** Located in the Bestial Sanctum in Caelid, Gurranq offers Incantations in exchange for Deathroot.
* **D, Hunter of the Dead:** Initially found near Summonwater Village in Limgrave, D provides information related to Deathroot and the Beast Clergyman. Completing D’s questline can lead to the acquisition of new Incantations.
* **Roderika:** After completing her questline, Roderika relocates to Roundtable Hold where she can upgrade Spirit Ashes. While she doesn’t sell Incantations directly, completing her quest often involves areas containing valuable Incantations.
* **Enia (Finger Reader):** After defeating major bosses, Enia, located in the Roundtable Hold, may offer Incantations for purchase in exchange for Remembrance items.
* **Seluvis:** Though primarily focused on Sorceries, Seluvis, found in Seluvis’s Rise in Liurnia of the Lakes, offers a limited number of Incantations related to his questline.
* **Loot from Enemies and Bosses:** Some enemies and bosses drop Incantations upon defeat. Consult online resources and community guides to identify which enemies drop specific Incantations.
* **Found in the Environment:** Many Incantations are hidden throughout the Lands Between, found in chests, on corpses, or as rewards for completing puzzles. Thorough exploration is essential for discovering these hidden treasures.
* **Rewarded for Completing Quests:** Certain quests, such as those involving specific NPCs, reward you with Incantations upon completion. Pay attention to dialogue and quest objectives to identify potential Incantation rewards.
* **Dragon Hearts:** Some Incantations are purchased using Dragon Hearts at the Cathedral of Dragon Communion or the Church of Dragon Communion. These Incantations usually revolve around dragon-based attacks.

## Memorizing Incantations

Once you’ve acquired an Incantation, you need to memorize it at a Site of Grace before you can use it.

1. **Rest at a Site of Grace:** Interact with a Site of Grace to open the menu.
2. **Select “Memorize Spells”:** This option allows you to equip Incantations (and Sorceries) to your Memory Slots.
3. **Choose an Incantation:** Select the Incantation you want to memorize from the list of Incantations you possess.
4. **Confirm:** Confirm your selection to memorize the Incantation.

**Increasing Memory Slots:**

You start with a limited number of Memory Slots. To increase the number of Incantations you can memorize, you need to find Memory Stones. Memory Stones are scattered throughout the Lands Between, often found in towers or as rewards for defeating bosses. Key locations include:

* **Oridys’s Rise (Weeping Peninsula):** Solving the puzzle on top of the tower grants a Memory Stone.
* **Testu’s Rise (Liurnia of the Lakes):** Requires obtaining a Glintstone Key to access the tower. The key is found on a corpse near the tower itself.
* **Lenne’s Rise (Dragonbarrow, Caelid):** Access requires a Spiritspring Jump from Torrent.
* **Seluvis’s Rise (Liurnia of the Lakes):** Located in the Three Sisters area, but may be inaccessible depending on your quest progress.
* **Ranni’s Rise (Liurnia of the Lakes):** Requires progressing Ranni’s questline to access the tower.
* **Convocation Church (Liurnia of the Lakes):** Found on a corpse in the church.

In addition to Memory Stones, the *Stargazer Heirloom* talisman also increases Memory Slots.

## Casting Incantations

To cast an Incantation:

1. **Equip a Sacred Seal:** Equip your desired Sacred Seal in one of your hand slots.
2. **Memorize the Incantation:** Ensure the Incantation is memorized at a Site of Grace.
3. **Select the Incantation:** Cycle through your memorized spells using the up or down directional buttons (on a controller). The selected Incantation will be displayed in the top-left corner of the screen.
4. **Cast the Incantation:** Press the corresponding attack button (usually R1/RB or R2/RT, depending on which hand the seal is equipped in) to cast the Incantation.
5. **Consume FP:** Casting the Incantation will consume FP. If you don’t have enough FP, you won’t be able to cast the spell.

## Optimizing Your Faith Build

To maximize the effectiveness of your Incantations, consider the following build optimization tips:

* **Prioritize Faith:** Faith should be your primary stat. Invest heavily in Faith to increase your Incantation Scaling and damage output.
* **Mind for FP:** A decent amount of Mind is essential to have enough FP to cast multiple Incantations without constantly replenishing. Determine how many casts of your favorite Incantations you want to be able to perform before needing to use a Cerulean Flask.
* **Vigor for Survivability:** Don’t neglect Vigor. You need enough health to survive enemy attacks, especially in the late game.
* **Endurance for Stamina:** Endurance is crucial for dodging, blocking, and performing melee attacks (if you’re using a hybrid build).
* **Strength/Dexterity (Optional):** If you’re using a weapon that scales with Strength or Dexterity alongside your Incantations, invest enough points to meet the weapon’s requirements and potentially improve its damage. However, focus primarily on Faith.
* **Talismans:** Equip talismans that enhance your Incantation effectiveness or survivability. Some useful talismans include:
* **Radagon’s Soreseal/Marika’s Soreseal:** Increases Faith (but also increases damage taken).
* **Sacred Scorpion Charm:** Boosts Holy damage.
* **Lightning Scorpion Charm:** Boosts Lightning damage.
* **Fire Scorpion Charm:** Boosts Fire damage.
* **Old Lord’s Talisman:** Extends the duration of Incantation buffs.
* **Erdtree’s Favor:** Increases HP, Stamina, and Equip Load.
* **Carian Filigreed Crest:** Reduces FP consumption of skills (including some incantations).
* **Godfrey Icon:** Enhances charged spells (including some incantations).
* **Flask of Wondrous Physick:** Use the Flask of Wondrous Physick to temporarily boost your Faith or grant other beneficial effects. Useful crystal tears include:
* **Faith-knot Crystal Tear:** Temporarily increases Faith.
* **Spiked Cracked Tear:** Temporarily boosts charged spells (including some charged incantations).
* **Opaline Hardtear:** Temporarily boosts all damage negation.

## Incantation Strategies and Tips

* **Mix and Match:** Don’t rely solely on offensive Incantations. Combine offensive spells with buffs and healing spells to create a well-rounded combat strategy.
* **Use Buffs Strategically:** Apply buffs before engaging in combat to gain an advantage. Consider using buffs that increase your attack power, defense, or resistance to specific damage types.
* **Heal Judiciously:** Healing Incantations can be life-savers, but be mindful of their FP cost and casting time. Use them strategically to avoid getting caught in a vulnerable position.
* **Exploit Enemy Weaknesses:** Experiment with different types of Incantations to identify enemy weaknesses. Some enemies are more vulnerable to fire, lightning, holy damage, or status effects.
* **Charge Incantations:** Some Incantations can be charged by holding down the cast button (R2/RT). Charging an Incantation typically increases its damage, range, or duration.
* **Pay Attention to Casting Speed:** The casting speed of Incantations is influenced by your Dexterity stat. While Faith is your primary focus, a moderate investment in Dexterity can improve your casting speed and make your Incantations more responsive. The *Radagon Icon* talisman also improves casting speed.
* **Utilize Stealth:** Combine Incantations with stealth tactics to ambush enemies or avoid unnecessary encounters. Incantations like *Assassin’s Approach* can reduce fall damage, allowing you to traverse areas without alerting enemies.
* **Cooperate with Other Players:** Incantations can be incredibly effective in cooperative play. Coordinate with your teammates to provide healing, buffs, and offensive support.
* **Experiment and Adapt:** Elden Ring is a challenging game, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to Incantations. Experiment with different Incantations, Sacred Seals, and talismans to find the build that best suits your playstyle and the challenges you face. Adapt your strategies based on the enemies you encounter and the situations you find yourself in.
* **Explore the Lands Between:** Many Incantations and Sacred Seals are hidden throughout the world. Take your time to explore every nook and cranny, and you’ll be rewarded with powerful new tools for your Incantation build.

## Recommended Incantations for Different Playstyles

Here are some recommended Incantations based on different playstyles:

**Pure Faith Build (Focus on Incantation Damage):**

* **Early Game:**
* *Heal:* Essential for early-game sustain.
* *Catch Flame:* A quick and reliable fire spell.
* *Lightning Spear:* A versatile ranged attack.
* *Black Flame:* Deals damage over time and is effective against bosses with large health pools.
* **Mid Game:**
* *Flame, Grant Me Strength:* A powerful physical attack buff.
* *Golden Vow:* Increases attack power and defense for yourself and allies.
* *Honorable Burial:* Deals Holy Damage
* *Lansseax’s Glaive:* Powerful lightning attack.
* **Late Game:**
* *Erdtree Heal:* A potent healing spell.
* *Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Strike:* Devastating lightning attack.
* *Black Blade:* Deals a percentage of enemy health as damage.
* *Elden Stars:* Projectiles that deal holy damage.

**Hybrid Strength/Faith Build (Melee Combat with Incantation Support):**

* **Early Game:**
* *Heal:* For survivability.
* *Bestial Vitality:* Grants passive health regeneration.
* *Flame Sling:* A ranged option when you can’t get close.
* **Mid Game:**
* *Beast Claw:* A quick melee attack with good range.
* *Bloodflame Blade:* Inflicts bleed buildup on your weapon.
* *Stone of Gurranq:* Throws a rock dealing physical damage.
* **Late Game:**
* *Gurranq’s Beast Claw:* Upgraded beast claw that is more powerful.
* *Aspect of the Crucible: Tail:* Sweeping tail attack.
* *Aspect of the Crucible: Breath:* Breath attack.

**Dragon Communion Build (Focus on Dragon Breath Attacks):**

* **Early Game:**
* *Dragonfire:* Basic dragon breath attack.
* *Dragonmaw:* Bites enemies in front of you.
* **Mid Game:**
* *Dragonice:* Breath that inflicts frostbite.
* *Agheel’s Flame:* Breath that creates a wide area of fire.
* **Late Game:**
* *Placidusax’s Ruin:* Powerful lightning breath attack.
* *Greyoll’s Roar:* Causes surrounding enemies to have their attack power reduced.

## Conclusion

Incantations in Elden Ring offer a rewarding and diverse playstyle. By understanding their mechanics, choosing the right Sacred Seals, optimizing your build, and experimenting with different strategies, you can become a formidable force in the Lands Between. Embrace the power of Faith and unleash the divine might of Incantations upon your enemies!