The best Elden Ring bleed builds
Looking for the best bleed builds in Elden Ring? There's a reason they are so popular. Blood-loss damage can take chunks of health off both regular enemies and bosses, and it's satisfying to watch that health bar shrink whenever the blood build-up takes hold.
Many Elden Ring weapons have blood-loss passively built into them, but you can really go to town if you want to base your whole build around the mechanic. Of course, there are plenty of other more than viable builds. And if you don't mind getting up close and personal to the hostile inhabitants of the Lands Between, a decent bleed build can be a lot of fun. That's where this guide comes in. I'll list some of the best Elden Ring bleed builds and break down their reasoning.
Best Elden Ring bleed builds
Rivers of Blood
Weapon: Rivers of Blood
Armor: White Mask (helm), anything else
Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Shard of Alexander, Carian Filigreed Crest
Offensive stats: Dexterity/Arcane
Rivers of Blood is probably one of the strongest weapons in the game when it comes to bleed builds, largely thanks to the weapon art, Corpse Piler. It sends two slashes of blood before you, dealing damage and causing blood loss. White Mask increases attack power whenever blood loss is inflicted close by, and the Lord of Blood's Exultation talisman does the same. What's important, though, is that both buffs stack. If you're planning on making good use of the Corpse Piler skill, Shard of Alexander increases skill damage, while the Carian Filigreed Crest reduces the FP used. It's up to you what you pick for your final talisman.
Rivers of Blood is a late-game weapon, but you can substitute it with another katana, such as the Uchigatana (starting weapon for Samurai) or even dual wield two katanas with the Seppuku Ash of War for that extra quick bleed build-up.
Elenora's Poleblade
Weapon: Eleonora's Poleblade
Armor: White Mask (helm), anything else
Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Shard of Alexander, Carian Filigreed Crest
Offensive stats: Dexterity/Arcane
Eleonora's Poleblade is a fast weapon that lands multiple hits with each attack. The weapon art, Bloodblade Dance, is a flurry of blows performed in quick succession, which can be followed up with another attack. It's quite a lengthy animation, though, and if you're planning on using it a lot, the last two talismans mentioned above are a must. Lord of Blood's Exultation increases attack power when close to bleed damage, and the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia increases it with successive hits.
For even more bleed build-up potential, you can dual wield with another twinblade, which gives the bonus of extra hits. Be mindful of the extra stamina you'll consume, and consider the Green Turtle talisman for extra staying power.
Raptor Talons
Weapon: Raptor Talons
Armor: White Mask (helm), Raptor's Black Feathers (chest), anything else
Talismans: Lord of Blood's Exultation, Claw Talisman, Green Turtle Talisman
Offensive stats: Dexterity/Strength
Ash of War: Bloodhound Step
This build isn't as flashy as the others, but Raptor Talons—or any other fist weapons—can be two-handed to have one in each hand. They don't have the best range, but they're fast, meaning you see bleed proc often. And if you infuse them with the Bloodhound Step Ash of War, you can close the distance on nimble bosses quickly. And if you want to further increase the passive blood loss build-up, you can switch the weapon's affinity to Blood and change your secondary stat from strength to arcane.
Lord of Blood's Exultation and the White Mask increase attack power while blood loss is on an enemy, and the Claw Talisman and Raptor's Black Feathers increase the damage of jumping attacks. The Green Turtle Talisman is there to help you regen stamina back swiftly so you can stay mobile and, hopefully, alive.
The Hookclaws is an early-game alternative to the Raptor Talons and can be picked up in Stormveil Castle.