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Unleash Your Inner Brute: Understanding Max Strength in Elden Ring

The Lands Between are a brutal and unforgiving place, and surviving requires a character build tailored to your playstyle. If you’re drawn to the heft and power of colossal weapons, then Strength is your primary attribute. So, what’s the peak potential for your mighty Tarnished?

The hard cap for Strength in Elden Ring is 99. Reaching this cap means you’ve maximized the attribute, and investing further points will yield minimal, if any, returns in terms of damage scaling or other benefits. Don’t waste valuable runes!

Strength: More Than Just Big Weapons

Strength, however, isn’t just about meeting weapon requirements or swinging a massive greatsword. It influences several crucial aspects of your character:

Weapon Requirements: Strength dictates which weapons you can effectively wield. The heavier and more powerful the weapon, the higher the Strength requirement. Failing to meet this requirement results in severely reduced attack power and awkward, slow movements.
Damage Scaling: Many weapons in Elden Ring scale their damage output based on your Strength stat. This means the higher your Strength, the more damage you’ll inflict with each swing.
Equipment Load: Strength directly increases your Equipment Load, allowing you to wear heavier armor without becoming encumbered. Encumbrance affects your movement speed, dodge roll distance, and overall agility. Staying below 70% of your maximum Equipment Load is generally recommended for optimal combat performance.
Defense: While not its primary function, Strength also provides a minor increase to your physical defense.

Soft Caps vs. Hard Caps: The Nuances of Leveling

Understanding the difference between soft caps and hard caps is vital for efficient character building.

Soft Caps: These are points where the benefits you receive from leveling a stat begin to diminish. You’ll still get improvements, but they won’t be as significant as earlier levels. Elden Ring has a few soft caps for Strength, notably around 16, 60, and 80.
Hard Cap: This is the absolute limit for a stat, where further leveling provides virtually no additional benefit. As stated earlier, the Strength hard cap in Elden Ring is 99.

It is important to note that if you’re two-handing a weapon, the game effectively multiplies your Strength by 1.5 for the purposes of meeting weapon requirements and damage scaling. This means that with 66 Strength, you can wield weapons requiring 99 Strength when two-handing.

Reaching the Pinnacle: Tips for Maximizing Strength

While you can technically reach level 713 and max out every stat, it’s a massive undertaking, requiring billions of runes. For a more focused Strength build, here’s how to efficiently maximize your potential:

Prioritize Strength Early: If you’re committed to a Strength build, invest heavily in it early on. This will allow you to wield powerful weapons and deal significant damage from the start.
Consider Talismans and Equipment: Several talismans and pieces of equipment can temporarily boost your Strength. The Radagon’s Soreseal and Radagon’s Scarseal increase Strength, Vigor, Endurance, and Dexterity, but at the cost of increased damage taken. The Starscourge Heirloom is a more focused option, granting +5 to Strength with no drawbacks.
Two-Handing Strategies: Utilize the two-handing mechanic to wield even heavier weapons without needing to invest as heavily in Strength. This can be a great way to save points for other important attributes.
Don’t Overlook Endurance: While Strength helps with Equipment Load, Endurance is equally important. It increases your stamina, allowing you to attack and dodge more frequently. A balance between Strength and Endurance is crucial for a successful build.
Respec Wisely: If you realize you’ve over-leveled Strength or want to redistribute your stats, you can respec your character by using a Larval Tear. This allows you to reallocate your attribute points, optimizing your build for specific challenges. You can often find communities on sites like GamesLearningSociety.org that have great suggestions on how to best allocate your builds.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of Strength in Elden Ring:

1. Can I go above 99 Strength with Talismans?

While talismans can temporarily boost your Strength above 99, the stat benefits are capped at 99. This means that even if a talisman pushes your displayed Strength to 104, you won’t receive any additional damage scaling or other benefits beyond what you’d have at 99.

2. What happens if I don’t meet the Strength requirement for a weapon?

If your Strength is too low to wield a weapon effectively, your attacks will be significantly weaker, slower, and will often bounce off enemies. You’ll also have reduced mobility.

3. Is it worth leveling Strength beyond the soft caps?

Yes, especially if you’re focusing on a Strength build. While the benefits diminish, the damage scaling and increased Equipment Load are still valuable, particularly when using heavy weapons and armor.

4. How does two-handing affect Strength requirements?

Two-handing a weapon effectively multiplies your Strength by 1.5 for the purpose of meeting weapon requirements. This allows you to wield weapons that would normally be beyond your reach.

5. What are some good weapons for Strength builds?

Elden Ring offers a wide array of fantastic Strength weapons, including colossal swords like the Greatsword and Ruins Greatsword, hammers like the Great Stars and Giant-Crusher, and axes like the Greataxe and Executioner’s Greataxe. Experiment to find weapons that suit your playstyle.

6. Does Strength affect my jumping attack damage?

Yes, Strength-scaling weapons will have their jumping attack damage increased by your strength stat.

7. How does Strength interact with Ashes of War?

The Ashes of War you imbue on your weapons will scale on your strength stat as well, if the ash of war has that built in.

8. Can I respec my character if I’ve made mistakes with my Strength build?

Yes, you can respec your character by using a Larval Tear. This allows you to reallocate your attribute points, optimizing your build for specific challenges.

9. Is there a “best” level to stop leveling Strength?

There’s no definitive “best” level, as it depends on your overall build and playstyle. However, many players aim for around 60-80 Strength, as this provides a good balance between damage scaling and other attributes.

10. Does Strength affect my poise?

Strength itself doesn’t directly affect your poise. Poise is primarily determined by the armor you’re wearing. However, a higher Strength stat allows you to wear heavier armor, which generally provides more poise.

11. How important is Equipment Load for a Strength build?

Equipment Load is very important. Maintaining a medium roll (below 70% of your maximum Equipment Load) is crucial for effective dodging and mobility. Invest in Strength and Endurance to wear heavier armor without becoming encumbered.

12. Are there any negative consequences to leveling Strength too high?

The only real consequence is potentially wasting runes. Once you reach the hard cap of 99, further leveling Strength provides virtually no benefit.

13. Does Strength affect my ability to break an enemy’s stance?

Yes, Strength-scaling weapons generally have a high “stance damage” value. This means they’re more effective at breaking an enemy’s stance, allowing you to perform a critical hit.

14. Are there any spells or incantations that scale with Strength?

While rare, there are a few spells and incantations that scale with Strength. Typically, magic, fire, lightning, or holy scaling scales on strength, the soft caps are always 20/50/80 with a hard cap at 99, even when two-handing.

15. Should I focus solely on Strength, or should I invest in other attributes as well?

A balanced build is generally more effective than focusing solely on Strength. Vigor, Endurance, and Mind are also important attributes to consider, depending on your playstyle and preferred weapon skills.

Conclusion

Mastering Strength in Elden Ring requires understanding its impact on your character, recognizing the importance of soft and hard caps, and optimizing your build for your playstyle. By following these guidelines, you can unleash your inner brute and dominate the Lands Between with the mightiest of weapons. Good luck, Tarnished, and may your Strength never falter!

What is the max strength in Elden Ring?