Does Godfrey Icon Work on Moonveil Katana? A Deep Dive
No, the Godfrey Icon talisman does NOT directly buff the weapon skill Transient Moonlight of the Moonveil Katana. While Godfrey Icon enhances charged spells and skills, Transient Moonlight is not a charged skill. Its power comes from its speed, range, and the magic damage it inflicts, not from holding the skill button to charge it up. Understanding why requires a closer look at the mechanics of both Godfrey Icon and Moonveil.
Understanding Godfrey Icon
Godfrey Icon is a powerful talisman in Elden Ring that boosts the damage of charged spells and skills. The description specifically states that it “enhances charged spells and skills.” This means any attack where you hold down the attack button to increase its power before releasing it will benefit from this talisman. Think of skills like Loretta’s Greatbow, where charging increases its range and damage, or a charged heavy attack with a greatsword. These are prime examples of abilities Godfrey Icon is designed to improve.
The key thing to remember is the word “charged”. The Godfrey Icon is not simply a damage buff to all weapon skills or sorceries. If the skill or spell doesn’t have a charge component, the Icon won’t do anything.
Understanding Moonveil and Transient Moonlight
The Moonveil Katana is a prized weapon among many Elden Ring players, famed for its speed, elegance, and the effectiveness of its weapon skill, Transient Moonlight. This skill allows you to sheath the katana, then quickly draw it to unleash a magical wave, either horizontally or vertically, depending on whether you perform a light or heavy attack respectively.
The crucial factor is that Transient Moonlight is an instant cast ability. You don’t charge it. You execute the input, and the attack happens immediately. While the skill does consume FP (Focus Points), that’s simply a cost, not an indicator of a charge mechanic. The damage scaling of Transient Moonlight relies primarily on Intelligence and weapon upgrade level. The speed and fluidity of Transient Moonlight are what make it so effective in combat.
Because it is not a charged skill, Transient Moonlight is not affected by the damage increase that Godfrey Icon provides. You could wear the talisman during combat while using Moonveil Katana, but it will not enhance the Transient Moonlight weapon skill.
Why the Confusion?
The confusion often arises because players see the word “skill” in the description of Godfrey Icon and assume it applies to all weapon skills. However, the description very specifically says “charged skills.” The other reason is that the nature of the damage output of the Moonveil Katana is based on magical damage, which some players think may mean the Godfrey Icon will enhance it. However, the talisman does not buff magical damage, only damage from charged skills and spells.
Experimentation and Verification
The best way to determine if a talisman or item affects a specific skill or spell is to test it. Record the damage output of Transient Moonlight against a specific enemy without Godfrey Icon equipped. Then, equip the Icon and perform the same attack against the same enemy. If the damage numbers are identical, the talisman is not providing any benefit. Many players in the Elden Ring community have done exactly this, confirming that Godfrey Icon has no effect on Transient Moonlight. You can watch YouTube videos of these tests for further confirmation.
It’s worth noting that some talismans and armor pieces do have a positive effect on Transient Moonlight.
Alternative Talismans for Moonveil
So, if Godfrey Icon doesn’t work on Moonveil, what does? Here are some talismans that will boost your Moonveil’s effectiveness:
- Magic Scorpion Charm: This talisman increases magic attack power, directly boosting the damage of Transient Moonlight.
- Graven-Mass Talisman: This talisman further boosts the potency of sorceries, again indirectly increasing Transient Moonlight’s damage.
- Cerulean Amber Medallion: This talisman increases your maximum FP, allowing you to use Transient Moonlight more often.
- Carian Filigreed Crest: This talisman reduces the FP cost of skills, including Transient Moonlight, allowing you to use the skill more often.
- Marika’s Soreseal/Scarseal: These increase Intelligence (among other stats), indirectly boosting Transient Moonlight’s damage scaling. Be mindful of the increased damage taken as a result.
- Lord of Blood’s Exultation: This talisman increases attack power after blood loss occurs in the vicinity. This works well in builds that also utilize bleed weapons or spells.
These talismans directly affect either the damage output, FP cost, or frequency of use of Transient Moonlight, making them significantly more valuable choices than Godfrey Icon when wielding the Moonveil Katana.
Ultimately, the right choice of talismans will depend on your style of playing the game.
Learning More
To delve deeper into the mechanics of Elden Ring and other games, consider exploring resources like the Games Learning Society, where educators and researchers explore the intersection of games and learning. You can find more information at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Godfrey Icon and Moonveil Katana
1. Does Godfrey Icon work on any weapon skills?
No, Godfrey Icon only works on charged weapon skills. If the skill requires you to hold the attack button to increase its power, then Godfrey Icon will likely boost its damage.
2. If Godfrey Icon doesn’t buff Transient Moonlight, what does buff its magic damage?
The Magic Scorpion Charm directly increases magic attack power. Also, increasing your Intelligence stat and upgrading the Moonveil Katana are important ways to increase Transient Moonlight’s damage.
3. Can I use Godfrey Icon with other spells while using Moonveil?
Yes! If you’re using sorceries that do involve charging, such as Comet Azur or Loretta’s Greatbow, Godfrey Icon will boost those spells. It just won’t affect Transient Moonlight.
4. Does Godfrey Icon affect charged heavy attacks with Moonveil?
No. Godfrey Icon is not associated with heavy attacks, and it does not affect the Moonveil Katana charged heavy attacks.
5. Is there any way to make Transient Moonlight count as a “charged” skill?
Unfortunately, no. The game mechanics define Transient Moonlight as an instant-cast skill. There’s no way to modify it to benefit from Godfrey Icon.
6. If a weapon skill has multiple stages, does Godfrey Icon only affect the charged portion?
If a skill has an initial quick attack followed by a charged attack, Godfrey Icon will only buff the charged portion of the skill. The effect on other such skills must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
7. Does Godfrey Icon work with incantations?
Yes, Godfrey Icon works with charged incantations such as Aspects of the Crucible: Breath. If the incantation requires charging, Godfrey Icon will boost its damage.
8. Does Godfrey Icon stack with other damage-boosting talismans?
Yes, Godfrey Icon does stack with other talismans, such as the Magic Scorpion Charm. This allows for greater builds and damage output. The effects of multiple talismans are additive.
9. What other talismans are good for a Moonveil build?
Good talismans for a Moonveil build include the Magic Scorpion Charm, Graven-Mass Talisman, Cerulean Amber Medallion, Carian Filigreed Crest, Marika’s Soreseal/Scarseal and the Lord of Blood’s Exultation.
10. Does the type of enemy matter when testing Godfrey Icon’s effectiveness?
Yes, the type of enemy matters because different enemies have different resistances to damage types. Using the same enemy for consistent testing is crucial. It is also important to test the effectiveness of Godfrey Icon on normal enemies rather than bosses, as the boss’s resistance may change as the fight progresses.
11. How does weapon scaling affect Transient Moonlight’s damage?
Transient Moonlight’s damage scales primarily with Intelligence. The higher your Intelligence stat and the more upgraded the katana is, the more damage Transient Moonlight will inflict.
12. Is there any other item that buffs magic skills, other than the Magic Scorpion Charm and Graven-Mass Talisman?
Certain armor pieces, such as the Snow Witch Set, can boost specific types of magic damage (in this case, frost spells). However, these are often very specific and don’t broadly buff all magic skills.
13. Can I still use Godfrey Icon if I plan to use other weapon skills that are chargeable while wielding Moonveil?
Of course! The great thing about Elden Ring is that it allows you to wield many weapons with many builds. While the Godfrey Icon does not buff Transient Moonlight, you can use its damage increase for other chargeable weapon skills.
14. Does the Godfrey Icon affect the physical damage of a charged attack?
Yes, the Godfrey Icon will boost the physical damage along with the magical damage if the attack has both physical and magical components.
15. Where can I find the Godfrey Icon?
The Godfrey Icon is obtained by defeating Godefroy the Grafted’s spirit in the Golden Lineage Evergaol in Altus Plateau.