Does Lightning Armament Scale with Faith? A Deep Dive into Elden Ring’s Electrifying Mechanics
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The short answer is a nuanced no, but with a crucial “it depends.” Lightning-infused weapons intrinsically scale with Dexterity (Dex), not Faith (Fai). However, if you’re after lightning damage that scales with Faith, you’ll need to look at specific incantations and Ash of War infusions. Let’s break down how lightning damage works in Elden Ring and how Faith comes into play.
Lightning Damage: Dexterity vs. Faith
The core issue stems from how Elden Ring separates damage types and scaling. Standard weapons, when infused with a Lightning Affinity, shift their scaling primarily towards Dexterity. This means the higher your Dex stat, the more lightning damage your weapon will inflict. This holds true for many weapons that innately deal lightning damage, like the Bolt of Gransax.
However, that doesn’t mean Faith is entirely left out of the lightning equation. Here’s where things get interesting:
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Electrify Armament Incantation: This spell is the key to scaling lightning damage with Faith. When cast, it temporarily imbues your weapon with lightning damage, and the amount of damage added directly scales with the Faith portion of your Sacred Seal’s incantation scaling. The stronger your seal, the more powerful the lightning buff.
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Sacred Affinity Infusion: If you infuse a weapon with the Sacred Affinity using an Ash of War, the weapon’s base attacks will deal physical and holy damage, and this holy damage scales with Faith. Furthermore, certain Ashes of War like Thunderbolt or Lightning Slash can also imbue a weapon with lightning damage. If a weapon is infused with Sacred Affinity and such an Ash of War is applied, the Ash of War’s weapon skill lightning damage will scale with the weapon’s physical stat scaling, which is Faith in the case of the Sacred Affinity infusion.
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Vyke’s Dragonbolt: This incantation offers another path to lightning damage that is, in effect, faith-based. Upon use, you gain the ability to create lightning infusions on your weapons. It’s critical to be aware that using Vyke’s Dragonbolt will cause you to become weaker to lightning damage.
The Best of Both Worlds: Hybrid Builds
While pure Faith builds can leverage Electrify Armament or weapon skills of Sacred Affinity weapons that imbue lightning damage to achieve significant lightning damage output, hybrid builds offer a more versatile approach. For instance, a Dex/Faith build could utilize a Lightning-infused weapon for consistent damage while supplementing it with Faith-based lightning incantations for burst damage or specific enemy weaknesses.
Finding the Right Weapon
The best weapon for a lightning build depends heavily on your preferred playstyle and stat distribution. If you’re primarily focusing on Dexterity, a weapon like the Bolt of Gransax is a natural fit. For a Faith-focused build, any weapon that can be infused with the Sacred Affinity or is suitable for the Electrify Armament incantation could work.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are there any weapons that innately scale lightning damage with Faith?
No, there are no weapons that naturally scale lightning damage with Faith. The Dexterity stat will always be the primary stat for that purpose. Your Faith stat is most potent when applied to spells such as Electrify Armament, or weapons infused with the Sacred Affinity.
2. Does the Gravel Stone Seal boost the Electrify Armament incantation?
No, the Gravel Stone Seal only boosts the potency of Dragon Cult incantations, which are generally offensive lightning spells. Electrify Armament is not a Dragon Cult incantation, and will not be affected by the Gravel Stone Seal’s bonuses.
3. What stats are best for a lightning build in Elden Ring?
It depends on the kind of lightning damage you are going for. Dexterity is key for weapons with lightning infusions, while Faith is critical for incantations like Electrify Armament. Consider a hybrid build if you want both options. Vigor is always important!
4. Does Faith affect the damage of Lightning Ashes of War?
If you are using Lightning Ashes of War on a weapon infused with the Sacred Affinity, then yes, your weapon art’s lightning damage will scale with the weapon’s scaling, meaning it will scale with Faith. Otherwise, the damage will not scale with Faith.
5. Which seal is the best for Electrify Armament?
The best seal is the one with the highest Incantation Scaling for your Faith level. Experiment with different seals and check their scaling at the Smithing Table to see which provides the best buff. The Erdtree Seal is a solid all-around choice.
6. What armor sets offer the best lightning resistance?
The Bull-Goat Set has the highest poise value in the game and excellent physical damage mitigation, but it also has the best lightning resistance out of all armor.
7. Are dragons weak to lightning in Elden Ring?
Yes, dragons are notably susceptible to lightning damage in Elden Ring. Using lightning spells or weapons is a good strategy when fighting them.
8. What talismans boost lightning damage?
The Lightning Scorpion Charm increases lightning damage dealt by 12%, but it also increases the physical damage you take by 10%. Use with caution! The Shard of Alexander will increase the damage of your lightning weapon skills.
9. How does Electrify Armament work?
Electrify Armament adds lightning damage to your weapon, scaling with the Faith portion of your Sacred Seal’s incantation scaling. It’s a temporary buff that allows you to imbue any weapon with lightning, making it a versatile option for Faith builds.
10. What are some good lightning incantations besides Electrify Armament?
Lightning Spear is a good incantation, with decent range, and massive damage in the right circumstances. Other great choices are Lansseax’s Glaive and Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Strike.
11. How does weapon scaling work in Elden Ring?
Weapon scaling refers to how much damage a weapon gains based on your stats (Strength, Dexterity, Faith, Intelligence, Arcane). Each weapon has scaling grades (S, A, B, C, D, E), with S being the best.
12. Can I change the scaling of a weapon?
Yes, by using Ashes of War and different Affinity infusions. For example, the Lightning Affinity makes a weapon scale primarily with Dexterity, while the Sacred Affinity makes it scale with Faith.
13. What is the difference between lightning damage and holy damage?
Lightning damage is elemental damage, while holy damage is another type of elemental damage that is particularly effective against undead enemies. Some enemies are more resistant to one type of damage than the other. Holy damage scales with Faith.
14. What stats affect incantation damage?
The damage of incantations is primarily affected by the Faith stat and the incantation scaling of your chosen Sacred Seal. Some seals may also scale with other stats, such as Strength or Intelligence, which can further boost their effectiveness.
15. Where can I learn more about game mechanics and design?
The Games Learning Society, found at GamesLearningSociety.org, is a fantastic resource for learning about the intricacies of game design and mechanics. Explore their research and publications to deepen your understanding of video games.