Is Two Swords Better Than One in Elden Ring?

The age-old question: is wielding two swords superior to wielding a single sword in Elden Ring? The short answer is it depends entirely on your build, playstyle, and the specific weapons you choose. Dual-wielding, or powerstancing, offers increased damage output and a unique moveset, but it comes at the cost of increased stamina consumption and a slightly different tactical approach. Ultimately, the “better” option is the one that best suits your individual needs and preferences within the Lands Between.

The Allure of Powerstancing: A Deep Dive

Powerstancing in Elden Ring isn’t just about looking cool (though it certainly contributes). It’s about transforming your character into a whirling dervish of destruction, unleashing devastating attacks that can stagger even the toughest enemies. But before you start grabbing every sword you can find, let’s examine the mechanics and considerations involved.

Mechanics of Dual-Wielding

To effectively powerstance, you need two weapons of the same weapon class (e.g., two straight swords, two katanas, two curved swords). You also need sufficient Strength and Dexterity to meet the minimum requirements of both weapons. Once these conditions are met, hold the two-hand weapon button (usually Triangle/Y), and your character will enter a powerstanced stance.

From here, pressing the L1/LB button will trigger a unique dual-wielding attack, often involving both weapons simultaneously. These attacks generally deal significantly more damage than standard single-weapon attacks, and can rapidly build up status effects like bleed or frostbite if your weapons are infused accordingly.

Advantages of Dual-Wielding

• Increased Damage Output: This is the primary draw. Powerstanced attacks hit hard, allowing for faster enemy takedowns. The L1/LB attacks often have excellent multi-hit capabilities, further boosting damage.
• Unique Moveset: The dual-wielding moveset offers a different range and rhythm compared to single-weapon attacks. This can be incredibly effective in certain situations, allowing you to overwhelm enemies with relentless aggression.
• Status Effect Buildup: Dual-wielding doubles your chances of applying status effects. Two weapons with bleed, frostbite, or poison can quickly inflict these conditions on enemies, leading to significant damage over time or debilitating effects.
• Weapon Art Synergy: While you lose access to the left-hand weapon’s Ash of War in the standard powerstance stance, some builds cleverly incorporate switching back to one-handing the left weapon momentarily to utilize the ash of war, before going back to powerstancing. This takes practice, but allows you to get the benefits of both.

Disadvantages of Dual-Wielding

• Stamina Consumption: Powerstanced attacks consume significantly more stamina than single-weapon attacks. Managing your stamina becomes crucial to avoid being caught defenseless.
• Increased Weight Load: Carrying two weapons adds to your equip load, potentially hindering your movement and roll speed. You may need to invest in Endurance to compensate.
• Limited Defense: When powerstancing, you cannot block effectively with a shield or parry. Your defense relies entirely on dodging and positioning. This requires a more aggressive and reactive playstyle.
• Stat Requirement Investment: Needing stats for both weapons limits your early build options.
• Weapon Variety Limitation: Your build is limited to weapons of the same class.

The Strength of a Single Blade: The Case for One-Handed Play

While dual-wielding is flashy and powerful, the simplicity and versatility of a single weapon shouldn’t be overlooked. A one-handed build offers a balanced approach, combining offense and defense with a greater range of tactical options.

Benefits of One-Handed Combat

• Shield Utility: One-handing allows you to equip a shield, providing superior defensive capabilities. Blocking enemy attacks, parrying to create openings, and using shield skills adds a layer of safety and control to combat.
• Weapon Art Flexibility: You have access to the Ash of War equipped on your weapon, offering a wide range of offensive and defensive options. These skills can provide valuable utility and adaptability.
• Lower Stamina Costs: One-handed attacks generally consume less stamina, allowing for more sustained aggression and easier stamina management.
• Reduced Weight Load: Carrying only one weapon reduces your equip load, allowing for greater freedom in armor selection and movement.
• Build Versatility: You are not restricted to specific weapon classes and can choose different weapons based on your needs.

Drawbacks of One-Handed Combat

• Lower Damage Output: Generally, one-handed attacks deal less damage than powerstanced attacks.
• Less Aggressive Playstyle: One-handed combat tends to be more reactive, focusing on exploiting openings rather than overwhelming enemies with relentless attacks.
• Reliance on Ash of War: One handed builds often rely more on weapon arts to add variety and damage, and less on basic attacks.

Finding the Right Fit: Matching Builds to Playstyles

Ultimately, the choice between dual-wielding and one-handed combat comes down to your preferred playstyle and build.

• Aggressive Players: If you enjoy overwhelming enemies with relentless attacks and don’t mind sacrificing defense, dual-wielding is a great option. Builds focusing on bleed, frostbite, or high physical damage can be incredibly effective.
• Tactical Players: If you prefer a more cautious and controlled approach, one-handed combat with a shield is a better fit. You can focus on exploiting openings, parrying attacks, and utilizing weapon skills to control the battlefield.
• Hybrid Players: Some builds can effectively combine elements of both styles. For example, you can start with a shield and switch to dual-wielding when an opportunity presents itself. This requires careful planning and execution, but can be very rewarding.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the best weapon classes for powerstancing?

Katanas, curved swords, straight swords, and twinblades are popular choices due to their speed, range, and the ability to inflict status effects. Daggers can be extremely effective for quick, burst damage.

2. Does powerstancing work with colossal weapons?

Unfortunately, no. Powerstancing requires two weapons of the same class, and colossal weapons can only be wielded one at a time (or two-handed).

3. Can I powerstance weapons with different Ashes of War?

While you cannot use both Ashes of War simultaneously in a standard powerstance stance, you can switch to two-handing the left weapon momentarily to use its ash of war, then go back to powerstancing.

4. Does dual-wielding increase my attack speed?

No, dual-wielding itself doesn’t inherently increase attack speed. However, the unique dual-wielding moveset often allows for faster and more fluid attacks compared to single-weapon attacks.

5. How does dual-wielding affect status effect buildup?

It significantly boosts status effect buildup. Each attack with both weapons contributes to the buildup, allowing you to inflict bleed, frostbite, or poison much faster.

6. What stats should I prioritize for a dual-wielding build?

Strength and Dexterity are essential for meeting the requirements of your chosen weapons. Endurance is also crucial for managing stamina, and Vigor is always important for survivability.

7. Are there any talismans that specifically benefit dual-wielding?

The Claw Talisman increases jump attack damage, which is a common part of some dual-wielding movesets. The Rotten Winged Sword Insignia and Millicent’s Prosthesis increase attack power with successive attacks, benefiting fast-attacking dual-wielding builds.

8. Can I powerstance weapons with different damage types (e.g., physical and magic)?

Yes, you can. The game will calculate damage based on each weapon’s individual stats and resistances.

9. Is it viable to powerstance early in the game?

It can be challenging due to stat requirements and limited resources. However, if you find two compatible weapons early on and invest in the necessary stats, it can be a powerful option.

10. How does dual-wielding affect poise damage?

Powerstanced attacks generally deal more poise damage than single-weapon attacks, making it easier to stagger enemies.

11. Does upgrading both weapons increase the damage output when powerstancing?

Yes, absolutely! Upgrading both weapons is essential for maximizing your damage output.

12. What’s better: dual-wielding or two-handing a single weapon?

It depends on the weapon and your build. Two-handing provides a Strength bonus and a different moveset, which can be very effective with certain weapons like greatswords or colossal weapons. Dual-wielding offers increased damage output and status effect buildup, but at the cost of stamina and defense.

13. Can I use magic with a dual-wielding build?

Yes, but it requires some compromises. You’ll need to switch to one-handing your weapons to cast spells, which interrupts your dual-wielding flow. However, it can be a viable option for adding versatility to your build.

14. Are there any unique dual-wielding weapon combinations that are particularly powerful?

There are many! Some popular combinations include:

• Bloodhound’s Fang and a Blood Uchigatana: For bleed buildup and high damage.
• Two Rivers of Blood katanas: Also for insane bleed buildup and weapon art spam.
• Two Scavenger’s Curved Swords: For rapid bleed buildup and quick attacks.

15. What is the most important thing to consider when choosing between dual-wielding and a single weapon?

The most important thing is to choose the playstyle that you find most fun and effective. Experiment with different options and find what works best for you. The Lands Between are vast and unforgiving, so choose the path that leads you to victory (and enjoyment!).