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Holy Arms of the Lands Between: A Deep Dive into Holy Damage Weapons in Elden Ring

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Elden Ring, FromSoftware’s sprawling masterpiece, offers players a dizzying array of weapons to master. Among the diverse damage types, holy damage stands out, imbued with sacred power and possessing unique strengths and weaknesses. But what weapons actually deal holy damage in Elden Ring? Let’s break it down.

The primary weapons that inherently deal holy damage include:

Black Knife (Dagger): This unique dagger not only deals physical damage but also a significant amount of holy damage. Its weapon skill, Blade of Death, further enhances this, reducing enemy max HP and inflicting holy damage over time.
Blade of Calling (Dagger): Another dagger that deals inherent holy damage, the Blade of Calling, is a Faith-scaling weapon. Its weapon art fires a ranged projectile dealing holy damage.
Cipher Pata (Fist): This weapon is a peculiar one as it deals pure holy damage and scales exclusively with Faith. Because it deals pure holy damage, its effectiveness relies heavily on enemy resistances.
Coded Sword (Straight Sword): Similar to the Cipher Pata, the Coded Sword deals pure holy damage and scales exclusively with Faith. It’s a lightweight and fast option for Faith-based builds.
Eclipse Shotel (Curved Sword): This weapon inflicts the Death Blight status effect as well as dealing holy damage. It’s a unique weapon primarily used in PvP due to its high damage and status effect.
Envoy’s Greathorn (Colossal Weapon): As one of the envoy weapons it deals holy damage. It’s notable weapon art allows it to fire a barrage of bubbles that deal holy damage and stun enemies.
Envoy’s Horn (Hammer): A smaller version of the Envoy’s Greathorn, also deals holy damage and has a similar weapon skill, albeit with fewer bubbles fired.
Envoy’s Long Horn (Great Hammer): This is an even smaller version of the Envoy’s Greathorn, this Great Hammer also deals holy damage. Its weapon art blows a large bubble that deals holy damage.
Winged Scythe (Reaper): This weapon deals both physical and holy damage, and also inflicts Blood Loss buildup. Its weapon skill leaps towards the target and releases a burst of holy damage

While these weapons inherently deal holy damage, remember that many weapons can gain access to holy damage through infusions using Ashes of War. These infusions generally scale with Faith and can dramatically alter a weapon’s damage output.

Understanding Holy Damage in Elden Ring

Strengths and Weaknesses

Holy damage is exceptionally effective against undead enemies. Skeletons, revenants, and other creatures of undeath often crumble before its radiant power. However, this strength is counterbalanced by a significant weakness: many of Elden Ring’s major bosses have high holy damage resistance. Maliketh, Radagon, and the Elden Beast, some of the game’s most challenging encounters, are particularly resistant or even immune to holy damage.

Boosting Holy Damage

Several factors can influence the amount of holy damage you deal:

Faith Stat: The higher your Faith stat, the more damage you will deal with weapons that scale with Faith and deal holy damage.
Weapon Upgrade Level: Upgrading your weapons with Smithing Stones or Somber Smithing Stones significantly increases their overall damage, including their holy damage component.
Talismans: Certain talismans, such as the Sacred Scorpion Charm, boost your holy damage output, at the cost of reduced damage negation.
Buffs and Incantations: Incantations like Golden Vow can temporarily increase your damage, including holy damage. Consumable items like Holy-Shrouding Cracked Tear can also boost holy damage for a limited time.

Defending Against Holy Damage

To mitigate holy damage, consider the following:

Armor: Certain armor sets, such as the Crucible Tree set, offer high holy damage negation.
Talismans: The Haligdrake Talisman directly reduces holy damage taken.
Shields: Shields with high Holy damage negation can block incoming holy attacks effectively. The Pillory Shield is specifically mentioned for its ability to block holy attacks and boost HP.

Holy Damage: Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions to clarify the intricacies of holy damage in Elden Ring:

Which weapon deals the most holy damage per hit? This varies depending on your build, weapon upgrade level, and enemy resistances. However, the Envoy’s Greathorn at high levels can deal massive holy damage due to its high base damage and weapon skill. Black Knife’s weapon skill is very strong as well.
Is it worth investing in holy damage builds given boss resistances? Yes, but with caveats. Holy damage is invaluable for clearing many areas and dungeons filled with undead enemies. However, you’ll need a backup plan for bosses highly resistant to holy damage. Consider having a weapon with a different damage type or utilizing status effects like bleed or frostbite.
Does Arcane affect holy damage? Not directly. Arcane primarily affects Discovery (item find rate) and status effect buildup. It does not increase Holy Damage unless a weapon specifically scales with Arcane.
Can I infuse any weapon with holy damage? Yes, through the use of Ashes of War that grant the Sacred or Holy affinity. These infusions typically add Faith scaling and convert a portion of the weapon’s damage to holy damage.
How do I find weapons that deal holy damage? Some weapons, like the Black Knife and Coded Sword, are found in specific locations. Others, like the Winged Scythe, can be obtained by defeating certain enemies. Consult online guides and resources for exact locations.
Does Holy Damage affect Mimic Tears? Yes, since the Mimic Tear inherits your equipment and stats, it will also deal holy damage if you are using a holy-damage weapon.
Are there any spells or incantations that boost holy damage significantly? Yes, Golden Vow increases attack power and defense, including holy damage. Divine Fortification and its upgraded versions greatly increase holy damage negation for yourself and allies.
What are the best talismans for a holy damage build? The Sacred Scorpion Charm increases holy damage dealt, while the Haligdrake Talisman reduces holy damage taken. Consider also using talismans that boost Faith, such as Radagon’s Soreseal or Marika’s Soreseal.
Is there a way to bypass holy resistance on bosses? Not entirely. However, some bosses are more vulnerable to specific status effects, such as bleed or frostbite, even if they resist holy damage. Utilizing these effects can help mitigate their holy resistance.
Does holy damage scale with any other stat besides Faith? Some weapons, like the Envoy’s Greathorn, have hybrid scaling, incorporating Strength or Dexterity alongside Faith. However, the primary stat for holy damage scaling is almost always Faith.
Does armor affect the damage of holy spells? Armor primarily affects physical damage negation and elemental resistances. It does not directly reduce the damage of holy damage spells unless it specifically boosts Holy damage negation.
What are some good early-game holy weapons? The Winged Scythe is obtainable fairly early and offers a solid combination of physical and holy damage. The Blade of Calling is another accessible early-game option.
Does using holy grease on a weapon add holy damage? No, greases typically add elemental damage like fire, lightning, or magic. To add holy damage, you must use Ashes of War with the Sacred or Holy affinity.
Is Radagon truly immune to holy damage? Radagon has extremely high holy damage resistance, making it practically ineffective. While not technically immune, the damage dealt will be negligible.
Where can I learn more about game design principles and the impact of different damage types on player experience? For comprehensive resources on game design, mechanics, and player behavior, consider visiting the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org. Their research and resources provide valuable insights into the complexities of game development and player engagement.

By understanding the nuances of holy damage in Elden Ring, you can craft powerful builds and conquer the challenges that await. Just remember to adapt your strategy based on the enemies you face, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a true Elden Lord.