Which Starscourge Weapon is Best: The Greatsword vs. The Lion Greatbow
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The legacy of Starscourge Radahn in Elden Ring leaves behind two formidable weapons: the Starscourge Greatsword and the Lion Greatbow. Choosing the “best” depends heavily on your playstyle and build, as each weapon caters to different combat approaches. Ultimately, the Starscourge Greatsword emerges as the more versatile and powerful option for most players, offering impressive damage output, a unique ability, and the option for dual-wielding, while the Lion Greatbow is better suited for ranged or specialized builds.
The Starscourge Greatsword: A Colossal Force
Power and Versatility
The Starscourge Greatsword is a colossal sword that boasts a unique blend of physical and magic damage. Its base physical damage is significant, and it adds magical damage to the mix with its skill, Starcaller Cry. This makes it particularly effective against enemies with lower magical resistances, though certain enemies with high resistance to magical damage will see reduced damage. However, the Starcaller Cry is a S-tier skill that deals a considerable amount of damage.
This greatsword is a prime choice for Quality builds, which focus on both Strength and Dexterity. This allows it to scale well as players level up, making it a reliable late-game weapon. What truly sets it apart is its ability to be dual-wielded effectively. Although the game presents it as a two-handed weapon, you can powerstance it like a pair of colossal swords, drastically boosting your damage output. Moreover, while wielded as one and two handed it still benefits from the two-handed strength bonus. This makes it more forgiving for players who may not meet the strength requirement for one-handed use.
Considerations
While the Starscourge Greatsword is powerful, it’s not without its drawbacks. Like all colossal weapons, it is slower than smaller weapon types, which can make it risky against faster enemies. It also may underperform when facing enemies resistant to magic damage, making it crucial to carry weapons that deal different damage types for specific encounters. Also, it is not the highest base physical damage Colossal sword. That would be the Greatsword itself.
The Lion Greatbow: A Ranged Option
Unique Mechanics
The Lion Greatbow is a specialized weapon that utilizes Radahn’s unique Gravity magic. It’s designed for ranged combat, with a specific focus on utilizing Radahn’s Spear arrows. Its unique skill allows to use Radahn’s Rain, which throws a volley of gravity-infused arrows that rain down on the battlefield. This skill, and the usage of Radahn’s Spear arrows, are the bow’s key selling points.
Strategic Advantages
This greatbow is not about raw damage; instead, it’s about strategic positioning and dealing damage from afar. It can stagger opponents and can be helpful in boss encounters. It’s especially useful for players who prefer a ranged playstyle or need to maintain a distance from powerful melee opponents. For example, if a player is struggling to maintain the damage output they want due to the slow nature of Colossal swords, this bow allows them to keep damaging a boss at a safe distance.
Drawbacks
The Lion Greatbow is heavily reliant on the use of Radahn’s Spear ammunition. These arrows are not readily available everywhere, and acquiring them can be costly, making it a less practical weapon for general gameplay. Additionally, the bow’s damage isn’t as impressive without the Radahn’s Spears. It also lacks versatility compared to other weapons, as it’s primarily limited to long-range attacks, rendering it less useful in close quarters combat.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Weapon
The Starscourge Greatsword shines in its versatility. It allows players to deal high damage both in close-quarters combat with its melee attacks and when unleashing its powerful skill, Starcaller Cry, and offers the unique ability to be powerstanced. It’s a fantastic choice for those who enjoy a powerful, aggressive style of play.
On the other hand, the Lion Greatbow is best suited for a niche, strategic playstyle, relying on ranged attacks with its special arrows and skill. Although it has good damage potential, it falls behind in overall effectiveness when compared to the versatility and damage output of the Starscourge Greatsword, making it a less general, but useful, option for specific scenarios.
Ultimately, while both weapons are strong, the Starscourge Greatsword is the better choice for most players due to its overall damage, ease of use, and the flexibility it offers in different situations. The Lion Greatbow, despite being the lesser weapon, remains a viable option if you’re looking for ranged play or need to create a more strategic build.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to delve deeper into the Starscourge weapons:
1. Can you dual wield the Starscourge Greatsword?
Yes, despite its appearance, the Starscourge Greatsword can be dual-wielded effectively, offering substantial damage when powerstanced with another colossal sword. It also still benefits from the two-handed strength bonus even when used in a one handed fashion.
2. What are the best builds for the Starscourge Greatsword?
The Starscourge Greatsword excels with Quality builds that invest in both Strength and Dexterity, also scaling well with intelligence.
3. How does Starcaller Cry skill work?
Starcaller Cry deals physical and magical damage, making the greatsword a nice dual wield option and a high damage weapon.
4. Is the Starscourge Greatsword the strongest Colossal Sword?
No, while the Starscourge Greatsword is powerful, it is not the Colossal sword with the highest base damage. The Greatsword itself has the highest base damage as far as Colossal Swords are concerned.
5. Is the Lion Greatbow worth using?
The Lion Greatbow is good for specific builds focused on ranged combat and using Radahn’s Spear arrows, but it’s not as universally effective as the Starscourge Greatsword.
6. What are the best arrows to use with the Lion Greatbow?
The Lion Greatbow is best used with Radahn’s Spear arrows for maximum damage output due to their unique interaction.
7. What level should I be for Starscourge Radahn?
Players should ideally be at least level 65 or 70 before attempting the Starscourge Radahn boss fight.
8. What damage type does the Starscourge Greatsword primarily deal?
The Starscourge Greatsword primarily deals a mix of physical and magical damage.
9. What is the easiest Colossal Weapon to obtain in Elden Ring?
The Greatsword is widely considered the easiest colossal weapon to obtain, as it does not require beating any bosses.
10. How do I obtain Radahn’s weapons?
Radahn’s weapons can be claimed upon exchanging the Remembrance of the Starscourge with Enia at the Roundtable Hold after defeating him.
11. Is fire damage good against Starscourge Radahn?
No, Starscourge Radahn does not have any significant weaknesses to any damage type. It is Radagon who has weakness to Fire.
12. What is the best overall damage type in Elden Ring?
Magic damage is generally considered the best overall damage type due to its versatility and effectiveness against a wide range of enemies, but fire is usually the second best choice.
13. What are the best weapon combos in Elden Ring?
Some of the best weapon combos include dual-wielding Twinblades like the Godskin Peeler and Eleonora’s Poleblade. For katanas, dual-wielding Rivers of Blood with the Uchigatana or Nagakiba is another very strong combo.
14. What is the weapon with the highest critical damage?
The Misericorde has the highest critical damage stat in Elden Ring, with 140.
15. What is the most elegant-looking weapon in Elden Ring?
Several weapons are considered aesthetically pleasing, like the Godslayer’s Greatsword, the Sword of Night and Flame, and the Golden Order Greatsword. The overall aesthetic is subjective.