Elden Ring Vagabond Build: How To Build A Sword Wielding Powerhouse
Our Elden Ring Vagabond build utilises the powerstancing mechanic, where you can duel-wield weapons to create a heavy damage character. Elden Ring has a ridiculous number of unique weapons to wield, including the colossal sword type, which are massive weapons capable of massive damage. So, check out the full Elden Ring Vagabond build and learn how to make the most of getting in your enemy's face.
For more class builds, check out:
- Elden Ring Samurai build
- Elden Ring Astrologer build
- Elden Ring Hero build
- Elden Ring Prophet build
- Elden Ring Bandit build
- Elden Ring Warrior build
- Elden Ring Prisoner build
- Elden Ring Wretch build
- Elden Ring Confessor build
Elden Ring Vagabond Build: Starting Out And Levelling
Click to enlargeYour best headstart for this build is to choose a Vagabond from the beginning, letting you start with a higher level of Vigor, Strength, and Dexterity. You'll get to start with a decent heavy armour set, along with a sword and shield which we'll quickly be getting rid of. Starting with an extra Elden Ring Stonesword Key can also be useful, but isn't necessary.
Our Elden Ring Vagabond build is focused around high strength, and the use of colossal swords, with the choice of a colossal sword and shield, or two swords at once for powerstancing. Your armour should do you fine for the beginning of the game, but one of the better heavy armour sets can be earned relatively quickly, which we'll cover in the next section.
Levelling as a Vagabond is fairly straightforward, as you'll want to mainly focus on getting your Strength and Vigor as high as possible, especially as later colossal swords require close to 40 Strength to effectively wield. You can leave your Dexterity where it is for the whole game, but make sure to put a few points into Intelligence until it hits level 15. Endurance is another good stat to focus on after your main two are levelled high, and you've reached 15 Intelligence.
- We also have some great Elden Ring rune farm methods, if you need to level up quickly.
Elden Ring Vagabond Build: Best Equipment
Click to enlargeThere is a lot of key equipment to our Elden Ring Vagabond build, some of which can be found somewhat quickly, while others will take you a while to acquire. Firstly, you'll want to get the Zweihänder sword from the Isolated Merchant, who can be found in the west of the Weeping Peninsula, which is to the south of the map. It costs 3500 runes, so it's quite easy to earn, and requires 19 Strength, meaning you'll have to level it up a little from where you began. This isn't going to be your main colossal sword, but it's the best early game one you can find.
The next colossal sword you will want to track down is the Greatsword, which can be found in a chest on a caravan shortly into Caelid. You can find it easily from the Caelem Ruins Lost Grace, by travelling north and following the road to the caravan. This one requires 31 Strength to wield, so you'll need to do some more levelling after getting your Zweihänder.
The main sword you'll be aiming for in this build is the Starscourge Greatsword. This is an extremely powerful sword that requires 38 Strength and 15 Intelligence, and comes with a powerful skill that lets you pull enemies in before swinging at them. Firstly you'll need to defeat the demigod Starscourge Radahn at the Redmane Castle in south-east Caelid. This will earn you the Remembrance of the Starscourge, which can be traded for the sword at Enia in the Roundtable Hold.
For armour, the Beast Champion Armour is your go-to, it can be found in the first area of Limgrave. Make your way to the Warmaster's Shack where you can buy Ashes of War from Knight Bernahl, and kill him for the set of armour. It will be a tough fight, but once you've got some levels and one of the above weapons, it shouldn't prove too much trouble. Make sure you have enough strength to equip this and a colossal sword, as it can push you into heavy equip load, which will make your rolls less effective.
There are a number of Elden Ring Legendary Talismans that are also key to this build. The Great Jar Talisman vastly increases equip load, and can be earned by defeating the three summons in front of the Great Jar. You can find them by looking for the isolated arena in the north of Caelid. Another useful one is the Bull Goat Talisman which increases your poise, making you more resistant to being knocked down. This is located inside the Dragonbarrow Cave, which is in east Caelid, near Greyoll's Dragonbarrow.
Another solid choice is the Green Turtle Talisman which increases stamina recovery speed, a great choice when using colossal swords. It can be found just north of the Summonwater Village in north Limgrave, and requires a Stonesword Key to enter the underground area. The Erdtree's Favor is another great talisman that raises max HP, stamina, and equip load. It's found after getting to the bottom of the Fringefolk Hero's Grave, which is just next to the first Lost Grace you'll come across. It requires two Stonesword Keys to enter, and the dungeon can be hard to conquer, but the reward is worth it.
Once you have the Great Jar Arsenal, your potential powerstance begins. Powerstancing is when you equip two weapons at once, letting you unlock a new set of moves that incorporates them both at once. Due to the weight of colossal swords, and your armour, it will take a lot of strength or the above talisman before this is possible. Using the Starscourge Greatsword, and any other colossal sword of your choosing will let you tear through most enemies with your high damage attacks. Some good choices include the Grafted Blade Greatsword, Godslayer's Greatsword, or the Ruins Greatsword.
If you want to combine your sword with a shield instead, this will give you more protection, while sacrificing damage a bit. Some good choices include the Dragonclaw Shield, Visage Shield, or the Jellyfish Shield.
That's all for our Elden Ring Vagabond build, and now you should be able to follow our build by mastering the colossal swords and heavy armour. You'll also have an idea of some other items you can incorporate into the build to tailor it to your liking.
Check out our guide to Elden Ring Seppuku and learn why it's one of the best Ash of Wars in the game.
