Colossal Swords in Elden Ring are a powerhouse in PVP, especially following Patch 1.14, which increased their attack speed and versatility. With their huge range, powerful Hyper Armor, and newly enhanced heavy attacks, Colossal Swords have climbed to the top of the PVP meta. Whether you're looking to maximize your strength or make use of hybrid stat scaling, this guide will cover stats, talismans, ashes of war, and recommended rune farming techniques to boost your PVP performance.

Stat Scaling for Colossal Swords: Prioritizing Strength

Most Colossal Swords rely heavily on Strength, making it the primary stat to prioritize. However, some Colossal Swords benefit from Dexterity, Faith, or Arcane depending on the weapon, so be mindful of how your chosen sword scales.

Best Colossal Swords for PVP:

Standard Colossal Swords (Strength scaling):

Greatsword: The hardest-hitting Colossal Sword with exceptional Strength scaling.

Zweihander: Known for its thrusting heavy attack, great for counterattacks.

Watchdog's Greatsword: A standard choice for raw damage.

Troll's Golden Sword: Deals high damage with good Strength scaling.

Fire Knight's Greatsword: Great for hybrid Strength/Faith builds.

Somber Colossal Swords (Mixed scaling with Intelligence, Faith, or Arcane):

Ruins Greatsword: Strength/Intelligence scaling with a powerful unique skill.

Maliketh's Black Blade: A solid Strength/Faith weapon with unique ranged attacks.

Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword: Strength/Arcane scaling with high mobility.

Starscourge Greatsword: Strength/Dexterity hybrid with unique Ash of War.

Godslayer's Greatsword: Scales with Strength/Faith, making it perfect for buff builds.

Stat Allocation Recommendations:

Vigor: 60 (Key for survivability in trades.)

Endurance: 30-40 (Necessary for handling heavy swords and armor.)

Strength: 60+ (The primary stat for maximizing damage output.)

Dexterity: 14-20 (Only required for certain Colossal Swords like Zweihander.)

Faith/Intelligence/Arcane: Split based on the sword's secondary scaling (for example, Strength/Faith builds with Maliketh's Black Blade).

Talismans for Colossal Sword Builds

Talismans provide powerful bonuses that enhance your Colossal Sword playstyle. The right talismans can maximize your damage output, increase poise, and improve stamina management.

Top Talismans for Colossal Sword PVP:

Radagon's Soreseal: Boosts Vigor, Strength, Endurance, and Dexterity, though it increases damage taken.

Great-Jar's Arsenal: Increases equip load, allowing you to wear heavier armor while maintaining mobility.

Shard of Alexander: Boosts the damage of weapon skills, perfect for Ashes of War like Lion's Claw.

Bull-Goat's Talisman: Increases poise, making it easier to tank through attacks while swinging your sword.

Ashes of War for Colossal Swords

Ashes of War are a key component to Colossal Swords in Elden Ring. They allow for unique abilities that can deal immense damage or control the battlefield.

Best Ashes of War:

Lion's Claw: Performs a flip attack, dealing massive damage and often breaking enemy posture.

Storm Stomp: Stuns enemies in place, making them vulnerable to a follow-up heavy attack. Perfect for setting up counterattacks.

Flaming Strike: Adds fire damage and can combo into a powerful fiery swipe.

Endure: Increases damage absorption and allows you to tank through attacks.

Maximizing Runes for Colossal Sword Builds

To build an effective Colossal Sword setup, you'll need to level up key stats like Strength, Vigor, and Endurance. Farming Elden Ring Runes is essential to quickly upgrade these stats and your gear.

Rune Farming Strategies:

Mohgwyn Palace Rune Farm: Accessed via Varre's questline, this area is one of the best places for fast rune farming. You can farm large enemies here that drop thousands of runes, making it perfect for quick leveling.

Greyoll Dragon: Located in Caelid, killing this massive dragon grants you a huge amount of runes (around 70,000 with a Gold-Pickled foul foot). It's also a relatively easy fight as Greyoll doesn't fight back.

Altar South Farming: You can find certain enemies near the Bestial Sanctum that are weak but give a solid number of runes per kill.

Additionally, Rune Arcs can be used in PVP to increase your maximum HP and stat levels, providing a temporary boost that can give you an edge in duels.

Best Items for Colossal Sword Builds

Utilizing the right consumables and items in Elden Ring can greatly enhance your Colossal Sword build. Here are some key items to keep in mind for PVP:

Consumables:

Exalted Flesh: Increases physical attack power temporarily, making it perfect for boosting your Colossal Sword's damage before a duel.

Blood Grease: Adds bleed buildup to your sword, effective when paired with Colossal Swords that attack slowly but deal massive chunks of damage.

Blessed Dew Talisman: Slowly restores HP over time, ideal for tanky Colossal Sword builds.

Smithing Stones and Somber Smithing Stones:

Leveling up your Colossal Swords is key for increasing their damage. Regular Smithing Stones are used for standard Colossal Swords, while Somber Smithing Stones are required for the unique Colossal Swords like Maliketh's Black Blade and Ruins Greatsword.

Rune Arcs and Great Runes:

Great Rune of Radahn: Grants a large boost to HP, stamina, and equip load, perfect for Colossal Sword builds where tackiness is crucial.

Rune Arcs: Used to activate Great Runes, providing a powerful temporary buff that can turn the tide in PVP.

PVP Tips for Colossal Swords

Trade Wisely: Colossal Swords are slow but hit hard. Use their Hyper Armor to trade hits with enemies, allowing you to come out on top in damage exchanges.

Utilize Heavy Attacks: With Patch 1.14's buff to heavy attacks, you can surprise opponents with faster, hard-hitting strikes that deal massive damage.

Crouch Poke: This technique lets you quickly crouch and stab, catching opponents off guard with a deceptively fast and long-range attack.

Storm Stomp Combos: Stun your enemies with Storm Stomp and follow up with a heavy attack for an almost guaranteed hit.

Roll Catching: Mastering the timing of your attacks to catch rolls can leave your opponents vulnerable and ensure you finish them off.

Conclusion

Colossal Swords are a dominant force in Elden Ring PVP, especially after their buff in Patch 1.14. With proper stat allocation, talismans, Ashes of War, and rune farming, you can maximize their potential. Whether you prefer the raw power of the Greatsword, the piercing thrusts of the Zweihander, or the unique mobility of the Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword, this guide will help you create a build that crushes your opponents in PVP.

By utilizing rune farming strategies and selecting the right Elden Ring items, you'll level up faster and increase your PVP effectiveness. With the right setup, you'll dominate duels and reign supreme in the world of Elden Ring.