The world of Elden Ring is brimming with spells to learn and cast. These spells fall into two groupings: Sorceries and Incantations. While incantations usually rely on high faith scores and good arcane scores, sorceries are fueled almost entirely by intelligence ratings. There are a few exceptions, but players looking to cast sorceries should be ready to pump points into intelligence and find the best staff for the job.
RELATED:
With so many sorceries to choose from, there are a few that stand apart from the rest. Some sorceries in Elden Ring can melt through certain boss fights, while others are better suited for controlling mobs of angry enemies. No matter the situation, there's sorcery to be used!
Updated May 10, 2022 by Joe Barbieri: Elden Ring continues to stay popular with gamers. Many players have moved onto New Game Plus modes while some are taking their time to meticulously scour the game's beautiful world for every item and collectible. FromSoftware isn't done with the game either, and it is still receiving updates that tweak weapons, enemies, and bugs in the game.
At the end of April, Elden Ring received a pretty big balancing patch, with tons of changes for colossal weapons and sorceries. With this balance patch, there are a few more sorceries that players should consider adding to their arsenals, as well as some buffs to already powerful spells.
12 Rock Blaster
Previously, this melee range sorcery was a bit underwhelming. This sorcery scales well with the Digger's Staff, which can be gained fairly early on in a playthrough of Elden Ring. Before the late April balance changes, Rock Blaster was simply too slow and inefficient. Enemies could easily hit players out of the cast and as it is a close-range spell, this happened quite often.
Now, Rock Blaster has been buffed so that casters can "more easily withstand enemy attacks while casting." As such, Rock Blaster has become a decent close-range option for casters, especially those using the Digger's Staff.
11 Oracle Bubbles
Oracle Bubbles was already a decent budget AoE. It didn't match up with many of the other AoE sorceries in the game, though, thanks to its slow casting time and slow recovery. Thankfully, the late April balance patch has buffed Oracle Bubbles on both of these points. With increased casting speed and better recovery time, Oracle Bubbles is a good sorcery for players looking to deal damage to multiple enemies on the screen.
10 Magma Shot
Fire and fire effects are usually reserved for incantations in Elden Ring. Sorceries usually focus more on magic damage and frost as opposed to fire, but the Magma Shot sorcery is a rare exception. Some of the more powerful magma sorceries require high faith scores, but Magma Shot is good for players who want to dabble because of its forgiving requirements.
Players need 19 intelligence and 10 faith in order to cast this sorcery. The spell itself does decent fire damage and explodes on impact for a small AOE damage burst. It's the perfect sorcery for dealing with hordes of weaker enemies all at once. Players looking to get this sorcery should head for the Volcano Manor and begin the questlines there.
- Magma Shot was buffed with a decreased FP cost on April 24, 2022. It also received an increased casting speed.
9 Carian Greatsword
Typically speaking, wizards and mages are reserved for ranged combat roles in most RPGs. While full magic builds can certainly fit this bill in Elden Ring, casters can also get up close with a myriad of melee-style sorceries. One of the best is the Carian Greatsword cast, which can be purchased from Miriel at the Church of Vows.
RELATED: Elden Ring: Best Incantations, Ranked
The Carian Greatsword cast emits a large magical sword from the caster's staff and allows the caster to sweep forward in a wide arc. The sorcery can be chained together, given the player has both the FP and stamina for it. While this spell might seem underwhelming compared to the powerful strength weapons of the game, it scales well with intelligence and can easily wipe out hordes of enemies up close with a few well-timed magical slices.
- Carian Greatsword was buffed on April 24, 2022, with an increased casting speed for sorcerers at lower Dexterity scores.
8 Meteorite
Gravity sorceries are often marked by purple icons on the sorcery screen. Meteorite is one of the best gravity sorceries in the game, allowing players to punish enemies from afar with three high-damage meteors that fall from the sky. This sorcery is a good option for initiating a fight, as its slow casting time makes it a bit difficult to pull out in the middle of an ongoing battle.
The sorcery takes 30 FP to cast, so repetitive spamming will be difficult for some casters. It deals good damage though and is effective at staggering larger enemies or enemies with high armor values. This sorcery can be found in the Royal Grave Evergaol after defeating the Alabaster Lord there.
7 Briars Of Sin
Sorceries are almost always fueled by intelligence, but Briars of Sin might as well be an incantation with its requirements. This sorcery requires 24 faith to cast, which isn't exactly a low number. Full magic builds should have no trouble balancing high intelligence values and high faith values, but those going for pure sorcery builds might have to pass on this particular sorcery.
RELATED: Elden Ring: The Best Talismans, Ranked
For those that can cast it though, Briars of Sin is an incredible AOE spell that can absolutely shred attacking enemies. This sorcery has a low FP cost and deals rapid AOE damage to enemies all around the player. It's good for getting rid of proximity mobs and giving the player a chance to breathe. Players can find this sorcery in Lirunia after defeating a mob northwest of the Artist's Shack site of grace.
6 Carian Piercer
Like the Carian Greatsword, the Piercer transforms the caster's staff into a magical weapon for a quick attack that can be chained. While the Carian Greatsword attacks in a wide horizontal sweep, the Piercer stabs directly forward. It has great range and is a fantastic option for zoning boss fights and heavily armored enemies.
The Carian Piercer can be charged upon casting for even greater range and damage values and can even be used on horseback so long as the player has their staff in the right-hand slot. This sorcery can be found in the Caria Manor after defeating a scarab behind the garden area.
5 Night Maiden's Mist
Night Maiden's Mist flies somewhat under the radar for most Elden Ring sorcerers. The spell can be bought from Gowry after completing his quest in Selia, Town of Sorcery. Night Maiden's Mist emits a grayish cloud that deals damage over time to anyone standing in it. That's right: this sorcery can be dangerous because it harms enemies, friends, and even the player themselves.
With careful placement and timing though, Night Maiden's Mist can quite literally melt bosses in minutes. If the player keeps the boss corralled in the mist, they will take continuous damage plus whatever other damage the player can sling out. This sorcery can be used to great effect against slow-moving hordes as well.
4 Glintstone Icecrag
Among the many status effects in Elden Ring, Frostbite is perhaps the best for the player to inflict on foes. Frostbite makes an enemy (or player) take increased damage from all sources, which is hugely beneficial for boss fights with hefty health pools. On top of this, enemies will enter a brief stun animation when afflicted by Frostbite, allowing players a second of their own time.
RELATED: Elden Ring: Best Tips For Beginners
This spell can be bought from Seluvis after beginning Ranni's quest from behind the Caria Manor. It is a great option for a player's primary offensive spell, and the Frostbite procs work against nearly every enemy in the game. Be sure to take advantage of them
3 Glintstone Arc
Glintstone Arc is a starting sorcery for the Astrologer class and can be learned very early on from Sellen for a mere 1500 runes. No tedious rune farming will be needed for this sorcery, and that accessibility is part of what makes it one of the best in the game.
Glintstone Arc is a fantastic option for fighting hordes of foes or just swatting down annoying flying enemies. The arc of the spell widens the longer it goes forward until it eventually dissipates. Learning the range of the arc to maximize damage brings out the true potential of this low FP cost sorcery. Players won't have to worry about flying enemies again thanks to this sorcery's ability to hit, even when they dodge in midair.
2 Rock Sling
Rock Sling is a great item to get in the early game. It deals great damage and staggers foes with ease, leading to more devastating critical hits. It can be found fairly early for players willing to risk exploring Caelid's Street of Sages Ruins location. Players can run through many of the poison mages there to grab the sorcery. There is no boss protecting it.
Rock Sling summons three large rocks from the ground and slings them forward towards a target. They move fairly slowly and have a bad turning radius, so particularly deft foes will be able to dodge them with ease. Larger enemies or small groups of foes will fall easily to Rock Sling though, and the stagger from repeated casts makes this easily one of the best sorceries in the game.
1 Glintstone Pebble
One of the best all-around sorceries inside Elden Ring also happens to be one of its most basic. The Glintstone Pebble sorcery is a base kit item for the Astrologer class and can be easily purchased by Sellen or Thops for 1000 runes. When it comes to basic bread-and-butter offense, there is perhaps no better sorcery than Glintstone Pebble. It has a low FP cost and grows stronger with higher intelligence.
This spell can be cast quickly, leading to a higher DPS rating than a slow sorcery with a bigger single hit. It can also interrupt enemies with low poise and stun-lock them into a chain of magical pebbles. Somehow, the best sorcery in the game isn't an incredibly high-cost flashy spell with advanced casting; instead, t's the basic magic missile found across nearly every RPG magic system.
Elden Ring is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
MORE: Elden Ring: The Best Colossal Weapons, Ranked
FAQs
Elden Ring: 12 Best Sorceries, Ranked? ›
Comet Azur is not simply the most potent Elden Ring spell, but also the most overpowered strike in the entire game. Elden Ring's Kamehameha spell, Comet Azur, is similar to that. It continuously fires a large beam that is strong enough to kill bosses in a single blow.
What is the most powerful sorcery spell in Elden Ring? ›Comet Azur is not simply the most potent Elden Ring spell, but also the most overpowered strike in the entire game. Elden Ring's Kamehameha spell, Comet Azur, is similar to that. It continuously fires a large beam that is strong enough to kill bosses in a single blow.
What sorceries have the best range in Elden Ring? ›If you're looking for the best long-range sorcery in Elden Ring, look no further than Loretta's Greatbow. Charge up the spell and release a magic Great Arrow capable of connecting with targets huge distances away. You can also rapid-fire without charging up to keep an enemy off balance as they try to close the gap.
What is the highest sorcery scaling in Elden Ring? ›As long as the player's Faith and Intelligence are within five levels of one another, this will be the strongest staff option. It boasts the highest sorcery scaling in the game at 430, and has an A-Tier attribute scaling in both Faith and Intelligence at +25.
What is the strongest magic build in Elden Ring? ›- Colossal Knight strength build.
- Glass Cannon Mage build.
- Samurai Bleed Dex build.
- Fire's Deadly Sin Faith build.
- Spinning Reaper Bleed build.
Each point allocated to the Intelligence stat increases the effectiveness and damage dealt by Sorceries cast with weapons that have Intelligence scaling.
What is the best sorceress weapon in Elden Ring? ›There are many staves in Elden Ring, but Lusat's Glintstone Staff often ranks among the best to most Intelligence builds. It has some of the best sorcery scaling in the game and can transform already powerful magic into boss-slaying material.
What is the best great rune sorcerer in Elden Ring? ›- 7 Rykard's Great Rune.
- 6 Mohg's Great Rune.
- 5 Great Rune Of The Unborn.
- 4 Radahn's Great Rune.
- 3 Morgott's Great Rune.
- 2 Malenia's Great Rune.
- 1 Godrick's Great Rune.
There are many different melee sorceries in Elden Ring, but the best of them is Carian Slicer. With a crazy low FP cost, good damage, and a fast casting speed, the Carian Slicer is a balanced, powerful spell that you can use to shred enemies to pieces.
Does sorcery scaling matter? ›Sorcery Scaling is a special type of damage stat that can be found on Glintstone Staves. The higher this statistic, the higher the damage of the sorcery used with the staff. Sorcery Scaling does not increase the duration of buffs or utility sorceries, it only affects damage values.
Do sorceries scale with Arcane Elden Ring? ›
It scales off with Arcane and is a perfect weapon for the Elden Ring Arcane Build!
What is the soft cap for Sorcery Scaling Elden Ring? ›Soft caps for weapon damage are at 20/50/80. Sorcery rating soft caps are at 60/80.
What is the strongest gravity sorcery in Elden Ring? ›The meteorite spell is arguably the strongest PvE Elden Ring gravity spell due to the high amounts of damage it does.
What stats are most important for sorcery Elden Ring? ›Elden Ring Intelligence Build: Stats. If you want a serious Sorcerer on your hands, you'll need to prioritise some stats; Intelligence, Mind, and Vigor, plus a little Dexterity. Intelligence is highly important to this type of mage build, as your equipment and spellcasting relies on it.
What is the most fun build in Elden Ring? ›- 8 Assassin.
- 7 Black Flame Wielder.
- 6 Holy Knight.
- 5 Pure Bleed.
- 4 Spellsword.
- 3 Hunter Of The Dead.
- 2 Vigor/Strength Hybrid.
- 1 Intelligence/Dexterity Hybrid.
Hands down, the most ridiculously powerful bleed weapon in Elden Ring, Rivers of Blood can cut bosses to shreds with very little brain power needed. Simply walking near the target and spamming the left trigger will leave them lying at the Tarnished's feet.
What is the max Intelligence in Elden Ring? ›Intelligence is the most important stat here, as it allows you to use all of the spells listed above. It's important to note here that while 60 is the soft cap for Intelligence, after which your damage increase with each level is minimal, you will need to reach 68 to use Ranni's Dark Moon.
When should I stop leveling Intelligence in Elden Ring? ›It's advisable to stop leveling Mind at 40 points due to diminishing returns. This is unless you really need more for your build, then you can take it to 55 or 60 before the caps start to kick in. From Software A Warrior class surveys Elden Ring's open world.
What stat makes spells hit harder Elden Ring? ›Intelligence is the stat for casting Sorceries and for increasing your magic resistance.
Is Dex good for mages Elden Ring? ›Pure Intelligence builds have their place in Elden Ring, but that doesn't mean we can't dabble in some hybrid builds and have a good time. Intelligence/Dexterity Builds are some of the strongest builds in all of Elden Ring thanks to a staggering number of amazing weapons and spells that tie into them.
How do you beat Malenia as a sorcerer? ›
Drink a mana potion if you have it, unleash Comet Azur and hold the button down (you can also use the FP eliminating Physick here as an alternate strategy). This will BURN through Malenia when she's frozen for a short while after her flower.
What is the longest range spell in Elden Ring? ›Loretta's greatbow is basically the sniper of Elden Ring. It is a magic bowshot that deals considerable damage and has the most range among every ranged attack in the game.
What sword is best for sorcery? ›Among the melee weapons, the Moonlight Greatsword, Greatsword of Judgement, Cleric's Candlestick, and Dark Sword are the top choices for sorcerers.
Is Radahn or Godrick's great rune better? ›#1 - Godrick's Great Rune Is Elden Ring's Best
Giving a flat +5 boost to all stats, Godricks Great Rune will outperform both Radahns and Morgott's respective boosts for a good portion of the game, depending on how the player distributes their stat points gained from level-ups.
Out of all the Demigods in Elden Ring, General Radahn is considered to be the most admirable. Radahn was one of the nicest people in Marika's family and earned the name Starscourge Radahn for literally fighting off falling stars with his powerful gravity magic.
What is radagon weak to? ›If you're wondering what Radagon is weak to, the main Radagon weakness is fire, meaning you should be able to drop him quickly with a build that is geared toward that status.
What is better sorcery or Incantations? ›The offensive power of sorceries makes them more useful overall across both PvE and PvP, and since sorcery spells can be cast faster, sorcery casters don't have to worry about being damaged while using magic as much as incantation users do (note that Dexterity makes you cast both types of magic faster).
What stats should a sorcerer focus on? ›Sorcerer Ability Scores
The sorcerer's spellcasting ability is based on their charisma, so naturally, charisma is the number one priority when it comes to stats. Assign the highest value to charisma, and work that score up to a full 20 as soon as possible to make sure the sorcerer is at their best.
Dexterity also affects the cast speed of Sorceries and Incantations. Every point in Dexterity increases the cast speed slightly. Points in Dexterity reduces Fall Damage, as well as making it harder to get knocked off Torrent.
Should I level faith as sorcerer? ›Faith is used on miracles, you don't need it for pyromanices or sorceries, only miracles, intelligence is for sorceries, and dexterity is for pyromancie.
Does Bloodflame Blade scale with faith? ›
Bloodflame Blade Guide. Buffs weapon with Fire attack power. Fire damage: 0.40 * Faith based Incantation scaling.
Does Bloodflame Blade scale with Arcane? ›The bleed only scales with arcane, so you need a seal that scales with arcane to up the bleed. There are 2 seals that scale with arcane, the blood oath seal and the draconic seal. The blood oath seal also raises damage of bloodflame incantations. Its the scaling for weapons with more than one damage type.
Is Sorcery overpowered Elden Ring? ›There is one area where Elden Ring sorcery, and to a lesser extent faith, are indisputably overpowered. Most of the open-world and dungeon combat becomes a complete joke with sorcery. While melee builds risk life and limb to close in on enemies, sorcerers can just blast foes with ranged attacks.
What do dragon sorceries scale with Elden Ring? ›Dragon Communion Seal is a Sacred Seal in Elden Ring. The Dragon Communion Seal scales primarily with Faith and Arcane, and is a good Weapon for casters that focus on Dragon Communion Incantations.
Does Glintstone Pebble scale with Intelligence? ›Grants the skill Glintstone Pebble Skill. Provides the Magic affinity, which adds Magic damage and Intelligence scaling, reduces Base damage and Strength / Dexterity Scaling.
What is the best stagger spell in Elden Ring? ›Rock Sling is another early spell that absolutely dominates the Elden Ring meta. Rock Sling is a gravity spell that throws 3 boulders towards the targeted enemy, dealing lots of strike damage. However, the best part about Rock Sling is its ability to easily stagger enemies.
Can you max out every stat in Elden Ring? ›To level up in Elden Ring, you must spend runes to purchase stat points. Each of the eight stats caps at 99, so the absolute maximum level in Elden Ring is 713. This is not as simple as it sounds; each level you purchase increases the number of required runes, making reaching max level extremely expensive.
What is the best stat to level up in Elden Ring? ›Endurance is the most important stat to level up early on, no matter your chosen Elden Ring class, because it increases your stamina. Stamina is required for attacking, blocking, dodging, running, and just generally staying alive during fights. It's by far the thing you need most at the beginning of the game.
How does sorcery scaling work? ›Most Sorcery scales off of Intelligence, which means… The higher your Intelligence, the harder your spell will hit, but…
Why did Radahn learn gravity magic? ›Not wanting to abandon his horse, Radahn studied gravitational magic in Sellia under a master who was an Alabaster Lord. Mastering gravitational magic allowed Radahn to manipulate the forces of gravity, and to challenge the very stars themselves.
Does Intelligence increase magic damage? ›
For other uses, see Intelligence (disambiguation). Intelligence is a stat in Dark Souls III that increases attack damage with Intelligence-based weapons and catalysts as well as increased damage output with spells such as Sorceries and Pyromancies.
What increases sorcery damage in Elden Ring? ›The Magic Scorpion Charm is one of the Talisman items in Elden Ring that can increase magic damage when worn. A talisman carried by assassins who strike unseen. Patterned on a scorpion freshly shed of its exoskeleton, its claws seizing a heart that shimmers with magic.
What is the best spell summon in Elden Ring? ›Mimic Tear
Undoubtedly the best summon in Elden Ring, you can have in the game because you're essentially getting a clone of yourself to fight alongside you.
What is this? Comet Azur is our top pick in the list of Elden Ring best spells for mid and late-game sorceries. Arguably the most powerful spell in the game as of now, Comet Azur allows the player to summon a giant comet that deals a massive amount of damage.
Is sorcery the best in Elden Ring? ›Sorceries are one type of spell in Elden Ring, and plenty of them deal powerful damage. These, though, are the best to pick up. The world of Elden Ring is brimming with spells to learn and cast. These spells fall into two groupings: Sorceries and Incantations.
What is the best spell against Elden beast? ›Sorcery users should opt for high-poise-damage spells like Rock Sling to regularly stun the Elden Beast, and long-range spells like Loretta's Greatbow can keep players safe while a Spirit Ash keeps its attention.
What is the best spell catalyst in Elden Ring? ›The Carian Regal Scepter is the best all-around Sorcery catalyst in the game. It has very high sorcery and Intelligence scaling, reaching S rank at just +9. If you need a go-to catalyst for casting powerful sorceries, the Carian Regal Scepter is for you.
What is the best spell casting class in Elden Ring? ›Best Elden Ring Magic Build Class: Astrologer
Although it begins at a low level of 6 with relatively low health, the Astrologer is strongest when it comes to spell-casting. With Mind, Dexterity, and Intelligence stats all leading the way, your abilities will be dealing as much damage as possible in the early game.
Elden Ring's best class is the Vagabond.
With a strong starting weapon and high stats across the key ones that matter: Vigor, Endurance, Strength, and Dexterity, the Vagabond cements itself as offering the best choice for new and returning players.
The Revenant is by far the most dangerous enemy in Elden Ring. At no point in the game should you feel comfortable when encountering this abomination. The Revenant enemy is relentless. It hits fast and hard, quickly repositioning before diving back in for a series of lethal blows.
What is the strongest staff and spell in Elden Ring? ›
1 Lusat's Glintstone Staff
Even though it has its drawbacks, Lusat's Glinstone Staff continues to be the best staff in Elden Ring, albeit not by a huge margin. The weapon's passive effect grants additional sorcery scaling, which translates to about 10-11% more damage than the Carian Regal Scepter.
Rock Sling is another early spell that absolutely dominates the Elden Ring meta. Rock Sling is a gravity spell that throws 3 boulders towards the targeted enemy, dealing lots of strike damage. However, the best part about Rock Sling is its ability to easily stagger enemies.
Is Comet Azur the best spell? ›Elden Ring contains countless spells and Comet Azur is one of the most overpowered spells in the game. Comet Azur's stats requirements are Intelligence: 60. It is an extremely high investment skill that only Intelligence build players use.
What is full moon sorcery? ›Full Moon Sorceries are a group of Sorceries in Elden Ring that share a specific type of buff criteria. Full Moon Sorceries revolve around the ability to summon a full moon and hurl it towards foes. There are a total of 2 Full Moon Sorceries available for players.