Learn how to make the best Intelligence build in Elden Ring
Looking for the best Elden Ring Intelligence build?Being an all-powerful wizard is always cool, but it’s absolutely incredible inElden Ring. Spells tend to dominate in almost every situation, so this Intelligence build will make you unstoppable in PvE and PvP. It’s also one of thebest builds in Elden Ring, so you can use it if you’re struggling with any ofElden Ring’s hardest bosses, such asMalenia, Blade of Miquella.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to make the best Elden Ring Intelligence build, covering the weapons, items, and stats that you’ll need to become an unstoppable battlemage.
Best Elden Ring Intelligence build
This Intelligence build combines melee and magic to create a Battlemage setup that you can use to tear through every boss in Elden Ring. It uses two of thebest weapons in Elden Ring, Lusat’s Glintstone Staff and the Wing of Astel blade, to deal massive amounts of magic damage, which you can then push even further with a few items that we’ll explain later in this guide.
Every Intelligence build needs a trusty staff, andLusat’s Glintstone Staffis one of the best. It increases the damage of all of your spells in exchange for a slightly higher FP cost. To get Lusat’s Glintstone Staff, you must travel toSellia, Town of Sorcery, in Caelidand defeat theNox Swordstress and Nox Priest. After you kill them both, you will find a chest nearby that contains the staff.
TheWing of Astelis a curved sword that primarily scales with Intelligence. You can find this weapon by taking the teleporter at the top of Renna’s Rise, which you can access after formally startingRanni’s sidequestbehind Caria Manor. This teleporter takes you to theAinsel River, which you can explore to find theUhl Palace Ruins. Head South from here and pass through the tunnel to find a statue in a T-pose. Nearby, you’ll find a chest on a platform, which contains the Wing of Astel.
While this Intelligence build does use a melee weapon as well, spells are incredibly important. Below, we’ll list the crucial spells that you need for this build and where to find them:
Terra Magicaplaces a rune on the ground that you can stand in to increase the power of all magic damage you deal by 35%. This is incredibly useful whenever you’re about to enter combat, as you can quickly cast it and instantly gain a significant increase to your damage. You will find Terra Magica after defeating theCrystaliansin theAcademy Crystal Cave. Use the elevator nearby to climb a tower in the academy, at the top of which you will find Terra Magica in a chest.
Rock Slingcreates three magical rocks and launches them at your enemies. Rock Sling is one of few spells that deals physical damage, making it incredibly useful for dealing with enemies that are resistant to magic damage. It also tends to break poise very easily, so you can use it to stagger most enemies. You will find Rock Sling down some stairs in theStreet of Sages Ruins, near where you find theMeteorite Staff.
Swift Glintstone Shardmight not be the most powerful spell on this list, but it’s still worth mentioning. This spell is simple – it fires a small ranged projectile towards an enemy. It’s also very cheap, while still dealing plenty of damage. Swift Glintstone Shard is perfect for dealing with individual enemies as you explore the Lands Between, and you’ll also find it useful as a cheap spell that you can use to chip away at tough bosses. You can purchase Swift Glintstone Shard fromSellen, a sorceress in theWaypoint Ruins, after giving her theAcademy Scroll.
Comet Azuris one of thebest spells in Elden Ring, so it’s an obvious pick for this Intelligence build. It blasts out a surge of magic, dealing huge damage to enemies. Comet Azur does cost a lot of FP, making it difficult to maintain the beam for a long period of time. However, you can fix this with the Cerulean Hidden Tear, a Crystal Tear that allows you to briefly cast spells without expending any FP. You will find Comet Azur by following the path South of Fort Laiedd in Mt. Gelmir. Progress past the Magma Wyrm and continue until you findDemi-Human Queen Maggie. After defeating this boss, look around the arena to findPrimeval Sorcerer Azur, a crystal figure that you can interact with to get the Comet Azur spell.
Ranni’s Dark Moonis another very expensive spell, but it is incredibly useful. Ranni’s Dark Moon has a range of effects: it deals lots of magic damage, inflicts frostbite, and lowers the target’s magic protection. That last effect makes Ranni’s Dark Moon incredible for this build, as you can use it early in a fight and combine it with Terra Magica to massively increase the damage you deal to enemies. You will find Ranni’s Dark Moon inChelona’s Rise, a tower that you will find in theMoonlight Altar plateau. Like the Wing of Astel above, you’ll need to finish most of Ranni’s quest to access this area.
This Elden Ring Intelligence build requires the following stats:
Intelligenceis 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. You’ll also need to get10 Strengthto use Lusat’s Glintstone Staff.
However, you will also need to reach17 Dexterity, as this allows you to use the Wing of Astel blade. This weapon is crucial for dealing with enemies that can dodge your ranged attacks, so it’s worth putting a few points into Dexterity until you reach the requirement.
After finding your weapons and spells, you’ll want to find other items that are useful for this build. Below, we’ll explain whichtalismansand Crystal Tears you should use in this Elden Ring Intelligence build.
After finding both Crystal Tears, make sure that you head to a Site of Grace to mix them in yourFlask of Wondrous Physick.
That covers everything you need to know to make the best Elden Ring Intelligence build. After finishing this build, test it out by finding the nearest boss with ourElden Ring boss locations guide. If you want to 100% Elden Ring, take a look at ourElden Ring walkthroughandevery Elden Ring NPC sidequest. You can also check outevery ending in Elden Ringif you want to see how the story can wrap up.
