With Shadow of the Erdtree shaking up Elden Ring's build meta, players are diving back into the Lands Between with fresh setups, new DLC weapons, and revitalized PvP strategies. Among all the returning favorites, one weapon class continues to stand at the top of raw power and versatility: Greatswords.
In this guide, we break down a full-strength build centered entirely around the greatsword weapon class-showcasing multiple weapons, Ashes of War combinations, poise-stacking strategies, and PvP invasion highlights. If you enjoy high-poise trades, explosive Ash of War pressure, and weapon variety, this build might be the most fun you'll have in Elden Ring's DLC.
Why a Strength-Based Greatsword Build Elden Ring Items?
Greatswords hit the perfect middle ground between power and mobility. They swing faster than colossal weapons but still hit hard enough to break stance, chunk health bars, and dominate poise trades. On top of that, the class has some of the most diverse movesets in the entire game.
Even within the same class, greatswords differ dramatically:
Some have wide-sweeping heavy attacks.
Some rely on thrusts.
Others get unique chains like jump L1 → L1 combos.
Several come with overpowered or unique Ashes of War.
This means a strength build built around multiple greatswords not only performs well-it stays fun, dynamic, and unpredictable.
Weapon Breakdown: The Greatsword Variety Show
Ordovis's Greatsword
Ordovis's Greatsword features the traditional greatsword moveset, but the Ash of War is the real reason to run it. The uncharged version of the Ash comes out extremely fast, making it an amazing whiff-punisher and burst option. The fully charged variant can pancake opponents who roll toward the blast-especially in tight arenas.
Greatsword of Damnation
With its thrust-focused heavies and crouch pokes, this weapon brings an entirely different playstyle. The star of the show is its grab-type Ash of War, which can pull evasive players straight out of their rolls if the connection favors you. Few weapons in the game punish roll-spam as consistently as this one.
Banished Knight's Greatsword
Arguably the most flexible weapon of the bunch. It has the unique jump L1 → L1 combo, which is fantastic for catching panic rolls or trading with jump-heavy players. Because it accepts custom Ashes of War, you can tailor it exactly to your preference-Flaming Strike, Piercing Fang, and Sword Dance all shine here.
The Full Arsenal
Throughout invasions, the build rotates through:
Claymore
Iron Greatsword
Greatsword of Solitude
Greatsword of Damnation
Ordovis's Greatsword
Banished Knight's Greatsword
Each weapon fills a different niche-punishes, thrusts, AoE, combo potential, or raw burst.
Stat Spread and Build Philosophy
This setup is a pure strength build with minor investment in Faith to meet requirements for Ordovis's Greatsword and Damnation.
Core Stats
Strength: Main damage scaling
Endurance: High, for maximum poise and stamina
Vigor: Enough to tank multiple trades
Faith: ~20 for weapon requirements
Greatsword gameplay heavily favors poise. You want to tank through enemy swings and deliver your own heavy blows without stagger interruptions.
Armor and Poise Strategy
The build uses the Solitude armor set, one of the tankiest heavy sets available in the DLC. High poise lets you:
Trade into smaller weapons without flinching
Land full heavy attacks
Use slow Ashes of War without interruption
Survive massive multi-opponent pressure in invasions
To push poise even further, the build uses:
Talisman Setup
Bull-Goat's Talisman-large poise bonus
Erdtree's Favor +2-HP, stamina, equip load
Two-Handed Sword Talisman-boosts two-handed greatsword damage
Shard of Alexander-massive Ash of War damage boost
Together, these create a high-poise, high-damage bruiser capable of tanking through hits during trades or combo attempts.
General Gameplay Style
The build thrives in chaotic PvP environments where strength, trading power, and Ash of War pressure shine. Because you carry multiple greatswords, you can tailor your approach to each enemy:
Against shield turtles → Damnation grab or Flaming Strike
Against mages → quick jump attacks and pressure
Against dual-wielders → poise trade with Claymore heavies
Against gank squads → wide AoE options like Ordovis or Solitude
Many fights shown in the invasions highlight the build's adaptability. When a blue phantom appears, the build swaps to weapons that apply AoE control or punish tight-group movement. Against teleporting or high-latency opponents, Damnation's grab Ash catches rolls that otherwise escape.Showcased Invasion Highlights
- Reading Opponents and Breaking Shields
One opponent relied heavily on a greatshield-only to discover that the Damnation grab goes right through the block. Even aggressive shield users quickly learned that holding block was not safe.
- Punishing Gank Squads Through Poise
Against multiple coordinated players, the build frequently tanks through lighter weapons and lands wide sweeping attacks. Solitude's true combo (L2 → R1 → R1) is especially brutal in clustered fights.
- Dealing with Dragon Cult Casters
In encounters featuring Dragonclaw miracles and Dragonice users, patience and spacing are key. Greatsword thrusts (Claymore, Damnation) make it easy to punish these long animations.
- High-Latency Opponents
Weapons like Damnation and Flaming Strike perform extremely well when regular timing windows are unreliable. The grab Ash of War snatches people who double-roll out of most combos, and Flaming Strike's tracking handles unpredictable movement.
- Fighting Opportunistic Blue Phantoms
One of the funniest themes in the gameplay is the "supportive" blue phantoms who wait in the back until the host commits. These players walk directly into delayed Ashes or flame pillars the moment they try to interfere.
- Using Utility Weapons for Style
A few invasions highlight comedic or stylish choices, such as:
Knocking players off cliffs with boulders
Bow sniping invisible phantoms
Jumping over sorceries to land R2 trades
Catching host/phantom pairs with massive AoE slams
The greatsword class offers far more tools than many players realize.
Why Poise and Trading Define the Build
Greatswords rely on their ability to tank through lighter attacks. With the Solitude set and Bull-Goat Talisman, this build reaches poise levels that allow:
Trading into dual-curved sword spam
Ignoring straight sword R1 pressure
Maintaining offense through jump attacks
Landing full heavy combos without being staggered
In many fights, this poise advantage becomes the main win condition-letting you walk down casters or punish panic roll chains.
Weapon Highlights and Standout Tools
Claymore
A classic greatsword with one of the best movesets in the game:
Strong thrust heavies
Fast crouch pokes
Excellent mix-up chains
Works amazingly with Flaming Strike
Greatsword of Solitude
Features a true combo with massive burst damage. Perfect for punishing heal attempts or overextensions.
Iron Greatsword
A sleeper pick that hits extremely hard. When infused with Flaming Strike, it deletes players who underestimate it.
Greatsword of Damnation
Overpowered in the right connection. The grab Ash can rip players right out of rolls or recovery frames.
Ordovis's Greatsword
Incredible AoE pressure with the Ash of War. Great for bosses and PvP groups alike.
Final Thoughts: The Most Flexible Strength Build in the DLC
This strength-based greatsword build captures everything players love about Elden Ring PvP:
Multiple viable playstyles
Adaptability against different opponents
Massive poise and strong trading power Elden Ring Items for sale
Flashy, cinematic Ash of War finishers
Tools for both duels and chaotic invasion
