In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Carian Sorcery Sword build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a thrusting sword build that deals great stance damage and deals even greater magic damage with Rellana's Twin Moons, then you might want to check this build-out.

The Carian Knight build utilizes the recently buffed Carian Sorcery Sword from patch 1.12.3. Previously, this weapon was not very viable due to its intelligence scaling, which is still significantly worse compared to the Carian Regal Scepter. On average, it does about 30% less damage per spell cast than the Carian Regal Scepter. However, the Carian Sorcery Sword allows for spellcasting without swapping back and forth between a casting implement and a sword, enabling the use of a shield in the off-hand. This setup is particularly advantageous for players who may struggle with quick weapon swaps, especially under extreme pressure from Bosses in the DLC.

The Carian Sorcery Sword is a thrusting weapon, dealing approximately one-third physical damage and two-thirds magic damage, with S scaling in intelligence and some dexterity and intelligence requirements. It has a minimal strength requirement and a notable 110 critical rating, meaning backstabs and critical attacks deal more damage than most other weapons in Elden Ring. The weapon’s Ash of War, Impaling Thrust, is fixed and excels at dealing stance damage and breaking through enemy shields. While not used extensively in this build, it can be useful against shielded enemies like Black Knight.

The build focuses on stance breaking to take advantage of the weapon’s high critical rating. Spells are chosen not for their damage but for their stance damage. This approach allows the Carian Sorcery Sword to be used effectively in both melee and casting roles, with spells functioning similarly to Ashes of War. For instance, Greatblade Phalanx is favored for its substantial stance damage, allowing for block counters and continued stance pressure. Glintblade Trio, a new spell from the DLC, can be cast multiple times for added stance damage, leading to frequent stance breaks in boss fights and against enemies.

Pairing this setup with the Wolf Crest Shield provides a low-strength requirement shield with excellent guard boost. Carian Retaliation is added to the shield to enable block counters and parries, which can lead to critical attacks. This flexibility is particularly useful in varied combat scenarios, allowing players to adapt based on the enemy type and situation. The shield also allows for parrying spells, turning them against enemies for additional stance damage.

The spell selection for this build includes Greatblade Phalanx and Glintblade Trio for stance breaking, Scholar’s Shield for enhancing shield protection, and Rellana’s Twin Moons for high damage during staggered states. Scholar’s Shield is particularly useful as it allows for shield buffs without weapon swaps, maintaining high guard boost and protection seamlessly. Rellana’s Twin Moons, although tricky to use due to its lack of hyper armor, can deal significant damage when timed correctly during enemy staggers.

For armor, the build features the Carian Knight Helm for its iconic look, combined with Rellana’s chest and leg armor for a cohesive knightly appearance. Beast Champion Gauntlets are included to achieve the 51 poise breakpoint.

For talismans, this build features several crucial choices to maximize effectiveness. The Magic Scorpion Charm is used to enhance magic damage, which is a significant portion of the build's overall damage output. While it increases the damage taken, the trade-off is considered worthwhile for the added power. Another essential talisman is the Blade of Mercy, which increases attack power after performing a critical strike. Given the build's focus on stance breaking and critical attacks, this talisman helps maintain high damage output, especially during boss fights and against tough enemies. When exploring the landscape, the Crusade Insignia is also equipped, providing increased damage after defeating an enemy. This works well in conjunction with the Blade of Mercy, as both effects stack to significantly boost attack power, making the build more effective in continuous combat scenarios. The Two-Headed Turtle Talisman is crucial for stamina recovery, particularly in a block counter build. Frequent blocking, casting spells, and rolling consume a lot of stamina, making this talisman indispensable. If the player leans more towards parrying rather than block countering, this talisman could be swapped out. For additional options, the Graven-Mass Talisman can replace the Crusade Insignia during boss fights to increase sorcery damage. Though the damage boost is not substantial, it is beneficial. Another viable option is the Dagger Talisman, which increases critical strike damage, fitting well with the build's theme of high critical damage. This talisman is useful both in boss fights and general exploration. The Curved Sword Talisman is also a good choice, enhancing block counter damage. For more guard protection, the Greatshield Talisman can be used to reduce stamina loss when blocking, providing better defensive capabilities.

Attribute-wise, at level 154, the build allocates 50 Vigor, 31 Mind, 25 Endurance, 12 Strength, 19 Dexterity, 80 Intelligence, 7 Faith, and 9 Arcane. Vigor is set at 50 but will likely increase to 55 or 60 for more health. Mind is currently at 31, with a goal of reaching 40 to allow for more spell casts without needing to use potions frequently, making boss fights and extended combat sequences easier. Endurance is at 25 to enable medium rolling and effective block countering, with the option to increase it to 30 for more stamina or equip load flexibility. Strength and Dexterity are at the minimum required levels for the shield and sword, respectively, while Intelligence is maximized at 80 to take full advantage of the Carian Sorcery Sword's S scaling and to maximize spell damage.

The build includes the Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear to boost melee damage. Although it won't provide full value due to the physical damage component of the weapon, it still significantly enhances the magic damage output. The Opaline Hardtear is used for increased damage negation, providing better protection during fights. Alternatively, the stamina recovery Tear can be used to improve stamina regeneration, or the Thorny Cracked Tear can be chosen to increase damage with successive attacks, which can be useful during boss fights where multiple quick attacks are made with the weapon.

For Great Runes, Radahn's Great Rune is recommended, providing additional health, stamina, and FP.