In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Death Knight's Twin Axes build. This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for an Axe build that deals great damage with its weapon skill Blinkbolt: Twinaxe, then you might want to check this build-out.

This build is a revamped version of the original Death Knight build from the base game, which focused on the Sword of Night and Flame and Death Sorceries. The 2.0 version, however, centers around the use of the Death Knight's Twin Axes, available in the Shadow of the Erdtree, and the Death Knight armor, which boosts the weapon skill damage of Blinkbolt: Twinaxe. The Death Knight 2.0 build revolves around the Death Knight's Twin Axes, a dual-paired weapon that offers a unique and effective move set. While the paired move set for axes isn't the best compared to other paired weapons, it still holds its own in terms of versatility and damage output. This weapon primarily deals physical damage but also includes lightning damage. The requirements to wield the Death Knight's Twin Axes are pretty decent, needing 14 strength, 12 dexterity, and 16 faith. Additionally, the weapon scales with strength, dexterity, and faith. Strength is the primary focus of this build, cranking it up since its the best. Faith is also raised to 25 to use a few key incantations. Dexterity is given a couple of points as well, ensuring the build remains effective at higher levels. This build continues to grow stronger with this weapon as you level up, remaining viable even at levels 200 to 250. This scalability makes it an excellent choice for both the DLC and New Game Plus.

One of the advantages of this build is the flexibility offered by the paired weapon setup. This allows for easy use of an off-hand item, enhancing the build's versatility. For instance, you can equip a seal in your off-hand to buff with Golden Vow or Flame Grant Me Strength. While Flame Grant Me Strength won't boost all the damage from the Twin Axes, it still enhances about 60 to 65% of it, which isn't bad during boss fights. Outside of boss encounters, you might not find it necessary. Alternatively, you can equip the Sacrificial Axe in the off-hand to improve FP management.

A notable aspect of the Blinkbolt: Twinaxe weapon skill is that it utilizes both axes in the paired move set. It's important to note that when using the Blinkbolt: Twinaxe weapon skill, the skill only utilizes one axe and then places the other axe back into your off-hand. This means you cannot pair it with a bleed axe or another weapon to gain additional effects like bleeding during the spin, which is a limitation but something to be aware of. Now, let's dive into the specifics of the Blinkbolt: Twinaxe. This weapon skill is incredibly powerful when used correctly, though it is considered somewhat advanced and requires practice to master. The skill has a long windup time, which means that if you panic and attempt to use it reactively to an incoming attack, you're likely to get hit. Unlike some other dodging Ashes of War, Blinkbolt: Twin Axe does not offer immediate evasion. However, with practice and familiarity with enemy attack patterns, this skill can be highly effective. When you can anticipate these attacks, you can use Blinkbolt: Twinaxe to avoid damage.

In some instances, you might get lucky and phase through an attack anyway. Additionally, the skill does a bit of lightning damage. The primary purpose of using this skill is for its dodging capability. It allows you to iframe through attacks that would otherwise deal high damage. This ability to evade various types of attacks makes it incredibly useful in numerous fights. Moreover, following up the Blinkbolt: Twinaxe skill with a strong attack results in rapid succession, hitting multiple times in quick succession. This is where the skill's true damage potential shines. The rapid hits stack buffs from talismans such as the Winged Sword Insignia, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Millicent's Prosthesis, and Thorny Cracked Tear. These buffs enhance your attack power, allowing your follow-up attacks, whether from the weapon skill or regular attacks, to deal insane damage. This combination can effectively melt bosses.

One aspect of the Blinkbolt: Twinaxe weapon skill that may not be immediately apparent is the distance you can cover using both parts of the skill. In boss fights, particularly against those that have moments of slower movement, this can be an advantage. When a boss lingers for a few seconds, you can aggressively manage your spacing. The delay between the first and second part of the skill provides a window where you can avoid initiating the second part until the enemy is vulnerable. This timing allows you to land multiple hits before the boss begins its counterattack, increasing your chances of dodging rather than absorbing blows. Learning to use this weapon skill effectively against specific bosses involves understanding their attack patterns and timings. The initial part of the skill can also serve as a gap closer, allowing you to quickly approach enemies and follow up with a dual-wield combo chain using R1. This approach is particularly useful for conserving FP, as the skill is quite expensive. At 18 FP for both parts, it is on the higher end, making efficient use of your FP important. For buffs, the Erdtree Seal is used here solely for its 0 weight, despite not meeting its requirements. It's equipped purely for casting Golden Vow or Flame Grant Me Strength, as their specific stats do not impact the buffs provided. You can use any lightweight seal for this purpose.

Regarding the Death Knight Set, each piece slightly increases the damage of the Blinkbolt: Twinaxe skill. The total damage boost from wearing the full set is about 5%, which isn't a lot but still beneficial. However, the set's poise is a notable drawback, totaling only around 47 when wearing all four pieces. So you're just under that 51-poise breakpoint, and it's a drawback to use one talisman slot to hit the recommended Poise value. Swapping out the legs of the Death Knight Set for a similar-looking piece is a practical solution. This adjustment ensures that you maintain the fashion of your build while avoiding being staggered during attacks. With this setup, your Blinkbolt: Twin Axe skill is less likely to be interrupted. This build uses the following armor pieces: Death Knight Helm, Death Knight Armor, Death Knight Gauntlets, and Malformed Dragon Greaves

For Talismans, Millicent's Prosthesis and the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia are what's used. If you lack both, using the Winged Sword Insignia is still beneficial. These talismans synergize exceptionally well with the rapid attack sequence of Blinkbolt: Twinaxe, quickly increasing your attack power. The Shard of Alexander is another must-have, as it boosts the damage of Blinkbolt: Twinaxe, maximizing its impact. The Blinkbolt: Twin Axe skill also deals a decent amount of stance damage. While not the highest, it's still decent enough to achieve stance breaks. Another talisman worth mentioning is the Blessed Blue Dew Talisman, which is useful when exploring the landscape as it allows you to replenish FP while using this skill frequently. It's an effective way to open up areas with multiple enemies and buff your attack power before engaging others. The Crusade Insignia talisman is another good option, enhancing your damage with each enemy kill, though it's more suited for general exploration than boss fights.

Attribute-wise, this build features 55 Vigor, 30 Mind, 25 Endurance, 50 Strength, 25 Dexterity, 16 Intelligence, 25 Faith, and 9 Arcane. Note that Intelligence and Arcane are unnecessary, and if you start with a different class rather than the Astrologer class of the build, your stat spread might be higher in different attributes. Vigor is set at 55 due to the aggressive nature of this build. While defensive play is possible using Blinkbolt: Twinaxe, the focus is on offensive strategies to build up attack power and deal substantial damage to bosses. Endurance is at 25, though it should ideally be higher. If you take this build further, increasing Endurance to 35 or even 40 is recommended, as this build consumes a lot of stamina due to frequent use of Blinkbolt: Twin Axe and continuous aggressive attacks. The Two-Headed Turtle Talisman is a great choice for improving stamina management, making it a valuable option for the fourth talisman slot. Strength is at 50, providing the most significant damage output, followed by Dexterity and Faith at 25 each. Faith is crucial for using Golden Vow and Flame Grant Me Strength, justifying the 25 points in Faith. As you progress, aim to increase both Dexterity and Faith to 50, and continue boosting Strength up to 80. This progression ensures the weapon remains effective in New Game Plus and beyond, making it suitable for higher levels like 200 or 250.

Thorny Cracked Tear for increased damage with rapid attacks. Stamina recovery which is the Greenburst Crystal Tear is also beneficial due to the build’s high stamina consumption, especially in boss fights. If using the Two-Headed Turtle Talisman, stamina recovery might not be as critical, but it remains a useful option. The Lightning-Shrouded Cracked Tear can boost your lightning damage, though it's less impactful since only about one-third of the weapon's damage is lightning. Regarding Great Runes, Radahn’s Great Rune is the obvious choice. It increases FP, which is essential for this build and provides additional stamina and health, supporting the aggressive playstyle. This boost makes it easier to manage resources and trade damage effectively during combat, enhancing the overall performance of the build.