A tanky Faith Build that allow for the use of offensive and defensive Incantations while playing in melee.
How this Build works is that you focus on doing Block Counters with your Shield after buffing it with Barricade Shield. With this setup you will take ZERO Stamina damage when Blocking, allowing you to Block even the most deadly of attacks. This conserves Stamina for Block Counters and Attacks.
You'll use Golden Vow, Electrify Armament and Blessing's Boon to buff before tough fights, like boss encounters. Golden Vow boosts your overall damage (including spells), as well as defenses. Electrify Armament buffs your Lighting Damage on your melee attacks by a lot, and Blessing's Boon heals you over time. All 3 of these buffs last 90 seconds, which is quite long.
Lightning Spear is your ranged option for flying enemies, or instances when you just need range. It can be used effectively on horseback as well, and since you can buff with Golden Vow while on horseback you can deal even more damage while riding and casting. You actually two-hand your Seal when riding to use it, so you have even more damage since it scales with Strength.
Strength
Faith & Endurance
Faith
Endurance
Dexterity & Mind
Dexterity
Mind
Spellblade is a quality build that utilizes Claymore and Glintblade Phalanx Ashes of War. Primarily scales with strength and intelligence and heavily relies on periodic stance-breaking and critical hits. Rendering enemies unable to retaliate.
A Dexterity/Intelligence build that uses the Nagakiba and the Chilling Mist Ash of War.
A pure ranged Build that focuses on ranging enemies down from afar, without the need to ever engage in melee combat.
Note: since patch 1.03, Determination no longer applies its buff to any source of damage other than the weapon to which the Ash of War is applied. It can no longer be used to increase the damage of sorceries or incantations. The written guide below has been updated and contains minor changes to the build in the video guide.
A melee-focused Mage Build that uses magic to enhance and deal damage up close to enemies.
A melee-mage Build that uses Scholar's Armament and Glintstone Phalanx to deal Critical Damage to enemies.
A medium-armor melee-based sorcerer Build that allows you to Block with a Shield while attacking with Carian Sword Sorceries in your right hand.
The Sword Sage is a combination of Intelligence and Faith, using the Sword of Night and Flame and Death Sorceries.
A melee mage build that focuses on the use of the Dark Moon Greatsword and other Glintblade Sorceries to destroy its enemies.