Mastering Elden Ring's Two-Handed Weapon Combat: A Comprehensive Guide
This guide delves into the mechanics and strategies of two-handing weapons in Elden Ring, exploring its benefits, drawbacks, and optimal weapon choices.
How to Two-Hand Weapons
To wield a weapon with two hands in Elden Ring, simply press and hold E (PC), Triangle (PlayStation), or Y (Xbox), then initiate an attack. This applies to both your left and right-hand weapons. Remember to check your control scheme if these defaults have been altered. This technique also works while mounted, but note that weapons requiring two-handed use due to Strength requirements must be two-handed before mounting your steed.
Advantages of Two-Handed Combat
Two-handing weapons offers several significant advantages:
- Increased Damage: Your Strength stat receives a 50% boost when two-handing, significantly amplifying the damage output of Strength-scaling weapons.
- Altered Movesets: Two-handing can modify attack animations and even damage types for certain weapons.
- Weapon Accessibility: This technique allows you to wield weapons that would otherwise be inaccessible due to insufficient Strength, optimizing stat allocation.
- Ash of War Optimization: Two-handing your right-hand weapon grants direct access to its Ash of War, bypassing potential conflicts with shield-based skills.
Disadvantages of Two-Handed Combat
While powerful, two-handing has some drawbacks:
- Modified Attack Patterns: Altered attack animations require adaptation and strategic adjustments to suit different combat scenarios.
- Build Specificity: The technique is most effective for Strength builds, potentially hindering other build types.
Optimal Weapons for Two-Handing
Generally, large, Strength-scaling weapons excel in two-handed combat. Greatswords, Colossal Swords, Great Hammers, and Colossal Weapons are prime candidates. Consider the Two-Handed Sword Talisman (available in Shadow of the Erdtree) for additional damage boosts when wielding swords. Popular choices include the Greatsword, Zweihander, Fire Knight's Greatsword, and the Giant-Crusher.
Elden Ring is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
Update: This article was updated on 1/27/25 by Liam Nolan to provide more insight into two-handed weapon combat in Elden Ring.
