Duel Sword Duelist Build | Elden Ring Wiki
Duel Sword Duelist is a Build for Elden Ring. It is a Shadow of the Erdtree Dexterity build for level 160+, built around Horned Warrior's Sword and its skill Horn Calling.
Why Play the Duel Sword Duelist Build in Elden Ring
This is a Shadow of the Erdtree build that takes place after level 160. A build that puts focus on the Horned Warrior's Sword and the properties it provides.
This guide details the Dual Sword Duelist build, which centers around the Horned Warrior Sword and leverages its unique properties for versatility and effectiveness in combat. After a hiatus from making builds, the announcement of Night Rain inspired this concept, and it highlights the extraordinary potential of this curved sword.
Duel Sword Duelist Build Requirements
To use everything in this build you need at least 40 Faith, 14 Dexterity, 11 Strength. Anything above those numbers goes into damage and survivability rather than meeting requirements.
| Weapon | Type | Requires | Scaling | Weight | Skill | Passive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horned Warrior's Sword | Curved Sword | Strength 11, Dexterity 14 | STR D / DEX D | 5.0 | Horn Calling | |
| Erdtree Seal | Sacred Seal | Faith 40 | FAI C | No Skill |
Duel Sword Duelist Build Stats and Attributes
Attribute allocation focuses on maximizing the weapon's performance and sustaining its resource-heavy nature. Aim for 50 Vigor for survivability and 31 Mind to support frequent FP use for buffs and Horn Calling. Endurance is also a priority, given the stamina demands of this build. Dexterity serves as the main offensive stat, followed by Faith for secondary scaling and spell utility. Strength is set to the minimum requirement for wielding the Horned Warrior Sword.
Duel Sword Duelist Build Gear
The Horned Warrior's Sword is the key weapon for this build. It's a paired curved sword introduced with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, offering several unique advantages. First, its paired nature allows you to wield it either single-handedly or as dual swords with reduced weight. This flexibility means you can still hold a secondary item in your offhand and benefit from its effects, such as health or FP regeneration on kills. Second, the paired configuration enables blocking with the L1 button, which is pivotal to this build. Unlike traditional dual-wielding curved swords, this feature adds a layer of defense without the need for a shield.
In the offhand, the Erdtree Seal is an excellent choice, given the build's heavy investment in Faith. While Dexterity is the primary scaling stat for this build, Faith plays a crucial role, enabling the use of powerful buffs like Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength. These buffs significantly enhance both regular attacks and the weapon skill. For optimal performance, aim for at least 25 Faith to meet the requirements for these spells. If you want to maximize utility further, consider equipping a weapon like the Sacrificial Axe in your secondary offhand slot. This provides FP recovery on kills, compensating for the high FP costs of Horn Calling during exploration.
Armor selection is less critical for this build, but there are a few guidelines to follow. For example, Lionel's Armor is an excellent choice for its ability to boost damage after rolling or sprinting—two common actions with curved swords. The rest of the armor pieces can be chosen for aesthetics, but ensure your poise is at least 51 to avoid being interrupted by single attacks.
Talismans play a significant role in this build's versatility. During exploration, prioritize options like the Shard of Alexander and Sacred Scorpion Charm to boost the power of Horn Calling. Pair these with the Ritual Sword Talisman to maximize damage when at full health. Additionally, the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia is valuable, as it increases attack power after defeating enemies, making it ideal for chaining engagements. For boss fights, adjust your talismans based on the situation. The Two-Headed Turtle Talisman is essential for stamina recovery, as horn-calling and dual-wielding combos consume stamina quickly. Other viable options include Millicent's Prosthesis for increased Dexterity and attack power, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia for stacking attack power during extended combos.
Use the Greenburst Crystal Tear to boost stamina recovery, ensuring smooth execution of Horn Calling and sustained combat. Pair it with the Deflecting Hardtear, which enhances the build's defensive capabilities by allowing timed blocks with the paired weapon. This feature is particularly effective against challenging enemies and bosses, enabling stagger opportunities and critical strikes.
Armor
| Piece | Slot | Poise | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divine Bird Helm | Head Armor | 8 | 4.6 |
| Leda's Armor | Chest Armor | 21 | 10.6 |
| Leyndell Knight Gauntlets | Gauntlets | 5 | 3.9 |
| Malformed Dragon Greaves | Leg Armor | 19 | 9.9 |
| Total | 53 | 29 |
The full set comes to 53 poise and 29 weight across 4 pieces.
Talismans
| Talisman | Effect | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Shard of Alexander | Greatly boosts the attack power of Skills by 15% | 0.9 |
| Sacred Scorpion Charm | Increases Holy Damage by 12%, but increases Physical Damage taken by 10% | 0.8 |
| Ritual Sword Talisman | Raises attack power by 10% when HP is at maximum | 0.9 |
Alternate Talismans
| Talisman | Effect | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Crusade Insignia | Raises attack power by 15% for 20 seconds after defeating an enemy | 1.2 |
| Two-Headed Turtle Talisman | Greatly raises stamina recovery speed (22.5%) | 1.0 |
| Millicent's Prosthesis | Boosts dexterity (+5), raises attack power with successive attacks (4%,6%, 11%) | 1.6 |
| Rotten Winged Sword Insignia | Greatly raises attack power with successive attacks (6%,8%,13%) | 1.4 |
| Curved Sword Talisman | Increases guard counter damage by 20% | 0.7 |
| Blade of Mercy | Raises attack power by 20% for 20 seconds after a critical hit | 1.3 |
Spells
| Spell | FP Cost | Slots | Requires | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Vow (Spell) | 47 | 1 | Faith 25 | Increases attack and defense for self and allies |
| Flame Grant me Strength | 28 | 1 | Faith 15 | Raises physical and fire-affinity attack power |
Weapon Skill
Horn Calling (17 FP, Unique). Invokes tangled horns to cover the weapon's blade. Drive the weapon into the ground, calling up a cluster of piercing horns.
Crystal Tears and Great Runes
| Item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Greenburst Crystal Tear | Temporarily boosts stamina recovery speed in mixed physick. |
| Deflecting Hardtear | Enhances spontaneous guard in mixed physick |
| Radahn's Great Rune | Raises maximum HP, FP and Stamina |
| Godrick's Great Rune | Raises all attributes by +5 |
Weight and Status Effects
Everything listed above weighs 36.6 in total (1 item on this list has no weight value) — check that against your Endurance if you want to keep a medium roll.
How to Play the Duel Sword Duelist Build
Additionally, the Horned Warrior Sword deals 100% physical damage, scaling with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith. This makes it one of the few weapons in the game to scale with Faith while retaining pure physical damage output. The weapon skill, Horn Calling, complements this versatility by delivering 100% Holy damage, giving you the flexibility to adapt your damage type depending on the enemy. While the weapon itself excels at physical damage, Horn Calling shines in exploration and dungeon encounters due to its strong AOE potential, quick cast speed, and excellent damage output when built correctly.
For group combat, Horn Calling is a standout feature. It is ideal for clearing clusters of enemies, especially in open areas, thanks to its wide AOE radius and reliable range. It can often one-shot groups of foes, making exploration efficient. However, its usefulness varies in boss fights. Some bosses' aggression levels make it difficult to execute Horn Calling, while others give you opportunities to use it effectively.
This build combines offensive versatility with unique defensive mechanics, making it a robust choice for both exploration and boss encounters. With its strategic use of buffs, resource management, and innovative mechanics, the Dual Sword Duelist offers a fresh and engaging approach to Elden Ring combat.
