moonlight greatsword build elden ring Best Stats Weapons and Talismans

The Dark Moon Greatsword remains one of the most iconic and powerful armaments available to players in Elden Ring. Obtaining this legendary weapon requires completing Ranni the Witch's extensive questline, but the reward is an unparalleled hybrid playstyle. By focusing your character progression around its unique magical properties, you can easily dismantle tough bosses from a safe distance while maintaining excellent defensive capabilities.

Optimal Stat Distribution for Level 150

To maximize the scaling of this magnificent weapon, investment in your primary offensive attributes must be handled carefully. Prioritizing Intelligence up to the 80 soft cap ensures your magical sword beams deal devastating damage to any target. You should also maintain a Vigor level of 50 to 60 to guarantee survival during late-game encounters and intensive boss battles.

Strength and Dexterity only require investment up to the absolute minimum requirements of 16 and 11 points respectively. Any extra points are best spent on Mind and Endurance to ensure a healthy pool of Focus Points and stamina. This allows you to continuously execute heavy charged attacks without running out of resources mid-combat.

The Best Complimentary Weapons and Staves

While the greatsword itself functions perfectly as a primary weapon, pairing it with the correct off-hand tools elevates your combat efficiency. The Carian Regal Scepter serves as an excellent catalyst for casting sorceries due to its superior scaling at high Intelligence levels. Equipping this staff allows you to integrate powerful ranged spells into your general offensive rotation seamlessly.

For players who prefer a defensive approach, placing a medium shield equipped with the Carian Retaliation Ash of War in the left hand is highly recommended. This setup provides an enhanced parry window that easily deflects physical attacks and magical projectiles alike. Alternatively, a secondary light weapon can carry utility skills to assist with rapid maneuvering across treacherous terrain.

Essential Talismans for Enhanced Projectile Damage

The true power of this build shines when enhancing the unique Moonlight Greatsword weapon skill via optimized equipment slots. The Shard of Alexander is an essential addition, as it drastically boosts the attack power of all weapon skills by 15 percent. Combining this with the Godfrey Icon will further amplify your charged heavy attacks, allowing your projectiles to pierce through enemy defenses effortlessly.

To push your offensive output even further, the Magic Scorpion Charm provides a welcome 12 percent increase to all magic-based damage. However, you must remain mindful of the slight penalty to your physical damage negation while wearing it. To offset this defensive drawback, incorporating the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman will restore your overall resilience and keep you safe in battle.

Strategic Gameplay and Combat Setup

Initiating major combat encounters should always begin by triggering the weapon's unique skill to cloak the blade in frost-building moonlight. This temporary enhancement lasts for 60 seconds and transforms your standard heavy swings into explosive ranged waves. These magical waves deal tremendous stance damage, frequently knocking enemies off balance from a secure position.

To maximize your opening burst damage, casting Ranni's Dark Moon at the start of a boss fight is highly effective. This premier sorcery lowers the target's magic damage resistance while simultaneously building up the frostbite status effect. Once the debuff is applied, you can follow up with continuous charged projectiles to quickly deplete the enemy's remaining health pool.