Fire Knight's Greatsword Build Guide

The Fire Knight's Greatsword build is a high fire and poise damage setup in the Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree. Read on to learn how to make and play the Fire Knight's Greatsword build, including its stat distribution and required equipment.

Fire Knight's Greatsword Guides
Fire Knight's Greatsword Location	Fire Knight's Greatsword Build Guide

Fire Knight's Greatsword Build Guide

Uses the Fire Knight's Greatsword with Flame Arts

Main Weapon					Off-Hand Weapon
Fire Knight's Greatsword Infused Ash of War: Flame Spear or Flame Skewer					Fire Knight's Seal Ash of War: N/A
Weapon Scaling (+25)
Str: E		Dex: E		Int: -		Fai: B		Arc: -
Stat Requirements
Str: 22		Dex: 18		Int: 0		Fai: 12		Arc: 0

This build infuses the Fire Knight's Greatsword with the Flame Art affinity using either the Flame Spear or Flame Skewer Ashes of War from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

With incantation and talisman damage buffs (and at 80 STR and 30 Faith), and using the Flame Spear skill, you can do a minimum of 2,300 damage, plus heavy poise damage, per skill use if both bursts of the charged Flame Spear hit the target. This damage can skyrocket to values like 6900 per skill use against enemies with less fire resistance.

Fire Knight's Greatsword Location and Stats

High Fire Damage Due to Unique Weapon Effect

The strength of the Fire Knight's' Greatsword is fully realized when taking advantage of its passive effect, wherein the Greatsword's power (base fire damage) is greatly increased when imbued with flame.

While the Greatsword is capable of reaching an A scaling in Strength with Heavy affinity, it is more recommended to take advantage of the passive with Flame Art affinity for high split base physical and fire damage.

Increased Skill Damage from Winged Serpent Helm

Another necessary component to this build that contributes to its high damage is the Winged Serpent Helm, which enhances Fire Knight skills such as Flame Spear and Flame Skewer, both of which are skills that should be infused anyway to maximize the Greatsword's base damage.

You will be using the Fire Knight skills as frequently as possible for high upfront and poise damage, so this helm is a must.

How to Get Winged Serpent Helm

Stacks Damage Buffs for Higher Damage and Defense

To maximize your damage per use of weapon skill, it's important to stack buffs before important encounters like boss fights or mini-boss fights. Aside from that, it's important to dodge heavy attacks that can break your poise, interrupt your weapon skills and waste your buff uptime.

How to Buff Before a Boss
1	Cast Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength for a damage buff and defense buff. Flame, Grant Me Strength should be cast second as it has a slightly shorter uptime.
2	Drink your Wondrous Physick for additional buffs or survival purposes, depending on your needs. To maximize fire damage and stance break, you can mix the Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear and Stonebarb-Shrouding Cracked Tear.
3	Switch to two-handing the Fire Knight's Greatsword for a slight increase to damage, which will be boosted further if you equip the Two-Handed Sword Talisman.

All Buffs and Debuffs and What They Do

Bigger Benefits Close to Rune Level 200

As this is a DLC build, this setup is viable even before you hit Rune Level 200, but can still benefit greatly from higher rune levels for additional points allocation to stats like Vigor, Endurance, and Faith.

If you focus on Strength and Faith, you'll be dealing consistently high damage by Rune Level 150. Then, by Rune Level 187, you'll be able to spare some points for HP and more equipment load.

Fire Knight's Greatsword Build Stat Distribution

Recommended Stats

Recommended Level
187
Stat	Points	Explanation
VGR	60	60 Vigor should be your target for a high enough HP value to comfortably tank high-damage attacks from bosses.
MND	25	You'll want at least 25 Mind to have enough FP to cast Golden Vow, Flame, Grant Me Strength, and up to three casts of your Ash of War, which will be enough to stance-break opponents like Rune Bears and Giants before you need to drink a Cerulean Flask.
END	30	30 Endurance will be essential to equip both the Greatsword and heavier pieces of armor that will increase both your damage negation and poise, all while maintaining the ability to medium roll.
STR	60	Since Strength boosts both fire and physical damage, it's a good idea to raise Strength to its cap first for the sake of both damage and flexibility, in case you need to switch to Heavy affinity for an opponent that's resistant against fire damage.
DEX	18	The minimum Dexterity requirement to wield the Fire Knight's Greatsword is 18.
INT	14	INT will not be needed.
FAI	50	Your initial goal should be to reach at least 25 Faith to access the necessary buffing incantations. Then, level up Strength to its cap before coming back to Faith and putting as many points into it as possible to take advantage of the Greatsword's B scaling in Faith.
ARC	9	ARC will not be needed.

Recommended Starting Class

VGR	MND	END	STR	DEX	INT	FAI	ARC
10	13	10	12	12	9	14	9

The best starting class for the Fire Knight's Greatsword build is the Confessor because it starts with a nice balance between STR, DEX and FAI that will help you meet the necessary weapon and incantation requirements more quickly.

For beginners, prioritize STR and FAI first so you can wield heavy weapons reminiscent of the Fire Knight's Greatsword and get an early feel for the moveset and playstyle.

Confessor Class Guide

Respec Stats at Rennala in Raya Lucaria

Before hitting the DLC, make sure to respec your stats by offering a Larval Tear to Rennala at the Academy of Raya Lucaria in Liurnia.

How to Respec Stats

Required Equipment for the Fire Knight's Greatsword Build

How to Get All Required Build Items
Weapon	Ash of War	Armor Set
Talismans	Incantations	Great Rune

Farm the Fire Knight's Greatsword Near the Lift to Specimen Storehouse

Map Location	World View

The Fire Knight's Greatsword can be farmed from a Fire Knight enemy guarding the lift in Shadow Keep that connects to the Specimen Storehouse's First Floor. Make sure to equip the Silver Tear Mask Stats and Silver Scarab to increase the Knight's item drop rate.

Fire Knight's Greatsword Stats and Scaling

Get the Fire Knight's Seal in the Drained Church District

Map Location	World View

The Fire Knight's Seal can also be found within the Shadow Keep area, albeit in the Church District. You will have to drain the District first before you can reach the main church where the Seal is located. Otherwise, possible alternatives that can reach S scaling in Faith include the Gravel Stone Seal and Giant's Seal.

Fire Knight's Seal Stats and Scaling

Get Flame Spear After Defeating Kood Before Messmer's Dark Chamber

Map Location	World View

The Flame Spear Ash of War is obtained by defeating Kood, captain of the Fire Knights, who guards the the bridge leading to Messmer's Dark Chamber in Shadow Keep.

Flame Spear Ash of War Location and Effect

Alternative: Get Flame Skewer by Defeating Queelign in Belurat

Map Location	World View

If you would prefer to use the Flame Skewer Ash of War, you can get it by defeating Queelign the second time he invades you, which will be in Belurat, Tower Settlement near the courtyard with the big tree in the middle.

Flame Skewer Ash of War Location and Effect

Get the Winged Serpent Helm After Defeating Kood

Map Location	World View

When you defeat Kood to get the Flame Spear skill, he will also drop the Winged Serpent Helm.

How to Get Winged Serpent Helm

For Bonus Damage: Get Rakshasa's Armor Set from the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum

Map Location	World View

While we'd recommend protection-oriented heavy armor like the Armor of Solitude, players that would rather boost their damage can go for the Rakshasa Armor, Rakshasa Greaves, and Rakshasa Gauntlets armor pieces dropped by Rakshasa, an optional boss found in the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum.

Rakshasa Location and How to Beat

Obtain the Two-Handed Sword Talisman in Temple Town Ruins

Map View	World View

The Two-Handed Sword Talisman can be found in a treasure chest in the Temple Town Ruins, located in Rauh Base. Go through the small opening on the backside and make your way to the highest tower inside. You'll find the treasure chest at the end of the tower.

Two-Handed Sword Talisman Location and Effects

Obtain the Rest of the Talismans from the Base Game

The rest of the talismans used in this build can be obtained from the base game. Take note that the Godfrey Icon works best if the Flame Spear skill is equipped, since it boosts charged attack skills.

If you're using Flame Skewer instead, consider swapping the Icon for defensive options like the Dragoncrest Shield Talisman +1 if you haven't reached Farum Azula yet.

Talisman	Effect and How to Get
Godfrey Icon	Effect: Enhances charged spells and skills. How to Get: Obtained as a reward for defeating Godefroy the Grafted in the Golden Lineage Evergaol located in Altus Plateau. This boss requires a Stonesword Key.
Fire Scorpion Charm	Effect: Raises fire attack, but lowers damage negation. How to Get: Found on top of the wooden platform west of Fort Laeidd.
Great-Jar's Arsenal	Effect: Vastly raises maximum equip load. How to Get: Defeating the Giant Jar's three champions in northern Caelid, accessible from Deep Siofra Well.

List of All Talismans

Obtain All Required Incantations from the Base Game

Both the incantations required to buff your damage can be found in the base game. Neither of them are gated by a major boss, allowing you to pick them up even if you're in the middle of a DLC run.

Spells	Effect and How to Get
Golden Vow	Effect: Increases attack and defense for self and nearby allies. Looted from the Corpse-Stench Shack in Mt. Gelmir. On approach, you will be invaded by Anastasia, Tarnished Eater.
Flame, Grant Me Strength	Effect: Raises physical and fire-affinity attack power. Looted from a corpse in between two fire-breathing Giant Heads, behind Fort Gael in the region of Caelid.

List of All Magic Spells

Activate Godrick's Great Rune if Available

Our recommended Great Rune is Godrick's Great Rune, due to its +5 to all stats providing minor boosts to both your attacks and defenses.

This Rune is very easy to obtain early game as Godrick is likely to be the first Great Rune holder you'll defeat. Make sure to activate the rune at the Divine Tower of Limgrave first, then remember to consume a Rune Arc before a big fight to get its effects.

Godrick's Great Rune Effects and Locations

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