Elden ring best affinity – In the vast realm of Elden Ring, where battles rage and enemies lurk, understanding the intricate mechanics of affinity is crucial for unleashing the true potential of your weapons. Delve into this comprehensive guide as we unveil the best affinities for different builds, explore methods to change affinity, and uncover advanced mechanics that will elevate your combat prowess to new heights.

From strength-wielding warriors to nimble dexterity-based fighters and enigmatic intelligence-driven spellcasters, the choice of affinity can significantly impact your playstyle and effectiveness against formidable foes.

Elden Ring Affinity System: Elden Ring Best Affinity

In Elden Ring, affinity refers to a weapon’s special attribute that modifies its damage output. Different affinities enhance damage in different ways, such as increasing it against specific enemy types or boosting critical hit chance.

There are several types of affinities in Elden Ring, each with its unique effects:

• Standard: No additional damage bonus.
• Keen: Increases dexterity scaling and critical hit damage.
• Heavy: Increases strength scaling and poise damage.
• Magic: Increases intelligence scaling and magic damage.
• Fire: Increases fire damage and damage against cold-resistant enemies.
• Lightning: Increases lightning damage and damage against water-resistant enemies.
• Holy: Increases holy damage and damage against undead enemies.

Best Affinity for Different Builds

Build Type	Best Affinity
Strength Builds	Heavy
Dexterity Builds	Keen
Intelligence Builds	Magic

When choosing an affinity, consider the following factors:

• Your primary damage stat (strength, dexterity, or intelligence).
• The enemy types you frequently encounter.
• Your preferred playstyle (critical hits, poise damage, etc.).

How to Change Affinity

You can change a weapon’s affinity at any Site of Grace using whetstones. To do so:

1. Rest at a Site of Grace.
2. Select “Modify Equipment” from the menu.
3. Choose the weapon you want to modify.
4. Select “Affinity” from the options.
5. Choose the desired affinity from the list.
6. Confirm your changes.

Different types of whetstones are required to change affinities. For example, Keen Whetstones are needed to change a weapon’s affinity to Keen.

Advanced Affinity Mechanics

Affinity affects not only base damage but also critical hits and status effects:

• Critical Hits: Keen affinity increases critical hit damage, while Heavy affinity decreases it.
• Status Effects: Fire, Lightning, and Holy affinities can inflict corresponding status effects on enemies.

Affinity also interacts with other weapon attributes, such as scaling:

• Scaling: Keen affinity increases dexterity scaling, while Heavy affinity increases strength scaling.

Some unique weapons in Elden Ring have special affinity effects, such as the Moonveil Katana, which has a built-in Magic affinity.

Community Insights

• For PvP, Keen affinity is popular due to its increased critical hit damage.
• For PvE, Heavy affinity is preferred for its high poise damage against bosses.
• There is an ongoing debate about whether Magic affinity is better than Fire affinity for intelligence builds.

Answers to Common Questions

What is the best affinity for a strength build?

For strength-based builds, the Heavy affinity is the optimal choice, as it scales weapon damage based on strength.

How do I change the affinity of my weapon?

To change affinity, you can use whetstones at a Site of Grace or consult a blacksmith to utilize smithing stones.

What are the unique affinity effects of some weapons?

Certain weapons, such as the Sword of Night and Flame, possess special affinity effects that enhance their abilities in specific ways.