In all games by FromSoftware.inc, your character’s abilities, strengths, and weaknesses are governed by build points or stats. For instance, Dexterity is one of the key stats in Elden Ring. It is required to wield powerful weapons, wear sturdy armaments, and use your tools efficiently. Moreover, also need a touch of Dex to take minimum damage from your enemies. In other words, if you want to get through the game’s main storyline, I suggest that you invest sufficient points in Dexterity.
Despite being such a vital stat, most people ignore Dexterity till they need it the most. As a result, they are stuck at completing side quests and exploring the vast Lands Between to gain ability points. So, it is important to start investing in all stats right from the beginning rather than sticking to a few favorites. So, what does Dexterity do in Elden Ring? This article will explain all you need to know about Dexterity build and the wonders it can do for you.
Table of Contents
What does Dexterity Do?
Elden Ring is more of a combat-oriented game. So, even if you choose to explore the vast game world, you are bound to run into some deadly enemies. Fortunately, stats like Strength and Dexterity can help you improve your character’s attributes to defeat enemies in your path.
The basic concept of Dexterity is that it minimizes the damage you take and maximizes the damage you deal to your enemies. However, people often ignore Dexterity because most of its effects are not directly visible in the gameplay. Here are a few benefits of investing your ability points in Dexterity:
Increased Damage
Each time you attack your enemy with your weapon, it drains some points from their HP bar. You must strike the enemies a couple of times to fully drain their HP and kill them. The number of strikes required to kill an enemy depends on several factors, including the type of weapon, level of your enemy, the mode of attacks, and of course, the Dexterity.
So, if you want to quickly down the weakling with a few blows or kill the hardest bosses in Elden Ring, I suggest you invest sufficient points in the Dexterity stat. Doing so will maximize the damage output with Dexterity-based weapons and magic spells, and the enemy’s HP will drop very quickly.
Wield Dexterity-based armaments
Most of the weapons you acquire in Elden Ring have some eligibility criteria that you must fulfill to wield them. The lower-level common weapons have lower requirements, so you can wield them on stock stats. However, to defeat the deadly Knights, Assassins, or bosses like Margot, you need rare powerful weapons.
Unfortunately, some of these weapons are Dexterity-based, and you must have sufficient stats to wield them in the first place. For example, the Urumi Whip is a Dex-oriented weapon that requires 19 Dexterity and 10 Strength. In other words, the more powerful the weapon is, the higher will be its minimum requirements, and most of these weapons require Dexterity.
Reduces the damage you take
Dexterity makes you strong both in dealing with damage and receiving some back. There is no second opinion about the fact that you are bound to take some deadly blows if you choose to play Elden Ring. So, you must be well-prepared to face all challenges by timely investing in the stats according to your character build and playing style. In this regard, upgrading the Dexterity can help you take minimum damage from the toughest of your enemies.
Reduces the spell casting time
Elden Ring is full of powerful magical spells and useful Spirits that you can call at any time. However, casting these spells usually takes a while, as each magic has a unique animation. The time taken for each animation depends on your character’s level and stats. The problem is that your enemies won’t wait for you to complete the animation before attacking you. So, if the enemy attacks while you are in the middle of an animation, not only do you take the damage, but your FP other resources are also drained.
Fortunately, you can reduce the time taken to cast a magic spell by allocating a few points to upgrading your Dexterity. So, when you are at a high Dexterity stat, your character takes far less time to complete the animation than on a stock build. Furthermore, the resources required to cast certain spells are also reduced if you choose an Intelligence/Dexterity build.
Reduces the fall damage
The Lands Between is full of high mountains and tall structures. You must climb all the way to the top to face enemies and gather loot. And complete various quests. So, falling off a few times from a high place seems inevitable. The problem is that the fall damage in Elden Ring is greater than in any other game of this genre, and there is no way to control your fall midway. Luckily, you can reduce the fall damage by upgrading the Dexterity stats.
Not only does it increases your chances of surviving a fall, but it also gives you some control over the way you land. Secondly, upgrading the Dexterity also reduces your chances of getting knocked down the Torrent when attacked by an enemy. So, if you are a fan of attacking the enemies on horseback, I suggest that you start investing in Dexterity right away.
What are the best Dexterity-based weapons in Elden Ring?
As you know, there is no shortage of powerful weapons for every playing style in Elden Ring. Building a Dexterity-based character means that you can wield some of the deadliest weapons in the game. Moreover, the damage and other attributes of the weapon’s scales with your Dexterity stat. In other words, not only do you get to use the deadliest weapons in the game but also make them more powerful as you level up. Here are the top 5 best Dexterity-based weapons in Elden Ring:
1. Moonveil Katana
If you have been following the game for some time, you are probably familiar with the Moonveil Katana. It is a Dexterity-based weapon that requires 18 Dexterity, 12 Strength, and 23 Intelligence to wield it. The weapon is so powerful that FromSoftware.inc had to nerf it to prevent players from taking advantage. However, even after getting nerfed, the sword is so powerful that when you acquire this sword, killing the enemies and bosses seems like a piece of cake.
2. Morgott’s Cursed Sword
Margott is among the strongest bosses in the game, and his sword keeps up with his reputation. The Morgott’s Cursed Sword is a purely Dexterity-based weapon that requires decent Strength and Arcane at the same time. For instance, you must have at least 35 Dexterity, 14 Strength, and 17 Arcane to efficiently use this weapon. However, the immense Damage, blood loss buildup, and the notorious Cursed Blood Slice make it worth every ability point. So, if you want to finish off your enemies with a few blows, I suggest that you start preparing this sword at once. The only drawback of Morgott’s Cursed Sword is that it is relatively slower than other Dexterity-based weapons.
3. The Hand of Malenia
Malania is the strongest boss in the entire game. She is better known as the redhead Knight in golden armour. Defeating the boss is so challenging that developers listed her as an optional boss to prevent players from giving up on the game. However, once you defeat Malenia, you get her sword as a reward to show off in the community. The Hand of Malenia is such a deadly Katana that it sets you up for your fight with the Elden Beast. However, it is a purely Dexterity-based Katana that requires 48 Dexterity and 16 Strength to wield it.
Moreover, the signature Weapon Art of this Katana is the Waterfowl Dance, which quickly kills multiple enemies without any problem. In short, the cost to wield the Hand of Malenia is high, but the boost it gives is worth more than anything you invest.
4. The Scythe
Some people think that only the mighty Katanas are suitable for a Dexterity build. However, Elden Ring has a large array of various Dexterity-based weapons. While most of these weapons are only available when you complete at least half of the game, there are a few exceptions, and The Scythe is one of them.
It is the oldest weapon by FromSoftware that Elden Ring inherited from Dark Souls. However, it is still a simple and quite powerful weapon to wield early on in the game. It only requires 14 Dexterity and 14 Strength to wield this sword, and it is available from the Cliffbottom Catacombs near the Stormveil Castle. In other words, it is the perfect weapon to obtain for every Dexterity character before facing any of the bosses in Elden Ring.
5. Bloodhound’s Fang
Enough of the short swords; you can find plenty of them in the game. How about a Greatsword that can reach your enemies from a range? The Bloodhound’s Fang is a unique curved Greatsword that scales quite nicely with your Dexterity. However, you must wield it in two hands and sacrifice your shield to ensure maximum damage.
Don’t worry; the Bloodhound’s Finesse Weapon Art allows you to get close to your enemy, land a few slashes, and retreat before they can react. The wielding requirements for this Greatsword are relatively low as you only need 17 Dexterity and 18 Strength to wield it. However, you must defeat the Bloodhound Knight Darriwil in Forlorn Hound Evergaol to acquire the Bloodhound’s Fang.
FAQs
How to increase Dexterity in Elden Ring?
Dexterity is a basic character stat in the game. So, like other stats, the only way to permanently upgrade the Dexterity is to complete tasks, earn ability points, rest at any Site of Grace, and allocate the ability points to Dexterity. Moreover, you can also reset your stats by using the Rebirth or Respec option and consuming the Larval Tears.
What is the soft cap for Dexterity?
According to numerous players and the Elden Ring Wiki, the Dexterity stat soft caps at level 50. It means that your character scaling will reduce if you upgrade the ability beyond the soft cap. So, It is best to use the ability points in other stats once you hit the soft cap of Dexterity.
What are the benefits of upgrading Dexterity?
Dexterity strengthens your player in general. It allows your character to take minimum damage, deal more damage to your enemies, unlock and wield powerful Dexterity-based armaments, get reduced fall damage, and avoid getting thrown off the Torrent when fighting from horseback. Moreover, upgrading Dexterity also reduces the time required to cast various magical spells.
What is the best Dexterity level to complete Elden Ring?
For most players, the best level to beat Elden Ring and defeat all main bosses is level 45. However, if you wish to defeat Malenia and wield the Hand of Malenia, then you must upgrade the Dexterity to level 48. In any case, it would be best to avoid upgrading past level 50 as Dexterity has a soft cap at this level.
Conclusion
Elden Ring is based on a complex algorithm that it inherited from Dark Souls. When you level up or complete various quests, you get ability points; you can then allocate these points to various build stats that grooms the character according to your playing style.
Among these stats, Dexterity is the most important one. It allows you to take minimum damage, deal more damage to enemies, unlock powerful armaments, cast magical spells faster, and take minimum fall damage. This article offers a detailed guide about what does Dexterity do, and how you can use your Dexterity-based character efficiently in Elden Ring.
