Why These 21 Elden Ring Builds Perform Better at NG++
Progressing into NG++ in Elden Ring raises the stakes significantly. Enemies hit harder, bosses have more health, and the overall challenge intensifies. For many players, surviving and thriving in this late-game stage means rethinking your build to maximize damage, survivability, and utility. Not all builds that worked well in the early or mid-game perform optimally in NG++. Here, we explore 21 Elden Ring builds that consistently outperform others when tackling NG++ and beyond.
1. High Damage Scaling Builds
In NG++, enemy health pools are enormous. Builds that focus on maximizing damage through high scaling—whether Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Faith—excel. Weapons and spells that scale well allow you to shred bosses and enemies quickly before they can wear you down.
2. Poise-Heavy Tank Builds
With enemy attacks hitting harder, tanky builds that emphasize poise and heavy armor help you absorb hits without staggering. This reduces the risk of being comboed to death and lets you control engagements more safely.
3. Bleed and Status Effect Builds
Status effects like bleed and poison become even more valuable in NG++ due to their damage-over-time nature. Builds centered around inflicting these effects can bypass some enemy defenses, making fights more manageable.
4. Summoner Builds
Spirit summons can soak damage and distract bosses, providing crucial breathing room. Builds that maximize summon effectiveness by boosting FP and enhancing summon damage hold up well against NG++ challenges.
5. Dexterity-Based Quick Attack Builds
Speed becomes an asset when facing aggressive NG++ enemies. Dexterity builds focusing on fast weapons, quick rolls, and hit-and-run tactics allow for effective damage without prolonged exposure.
6. Magic and Hybrid Builds
Combining melee with sorcery or incantations helps diversify damage types. In NG++, enemies often have resistances or weaknesses, so being able to adapt and mix physical and magical attacks is a significant advantage.
7. Weapon Buff Builds
Buffing your weapon with ashes, spells, or special weapon arts increases burst damage potential, critical for taking down NG++ enemies before they retaliate.
8. Poison and Frostbite Builds
Similar to bleed, these status effects steadily chip away at enemy health, allowing sustained damage output without relying solely on direct hits.
9. Stamina-Heavy Builds
In NG++, managing stamina is vital. Builds that invest heavily in stamina allow for more attacks, blocks, and dodges, making survival more feasible.
10. Bleed Katana Builds
Weapons like Rivers of Blood remain a favorite in NG++ for their ability to quickly stack bleed and deal high burst damage.
11. Faith-Scaled Healing Builds
Sustain becomes critical in NG++. Faith builds with healing incantations and buffs help mitigate damage and extend fight duration.
12. Heavy Weapon Builds
Some NG++ bosses are vulnerable to staggering. Builds with colossal or ultra greatswords can exploit this, interrupting enemy attacks and controlling the flow of battle.
13. Pure Sorcery Builds
For players who mastered positioning and timing, high intelligence sorcery builds provide powerful ranged damage that avoids close combat risks.
14. Shield-Heavy Builds
Some NG++ enemies have predictable attack patterns. Builds focused on shield defense allow players to safely block and counterattack.
15. Critical Hit Builds
Maximizing critical damage through stealth or parrying can lead to swift kills, which is valuable when enemy damage is punishing.
16. Fire Damage Builds
Many NG++ enemies have weaknesses to fire, making pyromancy and fire-infused weapons effective.
17. Melee and Spell Hybrid Builds
Versatility is key. Having both strong melee and reliable spells lets you adapt to NG++ enemy variety and their resistances.
18. Evasion-Focused Builds
Maximizing agility and quick rolls helps avoid damage entirely, a lifesaver in NG++.
19. Strength and Dexterity Mixed Builds
These builds combine power and speed, offering a balance that works well in NG++’s demanding encounters.
20. Bow and Ranged Builds
Ranged combat helps keep distance from enemies with devastating attacks.
21. Rune Farming Friendly Builds
Finally, some builds excel at quickly farming runes to upgrade gear and level up efficiently in NG++. For those struggling with rune management, options to buy Elden Ring runes PS5 can supplement your progress, while the elden shop offers essential upgrade materials to keep your gear competitive.
In summary, NG++ demands builds that balance offense, defense, and utility with an emphasis on adaptability. The builds above have been tested and proven to hold up under increased enemy difficulty and health. Whether you prefer tanking hits, weaving spells, or striking quickly and retreating, tailoring your build for NG++ ensures you’re ready for the challenge ahead.