When it comes to Elden Ring builds, theres something undeniably satisfying about a weapon that combines reach, precision, and raw strength. While colossal weapons and curved greatswords often take center stage, one weapon type remains criminally underrated: the lance.

 

This isnt a dual-spear crouch-spam setup. This is a pure strength-focused, two-handed lance build that uses deliberate aggression, smart Ashes of War choices, and refined knightly aesthetics to dominate invasions and duels alike. Lets break down how this "Lance Knight" build works-and why it might just be the sleeper hit of the DLC meta.

 

Why the Lance Deserves More Love Elden Ring Items

 

Despite being categorized as a great spear, the lance is often overlooked in favor of its flashier counterparts-think colossal greatswords or halberds. In older patches, dual lances were briefly popular due to their powerful crouch and jump attacks. But when balance patches adjusted attack chains, the weapon quietly faded from the spotlight.

 

The running light attack and jumping light attack both have incredible chase-down potential. The crouch attack, meanwhile, can be weaved seamlessly into your regular attack flow, creating a smooth offensive rhythm that few players expect.

 

The lances mix of reach, speed, and pressure lets you play like a true knight-closing distance, trading intelligently, and using your weapons length to control space. In the hands of a strong player, the lance can absolutely bully opponents who underestimate its deceptively fast thrusts.

 

The Core Build-Strength, Style, and Simplicity

 

This lance build is straightforward: pure Strength, with minimal Dexterity to meet weapon requirements. Youre not trying to hybridize or scale for status. Youre here to hit hard, stagger enemies, and control fights through positioning and timing.

 

Recommended Stats (Level 150-160):

 

 Vigor: 55+

 Endurance: 30+ (for armor and stamina)

 Strength: 60

 Dexterity: Minimal (for weapon reqs)

 Mind: 20 (for Ash of War usage)

 Faith/Int/Arcane: Base

 

This stat spread keeps things simple: massive damage scaling, enough health to tank trades, and a solid stamina pool for extended aggression.

 

Weapons:

 Primary: Lance (Heavy Affinity)

 Backup Ash Setups: Piercing Fang, Flaming Strike, Waves of Darkness

 

These three Ashes of War give you a complete combat toolkit: burst, control, and utility.

 

The Best Ashes of War for the Lance

 

1. Piercing Fang-The Shield Breaker

Piercing Fang turns your lance into a straight-line projectile of death. It thrusts forward with extreme reach and speed-ignoring shields entirely, making it a nightmare for turtling opponents. Chase highlights this Ash as one of the best for "mixups," since it punishes panic rolls and delayed reactions. It also has excellent roll-catch potential when used after a running light or crouch poke.

 

2. Flaming Strike-The Knights AoE Pressure Tool

Flaming Strike adds both style and substance. When you activate it, your lance sweeps in a fiery arc before bursting in a delayed flame explosion-perfect for area denial or forcing rolls. If your opponent is cornered or hyper-aggressive, this Ash resets the tempo instantly.

 

3. Waves of Darkness-The Anti-Gank AoE

This ones a hidden gem. Waves of Darkness sends out a shockwave around you after a short charge, creating a circular zone of devastation. Its typically seen on colossal weapons-so using it on a lance completely catches opponents off guard.

 

In multi-invader fights, Waves of Darkness is a lifesaver, staggering groups and giving you precious breathing room. Chase often pairs it with aggressive team pushes to disrupt spellcasters and punish overconfidence.

 

Armor and Fashion-The Knight Aesthetic

 

The look complements the weapon-and in Elden Ring, fashion is half the fun.

 

 Helm: Great Helm

 

 Chest: Banished Knight Armor (Altered)

 

 Gauntlets: Veterans Gauntlets

 

 Legs: Veterans Greaves

 

If you prefer a min-max approach, the Duelist Armor Set is a top-tier choice-it increases the damage of crouch attacks, a key component of your moveset. Pairing that with Retaliatory Talisman further boosts your crouch and roll counter damage for truly explosive punishes.Talisman Loadout

 

1. Shard of Alexander-A must-have for boosting the damage of your Ashes of War. It amplifies all three key setups (Piercing Fang, Flaming Strike, Waves of Darkness).

 

2. Two-Handed Sword Talisman-Since this build always two-hands the lance, this talisman provides a reliable 15% attack power bonus to all melee hits.

 

3. Retaliatory Cross-Talisman-Optional, but excellent for players who like trading and countering after dodges or crouches.

 

4. Bull-Goats Talisman-For poise breakpoints. Youll want enough to tank through at least one light hit during trades.

 

If you already have enough poise from your armor, consider swapping Bull-Goat for the Spear Talisman, which boosts thrusting attacks-a natural fit for the lances moveset.

 

PvP Gameplay Highlights

 

Its thrusts and sweeps let you dictate distance-punishing rolls, spacing out spells, and countering panic attacks. Against faster builds like katanas or daggers, jump attacks and crouch chains create unpredictable timings that often trade favorably due to the lances long reach.

 

PvE Viability-Dont Sleep on It

 

While this build shines in PvP, its also incredibly fun for DLC exploration and boss fights. The reach of the lance allows safe punishes against massive bosses like Messmer or the Divine Beast. Flaming Strikes fire buff and AoE control make it viable for clearing adds, while Piercing Fang doubles as a gap closer in boss fights.

 

When played correctly, the lance offers the same "zone control" experience as a halberd but with greater speed and precision.

 

Tips for Mastering the Lance

 

1.Mix up your crouch and running attacks.

These two moves define your offensive pressure. Vary your timing to avoid being parried.

 

2.Dont spam Piercing Fang.

Its strong but predictable. Use it as a punish or finisher after spacing.

 

3.Use terrain to your advantage.

Long thrusts around corners or through doorways often catch unaware players mid-animation.

 

4.Waves of Darkness = emergency button.

If youre surrounded, this Ash will buy you space. Dont forget to buffer it after a dodge roll for perfect timing.

 

5.Commit to aggression-but manage stamina.

The lance thrives when youre dictating the fight. However, overextending without stamina will get you punished hard.

 

The Verdict-A Forgotten Weapon Reborn elden ring items buy

 

Its animations flow naturally, its spacing tools are unmatched, and its ability to pressure both PvE enemies and PvP players makes it an incredibly satisfying weapon for those who appreciate tactical combat.

 

Beyond stats and damage, theres something poetic about the Lance Knight-a lone invader dressed in shining armor, wielding a weapon few dare to master. In an age of bleed builds and meta sorceries, theres room again for raw strength, skill, and medieval elegance.