Elden Ring has some popular builds that many players can replicate or alter depending on their play style, but some Elden Ring builds that players may try to use for regular PvE enemy and boss encounters are better suited for PvP combat. This means players are potentially making the game harder on themselves than it needs to be.
Distinct builds are common in every Soulsborne game since they help players decide which stat they should increase and what weapon will work best with that stat. Currently, bleed builds are very common in Elden Ring since they can help beat a variety of enemies and other players, and because of the number of bleed weapons and skills in the game, many players may opt to try something different.
A quick internet search helps learn the pros and cons of builds, like the Elden Ring crucible knight build, but players taking a more DIY approach may stumble across viable builds that can be cobbled together in the game that ultimately work better on enemy players as opposed to the bosses and enemies of the world. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, and every player can play how they want, but there's always a chance that they're making the game harder on themselves, especially when some of these builds rely on status effects that many bosses and enemies are resistant to.
Elden Ring's St. Trina’s Sleep Build Is More Effective In PvP
Sleep is a status effect in Elden Ring that puts enemies to sleep, giving the player a chance to inflict a critical attack. This build relies on the Sword of St. Trina since the weapon causes a buildup of sleep, though there are other items often used in conjunction with it. While there is some debate on who St. Trina really is in Elden Ring lore, there is no debate that sleep is a popular build for PvE. When enemies are inflicted with sleep, they are stunned, allowing players a chance to heal or prepare for a heavy attack. However, many bosses and enemies in the game are resistant or immune to sleep, making the idea better in theory than in practice.
Using a sleep build for PvP duels is a better alternative. When a player is inflicted with sleep, they are only stunned for a brief moment - far shorter than a regular enemy. But this tiny window is all a player needs to charge up an attack or prepare a powerful spell. Combating sleep requires a high Focus, which an opposing player in PvP may not have, especially with the high number of players who utilize bleed builds.
Vyke’s Madness Build Is Another Elden Ring Approach Better For PvP
The lore behind Elden Ring’s Frenzy and the Three Fingers is intriguing, and it's only natural that players may want to make a build based on its powers. However, the madness status effect is useless against many Elden Ring enemies and bosses unless they are Tarnished NPCs like Sir Godwin. But the good news is that a madness build does have benefits for PvP duels. Vyke’s War Spear is the main weapon for this build, and is perfect for players with high dexterity. Players who want to try out this build need to put points into Faith since the madness spells are Incantations, and may find that they suddenly have better luck with Elden Ring invasions and duels than they have with monsters.