Elden Ring has enjoyed widespread critical acclaim since its release, thanks in part to the myriad of ways players can approach the game. Magical abilities are just one such avenue that invites creativity. From incantations to sorceries, magic in Elden Ring is incredibly versatile both on paper and in practice.
For those looking to home in on magic-oriented builds, finding the right staff is a must to maximize raw damage output as well as damage over time. There are great all-around staffs like the Meteorite Staff, while others like Lusat's Glintstone Staff are immensely strong for later-game use and Intelligence investment.
Albinauric Staff
Intelligence and sorcery-focused magic builds are understandably the more popular routes for players in Elden Ring. However, for those that choose to experiment with both Intelligence and Arcane -- with a focus on the latter -- the Albinauric Staff is a solid choice.
The Albinauric Staff will be a seamless fit for toying around with Arcane-focused incantations and inflicting status ailments, as well as being able to use some sorceries on the side. At its best, the Albinauric Staff will still hit an admirable B scaling in Intelligence alongside its hefty S scaling in Arcane.
Glintstone Staff
Despite the appearances, the Prisoner is one of the most surprisingly viable starting classes in Elden Ring. One of the class' greatest assets is its all-around stat spread.
That makes it fitting that Prisoners start with the Glintstone Staff, which is regarded as one of the stronger "jack-of-all-trades" staffs in the game. The Glintstone Staff has a good scaling with Intelligence and is upgraded normally with standard Smithing Stones. On top of being a starting weapon for Prisoners, it's also able to be found as a drop from enemies in Caria Manor.
Meteorite Staff
The Meteorite Staff is perhaps the strongest early-game staff in the game, so long as players are willing to brave one of Elden Ring's toughest areas to find it. The aforementioned Glintstone Staff that the Prisoner starts with provides a strong start, but whether players began with that class or not, the Meteorite Staff offers an excellent early-game boost.
For a weapon as strong as this, its 18 Intelligence requirement is rather generous, and it gives an S scaling right off the bat. Aside from having to venture into Caelid early, its only other downside is that it can't be upgraded, which is why the Meteorite Staff is great for beginners.
Carian Regal Scepter
As far as jack-of-all-trades staffs in Elden Ring go, the Carian Regal Scepter might be the best of the bunch. As one might expect from such a weapon, it has a daunting Intelligence requirement of 60, but the payoff is arguably worth the trouble.
It boosts the power of full moon sorceries by default, though, given the scarcity of such abilities, the excellent Intelligence scaling damage is more than enough. The Carian Regal Scepter's eventual S scaling is top-tier, and it's obtained by defeating Rennala at Raya Lucaria and exchanging her Remembrance.
Astrologer's Staff
While the Prisoner starts with the Glintstone Staff, the Astrologer starts with the Astrologer's Staff. Should players prefer to avoid having to venture into the badlands of Caelid so early, this is another solid all-rounder staff that also has the benefit of being upgradeable.
The Astrologer's Staff is good for those who'd like to focus on spellcasting in their magic builds as opposed to things like incantations. It has a fairly modest Intelligence requirement of 16, and the staff can also be easily bought from the Nomadic Merchant in Liurnia of the Lakes.
Rotten Crystal Staff
Fitting, given its name and where it's found, the Rotten Crystal Staff is good for its unique ability to build up Scarlet Rot on enemies. It's found Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, which is also home to one of the most compelling bosses in Elden Ring.
While the 48 Intelligence requirement is high, it starts with a strong B scaling in Intelligence, and the passive buff it provides to sorceries is worth it. And though the upgrade materials for it aren't easy to find, the combination of strong sorcery casting and Scarlet Rot side effect makes the Rotten Crystal Staff a powerful pick for even the most demanding of fights.
Azur's Glintstone Staff
Both the Azur's Glintstone Staff and Lusat's are frequently regarded among fans as two of the best staffs in the game. While the latter is more focused on sheer power, the former opts to focus more on the spellcasting side of things.
The 52 Intelligence requirement is admittedly high, but for players that want to focus solely on spellcasting, it shouldn't be difficult to offset the staff's prerequisites. It'll be especially necessary given its high FP cost per cast, but its strong Intelligence scaling and natural buff to sorceries make it worth the investment for pure spellcasters.
Lusat's Glintstone Staff
Lusat's Glintstone Staff requires heavy stat investment, but the rewards will be great for players that want to become a sheer force of nature when it comes to raw magical damage. It has a high Intelligence requirement of 52 and costs a hefty amount of FP to attack with it.
Likewise, another drawback is that it offers no side buffs. However, as rigid as Lusat's Glintstone Staff might be statistically, the immense damage scaling makes it a fantastic magic-focused weapon against several of Elden Ring's toughest bosses.
Staff Of The Guilty
A late-game staff, the Staff of the Guilty is found deep in the volcanic Mt. Gelmir. Unlike other staffs in Elden Ring, this one is more focused on the Faith stat and the complementing incantation abilities.
The Thorn sorceries it buffs are pretty niche, but it has a great side effect in inflicting Bloos Loss buildup on enemies. Just as well, the stat requirements are mild with 8 in Strength and 12 in Faith. It can also be infused with Ashes of War to increase its viability.
Prince Of Death's Staff
The Prince of Death's Staff will serve as a great weapon for players that want to be flexible in both Intelligence and Faith. As the name suggests, it buffs Death sorceries and can be found in The Nameless Eternal City.
It's one of the few magic catalysts in the game that scales with both of these stats, making it an easy option for this more specialized style of build. The Prince of Death's Staff can also be infused with Ashes of War, and it has standard upgrade methods with Smithing Stones.