The Complete Elden Ring Mage Build Guide: Constructing A Mystical Powerhouse - 33rd Square (2024)

Hi there! As a long-time gamer with over a decade specializing in RPG titles, I‘ve come to intimately understand the intricacies and satisfactions of optimizing a powerful magic-wielding character. After multiple journeys across the Lands Between and 100+ hours experimenting specifically with Astrologer mage builds, I‘m excited to share my deep insights on how you can leverage sorceries to eradicate foes and complete Elden Ring with mystical might.

Why Choose An Elden Ring Mage Build?

Before we dive into the specifics, you may wonder – why even play as a magic-focused character in Elden Ring? What are the benefits? Based on my extensive testing, here are the prime advantages:

Huge Damage Potential – Once powered up, sorceries let you utterly obliterate bosses and demolish groups of enemies from long range. The damage exceeds any late game melee build.

Engaging Mechanics – Juggling FP usage, spell combos, timings, ranges and more keeps combat intriguing rather than just simple attacks. You feel like a battle mage!

Unique Playstyle – Magic fundamentally shifts your playstyle toward more preparation, resource management and burst damage rather than direct confrontation.

Build Diversity – Beyond astrologer, you can create distinct magic builds as a prophet, prisoner, even Death sorcerer! Vast customization exists.

Wielding mystical energies to vanquish foes, leveraging complex combat variables and essentially becoming a spell-sword encapsulates why this build delivers fantastically fun gameplay compared to more mundane physical builds. Let‘s get you started!

Choosing The Ideal Origin Class

While alternative magic builds exist across Elden Ring‘s classes, the Astrologer remains the quintessential choice for a mage focused on sorceries. Let‘s examine why:

Highest Starting Intelligence – At 16 Intelligence, no other class allows you to equip more spells this early. Sorceries scale immensely with this attribute.

Intelligence By ClassAstrologer: 16Prophet: 14Prisoner: 14 Confessor: 12Wretch: 10

Glintstone Sorceries – Only the Astrologer and Prisoner begin with glintstone spells. These magic attacks form the backbone of a mage‘s arsenal.

Magic Gear – Wearing the Astrologer garb boosts Intelligence alongside magic protection. The staff empowers all sorceries cast through it.

The Astrologer‘s combination of exceptional Intelligence for increased sorcery damage, actual Glintstone spells to immediately leverage and equipment designed to empower mystical arts makes this undisputedly the best starting class for an Elden Ring mage build.

Leveling Priorities: Mage Character Stat Focus

With your Astrologer created, let‘s examine the crucial stats to focus leveling as you gain runes and prepare to dominate enemies with magic.

Prime Stats For An Elden Ring MageIntelligence - Increases sorcery scaling and magic damage Mind - Expands FP pool to cast more spellsVigor - Boosts health to survive enemy attacks Memory Slots - Equip more spells for greater variety

Intelligence is paramount for a mage, full stop. This governing attribute directly boosts sorcery damage alongside enabling more advanced magic. Push to 80 for end game spells.

However, don‘t neglect Mind for an enlarged FP bar. I recommend 40 Mind minimum so you can chain casts several times over before drinking cerulean flasks.

Vigor also remains critical so you can absorb enemy hits without perishing rapidly. Mages lack robust armor, so have 40-60 to stay alive.

And Memory Slots permit equipping extra spells beyond your starting two. Gain additional slots from divine towers across the Lands Between‘s regions.

Staying mindful of this leveled stat priority early on will properly set you on the path toward mystically obliterating enemies!

Top Spells To Acquire For Devastation

While the Astrologer‘s starter Glintstone sorceries pack a punch, you‘ll seek out new magical arcana to truly maximize destruction potential. These are my top 5 spell choices:

Comet Azur – Primarily for bosses – unleash the full comet beam for immense damage at point blank ranges.

Stars of Ruin – Tracking star barrage that continues pelting mobile or evasive enemies for solid DPS.

Crystal Barrage – Rapid crystal shotgun blasts that quickly shred enemies at closer distances.

Founding Rain of Stars – Call down waves of colliding cosmic boulders to crush groups of opponents.

Ranni‘s Dark Moon – Fires darkmooon projectile that inflicts heavy magic damage & briefly freezes enemies.

This combination covers short, medium and long distance combat with both single target and widespread destruction coverage. You‘ll vaporize enemies and melt bosses!

Best Weapons For Enhanced Magic

Sorceries serve as your main damage source. But when FP depletes in longer battles, having a secondary magic-infused armament fills the gap neatly until refilling flasks.

Carian Knight‘s Sword – Obtained early; scales purely with Intelligence without any stat requirements. Ideal sidearm.

Dark Moon Greatsword – Unleash the weapon skill to fire off a frosty crescent wave that breaks poise and inflicts heavy damage.

Prince of Death Staff – Unique staff strengthens both sorceries & incantations, providing versatility and huge magic attack power when fully upgraded.

Lusat‘s Glintstone Staff – Superb scaling at S rank; best for boosting Comet Azur and other costly end game spells for intense damage.

I always keep a magic sidearm equipped and alternate between the Prince of Death‘s Staff and Lusat‘s Staff depending on current spell loadout needs. This preserves my damage potential when FP depletes in longer conflicts.

Secret Mage Medallion Location

I want to share an obscure but immense magic boosting talisman so you can further empower sorceries: the Magic Scorpion Charm, located in Leyndell, Royal Capital.

This charm enhances all magic damage dealt by a considerable 12% with no drawbacks, stacking with other buffs. Here is the exact location:

Starting from West Capital Rampart Site of Grace:

1. Exit onto the ramparts and clear the knights
2. Climb down the scaffolding until reaching a body with an item
3. Drop down carefully to the structure below and enter the hallway
4. Defeat the magic wielding knight then loot the chest to obtain the talisman!

With this equipped alongside your other magical boosting gear, all spells will melt enemies even quicker!

Level Up Staves For Maximum Damage

An often overlooked way to push magic damage higher is upgrading your sorcerer staves! Seek out ghost gloveworts flowers and bring the following staffs to Roundtable Hold:

Carian Regal Scepter – Found by defeating Renalla; provides the absolute highest magic attack power when fully strengthened to +10.

Lusat‘s Glintstone Staff – Extremely costly to cast with but boosts staff scaling intensely. Ideal for big one-shot spells.

Prince of Death Staff – Already mentioned; initially lower magic attack but unique scaling provides superb long term damage.

Fully upgrading your sorcery catalysts can tack on an additional +100 magic attack or more alongside further Intelligence scaling, dramatically improving your ability to obliterate enemies with charged casts. Don‘t miss this!

Concocting Mighty Sorcery Potions

Beyond weapons and spells, we can also leverage consumables to temporarily gain the upper hand against deadly foes. Specifically crafting physic flasks with these magic amplifying effects:

Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear – Boosts magic attacks by 15% for a full 3 minutes! High duration for mass sorcery destruction.

Cerulean Hidden Tear – Restores half your total FP immediately. Perfect for lengthy spell barrages!

Mixing this tear combo applies the long magic damage buff alongside rapidly refreshing your FP to unleash more spellcasts. Time this perfectly against legendary foes right as the fight starts for a tremendous upper hand!

Wrapping Up: Final Mage Tips

If you‘ve followed along this guide building your astrologer, by now you should wield devastating mystical powers! Just a few final pointers:

• With high Intelligence, also spend time discovering new sorceries from scrolls that suit your playstyle
• Aside from magic boosting talismans, equip defensive ones like Dragoncrest Greatshield for damage reduction
• Use ranged spirits like Latenna the Albinauric to distract bosses as you prep huge charged Comet Azurs!
• Always exploit enemy & boss weaknesses by switching up damage types when needed
• Most importantly – embrace the awesome feeling of mystical domination through mastering sorcery!

This concludes my deep dive Elden Ring mage build guide. I hope all the tips help you embark on your arcane adventure. May the full moon shine upon your journey across the Realm Between, illuminating each path and battle ahead!

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