Elden Ring Invasion Build Guide: Best PvP Weapons and Spells

Elden Ring Invasion Build Guide: Best PvP Weapons and Spells for Dominating the Lands Between

Welcome, Tarnished, to the chaotic and thrilling world of Elden Ring invasions. Stepping into another player's world to disrupt their journey is one of the most exhilarating experiences the game offers. However, succeeding in a 2v1 or 3v1 scenario requires more than just a strong dueling build. A successful invasion build is a masterclass in pressure, area control, and burst damage. This comprehensive guide is designed to equip you with the knowledge, weapons, and spells you need to become a formidable force, turning gank squads into your personal rune farm.

The Invader's Mindset: Asymmetrical Warfare 101

Before we dive into stats and gear, let's establish the core philosophy. In a duel, it's a fair one-on-one fight. In an invasion, fairness is thrown out the window. You are outnumbered, and your goal is to use the environment, enemy mobs, and your entire toolkit to level the playing field. Your build should be built around this principle. You need:

Burst Damage: To quickly eliminate a single phantom before the host can react.
Crowd Control (AoE): To damage or pressure multiple opponents at once.
Chase-Down Tools: To finish off fleeing hosts who are desperate to re-summon.
Sustainability: To handle prolonged engagements without running out of resources.

With that in mind, let's build the ultimate invader.

Stat Allocation: The Foundation of Power

Your starting class and stat spread are the skeleton of your build. While there's flexibility, here are two powerful archetypes for invasion builds:

1. The Vigor-First Duelist (Level 80-125) This is a fantastic starting point for new invaders, focusing on survivability and strong physical damage.

Vigor: 50-60. This is non-negotiable. You will be focused by multiple players; high health is your best defense.
Mind: 15-20. Enough for a few Weapon Skills (Ashes of War) without constantly needing the Cerulean Flask.
Endurance: 25-30. You need stamina to roll and attack, and enough equip load to wear decent armor for poise.
Strength/Dexterity: 40-55 (choose one or both, depending on your weapon). This is your primary damage stat.
Other Stats: Minimal investment. Just meet the requirements for your chosen weapons.

2. The Hybrid Caster (Level 100-150) This build leverages the incredible utility and area denial of spells while still packing a melee punch.

Vigor: 50-60. Just as important here.
Mind: 25-35. You'll be casting frequently, so a larger FP pool is crucial.
Endurance: 20-25. Enough for medium armor and some casting.
Intelligence/Faith: 50-60 (choose one). This powers up your spells.
Strength/Dexterity: Minimum for your melee weapon, which should be one that scales with your casting stat (e.g., a Magic or Sacred Infused weapon).

Top-Tier PvP Weapons for Invaders

Your weapon choice defines your playstyle. Here are some of the best PvP weapons for invasions, chosen for their Ash of War effectiveness and moveset.

Greatswords & Colossal Swords: The Poise Kings

Claymore: A timeless classic. Its "Lion's Claw" or "Piercing Fang" Ash of War provides hyper-armor and massive damage. It's reliable, has a great poke in its moveset, and is accessible early. A perfect all-rounder for any strength or quality build.
Death's Poker: A monster in invasions. Its Ghostflame Ignition skill, particularly the light attack follow-up (the exploding trail), creates a massive, lingering area-of-effect zone. It's perfect for controlling chokepoints, punishing groups, and forcing players to move where you want them. This is one of the best PvP weapons for area denial.

Thrusting Swords & Spears: The Pressure Appliances

Cleanrot Knight's Sword or Noble's Estoc: Thrusting swords are infamous for their incredible speed and running attacks. Pair them with the "BHS" (pre-nerf mentality) or, more commonly now, "Quickstep" or "Bloodhound's Step" for unparalleled mobility. The "Ice Spear" Ash of War is also a devastating ranged option that builds up Frostbite.
Nagakiba: This ultra-long katana is a chase-down machine. With its incredible reach, you can pressure players from a distance they don't expect. Using "Piercing Fang" or "Spinning Slash" on this weapon makes it a deadly tool for catching rolls and punishing healing attempts.

Halberds & Greatspears: The Spacing Masters

Commander's Standard: Boasts an incredible Ash of War, "Rallying Standard," that buffs your and your nearby allies' (enemy mobs!) attack and defense. In the middle of a chaotic fight near a boss enemy, popping this can turn the tide dramatically.
Lance: A fantastic greatspear that, when dual-wielded, has a relentless running attack. It's excellent for applying status effects like Bleed or Frostbite and maintaining constant pressure on a single target.

Devastating PvP Spells for Area Control

Spells are what truly elevate an invasion build from dangerous to oppressive. They allow you to attack from angles melee weapons cannot.

Sorceries (Intelligence Builds)

Stars of Ruin: The premier chase-down spell. It tracks aggressively and is very difficult to dodge completely, forcing the opponent to roll and waste stamina. It's perfect for finishing off low-health foes.
Cannon of Haima: A slow-moving but powerful AoE projectile. It's excellent for blasting groups clustered together or hitting people around corners. The explosion is large and often catches players off-guard.
Carian Slicer: Your "melee" option. It's incredibly fast, deals high damage for its FP cost, and is perfect for punishing players who get too close. It's a key part of any sorcerer's close-range toolkit.
Gavel of Haima: Provides hyper-armor during its cast and can pancake opponents. It's a great "get off me" tool and can trade favorably with many melee attacks.

Incantations (Faith & Arcane Builds)

Bestial Sling: Arguably the best pressure tool in the game. It's fast, costs little FP and stamina, and interrupts enemy actions. Spam this to force rolls and create openings for your stronger spells or melee attacks.
Honed Bolt: When free-aimed, this spell becomes a deadly surprise tool. You can aim it at the ground where a player is about to land from a jump, making it almost undodgeable. The follow-up lightning strike catches many players.
Wrath of Gold: A fantastic "area denial around the corner" spell. When you see a group rushing you, duck behind a wall and charge this. The large, instantaneous explosion can one-shot overzealous phantoms.
Greyoll's Roar: A phenomenal AoE debuff. It reduces the attack power and defense of all players caught in it, making your subsequent engagements much easier. The long range and wide arc make it perfect for initiating a fight against a group.

Putting It All Together: Sample Invasion Builds

Build 1: The Frost Knight (Level 125)

Stats: Vigor 60, Mind 20, Endurance 30, Strength 55, Dexterity 16.
Weapons: Death's Poker (main hand), a Cold-infused Claymore (off-hand).
Talismans: Great-Jar's Arsenal, Bull-Goat's Talisman, Shard of Alexander, Erdtree's Favor +2.
Strategy: Use Death's Poker's Ghostflame Ignition to create chaos and apply Frostbite. Swap to the Cold Claymore to pressure with its versatile moveset and apply more Frost, which reduces absorption and deals burst damage. The high poise from Bull-Goat's lets you trade hits.

Build 2: The Dragon Cult Prophet (Level 150)

Stats: Vigor 60, Mind 30, Endurance 25, Faith 60, Strength 16, Dexterity 16.
Weapons: A Sacred Infused Nagakiba with "Piercing Fang," Finger Seal.
Spells: Bestial Sling, Honed Bolt, Wrath of Gold, Lightning Spear.
Talismans: Radagon's Icon, Flock's Canvas Talisman, Shard of Alexander, Erdtree's Favor +2.
Strategy: Use Bestial Sling to apply constant pressure. Chase with the long-reaching Nagakiba. Use Honed Bolt to punish at mid-range and Wrath of Gold when enemies try to swarm you. This build excels at controlling space at all ranges.

Final Tips for the Aspiring Invader

Use the Level: Lure enemies into PvE mobs. Use cliffs and environmental hazards to your advantage.
Be Patient: Don't rush a prepared 3-man squad. Wait for them to engage PvE, then strike when they are distracted.
Manage Your Flasks: In a long invasion, your Crimson Flasks are precious. Don't heal unnecessarily. Your Cerulean Flask should be allocated based on how spell-dependent your build is.
Practice: Invasions are a skill. You will lose, often to cheesy tactics. Learn from each encounter, tweak your build, and most importantly, have fun with the chaos!

The Lands Between are a brutal place, but with this guide, you're now equipped to be the one bringing the brutality. Now go forth, invade, and claim your victories.