Elden Ring Intelligence Samurai Build Guide - Soul Samurai
Apr. 25, 2024Elden Ring Intelligence Samurai Build Guide – Soul Samurai
In this Elden Ring IntelligenceSamuraiBuild Guide, I’m going to be showing you mySoul Samuraibuild. This is a NG+Samuraibuild that is a Dexterity/Intelligence build that focuses on the use of akatana, in this case, theNagakiba, as well as using some magic spells. If you’ve been trying to play a magic samurai-type build and you’re looking for a good alternative to theMoonveil, which seems to be what a lot of people are using, then you might want to check out this build.
A Dexterity Intelligence Build that uses the Nagakiba and Scholar’s Armament to phenomenal result.
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Before I dive into the weapons and armor, I want to explain why this is aNG+build. The key factor is the stat distribution. When using a weapon that deals 100% physical damage and scales withDexterityor Strength—like when using aHeavy Infusionor aKeen Infusion—while also buffing it with Incantation Scaling or Sorcery Scaling from Faith orIntelligence, you need a high stat total to maximize its effectiveness. This setup is ideal forNG+, where you can continue to boost your stats and increase your damage.
If you’re playing in New Game, focusing onMagicorColdinfusionsmight be more practical since they require less stat investment to deliver solid damage. However, inNG+, having one high-stat focus for physical damage and another for magical damage allows you to continue increasing stats to keep the damage output high. This balanced approach is particularly effective for pushing further intoNG+, where more stat points allow you to keep your build effective and strong.
With that said, let’s discuss the weapon used in this build: theNagakiba, one of my favorite weapons in the game. You might recall theBlazing Bushidobuild where I also used this weapon. In this build, we’re focusing on Keen scaling, relying onDexterityfor the weapon’s physical damage. TheNagakibahas excellentDexterityscaling, making it a great choice for this approach.
For myAsh of War, I’ve selectedDouble Slash, but you could choose others likeSword DanceorRepeating Thrusts—whatever suits your style. I findDouble Slashto be effective and fun to use. With theKeen Affinity, this weapon draws all its physical damage fromDexterity, so stacking this stat will greatly enhance your damage output.
Moving on to the staff I’m using for this Intelligence Samurai Build, I have theAcademy Glintstone Staff, I have that maxed out. The reason for that really is that myIntelligenceat this point is at 60. As you go throughNG+, and yourDexterityandIntelligenceget higher, you’ll probably swap this out for theCarian Regal Scepterat some point.
But at this point of the game, theAcademy Glintstone Staffactually outperforms theCarian Regal Scepterbecause myIntelligenceis not high enough. TheCarian Regal Scepterreally shines between that 70 to 80Intelligencerange. So when you’re approaching about 70Intelligence, you’ll probably want to swap over to that. But for the moment, this is a better staff.
For the armor in this Intelligence Samurai Build, there are various options depending on your playstyle. You could aim for high poise to withstand most regular attacks without getting staggered, stay light to maintain a fast roll, or find a balance with a medium roll. I’m using theBlack Knife setwith a different chest piece for a visual preference. TheBlack Knife setis handy because it muffles your movement, giving you a stealth advantage against some enemies.
However, the choice of armor isn’t critical for this build. You can select whatever suits your style or aesthetic preference. Since this build has a complex stat spread, you may not have many points to spare forEndurance, so your armor choice might be limited if you don’t want to sacrificeIntelligenceorDexterity. In summary, choose armor that fits your desired playstyle while considering your availableEndurancepoints.
When it comes to talismans I have for this build, I’m usingShard of Alexander,Magic Scorpion Charm,Millicent’s Prosthesis, andDragoncrest Greatshield Talisman.
Shard of Alexanderis there to increase the damage withDouble Slash. If you’re using a differentAsh of War, it’s going to increase the damage of that. And that’s huge for this. We use that a lot. AndMagic Scorpion Charmis there to increase not only the damage of your weapon when you’re buffed, but also the spells that you do because they all deal magic damage. You can replace this with aRitual Sword Talismanif you don’t have this one.
Millicent’s Prosthesisis there to increase your damage as you hit rapidly, which you will withDouble Slash, and to also give you fiveDexteritybecause we have Keen Scaling that works really well. However, if you don’t have this one, you can replace this withRotten Winged Sword Insignia. That will also work very well.
TheDragoncrest Greatshield Talismanis there just to increase our protection further because we are using one Scorpion Charm and we don’t have the heaviest armor. This is going to give you more physical protection, which will help you inNG+.
I use a variety of spells for this Intelligence Samurai Build, and you can customize them to your preference, given the flexibility provided by the 60Intelligencestat. This allows you to use most spells, so feel free to choose those that suit your playstyle. One spell I like to use isGreatblade Phalanx, which is excellent for staggering enemies. Although this build doesn’t rely heavily on stagger mechanics like aMoonveil-based build where you might useTransient Moonlightfor stagger combos, it can still be useful in certain situations.
Greatblade Phalanxis handy when you want to deal some damage or build up stagger on an enemy, especially when you have a moment to prepare before they get too close. It’s a versatile spell to have in your arsenal for those times when you need to control the battlefield or create some breathing room.
Scholar’s Armamentis there to buff our weapon. Because we have physical damage andKeenScaling, we can buff withScholar’s Armament, and the damage you’ll gain between Keen Scaling and buffing withScholar’s Armamentis actually higher than you’d get if you were set to like Magic or Cold Affinity at this point. So we’ve actually overtaken it, and as you progress further and further intoNG+, the physical damage is going to go up as you increaseDexterity, and the magic damage is going to go up even further as you increaseIntelligenceand get better Sorcery Scaling.
What I appreciate aboutScholar’s Armamentis its long duration, which means you don’t have to constantly reapply it. Typically, you can cast it once before a boss fight, and it should last for the duration, though you might occasionally need to reapply it. The buffing process doesn’t take too long, so once you get a feel for its timing, you can manage it easily without disrupting the flow of combat. It’s a convenient enchantment that helps maintain your weapon’s effectiveness without constant interruptions.
I useFreezing Mistwith this build, typically at the start of boss fights. It applies the Frostbite status effect, which reduces the enemy’s protection and increases the damage they take. My usual strategy is to castFreezing Mistafter buffing my weapon, then maneuver around the boss to let the Frostbite build up. Once it triggers, I go on the offensive to maximize the damage output.
Another spell I use isTerra Magica, which significantly boosts magic damage, including melee attacks withScholar’s Armamentand other magic-based spells. It’s a great way to amplify your overall damage. However,Terra Magicaisn’t always practical, as it requires you to stand within a specific area. You need to gauge the boss fight to determine if you can safely cast it and remain stationary. It’s an excellent addition to your toolkit but use it judiciously when the situation allows.
The next spell I use here isFounding Rain of Stars. This is another spell that’s really good to throw on a boss that’s stationary or doesn’t move around that much. Preemptively cast it, wait for them to move towards you, and then fight them while they’re standing under it to get increased damage when you go to town withDouble Slash.
I also haveLoretta’s Greatbowhere. This gives you a good ranged option from far away. This is primarily a melee build, but every so often, just having a ranged ability or a ranged spell that you can snipe enemies with will get you out of a bad situation if you have to aggro a lot of enemies at once.
Next, I haveCarian Retaliation. It’s a fun spell that’s not necessarily part of the core build but can be useful for parrying projectiles and spells. This can be particularly handy in PvP, where opponents might not expect you to parry with a staff. It’s also useful against certain enemies or bosses that rely on ranged attacks, providing a surprise counterattack. While not essential,Carian Retaliationcan be a nice addition to your spell lineup, adding an extra layer of versatility and a bit of fun to the build.
Finally, I haveUnseen Formhere. This makes you partially invisible, combined with the muffled sounds from your armor pieces, helps you sneak up on enemies. While it’s not as foolproof as you might expect, there are situations where it can be quite helpful.
For example, if you’re rushing through the front gate ofStormveil Castle,Unseen Formcan help you avoid detection for longer, letting you navigate tricky areas with less resistance. It might not be a game-changer, but it can make certain sections of the game a bit easier to handle, especially if you’re trying to avoid unnecessary combat. If you have it, it’s worth using for those moments when stealth is advantageous.
As mentioned earlier, you can add other spells to this Intelligence Samurai Build—these aren’t the only ones you can use. These spells are the ones I find most suitable for this build because they let you use magic while still maintaining that katana-basedSamuraiplaystyle. If you start using a lot of ranged spells, the build leans more towards a traditionalmage, which is fine if that’s what you’re after. However, I prefer theSamuraifeel, which is why I chose these particular spells. They complement the katana combat style while offering some magical versatility without overshadowing the melee focus.
When it comes to stats for this build, I have 50Vigor, 30Mind, 20Endurance, 18Strength, 47Dexterity, 60Intelligence, 7Faith, and 9Arcane. These stats are for level 157. So as you go intoNG+further, these are going to increase, but that’s what I have right now at the moment.
50Vigoris a good number at this point in the game. You can increase this up to 60 as you go throughNG+, but I find it’s enough for what I’m trying to do.
30Mindis great here—it gives you a lot of FP to buff with, to cast spells. You probably want to increase this at some point inNG+, maybe up to 35 or 40. I don’t think you need to go too much higher than that inNG+, but if you go up toNG+Plus, you’ll probably want to take this up to 50 or so.
20Enduranceis probably a little more than we need for this build with the setup that I have, but if you’re using a heavier armor set, you’re going to need more endurance. And if you want to try and get a lot more poise so that you can use, like,Double Slashmore easily without being interrupted, you probably need to increase this at some point.
18Strengthis there simply to be able to use theNagakibaone-handed. There isn’t much point in two-handing this weapon with this build. A lot of builds that I’m playing a Samurai, I like to two-hand my katana. But here, the damage difference between one-handing and two-handing it is like four damage—it’s not worth it. And that’ll keep you the flexibility to be able to cast spells at will without having to un-two-hand. So I don’t recommend two-handing with this build, and that’s why we have 18Strength.
I also have 47Dexterityand 60Intelligenceat this point. You can takeDexterityup to 50 here, but then I would keep increasingIntelligenceup to 80 and replacing that staff, as I mentioned, with aCarian Regal Scepter.
Once you reach 80Intelligence, go back to increasingDexterityuntil it also reaches 80. At this point, you won’t be entirely maxed out, but your damage output will be quite high, providing a strong base forNG+and beyond. From there, any further stat increases will offer diminishing returns, but this build should comfortably carry you throughNG+and likely throughNG++as well.
You don’t need anyFaithorArcanefor this build.
A couple of final tips for this build: If you’re using theFlask of Wondrous Physick, I like theMagic-Shrouding Cracked Tearin order to boost your magic damage even more, and I like theGreenburst Crystal Tearto give you stamina recovery. You use a lot of stamina when casting spells and when you’re attacking regularly. It’s just really good to have. You don’t have a ton of stamina with this build, so regaining it quickly is very useful.
When it comes toGreat Runesfor this build,Godrick’s Great Runeis perfect. You use six of the eight stats with this build, so that’s going to go a long way—that’s going to be like 30 levels’ worth of stats right there. You can respec and pull out five points from strength so that when you’re usingGodrick’s Great Rune, you meet that requirement to one-hand by itself. That would save you another five points. So theoretically, you can save yourself 35 points with that setup and get yourself a lot more improved stat scores.
So that wraps up theSoul Samuraibuild. As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming forElden RingandShadow of the Erdtreeso stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check theElden Ring Map.
Castielle
Senior Editor at Fextralife. I enjoy gaming, playing and watching sports, cooking yummy food, watching a good movie and hanging out with Fex.
