Elden Ring Messmer Spear Build - Fire Knight Impaler (Shadow of the Erdtree Guide)

Jul. 1, 2024

Elden Ring Messmer Spear Build – Fire Knight Impaler (Shadow of the Erdtree Guide)

In thisShadow of the ErdtreeMessmer Spear Build, I’m going to be showing you myFire Knight Impalerbuild. This is a build that usesSpear of the Impaler. This is an absolutely fantastic weapon, one of my favorites so far. And you get this weapon by defeatingMessmer the Impalerand using hisRemembranceback inRoundtable Hold.

In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Spear of the Knight build. This is aShadow of the Erdtreebuild that takes place after level 150. If you’ve been looking for a fire build that deals tremendous damage to all enemies alike, then you might want to check this build-out.

We have over 110Elden Ring builds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.

TheSpear of the Impaleris a fantasticGreat Spearweapon that deals both physical and fiery damage. Depending on your stat allocation, it can have more fire damage than physical. The weapon scales withDexterityandFaith, withDexteritygenerally scaling a bit better.

However,Faithimpacts the fire damage of the weapon’s skill, and since the first attack of the weapon’s skill is entirely fire damage, I prefer to prioritizeFaithslightly overDexterity. You’ll still need a good amount ofDexterityto wield the weapon. Additionally, although I haven’t done it here, you could prioritizeFaitheven more when leveling up to increase incantation scaling if you want to mix incantations with this weapon. My focus has been on maximizing the damage from the weapon’s skill and the weapon itself. Optimizing forMessmer Flamespells,Talismans, and attributes would require very high levels, around 200 or 250, for full optimization.

Now, let’s talk aboutMessmer’s Assault, the weapon’s skill. This skill is incredibly deadly. The first input performs a fire sweeping attack, the second input executes a series of pokes, and the third input leaps and plunges the spear into the ground, creating an AoE of spears and swords that deals massive damage. These three inputs are separate button presses, allowing you to stop the chain at any time for longer or shorter combos depending on the boss you’re fighting. This flexibility is great since many combos lock you in.

One aspect I love about this weapon skill, which might be overlooked, is that the fire sweep from the first press deals significant damage at a good range. During boss fights or when facing groups of enemies, I’ll often use just one button press. This conserves FP and often kills enemies outright. In boss fights, you sometimes only have time for one button press before getting knocked out of the combo. Learn to use this skill effectively, especially when unlocked, to aim at multiple enemies simultaneously. As an added bonus, this weapon skill is very effective against finger enemies.

Additionally, you can throw theSpear of the Impalerwith an R2 or charged heavy attack, launching it a decent distance. A fully charged heavy attack detonates on impact, dropping magma and dealing damage over time. I haven’t built around this mechanic, but it can be useful. TheSmithing TalismanandAxe Talismanwork with this weapon, enhancing its throwing capabilities. However, the damage drops off significantly with distance, which can be a drawback. Despite this, it can be useful in boss fights for ranged damage, especially against large targets like dragons.

For armor, I use theFire KnightArmor,Gauntlets,Greavesand theWinged Serpent Helmet. TheWinged Serpent HelmetenhancesFire Knightskills by 10%, boostingMessmer’s Assault.

However, this setup only provides 41 poise, so I slot theBull-Goat’s Talismanto reach the 51 poise breakpoint, preventing frequent stagger from enemy attacks. If you’re min-maxing, you might choose other armor pieces to achieve the poise requirement, but I love the style of this armor and opted for the talisman instead.

When it comes toTalismansfor this build, I’m currently using theErdtree’s Favorbecause I’m only utilizingGolden VowandFlame, Grant Me Strengthsince the weapon deals both physical and fire damage.Flame, Grant Me Strengthis a fantastic spell.

Golden Vowis excellent for boosting both damage and defenses and has a long duration, so I typically use it while exploring dungeons. I saveFlame, Grant Me Strengthfor boss encounters. If you want to focus more on an incantation build, prioritizingFaithand using theFire Knight’s Sealalongside someMessmer Spellscould be beneficial. TheFire Knight’s SealboostsMessmer Flameincantation damage, which works well with the armor piece we’re using, as it increases the damage ofMessmer Incantations. However, you’ll need higherFaithto see significant benefits.

For other talismans, I haveShard of Alexander. This is essential to increase the damage ofMessmer’s Assault. It’s a no-brainer since we use this skill frequently.

Fire Scorpion Charmboosts fire damage significantly, which is crucial since the build deals over 50% fire damage and the first input of the weapon skill is pure fire.

Dragoncrest Greatshield Talismanprovides additional protection, which is necessary due to the vulnerability from using theFire Scorpion Charm. This setup offers a good balance of offense and defense.

Alternative talismans includeAxe Talisman, which increases the damage of charged heavy attacks when throwing the spear, as does theSmithing Talisman. If you find yourself using this attack often, either talisman could be beneficial.

Rotten Winged Sword InsigniaorMillicent’s Prosthesisare also good for this build since you need quite a bit ofDexterityfor this weapon.Millicent’s Prosthesisprovides additionalDexterityand boosts attack power from the poke sequence ofMessmer’s Assault. However, I found theFire Scorpion Charmto be more reliable for consistent damage.

Lastly, theTwo-Fingers Heirloomcan be used to boost melee attack damage when two-handing the weapon, though it doesn’t enhance the weapon skill.

Attribute-wise, for this build, I have 50Vigor, 26Mind, 25Endurance, 14Strength, 35Dexterity, 16Intelligence, 60Faith, and 9Arcane. You don’t need anyIntelligenceorArcane; I was anAstrologer, so you can disregard those. The 14Strengthis solely to meet the weapon requirements.

50Vigoris typical for builds at this level, and you’ll likely want to increase it to 55 or 60 eventually. There’s a significant drop-off in benefits starting at 60, with a mild drop-off at 55, so aiming for 55 is a good idea.

26Mindprovides enoughFPto buff and use weapon skills frequently. If you use the first input on trash mobs often, you’ll conserve moreFP. However, if you use the full combo frequently, you might want moreMind. If you level this build higher, consider increasingMindto around 35 for easierFPmanagement.Golden Vowis alsoFP-intensive, which contributes to the need for moreMind.

This weapon scales well with bothDexterityandFaith, withDexterityslightly ahead in terms of damage.Faithincreases fire damage, which is beneficial for the first attack that deals fire damage, so I have higherFaith. I also experimented with incantations, which require around 80Faithfor effective use. If you want to incorporate incantations, aim for 80Faithto maximize their damage. If you don’t care about incantations, prioritizeDexterity, increasing it to 50-60. Eventually, you can take bothDexterityandFaithup to 80 for optimal weapon performance.

Enduranceat 25 is enough for a medium roll with this setup, but more stamina would be beneficial. The combo and charged heavy attacks with the spear consume a lot of stamina. Consider increasingEnduranceto 30 or 35 if you continue leveling this build to ensure you have enough stamina for sustained combat.

For theFlask of Wondrous Physick, I use theFlame-Shrouding Cracked Tear. This increases fire damage, enhancing the damage of the first sweep and subsequent attacks since our melee attacks also deal significant fire damage. Additionally, I include theOpaline Hardtearfor further damage negation. Alternatively, you could use a stamina recovery tear, which might make this build easier to play from a stamina perspective.

RegardingGreat Runes, you could useGodrick’s Great Runesince you utilize six out of the eight stats, although Strength only needs to be 14, so it’s more like five out of the eight stats. Another option isRadahn’s Great Rune, which provides more HP, stamina, and FP—all beneficial for this build and likely the best choice.

That wraps up my Fire Knight Impaler build. I hope you enjoyed this one—it’s a ton of fun to play, and the weapon is absolutely outstanding. You can expect to see other Fire Knight builds in the future, perhaps not in the next couple of builds, but I plan to explore other Fire Knight weapons as well. I’d love to hear what other builds you want to see. Your suggestions help me decide what to do next. 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.