Elden Ring Star Fist Build Guide - Howling Star Fist

May. 4, 2024

Elden Ring Star Fist Build Guide – Howling Star Fist

In this Elden Ring Dexterity Fist Build Guide, I’m presenting my Howling Starf Fst build. This is a level 150 build focused on Fists, combining Bleeding and Beast’s Roar for powerful results. This build is designed to utilize fast-paced combat with a heavy emphasis on Dexterity, while also leveraging status effects and special abilities to maximize damage output.

A Dexterity Build that uses Fists to set Bleeding and to range down enemies with Beast’s Roar.

We have over 110 Elden 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.

Let’s start by discussingFistsin general. Many players have asked for a build focusing onfist weapons, but I was hesitant.Fist weaponshave a shorter reach compared to most other weapon types, often leading to missed attacks even when you believe you’re in range to strike. This limitation makesfistbuilds challenging, as you have to be right up against an enemy to land hits.

Despite these challenges, I’ve found a balanced approach with this build and want to share how to makefistswork while addressing their range-related weaknesses. The key here is to useBeast’s Roaras theAsh of Warfor theStar Fist.

The reason behind this choice is to compensate for the lack of range inherent infistweapons.Beast’s Roarprovides an effective long-range option, with good tracking and fast projectile speed, allowing you to engage enemies from a distance. This helps mitigate the disadvantage offistweapons and adds versatility to your combat style.

If you’re struggling with the limited range of fist weapons, consider adding anAsh of Warthat provides a ranged attack likeBeast’s Roar, or supplementing your build with a bow or crossbow that scales withDexterityorStrength. This additional range gives you flexibility and helps cover the gaps in fist weapons’ reach, allowing you to engage enemies more effectively at various distances.

I chose theStar Fistfor this build because it has innateBleeding, which can be amplified withBloodflame Bladeto increasebleedbuildup. Additionally, theStar Fisthas a powerful R2 attack. Unlike other fist weapons that use a one-two punch, theStar Fist’sR2 raises both fists and strikes simultaneously, delivering a double hit. This not only causes significant damage but also boostsbleedbuildup by hitting twice, making it more likely to triggerHemorrhagequickly. This combination of intrinsicBleedingand a strong R2 attack makes theStar Fistan ideal choice for ableed-focused build.

When testing different fist weapons with theKeenaffinity, I found that most had a B scaling inDexterity, offering similar results. The Star Fist stood out because it has intrinsic bleeding, which is valuable for this build.

ChoosingKeenis important becauseBeast’s Roar, theAsh of War, scales withDexterity. This means the damage depends on the weapon’s level and your Dexterity stat. TheKeenaffinity ensuresBeast’s Roardeals optimal damage. With theStar Fist’sinnatebleedandKeen’s Dexterityscaling, you get a potent combination of high damage and consistent bleed buildup. This makes theStar Fistthe ideal choice for this build.

ThesealI’m using for this Star Fist build is theFrenzied Flame Seal. I don’t have it upgraded, but you could do so to increase the fire damage dealt by this build. However, you won’t get much additional damage from upgrades since this build doesn’t have points inFaith. You’d get a few extra points of fire damage, but it’s not necessary. One of the reasons I like this seal, aside from its ability to boost fire damage, is that it has no weight, adding nothing to your equip load. You could use another seal for similar reasons, but theFrenzied Flame Sealoffers the advantage of being weightless.

TheHighland Axeis also part of this build, and it increases roar damage. Since we’re usingBeast’s Roar, theHighland Axegives about a 7.5% boost to its damage. What’s great aboutfistsis that even though you’re dual-wielding them, you can still get the passive benefit from theHighland Axein your left hand without having to actively use it. This allows you to gain the roar damage bonus while continuing to dual-wieldfists.

Regarding armor, I use theWhite Maskbecause this build setsbleedingfairly often, granting a 10% attack power boost when it occurs. It might not trigger constantly, but it provides a good attack power increase when it does. Beyond theWhite Mask, focus on armor with high poise.

This is important because you’re likely to trade blows with short-range weapons or when dual-wielding. High poise helps ensure you can complete your attack combos even while taking hits, allowing you to trigger bleeding or stagger enemies. This build also relies on charged R2 attacks, which can cause stagger, so having high poise helps maintain stability while engaging in close combat.

For talismans in this Star Fist build, I primarily useShard of AlexanderandRoar Medallionsince they both boost the damage ofBeast’s Roar, which you’ll use frequently.

Another key talisman isLord of Blood’s Exultation, which increases attack power by 20% when you setbleeding, ideal for when you’re usingBloodflame Bladeor other bleed-inducing abilities. It’s especially useful against bosses vulnerable to bleeding.

TheRotten Winged Sword Insigniais another talisman I use for this build because it increases attack power with successive hits. However, if you’re fighting flying enemies where fists are less effective, consider swapping it for theRitual Sword Talismanfor a 10% boost in attack power when at full health. This switch helps if you rely more onBeast’s Roarand less on direct attacks.

TheAxe Talismanis great for this build because it boosts Charged R2 damage. Charged R2s are effective with this build since they hit with both fists, adding to the damage and bleed buildup, and increasing stagger potential. This makes it ideal for high-damage melee attacks.

Finally, theArrow’s ReachTalismancan extend the range ofBeast’s Roarand maintain its damage at longer distances. This is useful if you prefer a longer-range approach withBeast’s Roaror want to ensure your attacks reach distant targets without significant damage drop-off.

For this build,Bloodflame Bladeis the key spell. It enhances your attacks with additionalbleedbuildup. Although your weapons already have innate bleed, buffing withBloodflame Bladeacceleratesbleedbuildup with each strike. This boost also applies toBeast’s Roar, so if you hit an enemy a couple of times and they back off, hitting them withBeast’s Roarcan continue building up their bleed, leading toHemorrhage. This synergy is powerful because it allows you to trigger Hemorrhage even from a distance if you keep usingBeast’s Roar.

Out in the open world, you can pick off enemies withBeast’s Roarto soften them up, then finish with fists. How you engage is flexible, but using charged R2 attacks on regular enemies works well if you can predict their patterns, often resulting in staggers and critical strikes.

In boss fights, your approach will depend on the boss’s behavior. If they are aggressive, you can trade blows with fists due to your high poise. If they play more defensively, Beast’s Roar can keep them at bay. Some bosses mix aggression with distance attacks, likeMalenia, so you need to know when to use fists versus when to rely onBeast’s Roar.

Don’t forget to keepBloodflame Bladeactive for boosted bleed buildup. This is especially important if the boss moves out of melee range. Consistent buffing ensures that you maintain the pressure, leading to a high likelihood of triggeringHemorrhageand maximizing damage output during fights.

For the stats in this Star Fist build, I have 50Vigor, 25Mind, 29Endurance, 12Strength, 80Dexterity, 9Intelligence, 14Faith, and 10Arcane.

The 50Vigorprovides enough health to withstand hits, which is crucial for a melee-focused build where you’re likely to trade blows. The high Vigor ensures you can survive while dealing significant damage.

With 25Mind, you have plenty of FP to useBeast’s Roarand maintain theBloodflame Bladebuff. This might be more than strictly necessary, but it offers flexibility.

The 29Enduranceallows for medium rolling while wearing heavy armor for protection and poise. Since fists are light weapons, you can wear heavier armor without needing extremely highEndurance. However, the extra stamina is useful for rapid attacks and spammingBeast’s Roar.

The build only requires 12Strength, as it’s primarily focused on Dexterity. At 80 Dexterity, you maximize damage output for both regular attacks andBeast’s Roar, theAsh of Warused in this build. The highDexterityis crucial because it significantly boosts the effectiveness of your melee attacks and the damage from Beast’s Roar.

This build doesn’t require anyIntelligence, and the 14Faithis due to theConfessorstarting class. If you’re using a different class, you might have lessFaith, which could allow for more points in other critical stats likeDexterity.Arcaneis at 10 to meet the requirement forBloodflame Blade, providing additional bleed buildup.

This stat distribution balances the need for highDexterityto boost damage while maintaining adequate health, stamina, and FP for a melee-focused build. You can adjustMindandEnduranceto suit your playstyle, but keeping highDexterityis essential for maximizing this build’s potential.

Here’s a final tip for this build: If you’re preparing for a boss fight or any difficult encounter, and you’re using theFlask of Wondrous Physick, I suggest including theGreenburst Crystal Tearfor faster stamina recovery. Since you’re frequently spammingBeast’s Roarand dual-wielding attacks, which consume a lot of stamina, you’ll need to recover it quickly to maintain your attack momentum.

Additionally, consider using a Tear that increases poise damage. This can help you break a boss’s poise more efficiently. Remember that whileBeast’s Roardoesn’t inherently cause significant poise damage, with enough repeated melee attacks and spammingBeast’s Roar, you can break an enemy’s or boss’s poise and create openings for critical attacks. This combination of quick stamina recovery and increased poise damage can be crucial in tough battles.

This wraps up theHowling Starfist Build, 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.