The Lands Between are brutal. Dodging, parrying, and blocking are crucial survival skills in Elden Ring, but what if you could bypass all that? This guide delves into the strategies and builds that allow you to utilize unblockable attacks, effectively turning the tide of battle against even the toughest bosses. While true "unblockable" is a bit of a misnomer, some attacks offer such significant advantages they effectively bypass enemy defenses. Let's explore how to achieve this seemingly impossible feat.
Understanding "Unblockable" in Elden Ring
Before we dive into specific builds and techniques, it's important to clarify what we mean by "unblockable." Strictly speaking, no attack in Elden Ring is truly unblockable. However, certain attacks possess qualities that make them exceptionally difficult to guard against effectively:
- High poise damage: Attacks that inflict massive poise damage can stagger enemies before they can react, disrupting their defenses and opening them up to further attacks.
- Fast attacks: Extremely rapid attacks can overwhelm an opponent's blocking capabilities, especially against slower-reacting enemies or those with sluggish guard recovery.
- Unique attack properties: Certain weapons or Ashes of War possess inherent properties that bypass or significantly reduce the effectiveness of enemy blocks. Think about attacks that ignore physical defenses or apply debilitating effects.
Weapon Choices for Unblockable Attacks
Several weapons in Elden Ring lend themselves to this "unblockable" strategy. Your choice will often depend on your preferred playstyle and build:
Colossal Swords:
- Strengths: Immense poise damage, capable of staggering even the largest foes. Their slow windup can be mitigated by strategic spacing and timing.
- Weaknesses: Extremely slow attacks, making them vulnerable to counter-attacks if poorly timed. Require high Strength stats.
Greatswords and Ultra Greatswords:
- Strengths: A good balance between damage, poise damage, and attack speed compared to colossal swords.
- Weaknesses: Still relatively slow attacks, requiring precise timing and positioning.
Dual Wielding:
- Strengths: Increased attack speed and stagger potential when paired with lighter, faster weapons.
- Weaknesses: Requires significant Dexterity investment.
Ashes of War: Enhancing Unblockable Potential
Certain Ashes of War can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your attacks, increasing their poise damage or adding unique properties:
- Lion's Claw: Grants a powerful leaping attack with high poise damage.
- Golden Vow: Temporarily boosts attack power and poise damage.
- Bloodhound's Finesse: Allows for a fast and aggressive attack that can stagger enemies easily.
Build Considerations for Maximizing Unblockable Attacks
Building a character focused on high poise damage requires careful stat allocation:
- Strength: Crucial for wielding heavy weapons.
- Vigor: Essential for survivability.
- Endurance: To support repeated heavy attacks.
- Dexterity: Important for fast weapons and increased attack speed.
Mastering the Timing and Positioning
Even with the right weapons and build, mastering the timing and positioning of your attacks is key. Learn enemy attack patterns, anticipate their defensive actions, and utilize your attacks to interrupt their attacks and stagger them.
Conclusion: Embracing the Unblockable Advantage
While true unblockable attacks don't exist in Elden Ring, strategic weapon choices, Ashes of War, and build optimization can create an extremely effective "unblockable" playstyle. Mastering this approach requires practice and understanding of enemy behavior. Embrace the challenge, experiment with different builds and techniques, and unleash the power of seemingly unstoppable attacks in the Lands Between. Good hunting, Tarnished!
