New Elden Ring DLC Ash Of War Makes An Unexpected Weapon Really Deadly

New Elden Ring DLC Ash Of War Makes Shields Deadly

And It Can Be Paired With Other Weapons

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree added Thrusting Shields, which are essentially shields with points on either end, to use them as a weapon. A good example of this weapon type is the Carian Thrusting Shield , which comes with the Ash of War: Shield Strike and can be found in the Shadow of the Erdtree's Shadow Keep. If paired with specific weapons, the Shield Strike Ash of War can be used to make true combos thanks to the swiftness of its attack, which makes it particularly effective for PvP.

To understand what makes the Shield Strike Ash of War so good, players need to understand true combos and why PvP lovers tend to seek them. While weapons can have combos, when a Tarnished is hit by the first attack of the combo, they can still dodge the next strike most of the time. With the Shield Strike Ash of War, if the blow is followed up by certain weapon attacks, it cannot be dodged and guarantees extra damage if the first attack lands. True combos tend not to be affected by Poise.

The guaranteed combo damage from the Shield Strike Ash of War works best with the Curved Greatsword weapon type, such as the Omen Cleaver . Players can use the Ash of War to get a true combo of a Curved Greatsword's neutral and running attacks, although there are other options that are less effective. Halberds with the light neutral attack and Colossal Greatswords with the thrusting attack will both work with the Shield Strike Ash of War to create true combos.

Shields Can Be Deadly And Multifunctional In Elden Ring PvP

Stabbing With A Shield Is Weirdly Effective

One of the best things about using this combo is that players can still block using Thrusting Shields as if they were regular shields. It should be pointed out that parrying is no longer an option, which could be a problem for PvE players who have memorized a boss' attack pattern from head to toe, but players can still use Guard Counters. This is particularly useful for smashing through an enemy's Poise and helps with the overall speed of attacks that using Thrusting Shields facilitates with their Ash of War.

One of the unfortunate issues with Thrusting Shields is that they don't have 100 Physical Guard, meaning that players will take some damage when blocking. This varies depending on the Shield, since there are two of this weapon type, the Carian Thrusting Shield and the Dueling Shield , with the former having higher Physical Guard but requiring a base Intelligence stat. These shields can be two-handed if players want to use them alone for a defensive, yet effective, playstyle too.

Another thing to note about Thrusting Shields is that they benefit from buffs and being upgraded. The Thrusting Shields do not have an element either, meaning that magic and consumables can be used to make them even stronger. This works for PvP in the Colosseum in particular, since there is often time for the Tarnished to buff themselves before a fight starts. Using the Curved Greatsword and Thrusting Shield combo when both are buffed can lead to outrageous damage in PvP.

The Sword And Shield Has Never Been Deadlier in Elden Ring

True Combos Are A PvP Player's Friend

There are plenty of deadly weapons that the Tarnished can take into the PvP arena from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. There's the Backhand Blade and the confusing hit boxes of the Swift Strikes Ash of War, the underrated Leda's Sword and its debuffing effects, and Euporia 's ridiculous damage, all of which are effective. With everything that's been added, a pointy shield might not be the first thing players think of when it comes to effective PvP weapons, but here it is tearing the place up.

Realistically, the Thrusting Shield and Curved Greatsword combo is still an upgraded version of the classic shield and sword that has seen players through many Soulslike games. It gives players more offensive options, especially from a speed perspective with its true combo capabilities, while still offering decent defense. Players can still use Guard Counters and can block most of the damage that comes their way while dealing some heavy hits of their own, and most players won't know that the Shield Strike attack is a true combo and could panic.

Ultimately, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree adds so many new weapons and combinations to the base game that there are plenty of powerful options for players to take into the PvP arena. There are a handful of other weapons that give players the option of using true combos, but very few are as simple and easy to land as the Curved Greatsword and Thrusting Shield combo. It offers great offense and defense while ensuring that players will have the attack speed advantage over their opponents most of the time.