The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

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The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

As a seasoned Elden Ring adventurer with countless hours under my belt, I must say that crafting a Madness build is a true delight for any spell-wielding warrior. The tantalizing dance between offense and defense, the fiery embrace of Frenzied Flame incantations, and the exhilarating rhythm of dodging enemy attacks – it’s an orchestra of combat that I find most enchanting.

In the game Elden Ring, you’ll encounter a variety of battle-altering status effects. Inflicting bleed on an enemy drastically reduces their health, putting them at risk from further attacks, while sleep leaves them defenseless. Scarlet Rot gradually depletes enemies’ health over time. These status effects can greatly tip the scales in your favor, even making boss fights seem easy. However, certain effects like Madness and Death Blight have limited applications and are most effective in player versus player (PvP) situations, rather than player versus environment (PvE).

Instead of Death Blight being effective only against Tarnished foes, Madness shines due to its high raw damage rather than focusing on building status. Because most enemies in PvE are resistant to the Madness effect, it’s not often used in that context. However, since Madness weapons and spells deal Fire damage, you can design a potent Fire-based Madness build in Elden Ring.

As a seasoned Elden Ring player with countless hours spent in the game’s world, I can’t wait to share my insights into crafting a Madness build that will leave your enemies quivering in fear! This guide will cover the top weapons, spells, armor, and stats you’ll need to embrace the chaos and insanity of this unique playstyle. So buckle up, fellow Tarnished, and let’s dive into the twisted realm of Madness together!

Best Weapons and Seals for Madness Build

The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

In Elden Ring, there aren’t many weapons that specialize in the Madness status effect, but one such weapon is the Festering Fingerprint Vyke’s War Spear. To obtain this spear, players must defeat Festering Fingerprint Vyke on their journey to the Church of Inhibition in northeastern Liurnia. This spear boasts a robust moveset that excels in both PvP and PvE, allowing you to either chase down opponents or execute safe thrust attacks. Moreover, this weapon naturally increases Madness build-up, and its Ash of War, Flames of Frenzy, sets the ground ablaze with frenzied flames.

The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

In addition to wielding Vyke’s War Spear, you can also utilize the Fingerprint Stone Shield, one of Elden Ring’s top-tier shields. This shield features Madness accumulation and an offensive Ash of War called Shield Bash. Even without the Madness build-up, a combination of Vyke’s War Spear with the Fingerprint Stone Shield creates a robust shield poke build that performs effectively in any situation.

The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

In the expansion for The Elden Ring titled “Erdtree’s Shadow,” players who enjoy playing with madness now have an additional melee choice: a swift-moving fist weapon. This weapon excels at quickly building madness on susceptible enemies, and when madness erupts nearby, it provides a slight attack bonus. However, the weapon itself isn’t particularly powerful; instead, it offers a small increase in damage output.

The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

As a dedicated fan of the Madness build, I can’t stress enough the importance of wielding both Madness weapons and casting Frenzied Flame incantations. The Frenzied Flame incantations truly shine in any Madness setup. When it comes to selecting a Sacred Seal for your Madness build, there’s no better choice than the Faith-boosting seal. Given that all Madness incantations rely on Faith, this seal will greatly amplify their potency. If you’re leaning towards a spell-centric playstyle, don’t forget to equip the Frenzied Flame Seal in your off-hand for an additional boost to your Madness incantations’ damage output.

Best Frenzied Flame Incantations for Madness Builds

The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

In the game Elden Ring, the Frenzied Flame spell category is exceptionally potent. Almost all spells within this class are strong and efficient. However, the drawback of employing them is an accumulation of Madness in the user. Here are some top Frenzied Flame incantations to incorporate into a Madness-focused playstyle:

  • : One of the best buffs in Elden Ring, Howl of Shabriri increases damage by 25% but causes you to take increased damage and attract enemy aggression. Since it’s a body buff, you can stack Howl of Shabriri with an aura buff like Golden Vow. This spell can be obtained from a chest atop the Frenzy-Flaming Tower in northeast Liurnia.
  • : Arguably the strongest Madness incantation, The Flame of Frenzy can be collected from Callu Baptismal Church in Weeping Peninsula without having to fight any enemies. It also has a low requirement of 16 Faith, allowing Prophet-class characters to cast it without leveling up. It can be charged and cast until the Madness effect triggers. With the right build, you’ll likely kill the enemy before Madness procs.
  • : The long-range attack of a Madness build. It shoots a beam of Frenzied Flame that can travel surprisingly long distances. Charging the spell will increase damage and cause the beam to travel faster. You’ll find this spell inside a scarab on the way to the Church of Inhibition.
  • : This is an endgame spell obtainable only after reaching the Consecrated Snowfield. It is found inside a chest located in Yelough Anix Ruins. Although it’s available late in the game, Unendurable Frenzy is outpowered by The Flame of Frenzy. The only advantage of using Unendurable Frenzy is that it can be cast continuously until you run out of FP or get inflicted with Madness.

1. Two spells called “Frenzied Flame” and “Midra’s Flame of Frenzy” were omitted from the given list. The spell “Inescapable Frenzy” is lethal, but it can only effectively be used against Tarnished enemies in close proximity as it’s difficult to hit opponents with this spell even in player-versus-player (PvP) battles. Nevertheless, for Tarnished enemies in PvE scenarios, “Inescapable Frenzy” makes them easy to defeat by exploiting them.

The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

Regarding Midra’s Flame of Frenzy, it can only be obtained as downloadable content (DLC) by trading the Remembrance of the Lord of Frenzied Flame. It occupies two spell slots and has a higher tendency to increase madness compared to other Frenzied Flame incantations. However, its overall power is not impressive given its Focus Point (FP) and spell slot cost. In comparison, the Greatsword of Damnation is a more effective choice when exchanging the Remembrance of the Lord of Frenzied Flame.

Best Armor for Madness Build

Regarding armor choices, many builds provide a range of adaptable options, enabling wearers to express their unique style. But for those who favor the Madness build, it’s crucial to exercise caution when picking an armor set, as it requires a substantial amount of Focus to prevent a rapid increase in the Madness build-up. Here are some suggestions for armor sets that boast high Focus attributes:

  • (DLC exclusive): This armor set is a reward for defeating the Blackgaol Knight found in the Western Nameless Mausoleum. You can obtain this armor set quite early in the DLC, as the Western Nameless Mausoleum is in Gravesite Plain near the start of SOTE.
  • : While not the best armor set for poise, it has the highest Focus of all base game armors. You can get this set from the Seethewater Cave, located north of Seethewater River in Altus Plateau.
  • : Easily one of the best armor sets in Elden Ring, the Fire Prelate Set boasts high poise, strong resistances to Fire and Physical attacks, and, most importantly, plenty of Focus points. This set is dropped by the Fire Prelate enemies in The Mountaintops of the Giants, and an Altered version of the chest armor can drop from the Fire Prelate inside Fort Laiedd in Mt. Gelmir.

Best Talismans for Madness Builds

The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

In Elden Ring, there are numerous potent charms suitable for a Madness build, with an optimal blend of offensive and defensive ones recommended for tackling formidable foes. If you’re adept at evading attacks, don’t hesitate to go all-out with the offensive talismans!

  • : This talisman is recommended for players using Vyke’s War Spear in their Madness build. Since you’ll be using this weapon’s Ash of War frequently, the extra damage from the Shard of Alexander makes a significant difference.
  • : For any elemental build, equipping the respective Scorpion Charm talisman is essential. All Frenzied Flame incantations deal Fire damage, so having this talisman provides a 12% damage increase to Fire attacks in exchange for reduced damage negation.
  • : While you need to progress through Gowry’s questline to obtain Flock’s Canvas Talisman, it’s worth having for incantation builds. In Madness builds, your main source of damage comes from spells like The Flame of Frenzy and Frenzied Burst. This talisman boosts damage from all incantations by 8%.
  • : One of the common issues with many incantations is their long animations. Fortunately, the Radagon Icon reduces spell casting time by providing virtual Dexterity points. Players who find Frenzied Flame incantations slow to cast will benefit from the Radagon Icon talisman.
  • : In a Madness build, The Flame of Frenzy and Frenzied Burst are the two most commonly used incantations. Both can be charged for extra damage, which can be further boosted by using the Godfrey Icon.
  • : If you’re not using an armor set with a high Focus stat, the Clarifying Horn Charm talisman is a lifesaver. The +2 variant of this talisman increases Focus by 230, equivalent to the Focus provided by the best armor sets.
  • : This talisman provides a simple 20% attack boost when Madness occurs nearby.

Best Class and Stats for Madness Build

The Best Madness Build Guide for Edlen Ring

In Elden Ring, if you’re aiming for a build centered around the Frenzied Flame incantations that demand Faith, selecting the Prophet starting class is ideal due to its initial 16 Faith. This enables you to cast The Flame of Frenzy right away. Prioritize enhancing your Faith to fulfill the needs of all other Frenzied Flame spells. But don’t forget to boost Vigor and Mind as well, during your leveling process. Here’s a suggested Madness build for level 125, featuring Erdtree Seal combined with Vyke’s War Spear:

  • Vigor: 40
  • Mind: 30
  • Endurance: 20
  • Strength: 16
  • Dexterity: 20
  • Intelligence: 7
  • Faith: 61
  • Arcane: 10

To inflict greater damage with Vyke’s War Spear, focus on increasing your Dexterity rather than your Faith. If you’re aiming for a build that leans more towards spells, concentrate on boosting your Faith, Mind, and Vigor instead.

After finishing your Madness construction, you’ll face the task of selecting additional buffs for the project. The Madness builds already come with a strong advantage through Howl of Shabriri. You can amplify it by combining it with Golden Vow, Aged One’s Exultation, and appropriate headgear. For your Flask of Wondrous Physick, the Fire Shrouding Cracked Tear is essential, while you have flexibility in choosing the second crystal tear; options include the Faith-Knot Crystal Tear, Speckled Hardtear, or Spiked Cracked Tear.

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2024-08-19 03:04