Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – Best Impenetrable Thorns Build

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Best Impenetrable Thorns Build

As a seasoned Elden Ring player with countless hours spent exploring the Lands Between and mastering various builds, I can confidently say that the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has truly outdone itself when it comes to enhancing sorceries, especially Impenetrable Thorns.


The Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion surprised many with its impressive collection of more than 100 new weapons and numerous spells. FromSoftware has raised the bar for upcoming DLCs, as the original game offered an abundance of spells to begin with. In this expansion, the focus shifted mainly towards incantations, introducing 28 new ones and 14 sorceries. Even though there are fewer incantations compared to other classes, sorcerers have emerged as the top choice due to the powerful Impenetrable Thorns spell.

In the original version of the game, players could utilize a pair of Thorns sorceries: and . After installing the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion pack, players gained access to two additional Thorns spells: and . Notably, Briars spells belong to the Aberrant sorceries employed by outcast criminals. However, Impenetrable Thorns and Mantle of Thorns originate from the Scadutree in the Shadow Realm.

The Mantle of Thorns is a gimmick continued from the Dark Souls series, but Impenetrable Thorns stands out as a strong and powerful variant of Briars of Punishment. Instead of summoning thorns made out of blood, this spell summons three trails of Scadutree thorns. Follow this guide to find the best build for Impenetrable Thorns in the Elden Ring DLC, including the best talismans and staff for the build.

Best Staff for an Impenetrable Thorns Build

In Elden Ring, sorcerers have multiple staves to choose from with built-in passive abilities that enhance specific forms of sorcery. For instance, the Staff of the Guilty offers an added bonus to Impenetrable Thorns, but it has a strong Faith scaling and weak Sorcery scaling. Players can wield this staff in one hand and carry a more potent staff like Lusat’s Glintstone Staff or Maternal Staff for optimal damage from Impenetrable Thorns.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Best Impenetrable Thorns Build

The Maternal Staff is a recently introduced glintstone staff that excels in Finger sorceries, boasting a slightly superior sorcery scaling to Lusat’s Glintstone Staff. However, this comes with the cost of twice the Flux Point requirement. Additionally, the Maternal Staff features split scaling in Arcane and Intelligence, necessitating greater investment in both stats for optimal results. As a bonus, its Arcane property enhances bleed buildup from Impenetrable Thorns.

Based on my extensive experience playing the Impenetrable Thorns build in this game, I wholeheartedly recommend using the Staff of the Guilty as your off-hand weapon and either Lusat’s Glintstone Staff or Maternal Staff as your main hand weapon. Why you ask? Let me explain.

Best Talismans for an Impenetrable Thorns Build

As a sorcerer in Elden Ring, I’ve come across numerous talismans that amplify the potency of Impenetrable Thorns. However, some gamers have voiced concerns about its lengthy casting animation and lack of hyper armor. To remedy this issue, I can opt for swifter casting with either the Talisman of Swiftness or the Clawmark Seal in my inventory.

In Elden Ring, the Graven-Mass Talisman is an essential accessory for any sorcery character. This talisman grants a straightforward 8% enhancement to all magic spells without any negative consequences. Alternatively, you can opt for the Magic Scorpion Charm, which offers a 12% increase in Magic damage but comes with the drawback of increased damage taken. Given that Impenetrable Thorns inflicts Magic damage, you can benefit from using both the Graven-Mass Talisman and Magic Scorpion Charm for amplified Magic damage.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Best Impenetrable Thorns Build

Lord of Blood’s Exultation can be another surprisingly good talisman for the Impenetrable Thorns build. Since this spell has a high tendency to cause blood loss, you can easily get a 20% attack bonus. However, Lord of Blood’s Exultation is useless against enemies immune to blood loss.

The fourth amulet is interchangeable and may be filled with any talisman you prefer. You could select the Bull Goat Talisman for added stability, or choose Erdtree’s Favor for additional health, stamina, and encumbrance allowance.

Best Armor for an Impenetrable Thorns Build

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Best Impenetrable Thorns Build

To inflict greater damage with your Impenetrable Thorns spell, consider donning the Alberich’s Set armor. Each item in this set enhances all Thorns sorceries by 6%. Wearing all four pieces results in a substantial 24% increase in damage.

Although wearing just the Alberich’s Set provides limited stability, which might disrupt you during lengthy casting animations. You can enhance your stability by equipping the Alberich’s Set headgear and bracers, in addition to two other heavy armor pieces such as the Havel’s Set , Pauldron of Favor , or Black Iron Set .

Other Tips for an Impenetrable Thorns Build

If you’re considering casting the Impenetrable Thorns spell, there are some bonuses that can amplify its effectiveness. Since Impenetrable Thorns is a sorcery, you can employ various methods to boost its damage. One such method is using the “” to enhance the thorns’ harm. Moreover, the “Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear” incantation grants an extra 20% bonus to Magic damage, which further strengthens Impenetrable Thorns since it requires 24 Faith points for usage. You can invest just one additional Faith point to employ this incantation and deal even more damage.

Read More

2024-07-15 12:03