Thiollier’s Hidden Needle Build Guide in Shadow of the Erdtree

Thiollier's Hidden Needle Build Guide in Shadow of the Erdtree

As a seasoned Elden Ring gamer with countless hours spent traversing the Lands Between and honing my skills in combat, I must say that the introduction of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has brought about a unique and exhilarating experience for me – the Thiollier’s Hidden Needle build.


The game titled “Shadow of the Erdtree” expands upon the original game, “Elden Ring“, by introducing numerous fresh elements. While it enriches the arsenal with new weapons and spells, it also introduces a completely novel status effect named “Eternal Sleep”.

Instead of typical slumber, there’s Eternal Slumber, a state that can be induced by two specific weapons: the Velvet Sword of St. Trina and another one. In player versus environment (PvE), particularly in DLC expansions, this status isn’t particularly potent because most bosses are resistant or quickly recover from it. However, it’s a game-changer in player versus player (PvP), especially when combined with Sleep Evermore and Thiollier’s Hidden Needle’s ash of war.

Best Stat Spread For Thiollier’s Hidden Needle In Elden Ring

Thiollier’s Hidden Needle primarily scales with Dexterity and secondarily with Intelligence. To optimize damage output, aim for a Dexterity score of 70, then allocate the remaining skill points to Intelligence. The Ash of War doesn’t require much Focus Points (FP), so 10 Mind usually suffices; however, you can invest slightly more if you intend to incorporate spells into your build. The 25 Faith is required to meet certain prerequisites, but players may choose to overlook it if they don’t find the associated buff beneficial for their playstyle. Instead, they can opt for an alternative choice.

Vigor 40
Endurance 24
Mind 10
Strength 10
Dexterity 70
Intelligence 40
Faith 25
Arcane 10

Best Equipment For Thiollier’s Hidden Needle In Elden Ring

Thiollier's Hidden Needle Build Guide in Shadow of the Erdtree

Using Thiollier’s Hidden Needle alone isn’t highly efficient due to its limited range, moderate Eternal Sleep build-up, and relatively low damage output. But when combined with suitable equipment and weapons, players can inflict significant damage on opponents, often other players.

  • : The weapon skill for Velvet Sword of St Trina casts a cloud that causes Eternal Sleep build up. When eternal sleep does proc, players can switch to Thiollier’s Hidden Needle and use its ash of war to devastate the opponent.
  • : Keep this in your offhand and use Sleepbone bolts during your fights. Against enemy players, you can proc sleep within a few hits because of the multiple bolts fired with every single shot, making it a great accompaniment to Thiollier’s Hidden Needle.
  • : The DLC added new ritual pots, one of which is the eternal sleep pot. This gives the player 10 more pots to use to cause sleep buildup.
  • : Players can have up to 20 sleep pots at the same time, for a total of 30 throwable items that cause sleep build up.

Best Talismans For Thiollier’s Hidden Needle In Elden Ring

Thiollier's Hidden Needle Build Guide in Shadow of the Erdtree

As a devoted enthusiast, I can affirm that enhancing a character to boost pot-throwing damage is certainly beneficial. Yet, it’s essential to clarify that this upgrade does not augment the status build-up. Consequently, for my current game build, it appears to be an inconsequential factor.

Best Wondrous Physik Mixture For Thiollier’s Hidden Needle In Elden Ring

Thiollier's Hidden Needle Build Guide in Shadow of the Erdtree

In this character setup, Wondrous Physik isn’t particularly beneficial. Players have flexibility to choose any Crystal Tear they prefer because none of them directly enhance the sleep build-up or damage from Thiollier’s Hidden Needle. Instead, the defensive options like and are useful, while the is a decent supplementary tear.

How To Use The Thiollier’s Hidden Needle Build In Elden Ring

Thiollier's Hidden Needle Build Guide in Shadow of the Erdtree

Thiollier’s Hidden Needle doesn’t quite live up to expectations in Player vs Environment (PvE) battles, mainly due to the fact that most DLC bosses are resistant to the sleep status it inflicts. Yet, in Player versus Player (PvP) scenarios, this weapon proves to be exceptionally potent when used correctly alongside specific weapon pairings.

Start by ensuring your off-hand is holding a Spread Crossbow loaded with Sleepbone bolts. This crossbow offers an effortless means to induce sleep in your targets. Alternatively, you can opt for sleep and ritual sleep potions in scenarios where it’s tactically appropriate. In any case, your main goal should always be to inflict either the sleep or eternal sleep status on the opposing player.

Immediately after the status activates, equip both Thiollier’s Hidden Needles, and then employ its Ash of War, Sleep Evermore. If you strike a sleeping opponent, this will inflict significant damage to their health. Follow up with a powerful attack to deliver another hit and ensure their defeat.

Given that characters focusing on Intelligence and Dexterity for their build may find themselves with a surplus of points, they could opt for an alternative setup (slightly tweaked stats) when not employing a sleep-based strategy, as it tends to be inefficient against numerous bosses.

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2024-08-02 13:23