Elden Ring Mage Build: Weapons, Spells, Tips

Just like Elden Ring Mage build, there are numerous builds that you can choose to work on in Elden Ring. For instance, you can choose to build a Hybrid build, Dexterity builds, or even a strength build, depending on the type of class you have chosen for yourself. We have a guide on the best builds in Elden Ring that you may want to go through as well. The guide will cover the basic overview of the mage build, a few of the weapons and spells that you will need, along with the locations from where you can obtain them.

You will get to have one of the best Mage builds in Elden Ring through this guide. From what Keepsake, Ash of War, to weapons and spells, we will go through what our personal experience has provided us and let you guys in on the fun as well. Because we know it takes a considerable amount of time and spending hours in the game to develop and figure out the best spells, strategies, weapons, and even builds. That is why we are most confident that this guide will help you solve your problems in Elden Ring.

Mage Build Overview

The Mage build that we will talk about will also make you very powerful early on. So, choosing any build comes down to selecting the best class amongst the nine others that the game offers you. The class you want to choose here is Astrologer; why? Because unlike the rest of them, you will get the most amazing results with this class as it fits perfectly for a Mage build. It also offers the players two exceptional starting abilities and has the highest Intelligence in any other class. Each class you choose has one of their starting equipment items, and for the Astrologer class, you will get;

• Memory of Grace
• Glintstone Arc
• Astrologer’s Staff
• Small Wooden Shield
• Short Sword
• Glintstone Pebble
• A Keepsake of your own choice

And the stats that the game offers to you for the Astrologer are as follows;

Stats	Value
Dexterity	12
Mind	15
Soul Level	6
Faith	7
Intelligence	16
Endurance	9
Strength	8
Vigor	9
Arcane	9

The Mage has a magical resistance due to the use of Glintstone Sorcery, along with a variety of different spells it can cast. Another thing you should know is that the Astrologer class can offer players to cast more spells along with a variety. Before we get into the build, you should know the following steps you need to consider.

Choosing the Best Keepsake

Now that you have chosen your class for your Elden Ring Mage Build, you will have to choose 1 Keepsake out of the nine options provided after selecting your class. For your Keepsake, there are two great options; The first one is the Crimson Amber Medallion, and the other is the Golden Seed. You would want to go with either of them because the Crimson Amber Medallion will provide you with an additional amount of HP, which is a huge bonus point for you early on. On the other hand, the Golden Seed will allow your character to have an extra flask early on in the game.

The extra flask will come in handy when you figure out that you need more FP to cast sorceries. Not only will the Keepsake allow you to gain an extra flask to keep your FP up and running, but it will also allow your character to heal himself in dire situations. You can look at our Top 5 Best Keepsake guide, perfect for the Astrologer class.

Leveling the Important Stats

Now, as far as the stats are concerned. They are the most critical factors you need to look into before going for any build you want. For the Mage build, you need to focus on leveling up as many points into Intelligence as possible. The Intelligence stat will help you to cast numerous sorceries in the game without pulling a sweat.

As for your secondary stats, your primary focus should be on pumping your points for Vigor and Mind. Doing that will allow you to have more HP and FP, which in return, will also allow you to cast as many sorceries as you can and increase your chances of surviving any significant fights. For the rest of the stats, you can also sprinkle some points in Dexterity as it reduces the time it requires to cast spells a little bit. So far, the casting speed has not been found to be too bothersome for some players.

Mage Build Playstyle

Let’s get into the actual build and the play style. At the start of selecting your mage class, you will be given two spells, Glintstone Pebble and Glintstone Arc, which have already been mentioned above. Both of them are pretty helpful and decent spells that you begin with. You can hit one enemy at a time with the Pebble and do an area of effect damage to multiple targets by using the Arc.

Suppose we are talking about the movement of your character. You can make the mob of enemies around you to position themselves in such a way, that you can effectively use your Glintstone Arc. Anyways, the point of this is not so that you can spam these spells a lot, you need to have more than two memory stones to cast more spells efficiently.

You can obtain three memory stones from three different locations that we have mentioned in our other guides. You can head over there and learn and even choose to purchase new spells and incantations from different vendors and NPC throughout the game. However, most of them will be giving you useless spells that are a total waste of your time and FP. You should avoid those spells at all costs and look for alternatives.

Mage Build Weapons & Powerful Spells 

You can find more spells and incantations that are powerful for you to use. The first options you get in the game are the two spells mentioned before. Still you can get by with different alternatives. We will mention some of the most powerful spells that you can use in your mage build. 

Don’t worry, useless spells are not the only ones in this game, and you will definitely find valuable spells and items in Elden Ring. With our Elden Ring Mage Build guide, you can become very powerful, and you can scale your attributes with the Intelligence Stats for the Astrologer. Moreover, you can provide some scrolls to the different vendors in order to get the best spells from them. For instance, the Royal House Scroll is a good exchange for the following spells.

Carian Slicer

These are the Glintblade Phalanx and the Carian Slicer and the two most valuable spells for your Mage Build, especially the Carian Slicer, which only costs 4 FP and does a  lot of damage to the enemy. With that low cost for FP it is certainly a good spell to take. For this spell to work, you have to be close to the enemy or at melee range, and being a mage that is the one thing you avoid. Apart from that, the spell is pretty good in terms of casting time and range, you can kill groups of enemies and deal a lot more damage to them.

Glintblade Phalanx Spell

The Glintblade Phalanx Spell is similar to the other spell in terms of range and spell. However, it lacks good damage and does come in handy in different situations. The only way you can execute the spell in your favor is when you mount your horse. By doing so, you can activate the spell and dodge enemies that are attacking you. When you activate the spell, you are encircled with small swords that deal chunks of damage to the enemies once you face them in the direction. Even so, it can be pretty advantageous considering the efficient use of the movement speed.

Also, the spell can lock onto your enemies and you won’t have a hard time hitting them. By mounting to a horse, you can reduce the locking animation of the spell and allow yourself to move in between the cast time and to dodge enemy attacks. Therefore, you must consider using this spell as well. Now, to make your mage build powerful, you will need more tools and items. For that, you can use a staff that can be found later on in the game.

Meteorite Staff

You can pick up this staff at the start of the game, and you can find it near the Inner Aeonia Site Grace by destroying the four poisonous flowers inside the small tower. The staff is good in terms of decent damage and it also boosts spells such as the Rock Sling Spell. However, the staff cannot be upgraded to make it powerful and reliable. Still, it is a good option for your mage build as it reduces the cast time for spells. The Dexterity and Faith scaling of the staff also make them good to use.

Next up, we have another powerful spell that we will be using for our Elden Ring Mage Build.

Rock Sling Spell

The spell is not far from where you found the staff. You can find it in the Aeonia Swamp Site of Grace which is where you also found the Meteorite Staff. The Rock Sling spell does insane damage and does not consume a lot of FP, and it also does a large AOE damage to the enemies. Once you have obtained the spell, you can talk to Molina and then head back to the Church of Elleh so that you can find two more items for your mage build. These items will be a Spirit Bell and Lone Wolf Ashes Summon that you can get from Renna.

These wolves can be used to distract the enemies while you sit back and launch terrifying mage spells at the enemy. They can also tank the enemies and allow the enemies to shift their focus on them while you get ready for a counterattack or heal.

When you have both the items, you now need to equip yourself with powerful long-range spells. You can add them in your secondary slot. For this, you want to go to Caria Manor, which is at the end of the map. You will need to defeat the guards on your way, and once they are defeated, they will drop a Lazuli Glintstone Sword.

Lazuli Glintstone Sword

The sword scales with Intelligence and is a very decent in terms of damage. For this sword, you will not need to meet any requirements like any other sword in the game. Those annoying requirements include specific scaling of Strength, Dexterity, or Faith on your character before you can equip those swords. Luckily for you, Lazuli Glintstone Sword does not have a requirement like that. You can equip it as soon as you obtain it without having to pump any points to any stats and therefore, it is a great option to pick.

Once you pick up the sword, you will need to move your way upwards on the map in Caria Manor while ignoring the giant that shows up on your right and head towards Loretta.

All in all, why should you consider taking this sword? Well, compared to any other sword that scales with Intelligence, it has the lowest requirements to wield, so you only need; 

Stats	Value
Strength	8
Dexterity	9
Intelligence	13

It means that the Astrologer class can use it effectively at the start of the game, and our mage build can use it without wasting any points on Strength or Dexterity like the other magical weapons. It makes the Lazuli Glintstone sword one of the best close combat weapon choices for the Elden Ring Mage Build throughout the game. The real reason why this sword is great is its move set and skill ability.

How to use

Firstly, when wielded in the right hand, you can use the special skill which fires a Glintstone Pebble from the sword itself without actually taking up any room in your memory slot. The sword also has a secret attack, though if you fire a Glintstone Pebble and use the power attack, you’ll make a huge lunge forward and skewer the enemy on your blade. The charge range is massive, and the combination of both these attacks will often stagger your enemy. So you can follow up with a guard break critical.

Loretta’s Greatbow Spell

You can also test your Mage build to see how powerful it has become so far by heading over to kill the Royal Knight Loretta. You will only need to use two items and spells to defeat Loretta. Firstly, summon your wolves and let them distract her while you use Rock Sling spell on her. As you can see, it is a very good combo that you can use to defeat bigger enemies and even bosses. With the meteorite staff, you can deal a huge amount of damage to her, and the best part is she will be completely occupied with the wolves that you summoned.

Once she is defeated, she will drop a powerful spell for you. The Loretta’s Greatbow will be the perfect addition to the list of items and weapons in your mage build. The spell is a perfect opener for bosses and has excellent range. The Greatbow is very unique as it offers more damage to the enemy when you hold down the button and charge it. The AOE effect on this weapon can literally kill a group of enemies in only one hit.

Carian Greatsword

To obtain it, you will need to go to the Church of Vows and talk to the turtle lying inside the ruin. Buy both the spells that he has on him, for which you will need 10k for the Carian Greatsword. The Carian Greatsword is like an upgraded Carian Slicer. However, the range of the sword is a great up point for you and you can still use it while running away from enemies or mounted on a horse, because the range and the length of the sword is amazing. So, it’s much easier to attack enemies with it than the Carian Slicer, and it looks pretty cool along with its damage output.

Related: Best Elden Ring Greatswords

Unlock Additional Memory Slots

Having a lot of spells but no memory stones to use them is annoying. So, now you have to find three memory stones located at three different towers. By obtaining additional memory slots, you can fire and switch between different spells. Don’t worry. The Elden Ring Mage Build guide will also be covering this matter. What you have to do is return to the place where you killed Loretta at Caria Manor.

Walk into the woods and reach the point called Renna’s Tower. At the top of the tower, you will find a chest that has a memory stone inside it. After that, go to the Seluvis’s Tower and reach the top of the tower. Again you will find the memory stone inside the chest. Thirdly, go to Oridys’s Rise and complete his mini-quest. Enter the tower and again by the same method, obtain the memory slot inside a chest on top of the tower. The quest tells you to kill three turtles.

After that, go outside again and climb to the top to pick up another memory slot. You’ll also get a memory slot from killing the first main story boss, and memory stones can also be bought from the the NPC at the Round Table Hold.

Now that you have additional memory slots, you will be able to cast all your new spells and have a good variety of them at your disposal.

Flask of Wondrous Physick

Finally, you need to pick up a flask of Wondrous Physick. These potions help you get an edge in your fights and they mostly increase your HP and FP potions. You need HP and FP to cast more spells and have enough health to prolong the fights. It would be best to mix the potion using an Opaline Bubbletear and an Intelligence-Knot Crystal Tear. Both of these tears can be obtained from Erdtree Avatar Boss and Caria Manor, by killing Loretta. Once you mix these potions, you will be able to dodge enemy attacks. It will trigger a bubble on your character that protects you from incoming damage. But, it can only be used one per strike.

Moreover, it will raise your intelligence so you can deal huge damage to the enemies. 

Allocating Flasks

As a mage in elden ring, you need to focus on your HP and having more FP. By using the Golden Seed keepsake at the start of the game, you will allow your character to have more FP. The more FP and HP you have the more you can cast spells and survive in intense battles. Now, because you have more spells in your arsenal, you also need more FP to cast them. Therefore, make sure you have more FP flasks on you and keeping in mind all that we have discussed throughout the Elden Ring Mage Build Guide, it will help you get powerful early in the game. Now, we will discuss another interest with this Mage build, which will help you further dominate in the mid-game.

Raya Lucaria Academy Gate

The place has two main story bosses, so you have to go to Main Academy gate anyways, and by using this build, you won’t have to worry about a lot. You can progress through the game to get to this part and kill the bosses like they’re just random small-time enemies. In addition, the place is filled with useful stuff for a mage, so it deserves its section in our guide, and we would recommend that players explore this area intensively as it will help them a lot.

Graven-School Talisman

The Talisman dramatically increases your damage output, a unique and special item that you can consider taking for your build. The easiest way to obtain it is to go to the School-House Classroom grace, take a right turn and move upwards. While taking the first possible right turn, every time you run upwards, you will reach the Talisman that is very well hidden due to an illusionary wall. So go through it and then walk up the stairs and down the hole twice, and you’ll eventually get in a room where you can pick up the Talisman.

Radagon Icon Talisman

Another excellent Talisman that you will find in that room is the Radagon Icon. It’s a perfect Talisman because it reduces the casting speed of your spells, and it’s especially noticeable with some of the spells that take a longer time to cast. To obtain the Talisman, go to the Debate Parlor grace and then go outside and take a sharp right. Jump off from the balcony and climb the ladder at the end. Once you climb up, enter one of the broken windows, and you’ll find the Talisman. Now you have both of the Talismans and what you can do with them is have an outstanding power spike.

Azur’s Glintstone Staff

When you start procuring this place (Raya Lucaria Academy Gate), on top of the roofs, keep exploring the top till reach a house which has all the open windows. Enter through any of the windows and drop down a level. Once you do that, you will be at the church’s upper level, and there are two good pickups here that you can obtain. You will find through one of the far corridors of the place, Azur’s Glintstone Staff. Of course, when you pass the corridor, you will have to fight an enemy. An easier way to defeat him is by using the Loretta Greatbow, which has an insane range and damage, making it very easy. At the end of the place, you will come across a shiny pickup called the Azur’s Glintstone Staff.

Twinsage Glintstone Crown

You will have to get to the other side of the upper-level place from where you found the staff, and you’ll find a big wooden platform. From there, you need to get to the other side of it, where you will find an object with shiny crystals on it. It will drop a helpful Twinsage Glintstone Crown after you destroy it. The item is a helmet that gives your character an insane +six to your Intelligence, and you want to keep a hold of it because of an increase in your Intelligence and help you for this Elden Ring Mage Build.

Carian Knight Armor Set

Before you leave this place, you will want to obtain the Carian Knight Set. Travel to the Church of the Cuckoo, enter the graveyard, and keep running to the right side until you come across the bridge you will cross. Once you cross the bridge, stay on the right side until you go up and then jump down the platform that you come across at the end. After that, you’ll see a bunch of enemies surrounding the Carian Knight Set and pick it up without having to fight them as they will not attack you.

We have covered the main essential items that you needed to obtain from the Raya Lucaria Academy that we, as a mage, want to have. Your primary focus should be to level up your defenses as much as possible while staying in the medium load category. That way, you will ensure that you get good defensive stats while maintaining the ability to do the medium load roll, which is much better than the heavy load troll you do not want to have on a Elden Ring mage build. Keep in mind that you do not want to exceed 70 of your equip load, and to achieve this, the Carian Knight Set is perfect as it provides a lot more well-rounded stats than the Astrologer Set.

Furthermore, it makes you highly resistant to physical attacks, which are much more prevalent in many areas in the game than sorcery-based damage. 

Elden Ring Mage Build Tips

Here are some additional tips to end our Elden Ring Mage Build guide. Always keep a distance form your enemies and use your summoned wolves to distract them while you launch long-range spells on them. If you are mounted on a horse you can evade attacks more efficiently, and you can also use spells like Carian Slicer more efficiently. You need to be aware of most areas that don’t allow you to use summons or spirits. That is a great drawback to this build because you have summons. So you need to avoid those places at all costs, as it will make things easier for you.

You can also upgrade your spirits and summons at the Round Table Hold to make them even stronger. You can do this by giving the NPC some items that you’ll usually find in some of the dungeons in the game. On another note, you can also use the Glintstone Stars, which is excellent for inflicting enormous damage to enemies and, most notably, bosses who move around a lot, such as the wolf in Raya Lucaria. The Swift Glintstone has the unique attribute of delivering a precision-based attack on enemies from horse-back and is also great for actually inflicting damage in PvP as an Astrologer.

Final Words

The following guide may not have everything for a Mage Build In Elden Ring, but following this particular build and having this set of spells, memory slots, summons, etc., will make you incredibly powerful even at the start of the game. Also, the build is a lot more engaging and fun than spamming the Glintstone Pebble. The best thing about it is that you only need to get a few additional Intelligence points to cast all these spells as an Astrologer. There are, however, more spells in the game that will unlock when you get to 30-50 Intelligence, and that’s something for the late game.

Moreover, some of those spells will be insane, which we will have to wait to see later on in the game. Most people rely on Carian Slicer and Glintstone Pebble, which is not an effective way to progress. However, once you read the guide, you will understand most of the concepts and reasons to go with this particular Mage Build. You will also diversify your attacks and increase your damage combos. If you benefited from our Elden Ring Mage Build Guide, head on over to our other Elden Ring guides so that you can get additional help regarding the numerous abilities and things that the game offers.