Elden Ring: Best Tank Build [Weapons, Armor & More]

Master how to make the best tank build in Elden Ring, from strength-focused melee to healer tanks, and boost your gameplay strategy.

In Elden Ring, the best Tank build can either be a melee one or the healer, which can deal a lot of damage to enemies, or otherwise, you can build a tank that has a high defensive stat. Making the best build in Elden Ring, like the tank one, requires you to have the best defensive stats so that you can tank and resist all the enemy atrocities without dying.

Key Takeaways
  • Elden Ring offers players the flexibility to customize their tank builds for either offensive prowess or staunch defense.
  • With the best tank build in Elden Ring, not only can players tackle enemies single-handedly, but in co-op, the tank can absorb damage allowing allies to focus on dealing damage.
  • The Healer Tank build lets players absorb vast amounts of damage while providing the added utility of healing, extending their survivability in battles.
  • Attributes like Strength and Endurance are foundational for both tank builds, but a healer tank also requires an investment in Faith to maximize its healing capabilities.

Best Tank Builds In Elden Ring

Here is an overview of the two best Tank builds in Elden Ring showased along with the best armor, weapons, talismans, key classes & attributes.

AspectBest Melee Tank BuildBest Healer Tank Build
ClassHeroHero
AttributeStrength, Endurance, DexterityStrength, Endurance, Faith
WeaponBeastclaw GreathammerFingerPrint Stone Shield
ArmorVeteran SetTwinned Set
TalismanGodskin Swaddling ClothDragoncrest Greatshield Talisman
SkillAsh of War: Barricade ShieldAsh of War: Barricade Shield

What Are Tank Builds?

Tanking system in Elden Ring is unique as you have the privilege to choose between offensive and defensive tank stats. The Tank melee build can throw some great damage that proves to be a huge support build where you can take out enemies all alone.

The melee tank build in Elden Ring is also great for Co-op, while you face tank all the damage your allies get a lot of free hits where they can knock down the enemies. The other one is a Tank Healer Build, where your Tank can take all the damages without dying.

Melee or Healer, you need to design a perfect build for your tank, only then you can take out all the tougher enemies in Elden Ring easily. Here are the best builds that you must opt for when playing Elden Ring;

Best Melee Tank Build

  • Class: Hero
  • Attribute: Strength, Endurance, and Dexterity.
  • Weapon: BEASTCLAW GREATHAMMER
  • Armor: Veteran Set
  • Talisman: Godskin Swaddling Cloth.
  • Skill: Ash of War: Barricade Shield

Best Healer Tank Build

  • Class: Hero
  • Attribute: Strength, Endurance, and Faith
  • Weapon: FingerPrint Stone Shield.
  • Armor: Twinned Set
  • Talisman: Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman
  • Skill: Ash of War: Barricade Shield

1. Best Melee Tank Build

Hero, one of the best starting classes in Elden Ring, is a perfect choice when building a Melee Tank. In Elden Ring, each class has some default stats as the game begins, which you can then upgrade as you progress.

As the game begins, this class already has an Axe that makes it a suitable fit for the best Melee Tank Build in Elden Ring. Apart from the Axe, with this class, you can easily make a magical character that gives you an early-game advantage.

Attribute

When building a Melee Tank, two attributes that you just need to have are Strength and Endurance. Endurance gives your character the stamina to be Agile and carry all the equipment and Strength because of the obvious reasons as you are going to face tougher enemies. For an ideal Melee Tank Build, you must have 34 Endurance Points and 48 Strength Points. With this, it will be even better if you focus on Dexterity and Arcane.

Best Weapon

Beastclaw Greathammer statsValue
Physical Damage116
Magic Damage0
Fire Damage0
Lightning Damage0
Holy Damage75
Critical Hit100
Scaling StrengthD
Scaling DexterityD
Scaling FaithD
Required Strength20
Required Dexterity10
Required Faith18

The best hammer in Elden Ring for your melee tank build is the Beastclaw Greathammer. This is a huge knife with a lot of strength that can give enemies huge damage and also can knock them down with just a few hits. Also, its huge size makes anyone in front of it afraid therefore carrying this huge size weapon is all worth it.

Best Armor

Veterans Armor suit
Veterans Armor suit (Image by eXputer)

The best armor for your melee tanks is Veteran’s armor. This is heavy armor with great damage and Poise stats, thus wearing this will be very beneficial for all your battles.

Veteran’s armor statsValue
Physical Damage18.7
VS Strike Damage17
VS Slash Damage18.7
VS Pierce Damage17.5
Magic Damage13.5
Fire Damage14.1
Lightning Damage12.8
Holy Damage13.3
Immunity63
Robustness90
Focus46
Vitality46
Poise38

Best Talisman

Godskin Swaddling Cloth
Godskin Swaddling Cloth (Image by eXputer)

The best Talisman, that will go with any of your Melee weapons is Godskin Swaddling Cloth. You can get this inside Spirit Caller Cave after fighting with Spirit Caller Snail. Once you have it, you will recover some of your HP each time you perform some consecutive attacks.

Godskin Swaddling Cloth statsValue
Weight0.9
EffectSuccessive attacks restore 30 + 3%

Best Skill

When playing with a Melee Tank, Ash of War: Barricade Shield is the best ability you can opt for as it will not only block the hits but also tank them.

2. Best Healer Tank Build

Unlike Melee Tank, you can go with any class if you want to play with the best Healer Tank build in Elden Ring. However, if you opt for a Class like Hero, which already has some strength-based stats, by upgrading the defensive stats you can have a perfect Build that is skilled in both attacks and defense.

Attributes

Similar to Melee, two attributes you must need to boost are Strength and Endurance. However, as a Healer, Faith is equally important and you definitely to have some Faith Points as it increases the healing you use. For an ideal Healer Tank Build in Elden Ring, you should spend 26 Faith Points, 37 Endurance, and 50 on Strength.

Best Weapon

Fingerprint Stone Shield
Fingerprint Stone Shield (Image by eXputer)
Attack statsDefense stats
Phy 139Phy 100
Mag 0Mag 77
Fire 0Fire 81
Ligt 0Ligt 79
Holy 0Holy 75
Crit 100Boost 77

The top weapon for the best Healer tank in Elden Ring is the Fingerprint Stone Shield. This shield is crazy as when at max level it gives 86 guard boost. Therefore, even with less stamina, this is great for blocking all the hits.

Apart from this, its defensive stats are also great as it can block hits and reduce damage from the Elemental hits. Therefore, we don’t have to worry about dodging the attacks as they will reach us when they are extremely weak.

Fingerprint Stone Shield statsValue
EffectCauses madness buildup
ScalingStr D
RequiresStr 48
Weight29.0

Best Armor

twinned suit
Twinned Armor Suit (Image by eXputer)

The best armor for Healer Tank Build is the Twinned Set. The primary reason for it being the best is of course its great defensive stats however, the ease with which you can carry it can’t be taken for granted.

This is a lightweight Armor, thus it doesn’t affect your mobility, therefore, you can move with high speed and heal yourself.

Twinned set statsValue
Physical Damage27.4
VS Strike Damage25.4
VS Slash Damage29.6
VS Pierce Damage25
Magic Damage23.5
Fire Damage23.5
Lightning Damage19
Holy Damage21.5
Immunity83
Robustness135
Focus53
Vitality135
Poise50
Weight30

Best Talisman

Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman
Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman (Image by eXputer)

The top choice Talisman for the best Healer Tank build in Elden Ring is the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman as it reduces the damage given to you by enemies by 20%. However, this cannot be obtained directly. To get it, you need to head to Bestial Sanctum and find the Dragon Crest Shield Talisman. This Talisman can then be upgraded to get the Dragon Crest Shield Talisman.

Talisman statsValue
Weight0.8
EffectEnormously reduces Physical Damage taken by 20%.

Best Skill

Barricade Shield
Barricade Shield (Image by eXputer)

Similar to the Melee build, the best skill to be used here is Ash of War: Barricade Shield because of its crazy defensive stats which is a perfect fit for your Healer Tank build.

That is all about the Best Tank Builds in Elden Ring. If you are interested, then check Elden Ring BEST Thrusting Swords, Best Astrologer Armor Set, and Elden Ring BEST Fist Weapons guides.

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Irfan Ansari


Irfan Ansari is a Senior Editor and Guides Writer on eXputer. He has seven years of Video Game Journalism experience and a tremendous love for gaming. Over his editorial career, he has gained experience at multiple sites. Along with his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering Irfan has also earned a degree in Writing and Editing from the University of Michigan. Experience: 7+ Years || Education: Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering || Worked for TheGamer and VeryAli Gaming || Published 1000+ Guides

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