If you’re someone who prefers to play as a character that utilizes magic and melee in equal measure, then perhaps the Elden Ring Confessor Build is meant for you. It’s a build that is primarily centered around the Strength and Faith stats, letting you play around with several varied Incantations that can provide both attack buffs and healing effects.
- The Confessor build in Elden Ring combines spells and melee weapons for a versatile playstyle.
- Prioritize leveling Strength and Faith as primary stats.
- Recommended weapons: Uchigatana, Coded Sword, Blasphemous Blade, Cipher Pata, Sword of Night and Flame.
- Sacred Seals: Godslayer’s Seal, Dragon Communion Seal, Erdtree Seal.
- Armor sets: Black Knife Set, Scaled Set.
- Talismans: Two Fingers Heirloom, Ancestral Spirit’s Horn, Radagon Icon.
- Favorite spells: Lightning Spear, Electrify Armament, Beast Claw, Black Flame, Bloodflame Blade.
- Optimal playstyle: Shift between ranged and melee combat, buff weapons with incantations, deal high damage.
- Author’s Note: This Elden Ring guide has been curated with hands-on experience after spending 500+ hours in the game!
Elden Ring Confessor Build Overview
Now, this goes without saying, but you don’t actually have to begin the game as the Confessor class to utilize the Build I am going over in this article. Players have access to 10 different presets when they start the game, but they serve more like ready-made loadouts than a restrictive class choice.
For convenience’s sake, I’ll make a short list of where the starting equipment and incantations of the Confessor can be found in the game world:
- Assassin’s Approach: This can be purchased from Brother Corhyn in the Roundtable Hold after giving him the Assassin’s Prayerbook.
- Blue Crest Heater Shield: Buy from the Nomadic Merchant near the Bellum Church in Liurnia of the Lakes.
- Broadsword: Acquire from the Nomadic Merchant near the Coastal Cave in West Limgrave.
- Confessor Armor Set: Find and purchase from the Nomadic Merchant on Mt. Gelmir.
- Finger Seal: The Twin Maiden Husks in the Roundtable Hold sell this.
- Urgent Heal: An Incantation Sold by Brother Corhyn.
With this, you should be able to easily acquire the starting gear for the Confessor and start your build without any hassle.
Build Summary:
WEAPONS | INCANTATIONS | ARMOR SETS | TALISMANS | SACRED SEALS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Uchigatana, Blasphemous Blade, Cipher Pata, Coded Sword, Sword of Night and Flame | Lightning Spear, Electrify Armament, Beast Claw, Black Flame, Bloodflame Blade | Black Knife Set and Scaled Set | Two Fingers Heirloom, Ancestral Spirit’s Horn, and Radagon Icon | Dragon Communion, Godslayer’s, and Erdtree |
Confessor Build Gear
Speaking of gear, I’ll go over my list of recommended weapons, armor, and talismans in more detail below.
Confessor Build Weapons
Weapon | Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Boost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Uchigatana | Attack: 115 Guard: 45 | Guard: 30 | Guard: 30 | Guard: 30 | Guard: 30 | Guard: 30 |
Coded Sword | Guard: 13 | Guard: 22 | Guard: 22 | Guard: 22 | Attack: 85 Guard: 58 | Guard: 27 |
Blasphemous Blade | Attack: 121 Guard: 72 | Guard: 39 | Attack: 78 Guard: 54 | Guard: 39 | Guard: 39 | Guard: 50 |
Cipher Pata | Guard: 9 | Guard: 14 | Guard: 14 | Guard: 14 | Attack: 85 Guard: 61 | Guard: 19 |
Sword of Night and Flame | Attack: 87 Guard: 36 | Attack: 56 Guard: 42 | Attack: 56 Guard: 42 | Guard: 26 | Guard: 26 | Guard: 31 |
You can technically make most weapons useful for any type of build and not be restricted by their original ranks. The only ones that this cannot be done with are the few unique armaments in the game that are specifically designed for particular builds, like the Serpentbone Blade, which is one of the Best Katanas in the Elden Ring.
This entire system allows for a great deal of flexibility in how a player builds their character, but I still have some recommendations for my Confessor Build.
Uchigatana
Attack |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Crit |
115 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Guard |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Boost |
45 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
To start with, the Uchigatana is a fantastic choice for any character that utilizes melee attacks. I know it’s not a traditional weapon for Faith builds, but I stand by my belief that it is one of the best weapons in the entire game. It’s not even the hardest armament to find in the game, but it is still worth it regardless.
And remember, you’re supposed to be investing in Strength and faith with the Confessor. So you can choose to either apply the Heavy affinity for a maximum of an A in Strength scaling or the Flame and Sacred affinities for a maximum of a B in Faith scaling.
Coded Sword
Attack |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Crit |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 100 |
Guard |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Boost |
13 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 58 | 27 |
The Coded Sword is not a weapon you’ll find during your first 20 or so hours with the game, especially if you’re taking your time exploring the world. But it is an absolute powerhouse of a weapon for Faith builds specifically. So whenever you manage to reach the Royal Capital Leyndell, don’t forget to grab it as one of your first tasks.
This does not inflict any physical damage but is capable of dealing Holy damage with each attack. So with a B in Faith scaling by default, which can then be upgraded to an A at +6, I’m looking at an incredibly powerful addition to my Elden Ring Confessor Build. If you’re considering adjusting your stats to only use this weapon, I suggest not touching Strength with a ten-foot pole.
Blasphemous Blade
Attack |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Crit |
121 | 0 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Guard |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Boost |
72 | 39 | 54 | 39 | 39 | 50 |
I’ve been dealing with smaller weapons until now, but it’s finally time to throw a greatsword into the mix. The Blasphemous Blade is a great option for players who like to inflict massive damage in a short amount of time. And with a D ranking in Strength, Dexterity, and Faith, it’s a pretty versatile armament as well.
When you upgrade the blade up to +3, the Faith scaling changes into a C. And then later, when you reach +10, that rank changes once again to a B. Unfortunately, the Strength and Dexterity ranking never goes beyond a C at +9, but it also doesn’t have to either. More on this in our Elden Ring Strength Weapons article.
Cipher Pata
Attack |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Crit |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 100 |
Guard |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Boost |
9 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 61 | 19 |
Ever wanted to use a fist weapon that was infused with the power of holy light? Well, now you can with the help of the Cipher Pata, which is not an item that everyone will be comfortable with. It’s basically a pair of short twin blades that emerge from your wrists, and as such, they require you to engage in extremely close-quarters combat.
Sword of Night and Flame
Attack |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Crit |
87 | 56 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Guard |
|||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Boost |
36 | 42 | 42 | 26 | 26 | 31 |
My final recommendation for weapons in this Build is the Sword of Night and Flame. And although this weapon is great for Faith builds, it works tremendously for Intelligence builds as well. The only issue is that wielding this requires the player to have 12 points in both Strength and Dexterity and 24 points in both Faith and Intelligence.
Confessor Build Sacred Seals
The Sacred Seals in Elden Ring are the catalysts via which you cast all of the Incantations in the game. And while all can cast every single Faith-based spell, different seals boost different types of Incantations.
Some of them do scale with the Faith stat better than the others, but the only choice you have to make is between what type of spells you prefer to use.
Personally, I would suggest:
- Godslayer’s Seal: Improves godslayer type Incantations and reaches S rank Faith scaling at +14.
- Dragon Communion Seal: Boosts Dragon Communion type Incantations and reaches S rank Faith scaling at +7.
- Erdtree Seal: Doesn’t boost any particular type of Incantations but reaches S rank Faith scaling at +5.
Apart from the three mentioned above, there are a handful more in the game, but these are the absolute best.
Confessor Build Incantations
Incantations are a core component of any Elden Ring Build. As mentioned above, these are different from Sorceries and they allow you to perform several different healing, buffing, and offensive spells.
There are also a lot of Incantations in the game, but I’m going to go over some of the most powerful and useful ones for the Confessor. Once again, the list below is made according to my own preferences. You might feel differently, and that’s okay.
Lightning Spear
As the name implies, this allows you to conjure a spear made of lightning in your hand and toss it at the enemy with extreme force. Not only does this feel really good to use, but it also deals a decent amount of damage and has a quick casting time. There’s a reason that the Lightning Spear has been a trademark for most Faith builds for a long time.
Electrify Armament
I’m not going to lie to you; this is perhaps one of my favorite Incantation moments in the entire game. It allows you to electrify the weapon in your hand, which then gives you the ability to deal with a large amount of lightning damage on top of its regular damage type.
Beast Claw
In terms of pure value, the Beast Claw cannot be beaten in the Elden Ring. It only costs 10 FP to cast, but in return, you get an Incantation that has decent damage and can be used in quick succession, one after the other, as long as you have the FP reserves.
On top of this, the spell has a moderately quick casting time and only requires 8 points in Faith to use.
Black Flame
This Incantation allows players to throw a ball of black ominous flame at their enemies, which can also be charged to deal additional damage. The best thing about it, however, is that it deals damage to your targets over time, so you can hit a foe and then stand back to watch the magic happen.
Bloodflame Blade
When used, Bloodflame Blade enchants your armaments with a red glow. And when you land a hit with the weapon in question, the spell continues to build up the Blood Loss bar for a short time afterward. Combine this buff with a weapon like the Uchigatana that already inflicts Blood Loss, and you have a monster on your hands that can rend foes in seconds.
Confessor Build Armor
Armor set | Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy | Immunity | Robustness | Focus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black Knife Set | 22.5 | 17.5 | 18.9 | 13.5 | 22.5 | 65.0 | 108.0 | 54.0 |
Scaled Set | 31.0 | 26.5 | 27.6 | 25.6 | 26.5 | 135.0 | 197.0 | 91.0 |
When it comes to Armor in Elden Ring, I don’t put much stock in specific sets and their unique bonuses. I choose a loadout based on weight, as well as how much physical and magical damage reduction they give me.
It’s not worth it to choose a set that might give me +3 to my Faith stat if the result is a lack of protection from attacks. In that regard, there are only a few armor sets that I would really recommend for an Elden Ring Confessor Build.
Black Knife Set
DMG Negation |
||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy |
22.5 | 17.5 | 18.9 | 13.5 | 22.5 |
Resistance |
||||
Immunity | Robustness | Focus | Vitality | Poise |
65 | 108 | 54 | 54 | 40 |
While a lot of sets fluctuate between either great physical or magical damage reduction, few manage to do both at the same time. The Black Knife Set is one such set that has decent damage reduction overall, even if it never really excels at anything.
If you play a character that uses ranged magic spells and melee attacks in equal measure, then this is the set for you. Plus, it also looks really cool and has a muffling effect that stops enemies from hearing you while sneaking. So, if you want to mix in a bit of stealth into your playstyle, then that’s also viable.
Scaled Set
DMG Negation |
||||
Physical | Magic | Fire | Lightning | Holy |
31 | 26.5 | 27.6 | 25.6 | 26.5 |
Resistance |
||||
Immunity | Robustness | Focus | Vitality | Poise |
135 | 197 | 91 | 91 | 71 |
Based on my personal experience, the Scaled Set is an absolute beast that is suited for an Elden Confessor Build that prioritizes melee combat. With a 36.7 physical damage reduction, this is genuinely one of the best sets for you in the game. Additionally, it also boasts a higher than regular magic damage reduction, which makes sure that you’re protected against spells as well.
However, the set does weigh a value of 38, which is incredibly high for most magic builds. So if you’re interested in this armor, then you’ll have to invest a lot of points in Endurance.
Confessor Build Talismans
I would recommend using Talismans as it plays a massive role in all types of builds, and as such, the world is completely littered with different types of them. We actually have a guide on the Best Elden Ring Talismans in the entire game, in case you want to learn more about them.
And there are a select few in the game that can really make or break a Confessor build. So, I’m going over them below while explaining why I think you should have them equipped at all times.
Two Fingers Heirloom
The Two Fingers Heirloom is a Talisman that basically increases your Faith stat by a full 5 points. The value of this is easy to understand on paper, as this gives you a very helpful increase to one of your two primary stats as a Confessor. The more Faith you have, the better your gear performs and the more damage you do.
Later on in the game, when a single level-up costs tens of thousands of Runes, a Talisman like this also allows you to potentially invest in secondary stats like Endurance and Mind while not sacrificing the potency of your Faith. So yeah, this is a must-have for any Confessor.
Ancestral Spirit’s Horn
If you know that you will be using Incantations a lot, then you have to give the Ancestral Spirit’s Horn a shot. It’s simply a really solid item that makes you self-sufficient and ensures that you will use recovery items less frequently.
I suggest using Ancestral Spirit’s Horn because this Talisman restores 3 FP to your character for each enemy you kill, there are no conditions to this. You don’t have to score a critical hit or pay for it with some sort of secondary debuff. If you kill a foe, you will automatically regain some FP, allowing you to potentially keep on going for a long time before you have to use a Flask of Cerulean Tears.
Radagon Icon
Playing as a caster can have a lot of pros, but one of the most obvious cons is that you often leave yourself open to enemy attacks. Who amongst us has not tried to cast a spell during a boss fight, only to realize that the window of opportunity was not as large as I first thought and then paid for it dearly?
So, to prevent situations where the long casting times of spells cause me to fumble, I have the Radagon Icon. This Talisman aims to greatly reduce the casting time of your Spells, allowing you never to be caught off guard. And in terms of Incantations like the Lightning Spear, imagine firing that out like a barrage of machinegun fire.
This has been my Elden Ring Confessor Build guide. While you’re here, why not also check out our Elden Ring Two-Hand Button Guide?
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